Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Saturday, October 1st, 2:18 P.M.


Saturday, October 1st, 2:18 P.M.
The headphones I use while listening to my Hipster broke on Friday, so today I had to go out and get a new pair.  I would try to fix my headphones but it's rather hard to do since after I broke them I chucked them in the irrigation canal.  The water has probably damaged them more by now than my severing the cable with a trowel did.
There's a big electronics store near the farm, so I figured I'd go in there and use my osher skills to steal myself a cheap pair of headphones.  Yes, it's not right to use my osher skills for this purpose, but I used my osher skills to spy on women.  Ask me if I care.
I had picked out a good, cheap, and small pair of headphones, and was figuring out how to get away with my theft, when I saw her.  Her.  That girl with the dark energy I've been seeing at the farm recently.  I don't know what her name is or have even said hello to her yet.  Perhaps I should have done that today.  Perhaps this was the opportunity, the only opportunity, for me to introduce myself.  And I didn't.  Damn.
The girl with the dark energy was looking through the racks, found something she liked, then made her way toward the registers.  I went over and looked at what she had bought, which I admit is kind of stalkerish.  The girl with the dark energy had bought a CD by Klavier.  I think this girl just became more alluring to me.
Later.
Hato Shurtleff

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Wednesday, September 28th, 10:07 P.M.


Wednesday, September 28th, 10:07 P.M.
Today I learned something that I don't know quite how to respond to.  Spiker Sullivan has a TV show where he expounds on the things he discusses on his radio show.  Spiker is a verbrecher with a complexion as white as a can of white house paint.  I believe his exact shade is ivory.
I found out about this tonight when Sam was trying to find some news.  I was in the main house of the farm cleaning up while Sam was inside watching TV.  In his search he fell upon Sly 7 and ran straight into Spiker's face sitting behind a desk in a studio in downtown Dha Chathair.  Sam's response to this was both calm and measured.  "God damn it!  Who the fuck gave that fuck a show!"
As Sam continued to fume, Spiker began to say more things that would piss Sam off.  "Hello, my friends.  Tonight, we will be discussing many things, including the unfolding scandal involving Representative Antonio.  However first, I feel I must take you on a trip through history."
Spiker then got up from behind his desk and wandered over to where a monitor was set up which displayed a series of images as Spiker spoke.  The first image was an old faded photo of a church.  "There was a time, long before you or I were blessed with life, when The Church Of The Lord, The One And Only Son Of God and the Church of the Holy God were one.  All of the people in Dha Chathair and in all of Dolore believed in the same one true faith.  This faith was simply called the faith and the church was simply called the church, although most of the time it went without a name.  People in Dolore just knew what it was without having to acknowledge it."
At this point the image behind Spiker changed to the same old faded photo of a church but this time the picture was torn and separated down the middle.  "Then the Great Schism happened.  A group of selfish, infantile folks chose to follow a life of unabashed indulgence.  These people chose to walk away from the one and only truth and deceive themselves into believing a false truth."
At this point the image behind Spiker changed to a group of people, mainly opfers but also some verbrechers, standing in front of the third branch of the Church of the Holy God.  "These are the people who believe in the false truth.  These are the people who delude themselves that leading an indulgent lifestyle is the way of the Lord, the one and only son of God.  These are the followers of the Church of the Holy God.  These are the people I'm trying to reach at my rally.  These are the people I'm trying to bring back into the embrace of the Lord, the one and only son of God."
At this point the image behind Spiker changed to the logo for the event he was actively promoting.  "The Restoration Of Truth rally  Saturday, October 15th.  On that day, we will bring the truth to the deviants.  We will.  You can find out more about the Restoration Of Truth rally at The Spiker Sullivan Show website, or the Sly 7 website at Sly7News.co.do.  Coming up, more on the Representative Antonio scandal, including a possible attempt by people with ties to the leadership of the Church of the Holy God to squash this story.  We'll be right back."
At this point the show went to commercial, which gave Sam a break from the loud cursing fit he was engaged in.  I found Sam's anger kind of concerning.  It's not that I disagree with him, but I've seen that kind of anger before and I don't like it.  I swear, if I didn't have to work with him to get to Amcan, I wouldn't.  October 22nd better get here quick.
Goodnight.
Hato Shurtleff

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Tuesday, September 27th, 6:22 P.M.


Tuesday, September 27th, 6:22 P.M.
One of the things they should tell you when you're doing farm work is don't skip meals.  Harvesting rich, juicy tomatoes on an empty stomach is pure torture.  There were so many times today when I wanted to take a bite out of a tomato, pluck and eat a couple of kernels of corn, fall face first into a basket of strawberries, just do anything to make my stomach stop aching, grumbling, and screaming out loud "FEED ME!"
It was in the midst of this day long stomach torture that I noticed something, or rather someone.  I didn't notice this someone because she's a striking beauty, although she does have a certain amount of physical allure.  I noticed this person because of her dark energy.  I can't say for certain what gives for this quality, but she has it.  She's not evil, just dark, which I find interesting.  My level of interest isn't high enough to where I'd want to get to know this girl, but if it happens to happen I wouldn't regret it.
Later.
Hato Shurtleff

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Monday, September 26th, 4:47 A.M.


Monday, September 26th, 4:47 A.M.
I can see myself.  I am watching myself doing something.  I'm standing alone.  Alone in a room.  I'm standing alone in a room staring out a window.  Through the window I can see something.  Something I wish I hadn't.  I can see a man.  This is a man that I know.  I can see this man using something to beat on a boy.  This is a boy I know.  This man is using a stick, a pointing stick, to beat on a boy.  I can see this.  I can see this through the window I am looking through.  I can see this because it is right in front of me.
There is a voice.  A woman's voice.  I know this woman.  I am hearing a woman's voice talking to me.  I know she is talking to me because I can hear her calling out to me.
Hato.
Hato.
Hato.
Hato.
She is reaching out to me.  I can see her hand.  I know this hand.  It is Valerie.  Valerie is the hand that I see.  Valerie is also the voice that I hear.  I know this, and I know that the me I am watching knows this.  However, the me I am watching is not moved.  Not moved at all.  Not moved by the woman calling out to him.  Not moved by the woman reaching out to him.  Not moved by the man, the despicable human being, beating on the boy, my brother.
The hand is about to touch me, just centimeters away, when I wake up.
This is what woke me up today.
Hato Shurtleff

Lessons Learned From Imcompotence

Lessons Learned From Incompetence
On Wednesday, January 9th, the internet at my house went out.  Thanks to a foot of snow falling overnight and the streets around my neighborhood not being plowed, the streets in my neighborhood were slick and icy.  In these conditions, someone hit a CenturyLink utility box that provides the DSL internet service to my neighborhood.  This accident is something that could have been easily fixed if CenturyLink had the proper resources in place to handle the repair.  However, due to CenturyLink's complete and utter incompetence, these resources were not in place, and my neighborhood was left without CenturyLink service for about a week.
Not being to access the internet at my house made me very angry.  Very angry in deed.  If you follow me on Twitter, you are already well aware of this.  In this period of rage, I do what a lot of people do: I played a lot of video games where I could kill a lot of people.  Wow.  Typing that just now makes me feel that my response was kind of messed up.
As I was playing video games while my internet was out, I though of a news story that had broken recently.  Electronic Arts has announced what their strategy was for their upcoming entry in the Sim City franchise.  EA announced that people playing the game would need to always be connected to the internet.  EA said that this was because, in order for the game to play at optimal level, some of the computing would have to be done on EA's servers.  Skeptics slammed EA for this move, saying that the Always-On internet requirement was a way to curb piracy, dismissing what EA was claiming entirely.  However, I'd like to take EA statement on face value, if only for a moment.
Let's say that the internet was out where I lived, much like the situation that CenturyLink put me in due to their incompetence.  Let's say that I wanted to play video games, which is what I did during the period of CenturyLink's incompetence.  Let's say that I wanted to play the new Sim City game that I had legitimately bought from a legitimate retailer, legitimately.  Due to EA Always-On internet requirement, I would be unable to do so.  I would be unable to play a game that I had legitimately bought and that the company who produced the game was still supporting because of the failings of a third party.
This is why I do not support cloud based computing.  I do not want to be in a situation where a third party, who's utterly and unapologetically incompetent, prevents me from accessing something that I find to be critical.  Sure video games may not be of absolute critical importance, but what if I needed to access my banking information, or the place that I work, or health care services, or other things that may lead to actual harm to the lives of myself or the lives of others?  The only person I want to be at fault if something that I'm responsible for doesn't get done is me.  Blaming other people for things not getting done is a behavior that I don't like seeing in other people, much less in myself.

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Sunday, September 25th, 11:50 A.M.


Sunday, September 25th, 11:50 A.M.
I felt really out of place at church today.  Not in the way that I feel out of place in places where I'm the only opfer in a room full of verbrechers.  Nor is it in the way that I usually feel out of place in church because I'm the only young person in a room full of old people.  At church today everybody was wearing their Sunday best, suits and nice dresses, while I was dressed in denim pants and a t-shirt.  In that congregation I stood out like a sore thumb that was dressed in denim pants and a t-shirt
I wasn't trying to be disrespectful or stand out from the crowd.  Usually when I go to church, I wear the kind of respectful full suit and tie that, over the course of the Sunday service, gets soaked in sweat.  I just no longer have that suit.  All the clothes I have are what I'm wearing right now and the work clothes Sam gave me.  My intention is to get all kinds of stylish new threads to replace the clothes I left in Moenia Prima, but that won't happen untill I get to Amcan.  Untill then I guess I'll have to deal with the weird looks from the faithful.
When I say that I get weird looks from the faithful I don't mean the people who go to church with me at the Church of the Holy God.  Those people seem to have embraced me like a brother.  The weird looks I'm referring to come from the people who go to The Church Of The Lord, The One And Only Son Of God.  The people from The Church Of The Lord look at the members of any other church with distain, but I seemed to get the worst of it.  What particularly struck me about this is that most of the people who go to that church are verbrecher.
After his sermon, I asked The Father why the people who go to The Church Of The Lord look at us like that.  This is what he said:
"My son, the faithful at The Church Of The Lord are taught that their faith is the one and only true faith.  They believe that only by following their teachings, and only their teachings, can anyone achieve the highest of all high rewards, entrance into the kingdom of Heaven.  They are also taught that anyone who doesn't follow their faith, and especially those who know of the faith and willingly choose not to follow their faith, are going straight to Hell.  So, my son, that's why the followers of The Church Of The Lord don't like us.  Although, the looks they're giving us now are new, and I do not know why they're doing that."
There's a part of me that wants to find out why the faithful of The Church Of The Lord are looking at us like that, but part of me is afraid of what will result from it.
Later.
Hato Shurtleff

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Friday, September 24th, 11:02 P.M.


Friday, September 24th, 11:02 P.M.
I just woke up out of a dream that I don't quite understand.  In my dream I was standing inside Moenia Prima School #1.  The Pee School.  I knew it was the Pee School, not because I could recognize my surroundings, because of the pervasive urine stench.  I wasn't doing much of anything in this dream.  I was just standing in a room staring at a window.  As I was staring at this window, a hand reached out toward me.  The hand was getting closer and closer to my shoulder.  Once the hand touched me, I woke up.
I don't know what this dream means.  I don't know quite what to make of it.  I just don't know.
Later.
Hato Shurtleff

Project Buy A House

Project Buy A House
One day in October I saw a bunch of people walking around the neighborhood dressed up in costumes.  Seeing these costumes, I became slightly giddy, as I usually do on Halloween.  Then I looked at my watch.  It wasn't Halloween, it was October 17th, and those weren't Halloween costumes, those were costumes worn by people robbing the check cashing place/loan shark place just around the corner.  This had been happening with some frequency in the area that I live in, but bandits never ran through my neighborhood when I was at home.  That is when I decided I needed to move.
The following January, because I am a lazy fuck, I started my search.  I used various iPad apps, found some decent places, and went looked around.  There were a couple of places that I thought were nice, moderately priced, and were in neighborhoods where I would likely not get stabbed.  I looked over the rent amounts of these places, then ran these rent amounts against my current budget.
It's not that I was broke at the time, but if I had moved to any of the places I was looking at, I would have been.  So I put getting a new apartment on the shelf for a while.  However, I still felt like I needed to move.  This was due to more loan shark places being robbed in my area.  Also I was bored.
In March I started looking for condos.  I figured that a condo would be more affordable for me, plus I'd eventually pay off a mortgage, as opposed to rent which would only go up over time.  I hooked up with a realtor/well meaning white dude, and looked at some places.
Previous to this, I thought I lived in the bad part of the Salt Lake ValleyMetroComplexVille.  I was wrong.  One of the condos I looked at was in the Rose Park section of Salt Lake.  Due to the large iron gates secured with a magnetized fence, I couldn't just walk onto the property.  This should have been my first sign.  As I was waiting in my car for the well meaning white dude to show up, a Salt Lake City police office came screaming past me with it's lights on and siren full blast.  Then another screamed past.  Then another.  And another.  This was another sign.  This is when I left.  I realize now I shouldn't have left the well meaning white dude there alone waiting for me, but I had to get me and my big fucking SUV out of the area.
There were several other condos that I looked at in parts of the valley that were not heavily crime ridden.  A couple of them were actually pretty nice.  I looked at the price of these condos, figured out what my monthly payment would be, including HOA, taxes, and other expenses, then ran this amount against my budget.
Again I found that if I were to buy a condo at the prices I was looking at, I would be making myself broke.  Rather than putting the entire idea of buying a house on the shelf, I decided to go about reducing my expenses.
In the past in the past ten month, I have been putting more of my money into paying off debt and less of my money into things that are fun.  This has sucked.  Hard.  There were times throughout this process that I questioned whether this was all worth it.  Then the loan sharks would get robbed again, and suddenly my resolve would return.
Have I accomplished my goal yet?  Is this the blog post where I brag about finally doing this thing that I've been working on for over a year, and post pics of my brand spanking new house?
No, it isn't, but I'm getting there.  I can feel myself getting closer everyday.  Frustration still gets at me some times.  If you follow me on Twitter, you know how fervently I want to buy a new iPhone and chuck the thing I'm currently using as a phone into a fucking field.  I'd also like to chuck my CenturyLink DSFuckingL out the window, but other internet service providers either cost more or have substantially slower speeds.  Neither of those things are things that I like or are even okay with, but both of those things make me more resolute in accomplishing my goal.  I know that if I keep at it, eventually this will all pay off.  Every day that I continue pursuing my goal is another day that I get closer to it.  This is the same way I feel about my sex life.
One day, one day.

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Thursday, September 22nd, 4:37 P.M.


Thursday, September 22nd, 4:37 P.M.
On the outer edges of Dha Chathair sat my destination, the home of Samuel Nongbu.  Samuel's home isn't like most of the homes in a city of large gray buildings made of concrete and steel.  First of all, Samuel's property is much larger than your usual office building.  The property easily takes up an entire city block.  Also, things are grown on this property.  Not things like well manicured grass or flowers planted more for their beauty than their usefulness.  Things like corn, wheat, soybeans, and barley.  On the outer edges of Dha Chathair sat a farm, a fully functioning farm.
I felt a sense of bewilderment walking onto the farm.  The last time I was on a farm was when I was a kid, and the only reason I was on the farm was that I was using my osher skills to steal corn.  I walked down a road running down the center of the property, looking at all the people working the fields of this farm.  Off in the distance were people packing trucks full of crates with different vegetables poking out from the top.  Verbrechers and opfers, young and old, all of them working this farm in harmony.  I know I should be uplifted by this sight, but I can't help but think the only reason that all these people are working together like this is because of the church.  No way would these people be working together otherwise.
As I was making my way up the road, one of the workers came to talk to me.  "Hello, brother."  That felt odd to me.  The only times I had been called "brother" like that was when Sakoshi was being annoying on purpose.
"Hi."                           
"Can I help you with something?"  This guy was being cheerful and helpful, which, for some reason, always disturbs me.
"I'm looking for Samuel Nongbu."
"Oh, Farmer Sam."   Upon hearing my contact's name, the guy became even more cheerful, as if that were possible.  "Sam's working in the barn today.  Just follow this road up to the house up there and turn right."
"Okay, thank you."
"No problem."  Looking back on this exchange, I probably should have been as cheerful to this guy as he was to me.  I'll have to work on that in the future.
I made my way down the road and took the right into the barn.  Once I got inside the barn I didn't see anybody in it.  So, I called out, "Hello!"  No response.  "Hello?  I was told Samuel Nongbu was here.  Hello?"  I continued walking into the center of the barn, calling out for someone I didn't know.  Then I heard a loud thump behind me.  Quickly I turned around and saw a verbrecher man about as big as I am had landed behind me.  I didn't think, I just reacted.  The uppercut that connected with his jaw gave me just enough time to do a more thorough scan of the barn.  Then the man began to speak.
"Eugene told me you might do that."
Still prepared for a fight, I responded, "What?"
"He told me I shouldn't do my usual spooking bit 'cause you might clock me one, but I didn't listen to him.  The name's Sam, Samuel Nongbu."
Guilt started going through my body when the man identified himself.  "Oh.  Oh shit.  I'm sorry.  I am so sorry about hitting you like that."
"Don't worry about it.  That'll learn me to sneak up on you like that.  I haven't seen a punch like that since I stopped watching boxing."  Sam started walking out of the barn.  I didn't know if I should follow him or not untill Samuel said, "Come on, Hato, I'll show you around."  I followed Sam as he showed me all of the grand and plentiful fields that he found so completely interesting and I didn't.  "Over here is our tomato harvest.  This year we got a bumper crop of tomatoes."
"Oh.  Neat."
"On the left is out corn fields.  They say that an ideal height for a corn stalk is as high as an elephant's eye, but I dare say ours is taller."
"Yeah, I bet."
"And over there is our soybean field.  I'm not a big fan of soybeans, don't see much use in them, but we sell a lot of them to places in Amcan."
"Speaking of Amcan, when are you going there again?"
"What, for a shipment?"
"Sure, or whatever."
"Well, Amcan is kind of far away.  We only make shipments out there  every couple of months or so."
"What about your next shipment?"
"The next one is a shipment of corn to Moenia Prima.  We should be setting of-"
I stopped Sam mid-sentence because I am in no way interested in going back to Moenia Prima.  "How about the one after that?"
"Ah, that one's a big one.  We've got corn, tomatoes, and barley going out to Trebyer."
I grasped upon that statement.  "Yes, Trebyer.  When's that going out?"
"Four weeks."
That statement didn't strike me well.  "Four weeks?  That's a month!"
Sam calmly replied, "Yes, four weeks is a month."
"Can't you go sooner?  Or Amcan, why can't you go there?"
"We don't have a buyer out there right now.  You're going to have to wait."
"To hell with that.  I need to get to Amcan now!"
My swearing must have triggered something in Sam.  When he heard what I said, he stopped the little your of his farm, turned to me, and grabbed me by the collar.  "You are going to wait, because the work we are doing here is more important than your little quest."
"Not to me, it isn't."
"Yes, to you your quest is the most important thing in the world, but to me and everyone who works on this farm, this is more valuable than anything in this world.  The work we do here, the people we employ, the church programs we fund, the people we feed, all of that has a significance that we don't want to sacrifice.  Do you understand, Hato?"
As I looked at Sam's face, exuding with determination, as well as the slowly gathering crowd of farm workers, I came to realize that if I wanted to continue in my journey these are the people I had to work with.  "Yes, I understand."
Once he heard my understanding, Sam let go of my shirt.  "Good.  Now, if you want to go on the shipment with us, I'll ask that you work with us.  You don't have to but-"
I interjected, "It'd be nice if I did."
"Exactly, but that can wait for tomorrow.  For now, I invite you to go up to the house.  Get something to eat, maybe take a shower and get a fresh change of clothes, and, most importantly, relax for a bit.  What you've been through I wouldn't wish on myself or, for that matter, anyone."
With that, Sam left to go tend to his fields as I walked toward the house Sam had given me invitation to.  What Sam said is stuck in my head, although I don't think he really needed to say it.  I know that what I went through in Moenia Prima is terrible, that's why I need to get to Amcan to tell people about it.  That's why I'll be working on a farm for a month.  Not because I want to, because I have to.  Telling the people of the world what's happened and what may still be happening in Moenia Prima is something that must happen.
Later.
Hato Shurtleff

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Thursday, September 22nd, 1:21 P.M.


Thursday, September 22nd, 1:21 P.M.
As I was walking toward the place The Father told me to go to, I fired up the radio program on my Hipster and started scanning around.  There are a couple of decent stations that play a mix of music I like, but, for some odd reason, I stopped at the political talk station.  Maybe I stopped on this station because I like torturing myself, because I spent nearly an hour listening to this one show with this one guy who's one reprehensible motherfucker.  I know I'm basing that on a first impression and that he might not always be like this, but how can I now think negatively about you when I hear you say this:
"Hello, my friends.  Welcome back to the show on this glorious Thursday.  We should all give thanks to our Lord, the one and only son of God, for this day.  As we give thanks, we should look at those who do not acknowledge the might and majesty of our Lord, the one and only son of God.  Those who do not acknowledge the might and majesty of our Lord, the one and only son of God, represent the dregs of society, of this we are certain.  It is not that those people are irredeemable, redemption is very possible for those people.  It is that they choose not to be redeemed.  Their choice, coupled with how easily they could redeem themselves, represent a direct insult to our Lord, the one and only son of God.
“This is The Light with Spiker Sullivan.  We'll be back after these messages."
I have a bad feeling about this.
Later.
Hato Shurtleff

Funny Dog Violence


The All New All Games Radio Store!!!
 
For a while now, I have been an active member of the All Games Radio Community.  There are many podcasts on AGR that I listen to, including Dead Pixel Live, Electric SistaHood, R9Cast, and Cat & Fox.  I have chatted online with the hosts of these shows, and have thoroughly annoyed them, as I do people in all social situations.
For a while now, I have been hearing about a redesign of the All Games Radio site, which can be found at www.allgames.com.  On 1/1/13, the new site launched, and it contained something which a consumer whore like me can appreciate.
Welcome to The All New All Games Radio Store!!!  There are many things to buy on this store, including...
T-SHIRTS!!!  Yes, the all new All Games Radio T-shirts are in, featuring the all new All Games Radio logo, designed by the sexy, talented and sexy Esgee.

These shirts come in many different colours, from white and black to green and blue.  The price for all of the sizes are the same.  Which means you'll pay the same for the all new All Games Radio T-shirt, whether you are a small thing like Kitsune:
Or are as big as a house, like dblueguy:
 
So go buy things at The All New All Games Radio Store!!!  If you don't, I'll kill this puppy.



Now I have a chance and they don't.  There's an evil quality to that I can either embrace, rid myself of, or ignore.  For once, ignorance is good.

Volume 11 by Hunter Red.  Insert witty plug with a link at the end.

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Thursday, September 22nd, 11:31 A.M.


Thursday, September 22nd, 11:31 A.M.
The third branch of The Church of the Holy God is housed in this grand ethereal building with many archways, beautiful stained glass window displays, and more granite than you'd likely find in an entire mountainside.  The third branch of The Church of the Holy God has a tremendous resonance quality to it.  You can hear every word that is said at the altar of the church from pretty much anywhere in the building.  You can also hear anything else anyone says, as well as any large noises, including footsteps.  The resonance quality of the church is meant to foster an environment of reverence, mostly due to the fact that when everyone can hear every little thing that you say you tent to talk less.  It also alerts the Father of the church when somebody enters his church because he can hear even the lightest of his worshiper's footsteps.
When I entered the third branch church house, I became aware of how much the sound of my footsteps carried.  What I was not aware of was the man, who was following the sound of my footsteps, walking up behind me.  I was approaching the alter, efforting to quiet my footsteps, when somebody placed a heavy hand on my shoulder.  "Hello, my son."  I swung around, ready to deliver a blow to the person behind me.  When I saw the man I intended to attack, I immediately stopped myself.  That's just the reaction I have to a tall, older, opfer gentleman with a big smile on his face.  The man looked into my eyes and read me like a book.  "Something is troubling you, my son."
I looked around the spacious church, to see if we were alone, before I said, "Are we safe here?"
The man looked perplexed by this.  "Excuse me?"
"Are we safe here, because I saw those uniformed verbrecher mobs with body armor and machine guns, and if we're not safe here, we need to leave because those people can turn-"
The man placed his hands on my shoulders as a way to get me to stop my frantic speech.  "Relax, my son, you are safe here.  Come, let's get you something to eat.  I find that a nice turkey sandwich brings peace to my mind."
The man took me back to the church's kitchen where I could get a bite to eat and talk without everyone in the entire church hearing what I was saying.  After I got situated and the man put some things together, the man slid a plate with a nice ham and cheese sandwich over to me and said, "Now, tell me why you're so worried about the people you saw carrying guns."
I tried saying, "It's not the guns, it's the verbrechers!  Do you now know what they're doing-"  Then the man stopped me.
"Child, I can't understand what you're saying with all that food in your mouth.  Finish what you're eating then introduce yourself.  My name is Eugene Ayah, but most people call me The Father."
I spent some time chewing, swallowed, and said, "Hato.  Hato Shurtleff."
"Good.  What brings you here, Hato?"
My reason for being here served as a good point to tell The Father what had just happened to me, my family, and all the opfers in Moenia Prima.  The Father didn't interrupt me as I spoke.  He just let me vent and vent and vent untill I could vent no more.  Once I was done, The Father began doing what came naturally to him.  He began to give me comfort.
"Hato, my son, I understand your apprehension.  Let me assure you, you are safe here.  Not just here in this church, but in the grand city of Dha Chathair."
I was not assured.  "But what about-"
"Those men, with their uniforms and assault weapons, are police officers, nothing more.  Those men carry those weapons as a crime deterrent, not to elevate one class of people at the expense of another."
"But they're verbrecher!  How am I supposed to trust them after what they did."
"You need to let that go, my son."
"Let what go?"
"That mindset you just expressed.  The way you blame all verbrechers for the acts of a minority of them."
"But nobody stopped them!"
"Was that because they agree with them, or because they fear them?"
I took a second to contemplate what The Father has just said.  "You have a point there, Father."
"Hato, if there's anything I've learned about people, it's that they're all different.  No two people think the same way, interpret things the same way, come to the same conclusion in any situation for the same reason.  To think that about people is ignorant and prevents you from doing as the scriptures instruct us to do.  To love all of our fellow men, equally and without question."
The Father's words gave me something to think about.  Doing so only added to the good feelings I got from my belly being filled with sandwich meat.  "Yeah.  I think I do need to work more on loving my fellow man."
"As do we all, my son.  What else do you plan to work on?"
"Well, I've been kind of slacking on maintaining my osher skills.  I can feel my calf muscles starting to atrophy."
The Father smiled at me as he shook his head.  "No, I mean work as in job, your role in society, your purpose."
"The first thing I want to do is get to Amcan."
"In Velas?"
"Yes."
"Why, my son?"
"To get in contact with the Velas Broadcast News Service.  To tell them, and then the world, about what I experienced in Moenia Prima."
"Hmmm.  Intriguing.  So, what else?"
"Huh?"
"Do you want to go about informing the world as a side project to your main goal?"
With a tone of determination, I said, "No, getting to Amcan is all I want to do."
The Father looked boldly into my eyes, as if he was testing me.  "Even if you sacrifice everything to do so?"
"What else do I have to sacrifice?  My family was taken from me, my friends also taken, I left my home to save myself, the only think I have left is my life."
"And if it comes to that?"
The weight of the possibility The Father was bringing up hit me but did not knock me down.  "I pray it doesn't come to that, but my journey, my purpose, is more important than me."
The Father broke his serious gaze and began fishing around in my pocket.  "I think I can help you with that."  The Father pulled from his pocket a cell phone.  "Now, we can't send you straight to Amcan, we don't have an airport and the roads aren't exactly ideal.  However, I do know a man who can direct you on to a contact I have in Trebyer."  The Father found the address he was looking for and was about to write it down before I took out my Hipster and put it in my contacts list.  I also found the best walking route to get to this contact, Samuel Nongbu.  When he saw my Hipster, The Father offered to fill the battery on my device, which he did as I continued to fill my belly.
My experience with The Father, upon reflection, is kind of odd.  The way that I quickly trusted him is something I've never really done before.  Perhaps what happened in Moenia Prima had made me vulnerable.  Perhaps I was grasping at the only opportunity I saw to complete my journey.  Perhaps I saw my father in The Father, due to both men being older and calling me son.  Whatever it is, at least now I'm moving forward in my journey, the journey I must finish if only so I'll have a purpose in life.
Later.
Hato Shurtleff

Volume 11: Part 2- Dha Chathair: Thursday, September 22nd, 9:22 A.M.


Thursday, September 22nd, 9:22 A.M.
Walking around the streets of Dha Chathair, I saw a pretty even mix of people.  Young and old, well dressed and shabbily dressed, opfer and verbrecher, all mingling and getting along well.  This looked nice to me but I still had a creeping suspicion in my mind about this situation.  The next thing I noticed only amplified my suspicion.  There are people here patrolling the streets.  Verbrechers in uniforms, body armor, and carrying assault rifles.  After seeing the organized verbrecher mobs in Moenia Prima, seeing even better organized groups of verbrechers makes me feel like I'm in imminent danger.
I'm sitting on the front step of the church crafting this entry.  I hope this isn't the last one.  I hope I can continue in my journey.  Most of all, I hope I can find solace in this place of peace.
Later.
Hato Shurtleff