4 weeks earlier
"Call for you Edward." The soldier said, passing the payphone to the kid just out of High School.
"Thank you." He said. "Hello?"
"Edward!" Came an enthusiastic voice over the line.
"Daniel? Is that you?" Edward asked.
"Yeah, sure as hell is." He told him.
"Man, I haven't heard from you in a long time. What's happening?" Edward asked.
"Guess what I'm wearing." Daniel said.
"Umm..."
"Go on, you'll never guess!"
"Uh, a tube top, and a pair of high heels?"
"You know that large white sheet I used to cover that big ol' cross my dearly departed father gave me? THAT'S WHAT I'M WEARING!" Daniel told him.
"Ooookay?"
"That she-witch companion of mine, Rem, she sends me off into the desert with nothing but that cross. I'm thankful my corpse didn't end up as a fine meal for the buzzards!" Daniel said.
"Do I want to know what happened?" Edward asked.
"Probably not, but it's a wonderful story, so let's go over it any way." Daniel said. "It began on a hot day in New Oregen when I met this charming young lass. Next thing I know, me and her are naked, and she has a revolver pointed directly at my head. As it turns out, someone has put a contract out on my life!"
"You serious?" Edward asked.
"Believe me, it was a traumitizing experience for me." Daniel told him. "I don't think I'll be able to look unto the female form again."
"Oh come on, it can't have been that bad." Edward consoled.
"I'm only gonna say that rope was involved in some form. I was hoping to share my first time with someone special in my heart, but then this hitwoman has to go and ruin my plans."
"Oh, your not still pining for her, are you?" Edward asked.
"Eh what can I say, I'm a hopeless romantic." Daniel said. "Well, what happens is, Rem bursts through, sees me and the hitwoman in a compromising position, makes a venomous remark, and leaves me to be summarily executed. Through a series of events that I don't feel like fully revealing at that moment, I managed to get free, I meet up with Rem in a jeep, still as nude as the day I was born, and we get the hell out of dodge, if you'll pardon the saying. Now, as we're halfway at through the desert, Rem begins talking, and very soon, my derriere if feeling the scorching touch of desert sands. Anyway, I've been crossing the desert, for oh... judging by the dryness of my mouth, about three days. I just stumbled upon this gem of a small town."
"Go on."
"Well, I just now entered this rather dubious looking bar. When I do, this giant brute of man begins insulting me and my mother, and I don't even believe he's started to drink the liquor yet."
"Daniel? Not that I don't appreciate you calling me and all, but, shouldn't you be calling someone closer to you, so they can pick you up?"
"I would, but this is a payphone, and the Military are the only people I know who don't charge. Anyway, back here in the dingy bar, I- just now, he did it again, making another remark about my mother! I mean, it is bad enough that these ruffians must make a mockery of me, but to slander my mother? You've met her, that woman is a hard working saint! I'm just not sure how much more I can take of it."
"Well, what's your plan now?" Edward asked.
"Well, once I procure funds, and mange to vacate this lovely vacation spot, I guess I'll resume my photojournalistic exploits about the Humanoid Typhoon."
"So that news company is still riding you about that?"
"Yeeeeah... that's why I'm doing this." Daniel said.
"Um Daniel, I'd love to keep talking, but I've got some uh... interference to deal with." Edward said, hanging up the phone.
He then turned to Rem, who was sitting on top of a table, eating a plate of donuts. "You actually sent him into the desert without any clothes?"
"He deserved it." Rem said, popping another wole donut in her mouth.
"Were you two always this crazy, or am I just noticing?" Edward asked.
"Look soldier boy, crazy doesn't matter to me anymore." She licked her fingers clean of donut sugar. "You didn't answer my question by the way."
"Yes, I got my pilot's license." Edward told her.
"Good. Now, are you gonna be coming with me or not?"
"I'm sorry, but where do you want me to go? Not like it matters, because, I just can't jump ship without about three weeks notice, like the guys in charge here would ever let me leave." Edward told her.
Just then an explosion rocked the entrance to the Sandstone Military complex. "What was that?" Edward asked.
"The peaceful protest against the Eastern War, and your ticket to a free vacation." Rem said, putting down the donut plate, before putting the last donut in her mouth. She jumped off the table, grabbing both of her pistols, and turned to Edward. "Nowphh leth e' ow' a' 'ere."
Hello anyone who is still reading this. I would like to apologize for how long it took me to update this story.
I have no physical excuses this time, such as being hit by a car, besides the usual, I should have updated this a while ago.
Now, I actually had a draft of this chapter up before, but was deleted when my computer crashed, and it didn't quite feel right.
You see, as much as it shames me to admit it, this story is rather low on my list of priorities, due to lack of inspiration, and belief that my writing sucks when I do this story. While I have gotten rather positve reviews about this, I can't shake the feeling, and would love it if someone gave some helpful criticism.
This chapter was written with Thewitchinghours Review in mind, about how I focus on Daniel, as opposed to Rem.
Daniel is partially based on myself, when it comes to ranting, and religious beliefs, and this does make him easier to write, and, if I do say so myself, is an interesting character. However, I had to agree, that Rem needed some limelight, and that was what this chapter was originally intended.
However, I have to say, I think I failed horribly. However, I think, or at least hope, that the chapter or two after this will be better. Fingers crossed!
