Creative Writings and Fan Theories at a Glance

  • The Bad List: Chapter 3

    Three men… united by years of brotherhood and one more mission… get Damian Wright back safe and sound. Lou, Max, and Mike all know what is at stake. Worst case… lives lost. Best case… Damian is back and the government comes after all of them. Is it worth the risk? According to these three… you bet your ass it is worth the risk. Damian is like a brother to Max and Mike, while Lou has always kept an eye out for his little brother. The three of them are sitting on the plane on the tarmac in the Bahamas. Time to do what they set out to do… get Damian.

    While on the flight, Max used his strengths in the IT world and his government access to pinpoint the last known location of Damian. Mike utilized his connections he has all over the world and was able to find a former asset a few miles from where they believe the extraction point will be. As for Lou… Lou sat in thought… thinking to himself, “how can all of this be? My little brother following in my footsteps… better than me in the job? Better than me in the skillset? But what about morally? I thought I taught him better about lines not being crossed or actions to take… and consequences, the consequences of everything we do. But… he is his own man. Maybe he is better than me to be able to just let it all go like that.”

    “Lou, snap out of it” Max exclaims as he and Mike are staring at him waiting to get off the plane. “Let’s go… we have less than 10 hours before they find out what we are doing.” Max clicks “send” on his phone. “Email is sent to my bosses… they think I am following you to Peru as I told them that is where the lead said Damian has been taken.” Lou looks at them, “do they think I would really kill my brother?” Mike smirks, “no kid, they think you will bring Max to your brother and then you both will be killed.”

    Lou looks at Max with distain… “what is he talking about Max? Why would Mike think that about Damian and me?” Lou grips his backpack strap around his right shoulder and shakes his head as he nudges Mike. “Listen, you were not sent that letter to kill your brother, the Government wants to take you both out. They know Damian messed up and they know you will stop at nothing to get him back. They cannot risk both their assets being taken alive… so they asked Mike and me to make sure the job gets done.” Lou scowls at them both, “wait… so you both got me here to do what exactly?” Lou slides his jacket to the side to reveal his gun. Mike steps in-between Lou and Max, “shut up man, you think we would just willingly go through with this? We are hanging ourselves out to dry by saving you both… you think we would betray our brotherhood that easily?” Lou sighs… “I am all in my head guys… so what then? You help me save Damian then we are on the run from the government?” Mike winks at Lou and smacks both Lou and Max in the shoulder… “why do you think I have assets all over the world?”

    The three of them get into a Tesla. “Great job not standing out here Mike” Max exclaims as they are driving towards the safe house. Daryl chuckles as he is driving. “Actually sir, this is the best car to be in. Flashy and hiding in plain sight. Now if we were in a beat up taxi like the others, then we would get caught.” Daryl is one of many assets that Mike has connections to. Daryl actually trained with Mike and Damian prior to blowing out his knee in a training op. “So we have a safe house where we will set up in Nassau… ironically my twin brother Paul saw something suspicious yesterday. So, of course we checked it out. It is a warehouse a few miles away from where we are setting up. Your brother is in there Lou” Daryl said calmly like this was just simple conversation.

    Lou smacks his hands on his knees. “So what are we waiting for? Lets get them with the element of surprise. We have three great shooters and a driver, what else do we need?” Daryl chuckles, “Lou I am not just a driver. My skills are intercepting intel and relaying it to my people… or just Mike so he can deal with it.” Mike looks at Lou as they pull up to the safe house. “Obviously we have not been 100% honest with you throughout this whole thing. But Max and I were able to find out through Daryl that Damian is in deep… he killed two men that are very powerful throughout the world. Unfortunately, one of them was a snitch for us… this is the real reason why you are here. Your brother started taking out people he deemed worthy. He did not follow a code like you or even follow his orders from the government. The last two people he killed were informants for us. Daryl intercepted a phone call from a CIA higher up to Damian pleading for him to stop. Damian’s response was that he is coming for everyone. The government recruited us as your closest allies to bring you here and take you and Damian out. What they do not comprehend is our brotherhood is stronger than the risk of them killing all of us.” Lou looks at Max, Mike, and Daryl… So then what’s the plan of extraction?”

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  • The Bad List: Chapter 2

    Damian Wright… Brother… Son… Friend… Hired Dark Ops Assassin. Learned from the best when he got to the Marines. He was taught by Mike Berra. Mike worked along side Max Pennington and Lou Wright. Together they took out over 40 marks. When the three of them came home it was to silence. No crowds, no cheers, no one even knew the work they did to better the world. Years later, Mike stayed with the Marines as a trainer as Max and Lou worked their way up the Dark Ops ranks for the CIA. They always stayed in touch, but it wasn’t until Damian was personally assigned to his team that Mike began to wonder about coincidence.

    Damian came on strong. “It’s in the blood” Mike would always say as Damian smirked. After 3 months of training, Mike got a phone call. While Damian was shooting the center of the targets each time, he glances at Mike. “What is it… is it Lou?” Mike looked at Damian, “nope you’re getting called to the big leagues son.” While still classified as a marine, Damian is now being erased from the record books. Mike does not hear from Damian since that day.

    After years of success, taking out marks left and right, always saying yes to his handler, Damian decides to give Mike a call. It is December 24th, 12:21pm. Mike picks up his buzzing phone, “hey Mike, its Damian… I just wanted to say Merry Christmas before I go out. Mike hangs up. He starts texting. He slams his phone down.

    Lou is preparing for his kill. Everything is planned down to the second. within 11 hours and 39 minutes he will complete his Bad List mark. His phone buzzes. He stares at it for a few minutes and puts it back in his pocket. “Stay focused… deal with this later” he tells himself.

    Present moment… Lou is on his knees. The crumbled paper is beside him with his brother’s name on it. He pulls his phone out and looks at the text he got from the afternoon. “Call me – Mike.” Lou calls Mike… “So you know that your mark is your own brother?” The first words that come out of Mike’s mouth to Lou. “What the hell is going on. Why is my brother even an option, why is he even on this list!” Lou stands up and begins pacing. “I trained your brother Lou… too good I guess. It must be in the blood. You, Max, me, and now Damian… we are the best at what we do.” Lou begins to stand still as he realizes what Mike is about to say. “You trained my brother to be like us? You made him just like me? But why, why would the CIA need another me?”

    Lou looks down at his phone, Mike is now trying to FaceTime him. He answers. Mike does a head nod then slowly turns the camera. Max is sitting next to him. Mike puts his finger up to his lips to make sure Lou does not say anything. Lou’s eyes widen as he realizes the entanglement the three of them are in with Damian becoming to look like a scapegoat. Max holds up a paper that reads “meet at corner coffee shop on 5th at 5am.” Lou nods and hangs up.

    5am, coffee shop, Mike and Max are in the back booth, Lou walks in blowing into his hands for warmth. He sits down in their booth face to face with them. The waitress pours him a cup of black coffee. “Explain everything, I won’t get mad until I hear you both out” Lou says as he sips the coffee in his left hand and balls his right fist. “Relax Lou, I’ll tell you what’s up” Max says. Lou stares in anticipation. “You have rules, I get that, Mike gets that, even your brother gets that” Max is cut off by Lou “what the hell does my brother know about what we do and why would he get that?” Max looks at Mike and sighs… “Lou your brother was hired by the CIA. You have your rules, your codes, what ever you have to make you feel better and justified. You take out 1 of the 3… Damian takes out the other 2. It’s as simple as that. However, your brother, one of the best with no hesitation of doing his job and no rules, got a little sloppy.” Lou stares at the both of them… “Why didn’t one of you tell me after all that we’ve been through?” Mike puts his hand out and points at Lou, “You know the rules, we cannot discuss other Ops, no matter if its your brother. I train, Max finds marks, you kill the chosen, and Damian kills the leftovers. We all go home happy not knowing anything else and completing the jobs set forth by the CIA.”

    “So now what… I have to kill my own brother?” Max looks at Lou, “No dipshit, I needed to do my job and make it look like Damian is the mark and you are the contract. You think I would make you kill your brother? You are all family to me. Damian is stuck in the Bahamas. He took out the other two from your list of three yesterday while you were planning your one kill. However, he called Mike. He said ‘Hi Mike it’s Damian, I just wanted to say Merry Christmas before I go out’ and that is the sign that he is in trouble. Once he made that call, Mike had to tell me so I can make the decoy Bad List with just Damian’s name on it. Then he texted you. The CIA knows Damian’s stuck and instead of sending a team to extract him they want to take him out. It is easier and cheaper to tie up loose ends then lose information to someone on the list or connected to someone on the list.”

    Lou rubs his head with both his hands… “Max and I are coming out of retirement. The three of us are going to get Damian before the CIA questions anything. Trust me, we all are in a deep load of shit, but we can make this work if we all work together… just us three, that’s all we need and you know it” Mike pats Lou on the shoulder as he stands up. He reaches into his pocket… he throws three plane tickets on the table. First class seats to the Bahamas for December 25th at 7:21am. Max and Lou stand up, Lou grabs the tickets, “we get my brother, we get out of there, and we make sure the hire ups understand that this will not happen again.

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  • The Bad List: Chapter 1

    Drip… drip… drip… the faint sound of a leaky faucet in a rundown apartment. Lou Wright, is drying his hands as he looks in a faded mirror. He closes his eyes, starts to mouth his traditional prayer, and bows his head. The struggle of being a trained assassin that has found religion. His job versus his faith. After 6 years of internal struggle he has found a routine that lets him live with his choices. Working his way up through the government with his skills, he is now the go to for the missions no one ever knows about. You hear the stories on the news of another head of something evil taken out. Over the years, the stories are manipulated for the public to think it was militia, rebellion, rival ambush… but it all has been Lou.

    Lou repents his own sins by taking what he believes is the right actions against evil. Every year on December 25th a manila envelope is sent to him by Max Pennington, his former Special Op brother who is now a hirer up in the CIA. Max and Lou have worked side by side for over 20 years and now they both have extremely important jobs within the government. Both jobs are on a need to know basis but this duo has taken down 21 of the top 40 most dangerous threats to National Security.

    Within the envelope each year are 3 names. Lou has the decision of vetting all 3 within 364 days to make a choice. Which one is most important to take out. Each year Max and Lou get the green light to do what is needed from the CIA. Each year Lou repents his sins by making the World a better place. The only issue with year 7 and this specific envelope is the name inside…

    Lou finishes his prayer in front of the faded mirror in the abandon apartment… December 24th and he just completed year 6 of his assignments. He took out the head of a militia group that was planning unfathomable acts along the east coast. The story in the news the next day will be “drug deal gone wrong” but Lou, Max, and the CIA know what really happened. Lou gets back to his loft in New York City… it is now 3:21 in the morning, Christmas day. As he is about to pass out on his bed he hears the sliding envelope coming from under his front door.

    “Ughh, not even a minute in here” Lou mumbles as he walks to the front door. He picks up the envelope… bends the two metal prongs to open it up… slides out the white paper… his eyes widen… “Max, how is this possible” he whispers as his voice breaks. 1 name on the Bad List instead of 3. Under the name Max wrote “sorry bud, this is the most important person the CIA needs you to vet and to make the choice.” Lou grips the paper and closes his eyes… not Damian. He drops the paper to the ground and falls to his knees. The paper begins to uncrumple… the only name written on the Bad List is Damian Wright.

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  • The Choice Chapter 3

    Sometimes we just need our heads in the clouds. Clear the minds, clear the noise, and just be… this is what CW&FT at a Glance brings. A little time to clear everything, read some, and think forever. As a creative writer to be, I always am thinking of all the above. I have decided to share these thoughts here for all… not to convince, not to change, but just to open the minds to the little thoughts that may run through day to day. Enjoy!

    “It was an accident…” could it be? Did Angelo go against all intuitions and actually make the right Choice.

    Jimmy sighs in relief. “He might not have been the best person, but his intentions were not to kill you. At the same time you still didn’t alter Lilly’s future.” Angelo looks at both Jimmy and the Man in Black; tears start to well up as he is still unsure of the process. “She’s devastated… but not hurt. If I chose differently I would have killed a man who did not do anything to me on purpose. I would have been worse off than he must be now.” Jimmy smirks as he wipes off his glasses with his handkerchief, “you’re understanding… it’s not easy but there is a shining light behind the Choices my boy.”

    The Man in Black clenches his fist and cranks his neck. “Choice two… choices oh choices. You see, the first may have been tough but here… here is where you falter.” He rubs his hands together as the fog dissipates and everything goes white. With a snap of his fingers, Jimmy and Angelo are standing side by side with the Man in Black at the foot of a king size bed. Silence for what seems like minutes… Angelo hears a familiar voice coming from the distance. Lilly slides the covers down with a stretch and a smile. The voice seems to get louder and louder as the person is coming to the door of the bedroom. The door opens and Angelo’s jaw drops… he sees his best friend Primo Amico.

    “No… this isn’t real… my best friend and the love of my life?!” Jimmy steps in front of Angelo, “It is real son. I know it looks crazy but remember that you want her to be happy. You are smart, think… think of why this would happen.” As Jimmy says “happen” the Man in Black shoves him out of the way… “or how about you think of it logically, the way we all would… your girl and your best friend. How could they be ok with this? Why would they do this to you? Did they forget that you died? Did they forget you died on the day you proposed to Lilly?”

    Angelo is face to face with with the Man in Black; shaking with adrenaline, fear, and frustration. “Go ahead, make it worse than it really is. They care about me and if I could pick anyone for Lilly it would be Primo. He is and will always be my best and first friend.” The Man in Black slams both Angelo and Jimmy to the ground. He picks up Angelo and throws him through the bedroom wall into the next room. He jumps on Angelo’s chest, puts his forearm to his throat and whispers in his ear ” you’re wrong.”

    Angelo struggles to get a word out as he grabs the Man’s forearm, “Enough… there is nothing you can do with all your strength that will change my Choice. I will always want Lilly to be happy and if that means she fell in love with Primo then so be it.” A sharp ringing blasts through Angelo’s ears. The room turns white again. Angelo rubs his eyes as the ringing abruptly stops. Angelo sits up…

    The Man in Black and Jimmy are standing side by side. “This kid really is a tough one,” the Man in Black says to Jimmy as he dusts off his jacket. Angelo pauses in confusion as both men seem to be alright with one another. They both put a hand out to help Angelo to his feet. They walk Angelo back to the master bedroom…

    Primo lies down next to Lilly… a faint cry is heard from behind the three standing men. “A… a baby… they have a child? Angelo questions in a broken voice.

    “Yes, they have a son… it has been ten years since they tragically lost you. I know it feels like it has been hours or days to you, but it has been a decade. At your funeral it was Primo that consoled Lilly and visa versa. Some of your family say that he took it harder than Lilly to some degree. You were his first friend… you were like a brother. This has become a perfect match for both Lilly and Primo. They fell in love and are happy because of you.”

    Jimmy’s words hit hard for Angelo as they embrace in a hug that was years in the making. “Damn… this kid is good, maybe you were right Jimmy” the Man in Black says with a grin.

    “The third Choice is surprisingly the easiest” the man in black says as he gives a friendly jab to Angelo’s shoulder. They walk down the hallway together, standing outside Primo and Lilly’s baby room. The Man in Black puts his hand out to shake Jimmy’s hand as he looks at Angelo… “Your Grandfather has been waiting here for you since he passed on. Once you arrived he told me that you were ready. I had to find out myself.” Another ringing is heard and Angelo takes a step back…

    The Man in Black’s suit morphs into white and the ringing stops. “I am Maximo… I am the highest of Angels; this all has been a test to make sure that one day you can be amongst us. You honestly have what it takes… now you solidified what your grandfather has always thought. Jimmy is ready now… he can go up,” Maximo concludes as he smiles and shakes his hand.

    “Depending on your next Choice, you will either go peacefully with him or you will stay here on earth with me. Your final Choice is… if you want to protect the baby of Lilly and Primo from here until his life is over as an old man. Like me, you will be here for decades protecting him without anyone ever knowing. What is your choice?”

    Standing in front of Jimmy and Maximo, Angelo takes a breath. “Yes, I am ready… I want to do this… I feel I need to protect that baby boy and watch over this family forever.” Maximo smiles and tells Jimmy to give Angelo a hug one more time. As they embrace a bright light glows and Jimmy is gone.

    “You made the right choice son… you have a few things to learn still but your tests of Choices were to make sure you can put this family and that boy before your own wants. To be a Guardian Angel, like me, you will be faced with great decisions for those that you guard. To give you a little more incentive to be at the top as a Guardian, listen to their conversation.” Maximo and Angelo lean in as Lilly and Primo look at their sleeping boy.

    “So peaceful… our little Angelo,” Primo says as he gently rubs his baby boy’s cheek and winks at Lilly. Maximo smiles as Angelo puts his hands to his mouth and a tear rolls down his cheek. “You know you were always right about them Angelo… they always loved you and made a family foundation because of you. They will always remember you and honor you… for that they named their son Angelo.”

    Angelo tries to compose himself as his emotions over flow. Maximo leans on the crib over baby Angelo. Baby Angelo opens his eyes and smiles at Angelo as if he is the only one that can see him. Angelo smiles back to baby Angelo as he now is also in a white suit like Maximo. Maximo smirks, “You are ready to do this… you are ready to be like me… you are ready to take care and protect this family… because at the end… you made The Choice.”

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  • The Choice – Chapter 2

    Sometimes we just need our heads in the clouds. Clear the minds, clear the noise, and just be… this is what CW&FT at a Glance brings. A little time to clear everything, read some, and think forever. As a creative writer to be, I always am thinking of all the above. I have decided to share these thoughts here for all… not to convince, not to change, but just to open the minds to the little thoughts that may run through day to day. Enjoy!

    Angelo is faced with his first Choice…

    “I am ready; I want to make what ever choice that means Lilly is happy and safe forever.” Jimmy looks at Angelo as he would any young buck willing to dive right in, “Before we get to there you should know what you’re up against…”

    As Jimmy takes a deep breath, a man in a sleek black suit is pushing his way through the crowded masses. He is now face to face with Angelo. Angelo, looking up at this man feels his heart racing. The man lifts Angelo off the bench by his throat with just one hand… “you will be mine at the end of this” he says as Angelo struggles and is gasping. Getting out just a few words, “what… the… hell” Angelo strains. The man smirks and scoffs, “exactly, Hell is where you will go with me… I just know you will make it happen.”

    Jimmy stands up and grabs the man’s shoulder and deeply yells “enough.” The man throws Angelo to the ground. Jimmy reaches out his hand to assist in getting Angelo up. Dusting Angelo off, Jimmy explains “this is how it is… you have choices here Angelo… you are the one that will decide yours and their fates. It is not him or me… it is you.”

    The man in black smirks again… “three Choices to decide your fate boy, by the end I know you will be coming with me.” Angelo clenches a fist and Jimmy gives him a grandfatherly glare without saying a word. Angelo calms down.

    “The first Choice boy… your death.” The three of them transport to the dock on that foggy night as omnipresent beings just watching it all unfold. “There you are boy, look how sweet of a couple you both make” the man mocks as Angelo and Lilly walk the dock right in front of the three of them. “Such a gentleman… about to propose on a pier… original.”

    “But what is this… who is that burley man running towards you two… what’s in his hand Angelo… is that a… is that a gun?” The man patronizingly explains. “That is indeed a gun boy… it’s the gun he shoots you with.” Angelo stands in shock as he did not know this is what happened. “Your first Choice is simple… you can either let this happen and end up right where you are, or how about before he shoots you… he dies? I mean do you think he is worthy of life if he kills you for no reason?” Angelo is hesitant.

    With tears rolling down his face, standing next to his grandfather and the man… “let it happen… Grandpa, you said she is fine right? If so, I should not change this for her. Why would I change it if she really is happy? Something worse may happen and I cannot chance that for her.” The man slowly turns to Angelo with distain… he grabs Angelo with his left hand and begins punching him with his right. Slamming him to the dewy wood of the dock, watching the blood trickle from Angelo’s nose and lip, “you son of a bitch! why wouldn’t you make the right Choice? You would be with Lilly right now as we speak and you wouldn’t know the difference. All you preach is you want her to be happy, wouldn’t she be happiest with you?” He slams Angelo’s body into the dock waiting for a reply. Jimmy grabs the man by the shoulder again to make him stop.

    “You passed the first Choice Angelo… that’s why he is so pissed at you… he usually gets half of the people to agree to the first choice he presents. They go back to their happy existences but once they pass on in the future they go with him and never see their loved ones again in the afterlife.” Jimmy picks Angelo up again and wipes the blood away from his mouth with a handkerchief he pulled from his back pocket. The three of them standing side by side on the dock as the tragic event unfolds like it did so many years ago. Angelo begins to scream as he sees himself and Lilly in the distance. As the burley man with the gun is running towards them while the past Angelo is on one knee. A cop runs past the three of them watching and the burley man stumbles as he looked back to see how far the cop is from him. A shot… Angelo on a knee in front of Lilly falls to his side. Simultaneously as Lilly screams, the cop jumps on the burley man and handcuffs him. Angelo turns to Jimmy and the man as he just watch his past self go limp… “it was an accident.”

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  • The Choice

    The Choice

    Sometimes we just need our heads in the clouds. Clear the minds, clear the noise, and just be… this is what CW&FT at a Glance brings. A little time to clear everything, read some, and think forever. As a creative writer to be, I always am thinking of all the above. I have decided to share these thoughts here for all… not to convince, not to change, but just to open the minds to the little thoughts that may run through day to day. Enjoy!

    The Choice has been my creation for over 10 years. I was at St. Joes College, when my English professor gave us an assignment to flesh out an in-depth story that one day I would to convert into a movie. Revision after revision, internal critique after internal critique… I finally took the advice of my fiancée and “just put it out there.” So here is one of the many stories I will be posting here. But this is the one that made me want to become a writer and share said stories. Chapter one of The Choice, enjoy!

    “I will always love you…” the last words of Angelo Custode. His fiancée lies next to him on the fog filled pier. Tears everlasting and breath cannot be caught as she screams out “don’t leave me!”

    On the pier where they first met, the place he knew he was going to ask her for her hand in eternity. Lilly, knowing the love of her life, knew this was the night Angelo would ask her. She did not know that this would be her last day with him. The real question… what was going through Angelo’s mind as this unfathomable fate would crush everything he thought was going to be? What happens to those that pass suddenly? Do they have an opportunity to make one last impression on those that they love? All these unanswered questions that those that are alive struggle with. To sum it all up, what happens after?

    “What happened… where… Lilly! Lilly!?” Angelo awakens in a crowded city, resembling New York where he is from. No one sees him, ignoring him like he is not there. He is confused beyond his wildest imagination. Anxiety rises, mind racing, cold sweat forming… “what is going on?!”

    An older gentleman is smiling as he walks towards Angelo… what seems like the only person among the hundreds focused on the fact that Angelo is here. With a bit of a limp, an old football injury from his high school days, five o’clock shadow, a light brown jacket with the jingle of change and matching pants, the older gentleman is making his way right to Angelo. “Hello Angelo, I am James… my friends call me Jimmy” the man said with a wink and a pat on Angelo’s back. “I am too old for games, time to rip the band aid off son… this is Purgatory. You are here because you did not get the true time you were supposed to have down there.”

    Angelo’s emotions began to overflow as the realization of this nightmare is now his reality. “What about Lilly… what happened??”

    “Listen Angelo… it has been some time since that night. Lilly struggled through your loss but her time there and your time here is completely different. She is fine now and will be for some time. As for you… the steps to understanding and how to proceed to where you need to be is why I am here. You see, we all are here to make a choice… we have to accomplish something to proceed. My choice is to help you through your process. If I succeed then I move up too. The real question for you is… can make the right choice?’

    “Yes, anything I need to do… I want to make sure that Lilly is alright… I want to know what happened to her… I want to see her again!” Angelo is face to face with Jimmy as his emotions overpower him.

    Jimmy pauses and smirks… “son, you better learn to control that. That is what will stop you from everything you desire. It is you that needs to make the right choice. I am just along for the ride… I am like your guide through it all.”

    “So before you rush to anything you have to be given the background… there are rules here.” Angelo sits down beside Jimmy on the only bench within the bustling city. A white bench that Jimmy stretches his arms from one end to the other. Jimmy takes a deep breath as he stares up at the sky, while Angelo sits next to him leaning with his hands on his knees. “Alright, what do I need to know?” Jimmy smiles a smile he has been waiting a long time to do… “well, to start, I have been waiting for you for about twenty-one years here. To me it actually feels about a few days, but down there, time is much more calculated. I died saving my grandson… I was watching him one Sunday morning; he kicked the football into the street. Like any other three year old, he ran as fast as he can towards the rolling wobbly ball in the street. I thought football would be the death of me and ironically it was,” Jimmy said with a sarcastic smirk as he rubbed his weathered hands together.

    “Damn… I am so sorry Jimmy, but what does that have to do with me?” Jimmy looked at Angelo with his patented smirk… “you are the reason I died Angelo. I am your grandfather and I have been waiting here to tell you that it is not your fault I am here.”

    With emotions high, this is not what Angelo wanted on top of everything else. His face falls into his palms. “I don’t remember anything… why didn’t my parents tell me? They told me that you passed away when I was young but never told me how.” Angelo is shaking with emotions as another unbelievable action has taken place. Jimmy now resembles how he looked many years ago. He looks like the pictures that Angelo has of his grandfather. “I made sure that you didn’t remember it… this is why I am still here for all those years that have passed down there. My choice was to erase your memory and to make sure no one ever told you. My penance for this was that I would wait here to tell you what happened on the day you passed. The only way I would be allowed to proceed and move up was to wait here for you. Now I am going to walk you through your choice. You will either make an easy choice and wait here with the hopes of getting up there… or you will make a difficult choice for either yourself or someone down there.”

    Chapter Two of The Choice coming soon!

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  • Creative Writings and Fan Theories at a Glance

    By: Chris Resnick

    Sometimes we just need our heads in the clouds. Clear the minds, clear the noise, and just be… this is what CW&FT at a Glance brings. A little time to clear everything, read some, and think forever. As a creative writer to be, I always am thinking of all the above. I have decided to share these thoughts here for all… not to convince, not to change, but just to open the minds to the little thoughts that may run through day to day. Enjoy!

    Lets start with something nice and easy… I am a big movie watcher. I have a wide array of likes. You will soon find out I am obsessed with Christmas everything (year round from time to time). However, when it comes to movies, I like Action, Mystery, Comedy, some Thriller, Romance, Drama, and of course… Christmas themed. One of my favorite movies, I would say top 3, is the Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan. Not just for the cinematic excellence but for the portrayal of Joker by Heath Ledger. Iconic is an understatement. I recently watched Christopher Nolan’s third installment and could not keep my mind off of one thing throughout the whole movie. “And here we go…”

    Christopher Nolan is a genius when it comes to the movie realm. One of his overlooked talents is his extreme genius of casting. Bringing on actors that just engulf the screen with their portrayal of their said characters. We cannot deny this with Ledger as Joker, Christian Bale as Batman, and/or Tom Hardy as Bane. But, I am more fond of the one character that caught my eye… one that did not have a mask or war paint as in the big three I mentioned. I began my focus on John Blake when watching The Dark Knight Rises. While Joseph Gordan Levitt is a great actor in his own respect, when in a movie with all of these other amazing actors, one cannot be remiss to admit they did not think his role would be just as powerful. One scene made the epiphany rise in my mind. I thought to myself… “if Nolan thought this and made his decision for Joseph Gordan Levitt then he is a genius.” When John Blake is explaining to Bruce Wayne how he knows he is the batman and how he learned to hide behind the smile, the Fan Theory began to boil…

    Look at Heath Ledger, not as the Joker just as the man in real life. Tragic ending to an amazing career cut short. But his physical features caught so many people’s attention. Now look at Joseph Gordon Levitt… honestly they could be mistaken for brothers. This is where the stretch of the imagination turns into what could be the biggest twist in movie history…

    So, The Dark Knight Rises looks at the demise of Gotham at the hands of Bane. (Really late spoiler alert) It also looks at how Batman saves Gotham with the help of Fox, Gordon, Selina Kyle, and of course John Blake. As the bomb goes off over the water the theory grew more and more… a few scenes later we see Blake walking into an office to retrieve what was left to him in “Bruce Wayne’s Will.” As he exits there is a little nod to the fans as he reveals his real name to be Robin. We see everyone having their happy ending and Blake following coordinates to what is Batman/Wayne’s hidden layer. Fans are left with the notion that Blake is now either taking over or making his new Batman style identity. Some say he would have been Robin, some other fans say he takes over as Batman, and a few say he could resemble Nightwing. However, I have a completely different take of the future that Joseph Gordon Levitt would portray…

    Lets jump back to the main point… does Joseph Gordon Levitt and Heath Ledger look eerily similar? Yes, and I believe Nolan understood this. Imagine in a world of Gotham… 8 years prior to the Dark Knight Rises we see Heath Ledger’s Joker hung upside down by an ankle laughing as SWAT come in. Then nothing… 8 years and nothing. What if (FAN THEORY TIME!)… what if he did escape. Imagine a world where during the chaos of everything as Harvey Dent laid dead, Batman was on the run, Gordon knew this coverup was a bad idea, everyone in Gotham needed a “Dark Knight” all at the same time the Joker got away. Another cover up would be needed. There is no way the city of Gotham could survive thinking he was still out there. Alas, the Joker was… but he had a plan, even if he always said he did not. Imagine a world where Joker is free… Oh what would he do, Chaos!?! No, he actually has a plan (read that with Heath Ledger’s Joker voice and it is even more powerful).

    Step 1 of the Joker Plan – hide in plain sight… how? Well he still has the power of persuasion and fear. He convinces a doctor to fix his scars. Is that possible? Plastic surgery is a lot of money? What happens when he goes under? The Joker is not dumb, he stock piled some of that money prior to burning it all. Local anesthesia while enduring four separate sessions. Once again, the Joker has a plan, years in the making.

    Step 2 of the Joker Plan – Infiltrate Batman/Bruce Wayne’s closest Confidant, Jim Gordon… how? Become what Jim Gordon reveres – a strong willed cop who wants to be on the right side of the law, even if it means bucking the system from time to time. Now he has 8 years prior to Bane coming into play with Gotham. The Joker does not have a time line but he knows that this is inevitable that someone will try and hit Gotham. Working his way through the academy, becoming a cop, and always keeping an eye on Gordon. Years go by and the Joker is working his way through just as Gordon would want to hear about. Yes, he is bucking the system a bit, but he is keeping on the straight and narrow. Year after year, the Joker is building a reputation of a Gordon style of cop… then comes year 8… Bane.

    Step 3 of the Joker Plan – Everything is going to plan for the Joker, he has now become the right hand man to Gordon and Batman/Bruce Wayne. Hiding in plain sight while doing it. Gordon is hell bent to save his city, just like Batman. The Joker is able to do what is needed to do what he never could. He could not beat the Batman or Gordon. So what is the plan?? Join them without even knowing. Batman saves the City of Gotham from Bane and he leaves to live a life he never had. Gordon is back at the helm of Gotham as they start to rebuild. Where is the Joker? the Joker realized the only way to win is to become batman. He realized it is not the chaos that wins the day but it is the hero. So while he was wrapping his head around the idea of Joker-Batman, Joker-Batman, Joker-Batman… he created John Blake. Joker is John Blake… he finally beat the Batman. Retired and living a new life, Batman hands the “keys to Gotham” to the Joker. At the same time Gordon believes that John Blake will be the next best thing. So while he says does he “look like a guy with a plan?” He actually is the master planner… Nolan is a genius if this was his mindset. Joseph Gordon Levitt and Heath Ledger were the two most important casts made for the Batman Triliogy.

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