1 Chapter One Part One

   The ground was brittle this morning due to the late afternoon rains that had preceded yesterday and the drying of the mud today. The air was crisp with the summer heat, and the trees bristled their green translucent leaves. Succumbing to the heat, the road began to vapor the last of yesterday's rain. A car, going around ninety miles per hour, broke the silence of the mountain afternoon. The man driving was consuming a beverage, whiskey is would seem. He finished the bottle and chucked it out of the car, and the bottle shattered and scattered the snakes and rabbits that inhabited the side of the road.

   Approaching this man was like following the sound of thunder. His eyes were usually bloodshot and red as fire. His hair was black as coal. And his voice was the whisper of wind before the tornado. Carrying a Colt '45 on his side at all times was his largest priority in life.

   Reaching to his destination, he opened the car door and quickly slammed it behind him. Nobody knew where he came from. All that anyone knew was the he preferred the stool at the end of the bar and a tonic gin if he had already drunk his fill of whiskey. Without a doubt, most knew where he had stopped, which was the bar he regularly attended. It was named the Doc Holiday, after the infamous gunslinger who died near there. He opened the door with exceeding excitement, every step was taken with the same excitement yet with the utmost caution. He sat down in his usual spot and called for a whiskey bottom shelf. Despite the low light, the man sitting next to him was reading a newspaper article about a new murder suspect in the area. The paper gave a sketch of the perpetrator which had an eerie resemblance to the man sitting at the edge of the bar. The man with his newspaper turned to his left and began talking to the man at the end of the bar. 

   "Say, you look oddly familiar, what's your name?"

   The man at the end of the bar took a sip of whiskey, placed the glass gently onto the bar, and spoke in almost a whisper. "York, Eric York."

   "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Eric York. My name is John Jefferson, you can call me JJ though as everybody does."

   Eric did not answer and just sat there in the darkness finishing his whiskey when he was interrupted by JJ's voice.

   "Look, I can't keep hiding. You look like the suspect in the newspaper. Would you be in trouble for anything like that?" As soon as he finished that sentence, the room went quiet and as quick as lighting Eric pulled his '45 from his waist and pointed it at JJ's head. The bartender dropped below the counter to hide and the rest of the guests fled into the streets.

   "It depends on what trouble you mean," Eric with haste replied, "I have done a lot of things in my day that might just get me in that kind of trouble."

   "I-I I didn't mean nothing, I, huh, I-I was just r-r- reading the newspaper."

   "Well did it say anything about Eric York? Or are you just making this conclusion based on the sketch in the paper." Eric's words blew onto JJ's face with the same significance as what a breeze is to a candle.

   "Listen , I-I... I don't know what the hell I'm talking about sometimes. L-L-Look m-m-maybe I-I sh-sh- should just leave this place.

   "That sounds like the best goddamn idea that's come out of your stuttering lips this whole time. Maybe you can also leave a twenty for ruining my time here tonight as well."

   "Y-Y-Yes I-I can do that." JJ replied with fear and haste. He then placed a twenty on the bar, as well as a couple dollar for his tab.

   "Now get the hell out of my sight!" Eric exclaimed while gnashing his teeth. JJ quickly ran out of the building and started yelling for a policeman, bust listening to the commotion was Eric. Eric heard his imperative calls and decided what was best for his livelihood. He walked out of the bar and found JJ. And just like a candle that was blown out, JJ fell to the floor and a pool of blood consumed his head.

   Splattered, oxidizing red rocks like a bullet to a brain, the rocks over thousands of years, began to bleed red. The earth ate up the nutrients from the rocks, and the soil became rich. Beginning to sprout everywhere, pine trees soaked up the nutrients from the earth and spread their seed across the ancient land. Then, the deer found food in the pines, and the bears found it in the deer. The mice, which have always been the starving of the animal kingdom, found the bones and skin of the bear-killed deer made a tasty snack. When the mice came here, the snakes followed deceptively close. Then, the river turned from its rapid ways into calm water, allowing water allowing bugs to spawn on the top of the water. The lizards and birds then followed in pursuit after that. The sun found that the valley needed intense seasons. So, in the summer it beat the land to succumb to the tyranny of hear, and in the winter it disappeared behind the clouds so that the land could rejuvenate and prepare for the next summer. Then, the human found the canyon. He built his house high on the canyon walls. He cultivated the land and hunted for deer. Violence has always had the capability to make worlds. 

   Eric realized the situation that he put himself in. Maybe if he had not done the action that he did, he might not be in any trouble. Beginning to panic, he ran into the alleyway to hide until the situation had calmed down a bit. He then proceeded to blend in with the crowd and managed to walk past the crime scene. But in his mind, however, everything was out to get him. The dogs were barking, people were whispering, and most of all policemen were on every street. Eric frantically went in search of his car. He then found it, quickly opened the door, stepped inside, started the car, and drove out of the parking lot in such a manner that his tires skidded. He knew that he must escape from Colorado, so he left for Utah.

   The desert was solitude and sacred. During the winter when the sun hid behind the clouds, he began to ponder. He wanted to rule over the land even during the winter and greed began his path into the dissension of madness. The sun saw the southwest of the country as a good place to rule. There he could have all the power and never have to worry about coexisting with winter. So, He beamed in the summer, but in the winter he decided not to stop in the southwest. The river and creek-filled land began to turn into only hollow canyons, and eventually, the beginning stages of the desert was formed. The inhabitants of the land quickly realized the situation that they were in. Some scurried under the rocks, others hid under the trees, and most left the lands altogether. Then, because the land had been pulverized by the sun for so long and water was no longer there, the ground began to crack, leading to a hard-packed land, and due to the lack of good soil and no water, the trees began to dry up, searching for every last drop of water, and the clouds, no longer wanting to deal with the insanity of the sun left the southwest in search of better areas to shed their rain. Because the trees dried up, fire began to spread across the land. Thus truly, the desert was formed.

   Eric walked the streets of Moab, looking for peace and sanctuary. The people he passed glanced and made eye contact for a split second, and in this short second, Eric and the stranger were now in a relationship that as soon begun vanished into the solemn of time. As he approached a bench, he bumped shoulders with another person, and in this split moment dignity and rage was bestowed, one emotion for each of the participants. Eric, after the confrontation, sat down for what felt like a second to him, but was in fact a full hour. A man then approached his bench, sat next to him and introduced himself, "My friend, you look lonely, like you have been on the run. Perhaps you are in trouble with the law?"

   "Watch it," Eric replied with eagerness and haste, "the last person that said that to me put themselves in a bad position." 

   "I understand, but I don't think you quite get what I'm after."

   "And what would that be?"

   "I can help you. I have a place just a couple miles out of town that is virtually undetected."

   "I don't know, seems risky." Eric hesitantly replied.

   "I know," the strange man stated, "But what choice do you have? It's either this or jail." 

   "You don't know that! I'm more than capable of living on my own."

   "That's what they all say, till you get caught doing something dumb like making a transaction with a bank or saying your name out loud." A brief pause was given to them. "Look," the strange man commanded, "You don't have to do anything for me, but if you change your mind here is my card. It has my information on it, as well as directions on how to find me."

   "Thank you," Eric answered.

   The strange man then stood up from the bench and walked mysteriously away from Eric. Eric then looked at the card he was given and found the strange man's name. "Alex Willow?" He questioned the world.

   The sun was setting low over the desert. All the creatures prepared, and the lizards gathered together. "There isn't much to say about man is there?" The first lizard asked.

   "No, other than he believes that he rules over all." The second lizard answered

   "How so?" The first lizard questioned.

   "Well, we must first understand how man was created. His hair was taken from the beast of bear, his eyes were taken from the pearl of the oyster, his voice was that of all living, breathing things, his teeth were taken both from the lion and the gazelle, his mind was given from the Creator so that man would be conscious through all, his body was then formed out of the dust. This did not stop the man from believing that he was the one in control, so he built his house high on the canyon walls as if he was the ruler of the valley. Man then started to use his brain and realized that he was uncomfortable and cold. Then he saw fire. Nothing knows where the fire came from, but there was fire. He walked towards it and felt its warmth, but he was not capable of harnessing its power for it would burn him if he touched it. Man then grabbed a branch from the tree and poked the fire and lit the branch into flames in the process. Thus began man's desire for everlasting comfort. Men then saw the smoke from man's fire and realized that he was not alone, so the longing to rule over men and all became embedded like a bullet in a brain in all men no matter their age. But what do I know?"

   The evening chirp of the crickets filled the dusty desert night with song. The world was peaceful here, never disturbed all in ordinance with clef of the desert. The night sky filled the void of darkness between the earth and air and allowed for there to be infinite wonder. Each star filled a void in the dilemma of time. Each one begged for anything to look at them, for the stars themselves were selfish. Some were famous, others were the directors of their own space, but everyone of them had their place throughout time and space. Nothing would disturb them. The worst of all, however, was the gap between stars. Each gas giant despised the other gas giant, even if they worked together in the same galaxy, so there was always a disconnect between the stars and between the viewer which in turn led to a pit of darkness. Greed grew remarkably well, and it was all, always a cosmic enterprise. 

   Eric was consumed with the decision he had to make. Sitting in his car he meticulously spent a couple hours debating if he should stay low in Moab, or head for the address that Alex gave him. After extensive consideration Eric decided on going. Driving into the sunrise, he set his course for peace and safety. Once he arrived, he saw that it was an abandoned gas station. Eric stepped inside cautiously and awaiting him was a group of people.

   "What is this?" Eric asked, "I thought I was meeting someone here."

   "You are," one of the group answered, "we are who you are meeting."

   "I was under the presupposition that I was meeting an Alex Willow." Eric stated

   "That is true," Alex replied, "but you are also going to meet my group. There are four of us in total. We will start with Jose Camino. Anytime you need help, he's got your back. Then we have Val Camino. Wife of Jose's, and if you ever are in need of a new identity, you go to her. Then we have Richard Carr, he's one of the heads of the crime syndicate in Glenwood. And there is also me who you already know."

   Eric processed all of the information that he was given and then replied with, "Nice to meet all of you I am Er-" He was cut off by Alex who interjected, "We already know who you are." 

   "How though? I never even gave my name?"

   "We have our ways, '' Alex spoke while clearing his throat, "Now you've met my crew, I need you to understand that if you join us there is no going back. No matter if you live or die, you will never return to normal. Once you pass this threshold there are no guarantees other than you will never be the same."

   Eric weighed his options carefully, as he always did.