Little Red Riding Hood, Retold

Ashley shielded her eyes as pale steam erupted from a street vent. Dusk created an orange ambiance which gave little visibility, distorting the occasional yellow taxi that rumbled along the highway beside her. She wasn't looking at them though: her eyes were fixed on the stars above, barely visible through the dense city smog but still sparkling defiantly, the crescent moon simply a brother to the stars. Hugging her dark red trench coat around her lithe form, she continued home in blissful ignorance.

    What an opportune ignorance it was. A perfect situation to hunt. Isaac watched the girl - no more than 10 years old he guessed. And his was an experienced eye at such things, he thought proudly. Grinning, his mouth watered in anticipation, his palms damp and his muscles eagerly tense. He took a deep, calming breath and assumed his approachable façade as he stepped out onto the sidewalk and strode toward her. Each step echoed his heartbeat.

    "Excuse me, little girl," he said in a low, kind voice, reaching out a hand to touch her shoulder.

    To his surprise, she didn't jump. She simply turned and smiled at him, sending warmth through his body. "Yes mister? Do you need something?"

    Her voice was so sweet and innocent, he had to force himself to resist - better reward later, he told himself, repeating his age-old hunting motto. He smiled at her, bending slightly to meet her eyes. "Oh no, I'm just worried about you, little girl. Isn't it late for you to be out all alone on such a dangerous street?"

    "Oh. Well, I hadn't thought about it really," she said, almost curiously. "My house is just at the end of the road though."

    Despite knowing full well where she lived - and the gorgeous mother she lived with - he stood and gazed down the road, seeing her small house in the distance, run down and patched but somehow on a perfectly green, almost vibrant land of grass which seemed sublimely detached from the dark, dirty city surrounding it. "Ah yes, I see it now. Still, you never know what could happen on the way. Oh! I have an idea."

    She smiled brightly, her curiosity flaring. "Oh? Please tell me mister."

    He swallowed and grinned down at her. "Why don't I walk with you, to make sure you get home safely?"

    She gazed into his eyes for a moment, imploringly, and he quivered slightly at her penetratingly naïve eyes. But then she smiled and nodded. "Okay then. Come on! It's almost time for dinner."

    Holding his hand, she continued walking down the sidewalk, once again staring up at the stars, oblivious to the beast guiding her to her fate.

 They called him Homeless Joe, though neither name fit. He had a home - a run-down Buick. And his name wasn't Joe - at least, it hadn't been since his uncles had used it as a nickname when he was a child. No, throughout his life he had had one name: Drake. And unlike most, he loved his name. As a geek in school, he had always felt Drake gave him a certain suave devenair aura, though he seemed to be the only one that noticed it. His wife had liked it, before she left him. And some of the dealers at the casino he had gone to everyday commented on it occasionally, though he thought they were probably just telling him what he wanted to hear. But when he had lost everything - his wife, family, job, house, car - he still kept his name. Every time someone called him Joe, he recoiled inwardly.

    However, he felt more like Homeless Joe than Brave Drake as he apathetically watched a little girl being deceived by someone every poor person on the street knew as the Wolf. He lived in the shadows, waiting for the chance to prey on innocent women or children, lacking the courage to stand up to anyone worthy, yet none ever challenged him on it. Joe gripped his grimy overcoat and bit his lip. He wanted to help but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Where had Drake gone?

    Suddenly, he felt a deep fire in his heart, a drive of courage. No - this time, he wouldn't let it happen. He had watched the Wolf track and kill dozens of innocent people, always without a fight, always without a hero. But now, Drake could finally edify his name.

    Jumping silently off his perch across the street from the Wolf, he sprinted towards the house at the end of the street. He had seen the girl before, but she had never come down this street before, the only one on which the Wolf hunted. He wondered why, but focused his mind as he raced towards the girl's house. Finally, he arrived and banged on the door, which opened to reveal a stunning woman. He guessed she was in her twenties, but with a ten year old daughter, he assumed she was simply beautiful.

    She frowned at him, looking him up and down. He was surprised at the complete lack of fear or reluctance in her countenance. "Yes, what is it? I was in the middle of cleaning, if you don't mind."

    "I-I'm sorry miss, but this is important. Please, I need to come in - there is a vicious criminal who is about to try to hurt you."

    She raised an eyebrow disbelievingly at him. "Then shouldn't I call the cops?"

    He shook his head. "There's no time. By the time they get here, you'll be dead!"

    She blinked, startled slightly by his enthusiasm, but it seemed to get through to her and she nodded, moving to let him inside. He quickly stepped in and closed the door.

    "So what do you think we should do? I don't have any weapons beyond a kitchen knife."

    Drake breathed quickly, his heart still pounding from his sprint over here. He touched his chin, trying to think as quickly as he could, and suddenly an idea came to him.

**

    "This is it," Ashley said, pointing at the door of her house.

    Isaac trembled with excitement; he hoped the girl hadn't noticed. He didn't want to give anything away, though at this point, he was certain of his success. He had watched her for so long, seen her mother, urged for them, longed, desired, but he never left his street - unless taken. And now, the prey had led the predator to its nest willingly.

    Stepping forward, Isaac knocked on the door.

    "Come in, Ashley, it's unlocked."

    The voice seemed to come from deep inside the house, or under a blanket - Isaac didn't care. He quickly opened it and pulled the girl inside. She yelped slightly but seemed to still trust him, even as he gripped her. He turned to her and put a vertical finger against his lips, telling her to be quiet, and she nodded, her eyes wide with terrorized shock. Dragging the girl around the house, he searched for her mother, eagerness and anticipation filling every fiber of his being.

    Finally, he opened the back bedroom in the house. A gorgeous young woman sat on a bed. Isaac immediately recognized her. But immediately, he felt something was wrong. The woman sat as if she had been expecting him; she didn't even react, as though she had been emotionally prepared beforehand. He threw the girl at her mother, but didn't have time to do anymore.

    The closet door to his right flung open and a man whom he knew to be Homeless Joe, a local bum and worthless low life, not even worthy of competition for him, stood. He squinted at him curiously and moved to step towards him, but he was caught as Joe raised a hand and lunged forward, plunging a butcher knife deep into his heart. The image of Joe - no, not Joe: Drake - was burned in his mind, as his life quickly slipped away.

Journey of the Night-Hawks

Stars stepping stones

Sky night bleeds into space

Waves crashing beyond sight

Journey of the night-hawks

Deepest blue break away

Lava mist burning

White peaks touch the moon

Crescent pale and blotched

When sun careens again

Solar flares pierce the gloom

Nuclear sirens of gray twilight

Radioactive in the fields

Who could say, who could see?

Why night would linger into day.

You Are Amazing

You are amazing, my God

Your Truth is my light
  -Breaks through the night
  -My mind's delight
  -Keeps me contrite
  -Reveals all lies
  -Rules the skies

Your Love heals my soul
  -The poor you console
  -From our sin you give parole
  -You keep us from fear
  -You wash away all tears
  -The source of all cheer

Your Face I seek
  -Your Justice I need
  -Your Mercy I desire
  -Your Church our pillar
  -Your Heart so sacred
  -Your Blood so pure
  -Your Body is broken
  -Our hope evermore.

Habits

Doesn't matter what I do - can't stop bein' who I am
I try to break these habits I left, they just keep comin'
Clouding my mind, judging the time when I lose it all
Heartache and poverty, like a phone dial droning
Never-ending tone, everything's gone away
It'll all disappear one day, I know
Least that's what I say, who can know
What in the future lay, day into night
Light the firefight, strike me down again
Just keeps going, going on
Who can stop, who would care
Beauty and form, style and grace
What're these things to me, I fire away
From these things that've sticken me, interdicted my soul
Who cares, I don't
These words just keep pourin' out, blotch this paper instantly
Implicating me, you don't even know me
The storm circles, blowin' down my world
Eye of the storm, the hole in me
Abyss the winds are too scared to enter, wish I could
Go away, not from You, from me
But I can't, I'm stuck, rooted forever
Crucify me in the pyre, burn away
All my pain and doubt, fear and frustrations
If I go, I go, no roundabout
Who will take my place but You?

Gone

How long does it last
Waitin' for you
Holdin' this flask
Like it could save me from you
Do they give you something I can't?
Or am I just not good enough?
You've become so distant
We don't talk anymore
It's been so long
Since we said goodbye
I just ask, how long
Till you come back
They ain't good for you
Can't you see
They're stickin' to you like glue
But you can't wash that off
Now when I look at you
I wondered what I could've done
What changed in you
To see that I'm so wrong
Just one more chance
That's all I ask - can't I have that?
We used to dance, y'know
Do you remember?
Maybe there's just too much weight
For anyone to carry.

All Too Subtle

Subtle pangs of guilt
Why do you do this to me
Can you stop, do you care
Just keeps goin' on
Every time I turn around
There's a knife in my heart
Needles in my back
Thorn in my side
And I didn't even feel the stab

-You make me want pain
-To want hurt, want your maim
-Just keeps coming, doesn't stop
-What can I do to make you see
-Just how much you're hurting me

Your games you play
Get old so quick
All your men, your lies
Flogging away my soul
Paint with my blood
Would I even notice
Guess I should just get over it
You're happy, isn't that all?

-Burning in my veins
-Pain drenches like rain
-Masochist for your delight
-All your chains, your spite
-Why can't I just break away
-From this puppet play
-Cut these strings at last
-If you'll just take off your mask

Christ the King

Christ the King, Lord Divine

Enthroned on holy mountains high

Thy Law the sceptre of Thy reign

Royal cloak Thy crimson Blood, our shame

Crowned in glory, victor over death

Son of David, heir of Seth

Thy castle eternal the Kingdom of Heaven

Our hearts Thy grace doth awaken

By Thy Will the dead will rise

Thy plan no evil can jeopardize

All land is Thine, the earth You edify

By love Your servants are justified

We proclaim our Creed of royal fidelity

To our King, in all His Majesty.