Finding Calvin Part III - 4 - The Dangled [I and II] (*updated 3/13/25)
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
Chatter
continued
And clangor proceeded
Suspicion turned
aggressive
Until suppression seceded
After a
swinging
And the sound that succeeded
Chinese became
singular
And translation not needed
Then came
shuffling
And the ones not defeated
As the view became
sighted
With a light-hearted agreement
[...]
Donnie: Do you two love birds need anything? Good on water? Do you need to piss? Hold it—not too long now. (foreign language laughter)
[...]
The
door would then close
With her emotion abated
Or was it
just teeming
For a moment that waited
Calvin knew it was fear
That for a moment was faded
Until there were more shuffles
Then thuds that were weighted
Then Sarah's heart jumped
As foreign laughter was cadenced
Then
swung the door that would shut
And no more suspension
awaited
[...]
Calvin: You're safe now. Shh.
Sarah:
(weeping)
[Calvin feeling pity for his lovely Gattara, kisses her on the forehead. Sarah wept even harder]
[...]
Calvin felt bad
But what compassion could he relay
And though he had questions to ask
They'd have to wait another day
For
could he remove her gag
And it go back on the same way
Not
knowing that for certain
He decided it should wait
Sarah turned to the other side
And she wept compulsively
Then she finally stopped moving
Until they arrived in Marseille
Soon they’d be pulled out
By
Yang Yang and Donnie
Along with the dead cops
And
Sarah’s hope to be saved
[...]
[Sarah
bound somewhere to chair in the depth of the house]
Sarah:
Are you going to waterboard me?
[Calvin and Xao stand by silently while Shang Sun leads the conversation]
Shang
Sun: We could go through rapport building, find out your favorite
color, maybe your latest food selfie. You know, what you
Americans like to talk about, but you are too smart for that Sarah,
so instead we are going to give you a rectal infusion. Well,
I'm not going to, but Chang here will assist us. I have been told
that it's extremely painful and could lead to permanent damage.
Perhaps you will consider your answers wisely. For if any of us
doubt that you are telling the truth, I will not hesitate to have
Chang begin the process.
Sarah: You're insane. You can't
Xao: We don't want to do this Sarah, just be honest.
Calvin:
Just speak to him like a sophisticated person would, Sarah.
Details.
Sarah: **** you freak!
Calvin:
He's going to infuse your anus, Sarah. I'm just saying.
Sarah: You're so f******. Ohhhh, you're so incredibly f******. I just can't believe how f****** you are" (maniacal with tears of amusement and vexation)
Shang
Sun: Are you ready, Sarah...
[Chang positions himself under Sarah, and dangles a hose where a hose should not be dangled]
At what stage of development is the chip technology in?
(Xao nods to Chang. Chang starts turning the nozzle....)
Sarah:
What!? I don't know what you're talking about. I swear
it.
Shang Sun: Where is the island located?
Sarah:
I don't know. 2-3 hours from shore.
Sarah: AHHH!
(Chang turns off the hose after a second of infusion) It's East...of
the estate...two to three hours. It's small. I don't
know, I swear it. Ask Weatherington, Brummett, or
Chiffon, They can tell you more.
[Calvin
would speak up abruptly
out of anticipation]
Calvin:
Did you know about Barry?
Sarah: Who?
Calvin: The man trapped in your uncle's basement. Did you know about him?
Sarah: I don't go in his man cave. I have no idea what he does down there.
(Shang Sun gives Chang a nod. Chang starts to turn the nozzle on the garden hose again)
Sarah: Yes! Alright. I have heard things, but I've never been down there. I swear it!
Calvin: So you knew that he likes to pee on other men. You sicken me.
Sarah: Do you really think you're any better with your circuses? People get pissed on because it's funnier that way (she breaks into a maniacal laughter and snorts) pee-ons, some people are born peons.
Calvin: Why did you call me his vassal?
Sarah: What?
Calvin: On the boat you said that I was his vassal?
Sarah: Creative direction. I don't know. I was high. It just came to mind. Perhaps it was an inside joke...To be honest, he usually leaves his projects on the island. So maybe I was impressed with your tutelage...He must have liked you.
Shang Sun: How many others have there been?
Sarah: Hundreds perhaps. Some disappear faster than others.
Shang Sun: What is he doing with them?
Sarah: Science…Running social experiments? He doesn't tell me anything, really.
Shang Sun: What is your role in his charade?
Sarah: I don’t have a role. When I’m around I just make them feel like they're special. It's not hard to do. I just be myself. That's it, really. I just flatter his process.
Calvin: You're a groomer.
Sarah: Don't be naive, Calvin--everyone is a grooming someone. Look around you, you're so f******
Shang Sun: Where does he take them to on the island?
Sarah: I don't know. One minute they're at the mansion, then they leave and they don't come back. We don't talk about his island of misfit toys.. I just go downtown when I'm there. That's it.
Calvin: So you don't know about Fountainhead.
Sarah: I don't know what you're talking about... But my uncle is a serious man, and he has compartmentalized his affairs accordingly. I have no doubt that whatever he's doing he's doing it for the good of others. You just have to look at the bigger picture.
Shang
Sun: [Foreign Language]
Xao: Let's go Calvin.
Calvin: Just because you live with heart Sarah, doesn't mean that you have a heart.
Sarah: haha-hahahahhaha-hahhahah-hahhahahaha-hahahahahahahaha
[...]
As
they exit the room
Calvin hears a good pounding
He was sure
of what he heard
But he found it confounding
[...]
Calvin: Do I hear pornography?
Xao: It is said that there are advantages in making someone psychologically irritable. Like your Christopher Columbus, It will lead us in many directions, but it will also lead us in the right one. She will say many things by the time she leaves—and perhaps she will become repulsed by sex, or love it.
Calvin:
I thought she was different. She was so sweet to me.
Xao:
First impressions are for short attention spans. Only con
artists and Americans rely on them. It's is another American
lie they have generously bestowed upon you.
Calvin: When will we contact Lamington?
Xao:
We already have.
Calvin: What did he say? Did
he mention me?
Xao: A lion does not concern itself
with mice
[One of the black dragons approach Xao with foreign language]
Xao: We must participate in a blood ritual before we leave.
Calvin: Why must we participate in the ritual?
Xao: It is common for them to seek protection when departing for dangerous missions. Many gangsters are the extremists that I mentioned to you before.
Calvin: Is this the channeling ritual?
Xao: No, this is just a protection ritual, I think. I am not sure, but we must do as they do, if they request it
[...]
At
seeing the lamb dangle
Above the very large oval dish
He was reminded of Lamington’s soiree
The wired basket and his jelly fountain
The
ritual master cut the lamb's throat
And curdled the blood in his
fist
Then he smeared the dark blood
Across all their yellow
eyelids
They
would depart on their way
After last minute engagements
Where
Xao found Calvin on the far-right
Of his new living arrangements
[...]
Xao: Calvin, we are in a foreign land. We must be as the three monkeys you and I. Do you understand?
Calvin: Know no evil. Got it.
Xao: No, do not know evil. There is a difference…
It is especially important for the Black Dragons to think as much of us, yes?
Calvin: I understand
Calvin: So what now?
Xao: Now we cut strings
[…]
Calvin
sees the blood drip
From Xao’s yellow eyelids
As he
thinks what lies ahead
With his foreign occupations
[...]
[As they begin their journey Calvin turns to Xao]
Calvin: So what exactly is the game plan?
Xao: Smart big fish let smaller fish swim above them so they don't get caught in the cormorant's throat, fishing lures or the unknown *. We will catch all the small fish and see where the new ones rise from. That will lead us to very big fish
[...]
[KNOW NOT]
[pull up to a basilica with a golden dome in Rome]
Calvin: A church?
Xao: Priests know things...
You and I will stay here.
[Donnie,
Yang, and Huang Bo exit the Range Rover. Huang Bo seemed
favored by the Black Dragons
As he was always in the lead with
them]
[As they eat leftover pizza, Calvin's mind starts to wonder]
Calvin: I wonder if God has a funny accent?
(They
both consider the possibility and laugh)
Xao: A very wise man said to me once, to know God you must first let God know you. So tell me, how great is your ignorance?
Calvin: What did he mean by that?
Xao: You should not baptize babies.
[...]
They witnessed a priest dangle
From the gold adorned scene
If only priests were like cats
He might have landed on his feet
But
he was not a cat
He was just a really fat priest
Dropped
on his really fat head
By Huang Bo and Donnie
Overshadowed
by some dragons
They disappeared quietly
Funneling
through the exit
Like some oozing jelly
[...]
[foreign language on walkie-talkie.]
Xao: [Foreign language to trio. Trio acknowledged briefly]
Calvin: Did they find anything out?
Xao: For a man of God, he did not know much.
[...]
[HEAR NOT]
They
stop at a resort called Swiss Diamond
Hotel Lugano
And
pull in front of an
adjacent smaller building
With
foreign languages in small
print
Followed by bold
English accompanied
William Hollingsworth, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist “Your Insight Partner”
[…]
Calvin: A psychologist?
Xao: Yes, he hears things.
Calvin: Why would he have an office at a resort?
Xao: The rich seek professional advice for their private affairs. They don't believe in wasteful conversations...
Post up by the exit to the right. If you see this man coming towards you, don't let him pass you. He will undoubtedly be looking for an Asian
Calvin: Where are you going?
Xao: It's a big place. He could be anywhere. Remember, stop him if you see him. He will probably be the one running (foreign laughter)
[Calvin waits near an exit of the grand hotel]
Xao
and his men would spread out
And Calvin would wonder from his
place
Finding pictures on an ivory mantle
Just beyond an
adjacent entryway
Perhaps
it was the hotel’s owner
Or some Swiss royalty
Pictured
atop their grand yacht
In Swiss Diamond’s surrounding lake
Calvin
was already moving
And it was far too late
To see the
target of his aggression
As he cross checked him vehemently
It
was just a teenage boy
Maybe fourteen years of age
Calvin
was uncertain how he felt
Seeing the boy's terrified gaze
Before
Calvin could react
The boy was back up on his feet
Making
his way out the door
While Calvin was yelled at by Chung
Lee
[...]
Chung Lee: [Foreign language yelling]
Xao: [Foreign language appeasement]
Xao: You must stay in your place if you are positioned there, do you understand? This cannot happen again.
[…]
[Xao and Calvin were the first back to the Range Rover, Calvin reveals a hidden hurt to Xao]
[Xao unlocks the Range Rover, no key required]
Calvin: I did not feel good about crosschecking that boy into the wall
[Xao uses the push-to-start ignition while waiting for the others]
Xao: If you did not crosscheck that boy, perhaps he would have gotten hit by a car. Or perhaps he would have crosschecked a littler boy. By crosschecking him, that boy will think twice about running through the unknown ever again. Going forward you must do as I say, and never doubt if you’re doing is what I told you to do: It’s called faith in action, and you must not lose it. Do you understand?
Calvin:...Did we find out anything from the psychologist?
Xao: For a psychologist, he was not a very good listener (foreign laughter)
[The rest arrive on cue]
[…]
[BIRTH PANGS]
They
would make their way into the darkness
Where many have pined to
wander
Through ever-growing and thrusting erections
Where
many spilled their seeds asunder
[...]
Calvin: Where are we?
Xao: He retreats into the dark woodlands to a very small house where he can learn many things and then tell everyone what it’s about...It should just be a minute.
[Chao Sung runs up to the house peers through the window and throws an incendiary device through it]
Chao Sung: [Foreign comment and language laughter to Xao’s rolled down window]
Xao: [Foreign comment and language laughter] [He turns to Calvin] He was reading
Calvin: Who is he?
Xao: Another one to be replaced. It doesn’t matter.
Calvin: How many have to be replaced until it does matter?
Xao: Be patient. These things take time.
[...]
[SAY NOT]
As
they arrive at the location
Calvin asked of the mark
Xao
said it was a politician
With a very dark heart
[...]
Calvin: Nice place. Who's the mark?
Xao: A politician with a very dark heart
Calvin: Politician?
Xao: They say things
Xao: You look like them, so we need you to be a lookout. Just talk on this walkie if anyone should come our way. Don't be seen and don't be suspicious.
Calvin:
How do you see without being seen?
Xao: When you look for something, don't look for it. Look for something else in the direction of that something that you're looking for. Upon reflection, it will be that you find what you wanted to see. Understand?
Calvin: ... Yes
[...]
Calvin
would stand on the side walk
In front of the garden walled
estate
Close enough to see and hear
Anything worth
a walkie-talkie stake
And
it wouldn't be very long
Until he found the wall's entryway
As
a hurried man came running to
Calvin made sure to end up in his
place
[Calvin cross-checks the man just within the garden walled entryway]
Politician:
[Exuding fear and terror, seemingly breathless]
[Ming Yang
catches up, mounts and strangles the man. Donnie hastens behind
while Calvin looks around suspiciously ]
[...]
Was the
look on Donnie's face
An indication of mental illness
He
completely ignored the man
Strangled amid his words of finesse
[...]
Donnie: Chicka, chicka, Slim Shady. You da real Slim shady, American (foreign laughter)
Xao: They meant to catch him off guard, they failed. Apparently, his tai chi is better than yours (foreign laughter) ...Did he say anything?
Calvin: He seemed terrified.
Xao: I'm sure he was.
Calvin: Where are they taking the body?
Xao: It was supposed to look like a suicide. Now he has to disappear. They will dump him in one of the large fridges for now.
[...]
As
they drive to the next location
Calvin pondered the little worth
relaying
Are they really not getting any answers
If so what
is keeping Xao from saying
[...]
Part 2
[...]
A
blanket of white
Comes into view
Contrasting his vision
Before coming to
Now he pays attention
To the voice
that he knew
Not knowing what would be
Except deja vu
[...]
Xao: In the yin yang, white symbolizes purity, cleanliness, and simplicity, but It is also the color of mourning. It sounds contradictory to me, but what do I know...
But as your bible says, the end of a matter is better than it's beginning, and patience is better than pride...I suppose such wisdom is lost in the moment.
Xao:
Do you see that castle in the sky?...
[Calvin looks at the
golden glistened castle on a hill]
That's
where Lamington's brother lives.
[Xao shows Calvin a picture on his phone]
His name is Garry. He has a son named Xander. Have you seen or heard anything about him?
[...]
Xao
shows him the picture
And he's at once mortified
For the
man that he's seeing
Once sat on his passenger side
[...]
Calvin: Xao, that's the man that was trapped in Lamington's basement.
Xao: He has been here for at least a month. You must be mistaken. Besides, he is not the type to be peed on.
Calvin: All I have heard of him is that he's very powerful. People here like him a lot. And apparently, he's a yodeler.
Xao: Yes. We knew that. He's an odd duck, as you Americans like to say.
Calvin: I wonder what's in his basement
Xao: Don't be foolish. Castles have dungeons
Calvin: Are we going to kill him?
Xao: We were going to, but we cannot. He is like the giant trevally fish, known for catching seabirds in mid-air. We must make calculated risks with big fish. Yes, some we will never get to, like the puppeteer they will remain unseen. Perhaps Lamington is one of them, but I suspect that he is just another puppet.
Calvin: Where does this end, Xao?
Xao: What happened in China has put many things in motion. The Hundun is now in Osaka, Brisbane, London. But for you, hopefully it can end sooner. But for us, it will never end.
Do you have any idea of what you will do should you have freedom to do so?
Calvin: I probably can't go back to the States. Maybe I'll move to Canada, get lost in the woods. I don’t know.
[…]
Calvin
thought of realistic options
And all his existing relatives
And
then he thought of his mysterious uncle
Residing deep in the
Scottish Highlands
And
then a thought came to Calvin
Observing the orderly and
reserved Swiss
They seemed like the white dragon fruit
With
their earthy and mild sweetness
Perhaps there was a
shared pity
Little black seeds of understanding
That it’s
not better to have loved and lost
Then dwell in a forever
of what could not be*
[...]
[SEE NOT]
[They arrive at an impressive building called Demain Aujourd' Hui]
Calvin: Where are we?
Xao: You American's call them Think Tanks. This is one of those.
Xao: Here [hands Calvin a ski mask]
Calvin:
What's this?
Xao: Switzerland has seen an upsurge in gang violence, so we are pretending to be an immigrant gang. [Yang checks the graffiti can for performance]. It should quell suspicion until it doesn't. But we will be gone by then.
[…]
As
they enter the building
Calvin sees "scientifique" in
bold lettering
Above the hallway's door frame
Where they
would soon be entering
[...]
Calvin: A scientist?
Xao: Yes. He sees things
[...]
They would all move in sync
Like pearls on a string
Except for Xao and Calvin
Stuck on something in between
[...]
Calvin: why would they display a fetus in a jar?
Xao: Science, Calvin. Their ways are not our ways. Perhaps he is special.
[...]
[They enter a large work area and start rummaging. Xao tells Calvin to standby]
Xao: Keep an eye out.
Calvin: Xao, is this a fact-finding mission?
Xao: A thing can serve more than one function. We must go with the flow.
[Calvin thought about the duck and its cloaca hole]
Calvin notices some books on a mantle and investigates. It appears that this favored author has many books. Calvin is intrigued by a book entitled Solaxadon: For The Too Curious Thinker. He turns the page to the man's picture. A PhD in both Biopsychology and Scientific Communication from Oxford. Impressive, Calvin thought. He turns another page and sees the following boldly quoted:
"When a person is calm they are more receptive. If they are more receptive, they are more suggestive. Suggestive people are agreeable people. The more agreeable a person becomes the more open they are to further agreement."
[Calvin turns another page]
"Solaxodon is undetectable and should be administered with food
[...]
[Yang enters the room and closes the nearest exit door adjacent to Calvin
While a very smart man is pushed through the door at the other end of the room]
Wang Yibo: We must thank you Americans. For we were weak but now we are strong. We were poor but now we are rich. You have taught us many lessons. And now we have sticks too, and we walk quietly like you once did...
No
stick. I guess we'll have to innovate, as you Americans say.
(Picks up a nearby microscope and swings at his legs vehemently.
Mr. Anderson wails from the pain)
Wang
Yibo:
You Americans have interesting phrases, don't you Mr. Anderson? "There can be only one"..."It's raining cats and dogs"
"If you build it they will come." I like that one. Well, we are here. (Hits him with the microscope across the knees again). Where is it?
Mr. Anderson: It's coded. You won't be able to see anything in it.
Wang Yibo: We are much smarter than you think, Mr. Anderson. Tell us and we will leave. (Beats him again and more wailing.)
[Foreign language]
[They beat the man's legs. Calvin, abhorred by the man's wailing, has to leave the room. Xao follows him out]
Xao: You cannot just leave the room. You are making a bad impression. The black dragons help is a gift. We would not survive without them. We must stay the course.
Calvin: I don't want to see that s***, Xao...why doesn’t anyone know anything?
[Moment of silence]
Xao: There was once a time when silkworm production was a secret. For hundreds of years, no one could discover how it was done, not even the Romans could uncover the process, even though they highly desired to. It was not until the Japanese kidnapped four Chinese girls and tortured them till they divulged the secret (Robert Greene)...
Sometimes many innocent people have to suffer if things are to be known. This is the way it has always been.
Calvin: What's an American doing in a Swiss think tank?
Xao: He likes to experiment on mice, I don’t know. We are all psychologically driven. We do A so we can get to B and we want to get to B so we can get to C. It’s not for us to know about the grander scheme, that would only raise more questions. And some questions are too inconvenient to answer. The only question that really matters is how will you think about what you are doing. But you and I should only have one concern, and that is finding out who Lamington has told about you and I. If we kill them, perhaps we can be safe.
[...]
Calvin
thought of implications
Of what Wang Yibo loudly said
And
the profound way it was uttered
By his once-wise Uncle Duncan
For
there can be only one
At least in the Scottish
highlands
Maybe one day he can ask his uncle
About his
insightful statement
[...]
Yang enters the hallway with his blank stare and posts up outside the door.
[...]
As
black dragons soon exited
Calvin was given some odd stares
As
if to intimately convey
We know you are there
[...]
Wang Yibo: [Foreign language]
Xao: [Foreign language]
Xao: Let's go.
[Calvin straggles in the rear with Xao]
Calvin: Let me guess, he did not see anything?
Xao: They are a stiff-necked people, as your Jesus says "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand"
[...]
[time elapses...I’ll fill this in later :) ]
Xao: I have good news Calvin. We have located the commander that you met on the island. And he is in a nearby chatteau in Gothenburg.
[time elapses...I’ll fill this in later :) ]
[….]
Xao:
They are gathered in the dining area
Perhaps they are enjoying a
late-night fika. That's what Swedish call congregating over
coffee and cake. We will join them.
[…]
They
would raid the chatteau
After assessing the surrounding
scene
And found little resistance
Among the quick feebled
scrabbling
Many
showed for coffee and cake
And perhaps muddled conspiracy
But
they would get more than their fill
Of coffee, tea, and Banana
Cream
After
the drama quelled
And there was no need for hostilities
Ming
Yang decided to hold the court
And indulge the many delicacies
[...]
Calvin:
Should we be eating here?
Xao: We are far away from others. This was a good kill. And tomorrow there will be more.
Calvin:
Still, it doesn’t seem wise.
Xao:
These men are not promised tomorrow. Enjoy yourself.
[…]
Calvin
found benefit in some drugs
For
they can break the chains of thought
Help
you release that which you hold onto
And
allow you to find meaning where you are
But
love is not for free
And
every surrender comes with cost
It can force you from your ivory
tower
It can pierce your golden heart
But
he was in favored company
Surrounded by many shooting stars
And
he did not want to risk the balance
By not seeming like
who they are
After
many rum chatas and some cake
He would seek a bathroom and
boudoir
To rest his head until he wakes
And
consider the next of many marks
[Calvin sees a black cat in the hallway and enthusiastically pursues it with child-like wonder]
Calvin: Here kitty, kitty, kitty.
[…]
After
many turns and attempts to play
The cat would evade his
child-like dream
Though Calvin heartily conveyed
That he
was a friend to the dark-coated being
He
thinks himself far from the dining hall
And the dimly lit
hallways in between
Beyond the many sconces displayed
And
entrances still yet to be seen
But he finally found the
bathroom he sought
After more than a few inside peaks
Where
he'd finally get to relieve himself
Atop an egg-shell porcelain
seat
As he washes himself thoroughly
He
thought about the forgotten jellies
And then he thought about
the light in the darkness
And how he's one more that needs
remembering
As
his eyes pierced the bathroom mirror
He’d feel the drip of a
sudden nosebleed
Then he looked in the drawers for a cotton
ball
And found a velvet sack of diamonds underneath
As
he pondered the good fortune involved
He found it as pointless
as his beliefs
For there is no loved to be found
In all
the surrounding darkness that he sees
[Calvin exits the bathroom]
Calvin would feel the attachment suddenly
Like an umbilical cord
tethered to a baby
As he was being pulled to where he came
By
one with a lighter build and lighter feet
Maybe
it was a surge from desperation
Or perhaps his hidden
farmer's tenacity
But
Calvin thwarted his strangulation
By
s***-whipping his assailant diligently
Hoisting
the smaller one
over his head
To another approaching
steadily
Finding
the dagger in his stead
From the
approaching enemy
Calvin
would prioritize the one that’s left
Cross checking him
violently
Then he’d crush the enemy’s
smaller head
Under his American heel efficiently
Left
with a red-stringed mark across his neck
He’d prepare for
what’s to be
By grabbing a forgotten
relic on the wall
Some long-forgotten German weaponry
[...]
It
was unnerving
As Calvin entered the room
Some
looked surprised
And
some had a clue
For
like an umbilical cord
Strangulating a baby in the womb
Even
in ensconced darkness
It was easy to know the truth
And
Calvin was a good guesser
As to whose side was whose
As
he played his secret game
Of duck duck and goose
There
were maybe a few seconds
Before the first one started to
move
Everyone seemed to be in a pickle
Until their feelings
started to ooze
Like
yellow pearls on a string
They seemed to move on a groove
They
would rise and rest accordingly
According to the gravity
they would lose
Calvin
ensured favored orienting
As
the many rested in plain view
Except for one still tethering
Behind
the ivory colonnaded view
[...]
Xao: I swear I did not know of their plan, Calvin. They felt different after the American. I did not trust them. I should have trusted my suspicions...
We will say they were killed in operation.
[Calvin silently considers shooting through the wall to get to Xao]
I did not know their plan, Calvin...
Maybe they were traitors. Maybe you were part of a bargain. It is impossible to say. There will always be uncommon alliances in an interconnected world. One hand washes the other.
[…]
Calvin
considers his options
As he did not know what he couldn’t
see
He decides to leave Xao for what’s known
As he backs
away from the ivory beams
[…]
Xao: Calvin….Calvin
Calvin: If you see me...don’t.
[...]
Calvin
rushes to the dock
Remembering
what he’s seen
There was a white and golden yacht
Tethered
to the open sea
He
would quickly find
the boat house
And clear its rack of
a dozen keys
But the spare was
there all along
Resting
on the yacht’s passenger
seat
As
Calvin departs the into the great
unknown
Contemplating what’s yet
to be
He’s
entranced by the dark red horizon shown
And the levitous purple sea
As
he considers everything lying below
He
decides to take a peek
Searching the cabin and fridge on
show
Finding unexpected delicacies
On
the far right of the very top shelf
Right under the bright
light’s gleam
Lied
a delicious
yellow dragon fruit
Called the Golden Dream
***This and the previous entry will be refined upon recovery. #inrecovery
It's hard to say what the future holds for Calvin. Will he once again start a new life in a new land only to be haunted by past relationships? Maybe he will arrive in Scotland. If so, will he perhaps go rogue being so close to the source of imperial majesty? Maybe he will team up with the mysterious Highlander known as uncle Duncan. Or maybe he will find a patch of woods to get lost in? What we do know for certain, is that Calvin now has diamonds, German weaponry, and a trail of murder behind him.*
Once again, Calvin's uncertainty leads him to impulsively escalate the situation in which he finds himself immersed in. Just like with Baker Brian, Mr. Lamington, and the detective, Calvin chooses the most extreme action possible. However, Calvin's actions are never irrational. Even with Baker Brian, the revealing of his Bundt cake fixation could have ruined his career and future love life--and who wouldn't murder for love?
Some of the connections are crafted subtly, but astute readers will see strings attached. I did not want to flood the story with Calvin's inner dialogue via interludes (as I did in part 1 and 2) but as you can see the story still centers on Calvin's immediate experience--and not the vast powers intertwined. I thought it completely unrealistic and painstaking for Calvin to be involved in every resolution--or even to reveal them-- and I think not solving for these provides a gravitas to the piece and the overarching truth regarding a supposed genuine reality: that despite beliefs, expectations and even calculations, some things cannot be accounted for or understood. But, it looks like there could be a part 4 on the red horizon, so fret not. And who knows, maybe in a future entry we will find out what happens to Lamington, Sarah, Xao, and to all the forgotten jellies, but for now it's off to see the mysterious uncle Duncan in Scotland--maybe!
The below needs to be structured and revised, but because of external and internal pressures, I’m releasing it...fyi
My goal here was to create a part III that's raw and real interlaced with the complexity of human humor. I wanted it to be evident that Calvin is a foreigner in a foreign land—especially when he was in China.
Is it just Xao and Calvin at the end? Can we envisage the two perhaps as referencing Yang--the intellect--and perhaps Huang--as representing the will? Can it be assumed that Donnie represented the social part of the mind? Or could we infer that Xao represents the soul--or that which is known (nose/ or present) before the ability to hear, speak or see-- all that is left? Is Xao left alive symbolically representative of Calvin wondering directionless--like a baby untethered from its provider, wandering in an unknown sea of possibilities? *
This was the main theme that I tried to ween out with the last entry. The discovery of which was found through analyzing the symbolism of the three monkeys. All that which is created is from my mind, the information is from Google and Gemini. I did check with Gemini for shared understanding, but I usually had to disregard the advice, for he seems to think that I'm politically incorrect—but I guess I just don’t know what it’s like to be trans! (get it: trans as in transhuman. I guess that doesn’t make sense unless he started as a human...smh). But with context he does appreciate my " jarring surrealism," I think it's more of a paraphrase, but the two words were certainly used more than once and in conjunction.
In the words of Pontus Pilot, I wrote what I wrote; but I kind of think that's lazy talk, so I'm going to go through it for consistency, except with Calvin, of course: for mentally ill people are rarely consistent, even if they're guided by a higher power. But what do I know! Perhaps that's the magic of God. As our American God says, he made the wisdom of this world into foolishness
1 Corinthians 3:19: "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”."
As an extrapolation of the aforementioned, is perhaps part 1 Calvin's "will to power" life segment (in his eluding detection and his pursuit of riches); is part 2 his introduction and acceptance with his social self; and is part 3 indicative of Calvin's intellectual reflections? Or did I just make that all up?
In my adventure with Calvin so far, I realized that I'm good for about three entries into a series and then it becomes a struggle. It's not only the grind of it, but building anticipation for the next entry and then feeling the pressure to release it to you, my beloved reader. It becomes a cycle of emotional torture sitting on unfinished material. So I kind of think that it's better to not build the anticipation until the idea is completed. Plus, releasing a teaser to the audience at times dissuaded me from fleshing out the idea presented, just because "meh," the shock value was gone. And that's really important to me because writing it has to be as fun as teasing it. But the plus side of teasers is that it motivates me to come up with new ideas just so I can tease them lqtm (it's like LOL but for queers). So, I say all this to conclude that I like teasers regardless, but I am wary of releasing them now until the idea is firmly rooted.
The awarenesses that I had while writing the majority of Calvin's world is the separation of what happens inside and what happens outside. I believe that if you remove all the interludes you will find a shockingly accurate reflection of reality. Just kidding. Maybe. But without having the interludes I couldn't possibly create themes surrounding each entry, and without themes it's difficult to find meaning with the work as a whole. However, artists need to progress in order to stay motivated to create, and I found that I was really motivated to churn out a really cool story. Personally, I would not be surprised to see fewer and fewer interludes—especially with an all-engrossing story such as this.
I find that during the story creation process, initially I'm flooded with big far- fetched ideas and outlandish plot twists, but I find that the tone of the piece and research often defines direction. And with every entry I find that it's always a goal to leave the path open-ended, unless there's a future reveal in the mix. This is a great excuse for misdirection or uncomplemented plot pieces. But I had to remind myself that it's not my duty to fill in every narrative gap as to inform the reader or to fortify my ego from criticism after posting each entry, but it's my duty to be faithful to the tone and direction of the piece. As Timothy Olyphant says in the girl next door, "always leave them wanting more."
Unsolved Mysteries...And Questions!
Is Barry some isolated G-Man? Is he one of Mr. Lamington's chipped? Is there a difference? Is Barry’s purpose just to be peed on and studied, or is he truly a spiritual litmus test for his guests? Like the cloacla, is Barry's confinement serving more than one purpose, including perhaps unresolved resentment towards Lamington's (Or Gavin's) brother, the prince? *
Was Calvin betrayed by the Black Dragons because of perceived weakness or because he knew too much? Or, were only the two in on it--bought off from an outside source to carry out the murderl?
Along with the former questions, did Calvin perhaps once again overreact, turning a mole hill into a mountain? Only to overcome those on the mountain and abandon it for new ground?
Does Lamington have underlying resentments that caused him to clone his brother and urinate on him? Was he just a coincidental dopplerganger? Was he the motivation for Barry's Escape Room? Was Barry's Escape Room the motivation for or perhaps even the very reason for his existence? Is Lamington cloning humans?
Is Lamington's scientific exploration driven by profit or zealotry--and how can his trickery be interpreted with the differing motivations?
Is Lamingtons attempt at controlling the inside controlling him? Is whatever's inside tricking him to control the outside?
Was the jelly ritual just an elaborate inside joke to poke fun at Calvin's gravitas concerning jellied treats? Did they know about his vehement speech at The View beforehand?
Do they know about his mental illness? Or his Bundt cake and doughnut rendezvouses? Is there any previous dialogue indicating that possibility?
What if the jelly ritual wasn't an inside joke? Is there secret intelligence imbued within everything that you see and name?
Did Xao know about the attempt on Calvin's life beforehand?
Are there any developments within part III that could bear relevance in future entries?
Personally, I think I have a greater understanding of flavor with my fruitful mastications. #Trident #peelbackthelayers #TinMan #NASA? #Chewful
Credits:
Robert Greene
ONCE AGAIN, I ASK YOU: ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!
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