WHOOO

She nestled herself on top of one of the soft looking cushions that had appeared, or at least Ben hadn’t taken notice of it before. 

“Benjamin, let me tell you a story” she said, her unnaturally red and short hair almost flaming in the glow of the strange lamps. 

“You know that you’re one of the only ones who calls me that now” he mused to himself, thinking about how strange this whole scenario was “even back home”. 

“Oh?” she said with a grin “well...that’s funny”. 

He noticed that her hand kept finding its way to her hip, where a handmade leather purse hung. He knew she was trying to hide mischief from the way her eyes sparkled, like she was ready to play a trick on him. He picked up a piece of wood nearby and took out a knife from his pocket, chipping away at the piece as he sat down across from her. 

“You can never keep your hands off something that could be turned into a gadget, can you?” she mused with an inhumanly wolfish grin.

“You know me, I’m a mechanic” Ben said casually, wondering what her trickery would be today “now why don’t you tell me about that story and about what you’re hiding in that purse of yours”. 

“Hmm?” she said, her eyes giving away that she was not happy that he had caught on to her “oh yes, this is very important Benjamin, keep this private. I want to tell you...a ‘story’”.

He felt compelled to lean in closer as she glanced around her as if someone could hear her whispers.

“Back where you live, what happens if you tell someone a secret?” she asked softly.

“Um, I don’t know” Ben replied “you can ruin a relationship, start gossip?”.

“Well, have you heard of where secrets originated? Do you know why they are so sacred and so dangerous?” she asked with more fervor. 

Ben twirled the piece of wood in his hand and debated whether or not he could make something fantastic out of it here. The light was dim, and he was finding it hard to focus on what she was saying. She snapped her fingers in front of his face and he looked up at her, startled. Her steel grey eyes bore into him as he remembered that Rylee wasn’t the type to be ignored, even for an instant. 

“Benjamin how am I supposed to teach you anything if you don’t pay attention!? You don’t have that much time with me, we have to work with what we get” she said sternly.

“Yeah” said Ben “yeah alright go on Rylee”.

“I’m going to tell you about the Secret Keeper. You see, a long time ago people were honest with each other most of the time. People didn’t need to lie or hide behind their fake identities. In fact, communication and openness was what allowed people to live so well. That was so long ago that today the world would seem boring if we went back to the old ways, but that’s because we were put under a sort of curse. It started with a young girl. This girl was very very quiet, and that’s why she was thought of as unnatural. The reason this girl was quiet was because she had stumbled upon something terrible that made her feel really uncomfortable.Ever since that day, the people involved with the incident told her to keep what she saw a secret, with threats to her life if she did not obey. The girl was unfamiliar with secrets, but she knew that she had to keep her lips sealed and never speak a word of what she saw. She found a way to study magic and keep the secret in a pouch she made especially for the incident, because she couldn’t bear the torment.

The young girl grew over the years, but strange things began happening. People learned of the magical pouch she had and began to ask her what it was for. She explained that the pouch contained a secret, and of course such a new concept sparked curiosity. Soon, people began to birth their own secrets. They all shared them with the girl, and as the girl grew into an adult, she had to create more and more containers for the secrets. If she didn't contain the secrets with her pouches and bottles, she would go insane. She knew that if any secrets got out, it would cause chaos, contempt, vengeance, and breed hatred within the hearts of the people. She became secluded, hiding secrets from the ceiling, deep in the ground, on shelves, and sometimes on herself. Soon, it became so bad, that her home became a secret itself, and had to be hidden. 

WHAAAT

Name: Benjamin Theodore “Teddy” Leemenbass

Age: 35

Career: Mechanic

Education: Mechanical engineering 

Power: Storytelling 

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown

Height: 6’4’’

Weight: Large

Relationships: Single, once engaged 

Personality: Very kind at heart, but he’s looked at as not very smart and a little intimidating. He’s good at what he does, but people consider him plain. Doesn’t know where his life is taking him, he has a gift that he doesn’t quite understand. He is a fantastic storyteller and has vivid dreams, but he has ignored this and thought nothing of it as his calling has been to mechanics and building things. He works closely with a team of people to help design and build much of the city. He prefers a simple life, but something always draws him into complications. Main character of this plot line. 

Name: Rylee 

Age: Unknown

Personality: Recurring “dream” character that is tom-boyish yet strikingly attractive. Her appearance along with others in Ben’s dreams makes him wonder whether or not he’s going crazy, especially when this gets involved with what looks like a murder case. Angel or demon, it’s up to Ben to figure it out. Very competitive and spunky. 

Name: Gregory Maer

Age: 30

Career: Architect

Education: Architecture

Eyes: Hazel

Hair: Brown, short

Height: 5’10’’

Weight: Lean, skinny

Relationship: Married

Personality: Gregory works at the same company as Ben, Greg is straight-edge and very prude-like. He doesn’t want to fuss around and is very motivated to get work done, and he’s a respected architect around the community. Very no-nonsense. 

Name: James Farris

Age: 22

Career: Mechanic

Education: Student in Communications

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Light brown, long

Height: 6’

Weight: Built but lean, attractive

Relationship: In a relationship with his bouncy girlfriend, Kayla (everyone thinks she’s weird and dumb but she’s just random and intelligent)

Personality: Jim is a little bit self indulgent, but he’s extraverted, friendly, and generally a good guy. He’s got a love of mechanics but chose an easy college major. 

Name: Alexa Stone

Age: 21

Career: College graduate, looking for jobs

Education: Criminal Justice 

Eyes: Grey

Hair: Red, dyed black

Height: 5’6’’

Weight: 150

Personality: Ever since the death of her father in an “accident” at the fire station, Alexa has been set upon finding a way to investigate crime. She moved out of state to go to college and escape the town because of her upsetness, but then she moved back after a string of “incidents”. She has always been interested in the supernatural, but she is very shy and trying to overcome it. She has a little sister, Merideth, and wants to be a private investigator one day.

Name: Sylvia Rodd 

Age: 63

Career: Medical 

Education: No formal education

Eyes: Blue, spectacles

Hair: Pepper grey, in a bun

Height: 

Weight:

Personality: Sarcastic and acerbic, Sylvia works in a medical supply company. She is a liaison to the other cities that implemented the new tree saving programs and where medical strange occurrences are happening. She’s very sharp and no-nonsense but is generally fun and not evil or stern. 

Name: Malcolm “Simon Johnson” 

Age: 22? 

Career: No records, just 

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Black 

Height: 

Personality: Mysterious stranger, very quiet, charming, handsome, wears very formal attire and only in greys, blues, and whites. Keeps to himself, seems old fashioned, and has a penchant towards biting. Everyone is suspicious of him. Where does he come from? Vampire? 

Name: Rodney Hilms

Age: 23

Career: Technician, owns a tea shop

Eyes: Green

Hair: Blond

Personality: Pretty boy, people don’t take him seriously because of this, and he is very meticulous with his work. He is straight besides people thinking he’s not. 

Relationship: Likes Rachel for no good reason, 

Name: Rachel Yam

Age: 20

Career: Student in Photography

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Blond

Personality: Bubbly and happy all the time, dresses questionably, and is always getting her nose into business. However she is actually very good at what she does and seems a little off only to some people. 

Name: Simone Richards

Age: 36

Career: CEO of Case Closed and Fingerprints

Education: Criminal Justice

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Short brown

Face: Hawk nose, not very attractive, but used to be a fitness trainer. She has been a strong woman but has a secret paranoia that she’s being watched. 

Relationship: None successful, once divorced

More pick up lines

Anything for your soul and some chicken soup, my darling, I'd do anything for that.

Wooo baby! What time do your legs go run run running down the street?

Hey I noticed you like [insert food/drink]. Well I also happen to milk llamas to get [insert food/drink], interested?

They say the girl of your dreams stops your heart. Why am I still alive?

Want to go steady so I can shout sweet everythings into your ear?

Did it hurt when you fell onto my lap and spilled the beans?

You're so sharp baby you could open a can with a single word.

You're like the opposite of Bruce Willis.

Baby you extinguish my fire faster than a fire fighter on cocaine.

I'd catch a greg (OOPS)

I'd catch a grenade for you if a grenade was your bra (males included)

Oh baby you make me sweat like a man on a treadmill

Hey, I couldn't help but notice you dancing. You made my heart explode like a mob attacking a pinata with bombs.

You sing like a meadowlark screaming for other meadowlarks to get away from the hunter.

Your biceps ripple like I just threw a stone in a lake for hours.

Your lips are naked...but I think my lips are just the right size to teach yours some modesty.

You're faster than a grandma with a walker

You make me want to be a father and a mother at the same time. Nobody makes me feel like that.

I'm rubber, you're glue. Whatever you do sticks to me and I don't mind.

Your grandpa would rocket out of a space station if he saw how you made me feel.

You make my eyes glue to you faster than Hannibal Lector on helium makes me run to my room.

You almost make me a cannibal because you look so sweet.

Can I call you Vin? Because you run my motors with Diesel.

When Noah made the ark, they left you behind. No wonder you're one of a kind.

You put the sweet in diabetes.

I wanted to sign up for the 'most beautiful and sexy girl in town' championship, but I see you won.

You lift me up faster than a bodybuilder lifts a mobile home.

I want to get lost in your eyes and cry for help because I was never a boy scout to find my way back.

If you opened your mouth I'd cry for weeks incase you rejected me.

What starts with F and ends with K? I freaking love you kay? Don't ask me to repeat myself because I'm a one time deal.

(according to Jade) Are you from Africa? Because AH Frick AH want to go out with you.

I'd like to put you up in the Louvre behind glass so asians could look at you all day. That's what a work of art you are.

I'm a nerd for your data

Let's play football. I'll be the foot and you be the ball. Let's make contact.

Baby did you leave your driver's license at home? Because I just pulled you over to say you're speeding down the road to my heart.

Don't make me give you a DUI...because you're driving me crazy while I'm under the influence.

Honey you'd better get your eyes checked, because I am not God and this isn't the pearly gates, so get your angel butt back into heaven. BUTT

I heard you attract super bad gangsters, because you rap on the door to my heart.

Hey there baby I'm a cop and I'm going to have to arrest you for breaking and entering into my soul. Now get in the cab.

Hey do you have any salt? Oh wait I thought you worked here because you look so beautiful, like a waitress in a soup kitchen.

Are you a judge? Because you just banged the gavel of love on my head.

Order in the court! You're too sexy to object to my love.

Are you a lawyer? Because I just heard you sue me from across the room.

Hey there legs...you're like the most beautiful ostrich on the ostrich farm, the one all the kids pick to feed.

Work that body honey...like a miner on strike.

Gorgeous George

It's been an entire year my feasties. News? PLENTY!

• I graduate college summa cum laude with two majors in business with honors
• My dad was diagnosed with metastatic malignant melanoma that has spread through his brain and body resulting in mass trauma for our family
• My faith in the Lord has increased because of this and we are practicing healing
• I have the flu
• Berkeley rejected me for law school and I'm waiting on the U of A

Yeah that's enough magnitude for the rest of my life. Time to take life super seriously. But for now I want to stop getting sick from stress and just let loose some silly stuff to distract myself. The depth of this new 2011 madness is too hard for me to express and I want to completely reject all negative thoughts so we can heal. 

I have another character floating around in my head. She's lanky, pale, and in her mid 30s. Single with mousy brown hair that's kept in a short cut (but not boy cut), her name is Lila Sough (pronounced sow). She's an anesthesiologist in the future world...only slight future...and she's intelligent but not quite a social butterfly. Need more chubby characters. 

Francis Coh, child PI. I am here to write about the most traumatic incident that I worked hard to solve with my detective friend, Detecto. He detects anything with his magnifying vision, which helps him see things much bigger than they are. 

It all started when I got a call from my good friend Judy. She sounded shaky on the phone. I remember the moment well. 

Me: Judy...why are you calling?

Judy: You called me

Me: Don't play games Judy, is something wrong?

Judy: Yes...

I knew from that moment on that something was wrong. I put on my hiking boots and listened with great scrutiny to the tone of her voice as I stroked my chin, balancing the phone on my shoulder. 

Me: Tell me Judy...what has he done to you?

Who was I referring to? Her assailant. We'll call him Dr. Dread until she gives me more information. 

Judy: He? No I just have a stack of work that I need--

Me: No problem, Judy, Stan O'Work won't touch you again. I detect fear in your voice, but I will be right over to kick the evil out of this man. 

I realized I forgot to put pants on. I hate it when you put shoes on before you put on your pants. I had to hang up dramatically to cover this point as I remedied this and then went parading outside to find Judy's address by mere intuition. To me intuition dot com is google. I found her house and discovered that she wasn't home, so I waited for three days outside her door before discovering that she was out of town. So Stan O'Work had really done his work this time. He had kidnapped her and now she was out of my grasp. 

I ran home and cried my dignity into a pillow. The tear stains of my pride were left on that case...that pillow case...for eternity. Little did I know my next case would involve Helen's bipolar waiter and a dentist who made adults cry.