ISSUE #1 - GATHERING

It was a murky winter night, when four individuals sat gathered around a round table within an ominously dark room. These shadowy individuals seemed to give of varied emotions in their posture; fear, serenity, excitement and an oozing sense of annoyance.

All of a sudden, the serene looking individual slowly started to stand up. The individual’s six foot three figure, hidden by a dark cloak like all in attendance of this sinister gathering wore, could not hide the enormous gut on their body as it strained the buttons on the cloak to its very limit. The mysterious person slowly brought up his arms and spread them wide as if to calm down a rowdy crowd, and then brought his hands together with a resounding clap.

Then, as if to heed the orders of an almighty god, there was light. An utter of amazement was heard from one of the people within the room, while another released a breath that they did not even realize they were holding. But, even still, the last individual, did not look impressed in the least.

“Welcome, members...” the still standing large figure said with an unnaturally deep male voice, accompanied by a mechanical intake of air. The cloak donned man looked over at his companions while still seemingly taking in large amount of mechanical breaths, only to stop at the sight of one of them trembling. Was it anger? Excitement? Fear? He and the other people within the room did not know the cause of this strange phenomenon and could only stare strangely at the person.

“Every… fucking… time...” could be heard coming out of the figures mouth through clenched teeth. It would be safe to assume that this figure was male as well if one were to judge by voice alone, yet the long hair as black as the night itself that spilled out of his cowl could make people second guess. He was tall, yet unlike the first speaker was thin and lankly, almost sickly so, and his unnaturally pale hands, clenched into fists, did nothing to help with this assessment. The two that had yet to speak could only look on in confusion.

“What?” the obese man asked while continuing his robotic breathing, partly just as confused as the two still not speaking, and partly annoyed that his speech was cut short by the thin man.

Suddenly, the unbelievably excited man, a conclusion reached by the standing figure, shot up, and pointed his finger at the overweight man.

“Every fucking time,” the man roared, sending the three others reeling in shock and surprise, “for ten fucking years, you’ve done this shit! Why?! What is the point?! The dark room, the cloaks, the fucking sound activated lamp and that god damned Darth Vader mask! Why do you insist on doing this shit every fucking time, you fat fuck?! We discuss comic books, Chester, not world fucking domination, so can we cut it with the ritualistic bullshit?!”. Still breathing hard after his outburst, he seemed to deflate by the end, pulling off his cowl, revealing his sharp and hostile looking eyes, before sitting back down and rubbing the bridge of his angular nose while mumbling to himself, “no, rather, why do I keep playing along with it...”

The large man, Chester, pulled down his cowl, and pulled off his beloved space opera memorabilia, signed by the creator and cast themselves, now that the magic was gone. His rather chubby face had a pair of thick rectangular glasses that sat upon his nose, while on his chin underneath his mouth a thick goatee laid. His dark brown hair, the same colour as his goatee, was tied up in a pony tail that reached down to his neck.

“What is with you today, Kyle? This is a momentous occasion for our group! The Greenville comic book and assorted entertainment mediums discussion, sharing and appreciation club is having its tenth anniversary on this very day! Not only that, we have a new member present, and need I remind you Kyle, this member is a child, so enough with the profanity. It does no good for a man of your character to corrupt the next generation of brilliant minds.” Chester said with his slightly nasally voice while puffing up his chest and folding his arms while staring down at his friend.

Looking down at the despondent and frustrated man, it caused Chester to reminisce on how far they’d all come. He remembered how, before he met any of his ever loyal allies, all that kept him company were his beloved comic books. To read stories of kick-ass men and women fighting crime in the name of justice is something that has always excited him. Was it escapism? Probably, he silently admitted to himself. But who wouldn’t want to escape reality and enter a world where the unjust is righted by those who wield powers beyond human comprehension? He certainly didn’t! Yet, as much as he wished it to not be so, he was still but a regular human, and no fictional cape wearing hero could ever fill the ever present loneliness in his heart.

It was during his last year of middle school when he noticed a certain pale looking boy reading a recently released horror comic during recess. His first instincts were to walk up to him and tell him to stop reading such vile filth, and to pick up a real comic book, but just as he had walked up to the boy and was about to start his sermon, he stopped. What if… he thought as he thought about the loneliness that plagued him.

It was then that the young boy looked up at the overweight annoyance with narrowed eyes. You’re standing in the way of the sun, you fat piece of shit, he said, and Chester could still remember that ice cold voice that caused a shiver of fear to run down his spine, and those eyes that stared at him as if he was nothing but a bug. Yet, what hero would back down in front of something meagre as that?! He would! After a quick tactical retreat, however, he gathered up his courage and stomped back and to the shock of both the boy and all those in the surroundings, he screamed at the top of his lungs: Be my friend!

After getting promptly and brutally rejected, he kept on pestering his stubborn friend-to-be that he later, through intensive investigations, found to be two years younger than himself and named Kyle. After four months of being, as Kyle eloquently put it; a major pain the ass, he succeeded and Kyle eventually, albeit reluctantly, accepted. They, or more accurately Chester without consulting his new friend, quickly had the first meeting of the Greenville comic book and assorted entertainment mediums discussion, sharing and appreciation club, and continued having such meetings whenever and wherever possible.

Shaking himself out of his memories, he coughed twice and looked around the table once again. “Moving on, let us start with self-introductions for the sake of our new member.” Chester proclaimed with a commanding voice filled with bride, “My name is Chester Bulwit, leader of this here club, and the man to my right is Kyle Tepes, my side-ki- I mean, my right-hand man!”, he continued, hoping no one caught that last bit. The sharp glare he got from his right as he sat down told him his hopes were for nothing.

“Oh, am I next?!” the person across from Chester shouted excitedly while jumping out of his chair. “Name’s Bruce! Umm, nice to meet’cha, kid! Let’s have a blast from now on!”, the man said with a boisterous voice and foolish grin, visible due to him having long since taken off this cowl, while sitting himself down again. Tall, muscly and with messy chestnut coloured hair, he looked every bit like a typical jock in their late teens or early twenties that you could find at any fraternity party. Now, you might be asking yourselves, why has such a person been coming here, to a poorly lit basement, along with two men that has no friends except themselves, for four years? Nobody really knows, actually. He just sort of started showing up at some point. No one really knows who invited him either. Hell, he doesn’t even read anything most of the time and just lazes around on the couch sat in the corner of the room while watching old cartoon reruns on the tiny CRT TV.

After Bruce had introduced himself and sat himself down, he grabbed one of the laid out snacks while everybody in the room set their eyes on the newcomer, causing the still cloaked person to fidget uncomfortably in their seat. Unlike the rather tall veteran members of the club, the tiny figure that could barely reach the chests of those present stood out like a sore thumb. The child-sized individual stiffly started to stand up, and once stood squeaked out a tiny, “h-hello”, continued by some barely audible mumbling before abruptly sitting down again.

An awkward silence filled the room as the three men continued to stare at their new member as if expecting something.

“Could you repeat that, maybe?” said Bruce uncertainly, finally breaking the silence.

“And have some pride and show your face, young one, for you are now an official member of the Greenville comic book and assorted entertainment mediums discussion, sharing and appreciation club!” added Chester encouragingly.

“Ah! A-apologies!” the panicking kid nervously shouted before practically ripping of their cowl, leaving both Bruce and Kyle stunned while Chester puffed up in pride at the sight of his new member. The big blue eyes that nervously glanced across the room fit perfectly with the combed up, glossy blonde hair. The skin, which could make any professional model go mad with jealousy, was a perfect snow-white colour, unlike Kyle’s deathly paleness, and contrasted nicely with a pair of rosy cheeks. Only one word could possibly describe this heavenly child; beautiful.

“Let me present you, gentleman, the first female member of our glorious club. Grand, is it not, for such a memorable occasion to occur on our ten year anniversary?!” the obese mid-twenties man said proudly, pointing at the underage child, causing Kyle’s eyebrows to furiously twitch.

“I-I’m…” the beauty started saying while tears were gathered up in the sapphire-like eyes, before stopping when noticing Bruce who had been staring strangely while stroking his chin ever since he got over his initial surprise.

“Chester.” Kyle coolly spoke all of a sudden.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Yes, my dearest friend?” responded Chester with confidently, doing his best to hide his uncertainty at how none seemed to be impressed over his deed of convincing a member of the opposite sex to join them.

“That is not a girl.” continued Kyle in a monotone voice, surprising even himself at his lack of anger.

“Kyle, while I realize you are not the friendliest towards strangers, but even you should have your limit.” said Chester with a twitch in his smile.

“No, I mean…” started Kyle before stopping himself and sighed deeply. Why do I even bother, he thought to himself, before folding his hands on the table and turning his head towards the source of his utterly moronic friend’s misunderstanding, the kid wilting under his narrowed eyes.

“Boy, or girl?” he simply asked.

“B-boy…” the shivering child replied timidly, unable to meet the gaze of the terrifying man sat across from him.

“See?” said Kyle condescendingly while looking at the wide-eyed Chester with mockery plastered all over his face.

“But you told me your name was Emily!” shouted Chester, feeling horribly wronged. Here he was under the impression that he had finally made a female friend, an impressive feat if one were to ignore the age difference.

“I-I said n-no such thing!” the girl-turned-boy stood up and responded, too shocked at where the fat man could have possibly gotten such a name to even worry about his fear of public speaking, “Y-you didn’t even l-let me state my name b-before you drug me out of the comic store r-raving about all manners off-favourite heroes and comics, before shoving a flier in my f-face telling me to meet up at this spot, before r-running away! I am a b-boy, and m-my name is Ethan! Ethan, you hear!” the boy, Ethan, with watery eyes shouted, his soft and pleasant to the ears, bordering on feminine voice not quite managing to sound as threatening as he had hoped.

Before anyone could respond however, Bruce abruptly stood up and shouted “I remember now!”. Everyone turned to look at him, not comprehending. “You’re that foreign kid that moved to town recently! I remember ‘cus your mom’s real hot!” he finished with folded arms, nodding his head, looking remarkably proud of himself while those present could only look on blankly.

Ethan, with his face flushing red, could only mumble “w-we’re on h-holidays…”, highlighting the slight British accent none of those present had noticed before.

It was then, as if to signify the end of this discussion between intellectuals, the door to the basement opened, giving way to a giant cardboard box with shapely, feminine legs.

“Hey, Chester… mom told me… to bring this down...” said the cardboard box in-between laboured breaths while slowly making its way down the steps.

“Ah! Dear sister, let me help yo-” a joyful Chester started, but was interrupted by a quick “Don’t.” in a voice so cold even Kyle couldn’t help but shiver.

“A-alright, then,” said Chester awkwardly, “just put it over here, Cassandra…” he continued while pointing the round table with one hand and scratching his head with the other.

A silence descended, only broken up by the heavy footsteps and breathing of the girl and giant cardboard box. Those seated could only awkwardly move their gaze across the basement filled to the brim with old comic books and Japanese manga, figurines and toys, video games from all generations along with their respective consoles, comfortable chairs and sofas, as well as the ever so out of place wooden table and chairs in the middle of the room. A veritable man-cave, and the main headquarters of the now three-man and one-boy club.

As Chester’s sister reached the table, she unceremoniously dropped the box onto the wooden surface of the table with a massive thud, revealing her dark brown hair that reached her shoulders and similarly brown kind-looking eyes, looking every bit related to her brother. Even her brother’s excess fat seemed be something inherited, although said fat could be said to have gathered at rather specific spots, since the rest of her body was the very image of a fit and healthy girl in her late teens.

“Yo, Cassie!” greeted Bruce with a hand raised in greeting.

“Hey there, Bruce” she responded sporting a friendly smile “still hanging around with these losers?” she added, merely getting a shrug in response and a glare from Kyle, while taking a fleeting glance at those gathered around the table, before her eyes stopped and opened wide as she gazed at undoubtedly the most adorable creature she’s ever witnessed in her almost twenty years on this earth.

“Oh, sweet child, what are you doing in a place like this?” she said as she looked on in sadness and pity at the lost little lamb, before moving her gaze to the two wolves, one of them swelled up and one seemingly dying from an incurable disease, with hatred, “What the fuck did you two do?”.

“Don’t look at me, the fatass is the one who thought he’d finally gotten a girlfriend.” replied Kyle with a calm demeanour, yet inwardly terrified despite his innocence in this matter.

“Lies and slander! Tell them, Ethan, my boy!” protested Chester while glaring at Kyle. Meanwhile, the sole girl in the room could only look between the furiously blushing pre-teen boy and her indignant older brother, before settling on the latter with disgust written on her face. “You are a disgusting, pathetic vermin, and I dream of the day where I can see you put in fucking the ground, if you can even fit in the damned casket, that is. Well, I suppose I should congratulate you, this would be the closest you’ve come to talking to a girl in years” she said, ending with a mocking smirk, while fondly patting a still blushing Ethan’s head. Kyle’s shoulders were shaking while he desperately tried to hold in his laughter.

“I-I’m not a g-girl…” could be heard coming out of the boys mouth.

“No, no, you’re not.” Cassandra said, adopting the tone of a loving sister, causing a slight expression of pain to form on Chester’s face, “You’re very handsome and manly. Now, you didn’t answer my previous question. What are you doing in this place? Don’t you have somewhere better to be… like anywhere else?” she continued, her lovely smile cramping up by the end.

“W-well… y-you see…” an embarrassed Ethan started, while desperately averting his gaze from the girl crouching in front of him, “m-my f-f-father told m-me to go p-play with friends… but…”

“But, you have none.” Kyle finished, seeming to take great pleasure of this fact judging by the wolfish grin on his face, something which earned him a furious glare from his friend’s sister, causing him to shut his mouth.

“That couldn’t possibly be the case, right, Ethan?” Cassandra said as she gazed at the beautiful boy that would give anyone a favourable impression. The mixture of shame and embarrassment on his face, while cute, however, caused a worried feeling to build up in her heart.

“Uhm… I-it’s not that I d-don’t have f-friends but they’re all g-g-girls… For s-some reason n-none of the b-boys wants to play w-with me… and s-so since m-mister Chester invited m-me I decided to c-come…” Ethan answered while a slight blush built up on his face. It could be seen that Cassandra wished had a lot to retort to as her smile twitched, while Kyle could be hear stifling his laughter.

“Enough of that! What’s in the box?!” Bruce, who had been completely ignoring the ongoing conversation while staring expectantly at the giant box laid out on the table excitedly shouted, unable to remain patient any longer. He looked just like a very big and muscular child at Christmas eve.

“Hohoho,” laughed Chester mysteriously as he slowly stood, adjusting his glasses with the tips of his fingers, “this, my friend, is our gateway to the world of heroics…” he said in a low tone, causing an exclamation of amazement to leak out of Bruce’s mouth, while Ethan looked on confused. Kyle and Cassandra, however, were both looking at the box with a hint of apprehension.

“Is it another costume? You do remember that the last one didn’t fit you, right?” said Kyle coolly, with no real sense of mockery, only the brutal truth, one which Chester would prefer not to get reminded of.

“And how can you even afford all of this,” Cassandra spoke in a mixture of curiosity and amazement, “it’s not like you have a job.”

Chester chose to ignore the disbelievers, and moved to open the box, much to the excitement of Bruce. They won’t laugh when they see it…

Everybody had already stood up as they watched Chester slowly place his surprisingly fat-free hands in the gap on top of the box and ceremoniously ripped it open, causing a blinding light to erupt from the box, with everyone taking a step back and covering up their eyes as best as they could!

When their temporary blindness started giving away, allowing them some semblance of vision yet again, they watched in shock as a pitch black swirling vortex had taken the place of the cardboard box, with a wind slowly picking up in the basement. Under the flickering ceiling lamp, they could see all manners of comics, magazines and books being thrown across the room, with Chester desperately trying to catch them. It was however a futile attempt, as the items started to rapidly pick up speed as the wind increased in force.

“What the fuck is going on!?” could be heard shouted over the sound of the whirlwind, a cacophony of loud crashes and harsh wind, causing the origin of the voice to remain unknown.

The wind, growing stronger and swifter by the second, was now powerful enough to make it difficult to find proper footing as it threatened to pick them up just like the ten years of gathered memories that is every item in this room. In the end, it proved too much for the smaller framed Ethan as he lifted off the ground with a scream and scraped across the carpeted floor, hit the walls and items before he properly started flying in a circle around the vortex.

Cassandra, suddenly feeling the flailing body of the terrified youth hit her squarely in the chest, had the wind knocked out of her before she too lost her footing and started flying across in much the same manner as Ethan. She too, screamed in terror as she felt her stomach lurching with the urge to puke, reminding her of a particularity horrible roller-coaster she once rode years ago. Her reminiscing didn’t last long, however, as she suddenly crashed into a wide-eyed, and strangely enough grinning, Bruce. This wasn’t however, a hit-and-fly like what happened with Ethan. Bruce held a firm hold on Cassandra, as he too started to fly about the room, albeit at a slower pace than Cassandra’s previous lone speed.

At this point, Kyle, with his thin and wiry body had long since initiated his own lift-off. However, with him being taller than Ethan and Cassandra, yet less sturdy than Bruce, his consciousness didn’t last long with the amount of objects hitting him, leaving him little time to even scream.

Unsurprisingly, the largest occupant in the room, Chester, still stubbornly stayed rooted to the ground. Although, that may be the wrong way of putting it, as he was still scrambling about, desperately trying to stop his precious figurines, comics and assorted items from flying about, completely oblivious to the urgency of the situation and his screaming companions. The weight from all the items, from replica gadgets to rare issues of decades old comics, probably helped in keeping him grounded.

Yet, the wind, ever persistent, eventually grew too strong even for our stalwart hero. Objects of all sorts, along with the four previously soaring people could be seen being absorbed by the still swirling vortex in the middle of the room. Gazing across the now nearly emptied basement, Chester couldn’t help but regret putting off all those comics he was recommended online, as he too was sucked up by the vortex, turning everything pitch black.