Aisles (Homework)

I never thought I would’ve walked through a grocery store like that, or for what I was getting, or with what I had on me at the time.  Going to the grocery store should be like a micro celebration, gathering food and drink for the feast to come.  I preferred to do it with friends, that way I knew we would have a badass barbeque with bratwurst, steak, hamburgers and hotdogs all around.  But this adventure to the grocery store could very well be my last.
It all started last month, when a new prescription hit the market.  Promising everything under the sun.  What wasn’t expected was the result of those who were intolerant of what it brought.  I didn’t think it was something that would escalate to this level but obviously I am dead wrong.  More dead than the people.  Well, that would be wrong too.  Cause those who couldn’t handle the prescription died, they didn’t stay that way.  This felt way too much like something made just for a cheesy B-movie.
Back in the store I was what you could say, heavily armed.  As far as what a civilian with an average paycheck can get.  A semi-auto AK-47 and enough ammo to make a few days if I don’t get carried away.  Being from a former gun nut family sure has its benefits.
Lets see, there are 7 of us in our stronghold and 2 of us to carry as much as we can.  2 full shopping carts should be easy enough if we go one at a time.  My SUV should be good enough to hold our food and keep it safe for our duration here.
Back at the apartment, the rest of us were converting the floor into a fortress.  Since most people fled during the initial crisis we decided to wait it out.  A mistake? Perhaps, but we’re willing to ride it out till the military comes rolling through.  It’ll be hard for them to miss our SOS setup.  Since most of downtown had been turned into our playground we were able to make quite the vast alert and attention getting system.
But enough talk about that.  I looked at my best friend, he was ready.  We entered the grocery store fast but cautious, its condition was a little worse than we expected, but for the most part it looked to be in fair condition, we should be able to make out like bandits.  Non perishable food items first, taking the boxes that weren’t ruined in anyway.  Then to check the meats, the winter cold had kept them in a condition that looked safe, any sealed packages came with us.  Some stress essentials were also taken.  Beer, candy, snacks.  We took it all.  Well, everything that wasn’t ruined, spoiled, rotten, open, or molded.
That’s one cart down, I felt we should make our way back and begin the second lap.  A clash boomed from the far side of the store.  I pulled my gun up and looked around, the low light was very dangerous for us.  It was just my luck that flashlights were in the next aisle.  I snuck around and threw a flashlight together faster than ever. I tossed one to my friend and assembled another.  The sound of grunting and moaning was near, I started for the entrance.
During that moment I thought of the crisis from a month ago.  People running around unsure of what to do, liberals trying to demand someone else do something and the freeway cluttered to the point there was no movement, and that’s where the major death toll occurred.  The freeway is a place where people go to die right now, so many just shuffling around not knowing what to do.  The problem we have with where we set up our fortress, is that we’re surrounded by a looping freeway.  A wall of hundreds just waiting for us.  But like I said, we weren’t about to leave anytime soon.
The SUV was ready and waiting.  I opened the rear and we started throwing the food in the back, while keeping a keen eye out for our unwelcome guest.  Another crash from the store. I’m fed up by this time, I pulled my gun up to scan the dark for movement.  I never thought that juggling a flashlight and a full size rifle would be this hard, but its not important.  Another crash followed by moaning, our unwanted guest was not alone.

Vault (Homework)

Excitement in my mind is an understatement, ecstatic would be closer but no cigar.  To explain the way I feel would take more time than I had.  Dear brother was sitting there, looking bored.  It was time “Taran, give your uncle that present, right there” Taran picked up the present, or at least struggled to.  “Its heavy” his young voice wept as he hung the present low in his arms and threw it at my brother.  “Oof! Thanks a lot” He said, quoting the famous Christmas movie.  It was time, his look of shock and curiosity was making me even more excited.  He ripped the first side, then the second.  He looked at the unmarked box, unsure of what he was getting into, I knew all too well.  I started a minor hysterical laugh as I watched his face.  He pulled his knife out and severed the tape, success, he opened the right side.  “it’s a safe!!” I broke out in laughter as everyone in the room watched in surprise. “you like it? isn’t it awesome?” I asked.  “I didn’t expect you to actually get it” Our mom wasn’t too happy, this meant that her intrusions into his room would end up short.  “open it!” I said, he removed the safe from its box and took the keys out of the package.  He opened it and his eyes lit up, not only did he get the safe we talked about weeks ago.  It was pre-filled with the items he would use it for.  All of it stuff our mom would venture into his room for.  He was snickering, excited at the possibilities that await him and his new safe.  “this is awesome, thanks sister!” I knew he would like it, the extensive talk we had about how his stash would be pilfered pretty much everyday when he was away.  Now he can go to work with a clear mind that his munchies will be out of grubby hands.  As far as I’m concerned if there’s ever anything he has that I would like he would probably better appreciate that I’m asking him rather than taking it, so he’ll be more willing to share, with me at least.  This was a great idea for him, and me.

Check out my channel!

I'm kidding really, but I'm bored.  What your about to see it a list of people I'm subscribed to on Youtube and a short explanation on their videos. Enjoy.

Bethesda game studios
They helped make one of the games I've spent so much time on.  Many late nights spent searching underground passages and dismembering radiated monsters. Fallout 3 is absolutely one of my favorite games of all time. Bethesda hasn't posted in a long time so its really there for the sake of nothing (I'll probably un-sub from them soon since they haven't posted in months)

Blendtec
Will it blend? lets find out.  From ipads to facebook to vuvuzellas, they'll blend pretty much anything to show that their blenders are up to the task.

Cold Steel Knives
A company that makes some of the best multi-purpose knives ever! Watching their demonstrations its always fun.  Watching a knife small enough to hide in your hand shred a 10lbs set of ribs is awesome.

X
Suggested to me by the author of Subtle misdirection, X posts videos of himself playing games and commentates over the gameplay.

Dead space
The official channel for the game of the same name.  Another game studio responsible for another one of my favorite games.

Egoraptor
An animator that makes game parodies and other short animated clips.  Well known for making the 'Awesome' series of game parody videos on Newgrounds.

Exit13 productions
Not sure why I'm subscribed to this... you tell me.

Captain Sparklez
Like X, he commentates over gameplay, his content always entertains me.  Content ranging from college majors to comical innuendo.

Explosm entertainment
Like Egoraptor, and also famous on Newgrounds. He makes short animations of people doing insane things and making you feel better for not being like the people in his animations.

FreddieW
A film maker who puts out awesome action clips ranging from sky diving out of a house floating in the air to playing guitar on top of a moving car.

Harry Partridge
Another famous animator from Newgrounds, he makes outrageously funny clips of random stuff.  As random as The Justin Bieber show, Saturday morning Watchmen, to misheard lyrics.

Hupit gaming
Helping Unite Players Into Teams, a forum dedicated to bringing players together and posting gameplay commentary from their founders and top administrators.

Imperial Blackhawk
Another channel I'm not sure why I'm subbed to.

Improv everywhere
Seeing people randomly break out into song and dance in public is always fun, also well known for taking their pants off on subway rides.

Infinity ward
Another game developer, responsible for a franchise of games where some of my favorite game characters have come from.  They've been through a lot of legal issues lately and their looked down on for producing a multiplayer game that, while fun, was exploited for all its flaws till it became an example of what not to do.

Jacob13ailey
Who are these people and why do they show up in my sub box?

Know your meme
An internet research group that looks into the popular little things we come across on the interwebs. Things like The bed intruder song, Mudkips, and longcat.


Like totally awesome
Videogames, movies etc.  Reviews, news, interviews, talk on popular media.

Machinima/machinima respawn
All the news/reviews/trailers/gameplay/commentary/interviews/random crap you can handle. many of the channels I'm subscribed to come from Machinima.

Man in the box show
A series about a guy who works in an office and HATES his job.

Mr Weebl
Another famous person from Newgrounds.  You'll never see a more random animator thats so popular for being completely unpredictable for content.

Nutnfancy
A reviewer for guns/knives/tactical equipment some of what he's said has made an impact on me personally, but that goes as far as carrying flashlights and knives on me at all times.

Official MvC3
Marvel vs Capcom 3, another studio channel responsible for another game I'm quite fond of (been waiting for this one for 10 years!!)

ONLYUSEmeBLADE
A gameplay commentator that only uses the melee attack in games. In the call of duty series the melee is a knife.  Its a nice change of pace from seeing the normal gameplay.

ONS1AUGH7
Another gameplay commentator. He reviews his gameplay and shows you how to better your tactics in gaming.

RoosterTeeth
Famous for their well made Red vs Blue series made in the Halo game engine, they also produce hints and tips for games. Make random clips of themselves doing strange things. They also try converting our favorite elements of gaming to reality like third person driving and walking from the view of a sidescroller.

Screwattack
A game website that gives you everything you could ever want related to videogames. Similar to roosterteeth that they make videos of themselves doing strange things.

SeaNanners
A gameplay commentator and one of the most famous, if they made a bobble head of him it wouldn't bob as much as he does.  His smooth voice, interesting commentary, and singing keeps you tuned in and wont let you go.

Shadow9392
Better known as Obviously Jesus, he posts videos on philosophy.  A huge fan of Friedrich Nieziche he talks about things that make you want to be more true to yourself, while still having room to make outrageous videos of yelling and cursing. Another gameplay commentator, but thats not what you tune in for in his videos.

Shadowleggy
Resident evil parody animator from musicals to 'in a nutshell' explanations of games and movies. She's always entertaining.

Studio Hasai
A sleeper hit on Newgrounds, she's made a few entertaining animations on suicide and cooking. (She hasn't made anything new in a long time, but still posts art on Deviant art)

Tejbz
Another gameplay commentator, he got really popular for making a music video about gamers. (Not sure if I'm going to stay subbed to his channel, haven't been entertained too much in the past few videos)

Thinkgeek
A website that makes all the coolest stuff you could ever want, but would never need. They make clips of themselves using the products they sell.

Wheezy waiter
A video blogger with a cloning machine, a whale pit, an alligator pit, stretching arms, an awesome beard, explosions, an annoying eagle, coffee, news, handstands, and discontinuity. What more could you want.

Bitter (Homework)

I stood in my room, the lingering scent of dinner still present.  It was the smell of cheese, layered with a fine breast of chicken and so called chicken ‘flavored’ rice.  I could only hope it would be gone by my return.  Dear sister and I were charged with an order to play musical cars in front of the house.  Moving Mom’s car from the garage to the empty, snow filled space beside it.

I snatched my coat off the ground, my favorite one.  Big sleeves that didn’t scrunch at the end, I felt like I should have a weapon hidden in them, there was space for practically anything.  The gold accents were the single thing I was not fond of, a taste for silver was more my taste.  I slip on my pants and shoes and meet my sister at the front door, avoiding the bitter cold for as long as I could.  She walks up the stairs, ready to rearrange our drive way.

She stopped and leapt back downstairs, forgetting her keys.  I venture out into the dark, bitter night.  I take the first step out, the second coming up short.  I plant my foot on a patch of ice unseen in the dark and skip going down the steps of our porch in natural fashion.  My back and feet land first on ice and concrete, pain trembling throughout my body.  I curse and grunt as I attempt to get back up, my fingers fail to find a surface to hold, slipping on what might as well have been wet glass.

Sister steps out and I halt her advance, giving warning to the danger of the path.  She asks me of my condition, I curse again and continue towards our mission.  She opened the garage and I grab a snow shovel, I need to clear a path for the fence to go.  Sister starts the cars and sets them on the road.  I finish relocating the snow.  I take a deep breath and look skyward, the haze and fog that came with winter made the sky harder to see, like looking through foggy glass.

I take position in the first car, sliding across the cold seat, yelping when my coat fails to take the brunt of the chill and it runs its icy fingers across my back.  The car starts and I carefully eye my sister gestures to guide me into the narrow space.  A little to the right, a little more.  Woah! Too much, wait never mind that’s good.  Her words muffled by glass.

I open the door and shuffle out, she asks me if her assistance is still needed.  Considering the most difficult part is over I figure she can go back into the warmth of the house.  I take the mission solo and finish setting the cars up in proper order.  I tread carefully across the porch steps and return to my room.  The scent of dinner long gone.

Me and Myselves (Bleeding Rose)

The wind was cold, blowing through my night shirt and over my bare legs. The hard wood floor was chilled too.

"Where is she?" Muffled voices said.

"There, outside!" one voice said in a panic. Then it donned on me, why am I not in my bed? The door opened and the screen was thrown to the side and I got groped from every possible angle while being dragged into unfamiliar territory. Before I was consumed by the house and its residents I got a good clear look at the outside, something is very wrong.  A few feet past the wooden steps of the house is some sort of drop off like a cliff.  Beyond the cliff in the far distance I could see that we were in a domed structure of some sort.  The walls were made up of cages and rotating gears, making a mild grinding sound in the atmosphere.  A bright light was shining down making the outside look rusty orange and grey, but I didn't see the light source before getting grabbed.

I slid across a tile floor and many of the hands released me, the remaining hands pulled me up to the ceiling but stopping just in time, I was planted on the ground, standing.  I'm confused, and scared, and lost, if I kept this up I wouldn't be able to stop. I was feeling many things right now, most of them I've never felt before, or to this magnitude.

"Are you okay?" someone behind me said.  I got a good clear look at those who had grabbed me. It was me... or me's, myselves? They were spitting images of me, but different, some had different hair styles, some had glasses in different frames, some happy while others not so much.  Whats going on? Am I dreaming or has my mind shut down from the stress of everything.

"Leader are you alright?" I was asked again.

"Leader?" I looked for the one asking and she was happy to let herself be found.

"Who, are you?" I asked.

"I'm Extroverted" I tilted my head to the side like a confused dog, I was too late to keep myself from doing such a odd thing.

"I... don't understand" I said.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, of course you wouldn't" she held her arms out as if to present the other me's.

"We are the aspects of yourself you have yet to conquer. I guess you could say we're your personalities. I'm your extroverted personality, but you can call me E" E went around the room and introduced me to myself. Angst, Introvert, Saucy, many aspects of my personality.

"Everyone! Stoic is playing right now, c'mon" the girls vacated the kitchen and went to the living room.  One of MooK's selves was playing a videogame of some sort.

"What is this E?"

"Thats you she's playing"

"Uh,"

"Oh! sorry again, what Stoic is doing is playing you, your physical body. Take a closer look" I shuffled through the group of me's towards the TV and got a good look at Stoic.  She had her hair braided and she had an expression a statue would have trouble keeping up with.  I looked at the TV.  The morning light that occupied the hospital made waking up at six for training so worth it. But Stoic wasn't at training, she was with other people.  It was Anna and Tesla, we're eating breakfast.

"Why, Why is she in control?"

"Because, well... your away at the moment, here with us.

"Why am I here though, what purpose does this serve?" Extroverted looked around the room until she found who she was looking for.  Me in what looked like a college professors outfit.

"Well, Philosopher?"

"I dunno, maybe she's here in order to understand an aspect of who she is, an angle of her personality she's been unable to tap into" A part of myself?

"Well in that case we should show you around the house" Extroverted wrapped her arms around mine and she took me on a tour of this house.  I was introduced to a few more me's.  Pervert, Tsundere whatever that means, and Jolly stood out the most.  From what I could tell, the house is big, it would be more appropriate to call it a mansion  for its sheer size.  Most of the rooms were similar, however, they were occupied by me's of very different types so they were all pretty unique in what each room was filled with.

"Isn't this place just so great, everyone gets along so well its nice to be able to see you too, like I'm seeing a friend I haven't seen in years" E said.

"Whats downstairs?" all activity nearby came to a halt as they looked at me.  Shy came up to me, fidgeting with a scarf around her neck.

"Uh... we, we don't go down there. Thats where the bad ones are"

"She's right Leader, we worked together to get all the crazies out of here so we wouldn't go mad from having them around.  Once we got them in there we barricaded the door so they couldn't get out but" Extroverted looked concerned.

"They can play from inside there too, we're safe but you aren't, those you love out there are in danger still" E was concerned.  I don't know what to do now.  I want to look outside again see that dome we're in.  We're on the second floor and I think I saw a balcony nearby.  I opened the door and looked out onto the shell. it looked the same as before. My personalities were watching me from the safety of the house.

"What in the world is that thing?" Nobody wanted to answer, E stepped up but cautious.

"We're, not sure MooK. Philosopher won't say anything to us about it either" I wanted to see the sun, or rather the source of light above us, but no matter where I stood I couldn't see it.

"Wheres the sun, what or where is that light coming from?" I said, getting anxious.

"We don't know, there is nowhere in the house that allows us to see it directly" E said.

"Thats insane" I walked downstairs to the porch.  The drop off at the edge of it was serious.  A straight down drop into oblivion.  I was careful to turn around, I still couldn't see the sun, like it had rolled back behind the house.  E and some others charged out and flung me back in the house.

"You can't go out there Leader"

"Stop calling me that, my name is MooK"

"Stay away from the fall, we don't know what happens if you fall over the edge" E said.

"Has anyone, jumped?" I asked, not sure whether knowing was a good idea.

"Just one.  But thats all we can tell you"

"Everyone inside, Leader take a look at the TV" One of me said. I ran in and watched the TV.

"Looks like its time for you to go, MooK" Extroverted said. Stoic looked at me from the floor, the most I've seen her move since I got here.  She held the game paddle to me.

"What about you guys?" I said.

"We'll be fine, just watch out for yourself okay?" I looked down at Stoic, her unchanged expression and posture still offered me the game paddle. I took hold of it and sat down at the table a little further away. Philosopher looked at me.

"MooK, MooK!"

"Hey MooK" Anna said to me, circling her straw in her drink. Tesla as per the usual messaged people over her phone.

"You feeling okay? You've been quiet all morning" Anna said.

"I'm fine, really I"m just daydreaming I guess" It was the best thing I could think of at the moment.

"Must have been a hell of a dream, lets finish lunch and get you a new outfit, borrowing Tesla's clothes has got to be irritating" Tesla looked up from her phone.

"Are you saying that I have bad taste?"

"I'm just making a clear statement that your fashion does not extend past your own physical appearance" Anna and Tesla started back and forth but I couldn't get past a few things. How did I get here? I remember going to bed but how did I get all the way here? And what was that dream I had? It was so bizarre I can't even remember it.