Welcome to the Borderlands
- Chapter 39 -
Oops...MEDEA Meant Well but really Messed things UP...
“When I die I want to meet God and say, what the Hell were you thinking…like what were you thinking?” -Indian Larry from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“I see the angel in the marble and carve until I set him free…Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” -Michelangelo
“I get some ideas of kind of what I want to do then whatever it takes to see it through; that’s the way I do it. I treat it like sculpture. I like to see the frame up there and then let it flow; let it happen, whatever comes natural. When you hear the bike breathe its first breath that’s probably the biggest reward…every bike is like a child or work of art, like a creation that goes from dream to reality.” -Kendall Johnson of KENDALL JOHNSON CUSTOMS from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“Roll with the mystery; life’s uncertain. Just be comfortable with that…why fight it?” -Indian Larry from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“I have more faith in you than you have in you.” -Paul Cox to Robert Pradke from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF and MATTHEW 14:31
“Trust in God…Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord…No Fear…” -TATTOOED ‘backwards’ on Indian Larry’s neck so he could read it in the mirror.
“I see the angel in the marble and carve until I set him free…Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” -Michelangelo
“I get some ideas of kind of what I want to do then whatever it takes to see it through; that’s the way I do it. I treat it like sculpture. I like to see the frame up there and then let it flow; let it happen, whatever comes natural. When you hear the bike breathe its first breath that’s probably the biggest reward…every bike is like a child or work of art, like a creation that goes from dream to reality.” -Kendall Johnson of KENDALL JOHNSON CUSTOMS from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“Roll with the mystery; life’s uncertain. Just be comfortable with that…why fight it?” -Indian Larry from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“I have more faith in you than you have in you.” -Paul Cox to Robert Pradke from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF and MATTHEW 14:31
“Trust in God…Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord…No Fear…” -TATTOOED ‘backwards’ on Indian Larry’s neck so he could read it in the mirror.
Medea looked old. Shuffling from the shadows her feet parted fallen leaves like water before the bow of a boat. Her head bobbled on top of a wrinkled neck, “I should’ve left with the others, not stayed to help, but I owed you.”
I parked and ran to where she was standing. Medea really did look old. I needed answers.
“The spell,” Medea turned towards me, “I cast caused the diner and everything near it to age, speed ahead in time. Your friends escaped the effects. Larry’s ridden into the grasslands. Charon and Kendall are driving back to the river Styx; Hilts is following them. We need to get clear of this area. Look around; things are still ageing. Look at me!”
I looked back at my bike; it was already beginning to break down into rusted parts. We both began running.
Medea’s legs, albeit old long legs, were keeping up with me. We’d run a half mile before stopping.
“Far enough,” Media said between gasps. “Sorry for the drama but we had to get away from the effects of the spell.”
I’d be a liar to say I wasn’t, in spite of her aging, still captivated by her beauty…so much so that if she’d told me to shit in my hat I would’ve done so in a second. How many men over the last 2500 years have lost their favorite hats to the witch Medea?
“And you’ll explain what’s happened?”
“And I’ll explain,” Medea answered as she chased a breath of air, “what’s happened.”
We were on the road Larry had taken into the grassland. When I looked back the diner was almost out of sight; not because it was a half mile away but because it was rapidly crumbling back into the earth from which it had been made.
“Let me answer,” we’d walked another half mile before Medea spoke, “your first question. My promise to never use magic in the Borderlands had to be broken. What had been sent to stop us was so dangerous I had no choice but to cast my most powerful spell to protect us. I’ve never used the spell and didn’t realize what the full side effects would be.”
I parked and ran to where she was standing. Medea really did look old. I needed answers.
“The spell,” Medea turned towards me, “I cast caused the diner and everything near it to age, speed ahead in time. Your friends escaped the effects. Larry’s ridden into the grasslands. Charon and Kendall are driving back to the river Styx; Hilts is following them. We need to get clear of this area. Look around; things are still ageing. Look at me!”
I looked back at my bike; it was already beginning to break down into rusted parts. We both began running.
Medea’s legs, albeit old long legs, were keeping up with me. We’d run a half mile before stopping.
“Far enough,” Media said between gasps. “Sorry for the drama but we had to get away from the effects of the spell.”
I’d be a liar to say I wasn’t, in spite of her aging, still captivated by her beauty…so much so that if she’d told me to shit in my hat I would’ve done so in a second. How many men over the last 2500 years have lost their favorite hats to the witch Medea?
“And you’ll explain what’s happened?”
“And I’ll explain,” Medea answered as she chased a breath of air, “what’s happened.”
We were on the road Larry had taken into the grassland. When I looked back the diner was almost out of sight; not because it was a half mile away but because it was rapidly crumbling back into the earth from which it had been made.
“Let me answer,” we’d walked another half mile before Medea spoke, “your first question. My promise to never use magic in the Borderlands had to be broken. What had been sent to stop us was so dangerous I had no choice but to cast my most powerful spell to protect us. I’ve never used the spell and didn’t realize what the full side effects would be.”
“And now it’s time to get serious,” Medea had stopped to put her hands on my head. “Close your eyes; visualize a bike that’ll carry us both across the grasslands.”
“Could Charon have stopped it?
“Maybe, but before he could try I tricked the creature into entering the diner then cast the diner ahead in time.”
“Your beauty still turns heads, maybe older heads…you’re still a beautiful woman.”
Medea laughed, “You’re being kind. Speaking of ‘still’ you’ve still got your sense of humor. I’ve found in my 2500 years as a witch that laughter is still one of the world’s most powerful spells.”
Speaking of powerful spells, or is it smells; grassland has its own spell; I mean smell. All that lives there or has lived there adds to it. Grassland even has its own sound. On cloudless mornings, and this early morning was particularly cloudless, a light wind was mixing them all together.
“And now it’s time to get serious; meaning we need some serious transportation,” Medea touched my head. “Close your eyes and picture a bike that’ll carry us both.”
“I would have thought,” I said closing my eyes, “you used most of your magic to trap what was after us in the diner?”
“Most of my magic; I used almost all of it.”
I felt a slight movement of displaced air ahead of me and opened my eyes to find a blue Suzuki M109. I like M109s but was picturing more of a sportbike.
“Medea laughed. “I confess I eavesdropped in on what you were picturing and realized I should have said picture a bike that’ll comfortably carry us both. I need to sleep to regain my youth; so I amended your sportbike to the M109.”
Once I climbed aboard Medea climbed on the back; rested her head against my neck and promptly began to snore. Once on the road I couldn’t help but picture her growing younger with each mile.
We’d ridden nearly an hour before Medea awoke. I parked on the shoulder. Grassland as far as you could see and the cooling tick, tick, ticking of the M109’s giant V-twin engine, mixed with the click, click, clicking of unseen insects was our background. We walked a few feet from the bike.
“Maybe, but before he could try I tricked the creature into entering the diner then cast the diner ahead in time.”
“Your beauty still turns heads, maybe older heads…you’re still a beautiful woman.”
Medea laughed, “You’re being kind. Speaking of ‘still’ you’ve still got your sense of humor. I’ve found in my 2500 years as a witch that laughter is still one of the world’s most powerful spells.”
Speaking of powerful spells, or is it smells; grassland has its own spell; I mean smell. All that lives there or has lived there adds to it. Grassland even has its own sound. On cloudless mornings, and this early morning was particularly cloudless, a light wind was mixing them all together.
“And now it’s time to get serious; meaning we need some serious transportation,” Medea touched my head. “Close your eyes and picture a bike that’ll carry us both.”
“I would have thought,” I said closing my eyes, “you used most of your magic to trap what was after us in the diner?”
“Most of my magic; I used almost all of it.”
I felt a slight movement of displaced air ahead of me and opened my eyes to find a blue Suzuki M109. I like M109s but was picturing more of a sportbike.
“Medea laughed. “I confess I eavesdropped in on what you were picturing and realized I should have said picture a bike that’ll comfortably carry us both. I need to sleep to regain my youth; so I amended your sportbike to the M109.”
Once I climbed aboard Medea climbed on the back; rested her head against my neck and promptly began to snore. Once on the road I couldn’t help but picture her growing younger with each mile.
We’d ridden nearly an hour before Medea awoke. I parked on the shoulder. Grassland as far as you could see and the cooling tick, tick, ticking of the M109’s giant V-twin engine, mixed with the click, click, clicking of unseen insects was our background. We walked a few feet from the bike.
We’d ridden nearly an hour before Medea awoke. I parked at the side of road. Grassland as far as you could see and the cooling tick, tick, ticking of the M109’s giant V-twin engine, mixed with the click, click, clicking of unseen insects was our background. We walked a few feet from the bike.
I’d forgotten how effortlessly the M109 could eat up miles. The road through the grassland while mostly straight had its occasional series of tight turns to keep you honest. Its comfort made me glad Medea had eavesdropped in on and amended my visualization of a sportbike to the big cruiser.
Medea looked younger. Sleep was restoring her youth. Her hair had lost its brittle white color; her parched skin was now the smooth skin of a much younger woman.
“You look younger…your youth’s returning.”
“It’s returning but at a cost of some collateral damage. The spell I cast back at the diner was so powerful that it ages things close to me when reversed. Thankfully the effects are temporary. Look at the grass close to the road.”
I looked. The grass next to the road looked like the freeze dried grass you’d find in late autumn after the first frost.
I looked at my hands; they were my grandfather’s hands.
“As I said the effects are temporary. I admit I’m eager to be young again. Growing old is something I’ve delayed for 2500 years. Normally I just graze, off the youth of nearby young people but you’re a friend and friends are off limits.”
“Were the others affected; did they age?”
“Charon’s too old to have aged and I made sure Larry and the others were out of range before I cast the spell.”
We were soon on the road again. I’d forgotten how effortlessly the M109 could eat up miles. The road while mostly straight had its occasional series of sweepers to keep me honest. Its comfort made me glad Medea had amended my original visualization of a sportbike into the big cruiser.
“Someone’s behind us,” Medea whispered close to my ear. “We’re being followed.”
“Should I speed up?”
“There’s no need;” Medea had turned around and was looking back, “it’s Larry and he’s signaling for us to pull over.”
It was Larry and his Katana was reeling our M109 in at nearly twice my speed. When I finally pulled to a stop he was already pulling up beside us. He immediately ran forward. There was worry in his face I’d rarely seen before.
“I circled back to the diner to see if you two survived the spell. I know, I know,” Larry was speaking to Medea, “you warned all of us to flee the area but I felt I had to check.”
“You look younger…your youth’s returning.”
“It’s returning but at a cost of some collateral damage. The spell I cast back at the diner was so powerful that it ages things close to me when reversed. Thankfully the effects are temporary. Look at the grass close to the road.”
I looked. The grass next to the road looked like the freeze dried grass you’d find in late autumn after the first frost.
I looked at my hands; they were my grandfather’s hands.
“As I said the effects are temporary. I admit I’m eager to be young again. Growing old is something I’ve delayed for 2500 years. Normally I just graze, off the youth of nearby young people but you’re a friend and friends are off limits.”
“Were the others affected; did they age?”
“Charon’s too old to have aged and I made sure Larry and the others were out of range before I cast the spell.”
We were soon on the road again. I’d forgotten how effortlessly the M109 could eat up miles. The road while mostly straight had its occasional series of sweepers to keep me honest. Its comfort made me glad Medea had amended my original visualization of a sportbike into the big cruiser.
“Someone’s behind us,” Medea whispered close to my ear. “We’re being followed.”
“Should I speed up?”
“There’s no need;” Medea had turned around and was looking back, “it’s Larry and he’s signaling for us to pull over.”
It was Larry and his Katana was reeling our M109 in at nearly twice my speed. When I finally pulled to a stop he was already pulling up beside us. He immediately ran forward. There was worry in his face I’d rarely seen before.
“I circled back to the diner to see if you two survived the spell. I know, I know,” Larry was speaking to Medea, “you warned all of us to flee the area but I felt I had to check.”
It was Larry and he was riding his Katana as fast as the road would allow. When I stopped he pulled to a stop behind us. There was worry in his face I’d rarely seen before.
“There was nothing in the diner’s space but the ground it had been built upon. The diner had as you said aged away.”, Larry hesitated before continuing, “A squid-like creature with green serrated tentacles the size of fence posts began pushing its way out of the earth where the diner had been.. I had the feeling it had been waiting me.”
“We left,” I responded, “as soon as we could conjure this M109 to ride. My bike was lost in Medea’s spell. I thought we were following your route for the last few hours.”
“You were but you must’ve passed me,” Larry interrupted,” when I went off-road for a couple of minutes to turn my bike around to ride back to the diner?”
“What did you see,” Medea interrupted Larry’s interruption, “when you returned? The diner had pretty much aged away when we last looked at it.”
“I stopped about a half mile away from where it had been. There was nothing but old ruins in the space. The diner had as you said aged away.” Larry hesitated before continuing, “Then…a squid-like creature with green serrated tentacles began pushing its way out of the ground where the diner had been. I had the feeling it had been waiting for me.”
“For us,” Medea corrected Larry, “it was waiting for us; but in particular it was waiting for me and I may not have the power to stop it. You did the right thing not confronting it. We can’t outrun it. We’re going to have to make a stand and we don’t have much time to prepare before it arrives.”
“And I was the bait that led it here…I’m sorry.”
“Don’t blame yourself;” Medea made a point of giving Larry a look of comfort, “the creature’s been programmed to find us and it’s relentless. However, the fact it IS programmed may work to our advantage IF we confront it now.”
“But your power’s diminished?
“So has the creature’s; for it to have fought my aging spell back through time could only have weakened it. Now may be our only chance to stop it.”
“You were but you must’ve passed me,” Larry interrupted,” when I went off-road for a couple of minutes to turn my bike around to ride back to the diner?”
“What did you see,” Medea interrupted Larry’s interruption, “when you returned? The diner had pretty much aged away when we last looked at it.”
“I stopped about a half mile away from where it had been. There was nothing but old ruins in the space. The diner had as you said aged away.” Larry hesitated before continuing, “Then…a squid-like creature with green serrated tentacles began pushing its way out of the ground where the diner had been. I had the feeling it had been waiting for me.”
“For us,” Medea corrected Larry, “it was waiting for us; but in particular it was waiting for me and I may not have the power to stop it. You did the right thing not confronting it. We can’t outrun it. We’re going to have to make a stand and we don’t have much time to prepare before it arrives.”
“And I was the bait that led it here…I’m sorry.”
“Don’t blame yourself;” Medea made a point of giving Larry a look of comfort, “the creature’s been programmed to find us and it’s relentless. However, the fact it IS programmed may work to our advantage IF we confront it now.”
“But your power’s diminished?
“So has the creature’s; for it to have fought my aging spell back through time could only have weakened it. Now may be our only chance to stop it.”