MPJS Chap 11: Honey Spice Scent(James E Boston IV) As the pollen rode the wind like a canoe crafted with the finest wood, I couldn’t help but to stare at it like I was watching a movie. Many would ask out of all the events and luxury products you can buy why are you choosing to stare at pollen? That is a question that I can’t answer with pure words but can only be expressed with experience.

The bees collected the pollen gently, like they were carrying a bee that was just birthed into the world. The bees weren’t any different from knights. They protected the pollen with their life. They will stab anything that they deemed a threat, no matter how threatening their opponents seemed.

As I watched the bees flutter their wings, an unexplained force caused a smile to develop on my face. I winked at the bee as he rode the wind with his prized possession. I looked at the kingdom before fluttering my wings and letting the wind take me away.

“I’ll never let you go, Bryce. I’ll do whatever I can to help you get your life together. The question is, what can I do? What can I do?” I said before I was kidnapped from my world of thought.

The sound of a scream caused my train of thought to get off track. I scoped the area like I was a bee hunting for a precious speck of pollen. We were like a metal band because, after seeing a horrifying scene, we were both screaming together. I landed on the ground like a sloppy gymnast, for I stumbled and barely caught myself.

“Sir, I have to get you to a hospital. What happened to you?!” I said as I looked at the blood that stained his t-shirt like tie dye.

“I got blown full of holes!” He shouted before he continued performing his rock song of pain and agony.

“Who did this to you? Were you robbed?” I said, as I called the knights.

“A knight,” he said before my jaw dropped like I was trying to lift a thousand-pound weight with my teeth.

The following day felt like I was living in a realm between reality and a dream. I saw an image of the poor citizen that I saved lying in bed, drifting between the state of life and death. I could hear his final scream and cries. It was like I traveled back in time to view the scene. I could see the entire scene in my mind like I was watching a movie in the theater, but I couldn’t wrap my head around the incident being reality.

“According to the hospital report, the man appeared to be shot seven times. A study released from the knight station states that the bullets were fired from an XL Ultimate Kingdom firearm, which is worrisome because only knights are authorized to carry those weapons. None of the knights claimed to have shot him and no fingerprints were discovered. This has to be one of the most mysterious murders of the decade. No one has a clue who the offender could be.” said the news reporter.

“You’re still watching the news. I thought I told you to turn that off. There’s always something bad happening there. It gives me anxiety.” said Bryce.

“Sorry about that, Bryce. I just had something important to get from the channel. Here you go.” I said before tossing him the remote and dashing into the hallway.

“Dysnomia, where are you going?” He asked.

“To work!” I said, as I was halfway down the hall.

Once I finally entered through the front door of the local knight station, I slowly stepped towards the front desk. Sweat dripped down my cheek before splashing on the floor.

“What do you want, Dysnomia? Did you capture another villain?” asked the knight at the front desk.

“No, but I have to speak with the knight master,” I said.

“Normally you’d have to schedule an appointment to speak with the knight master, but since you’ve done so much for us, I’ll let you slide this time, Dysnomia.” He said as he punched keys on the keyboard.

“Thank you,” I said.

The next thing I knew, I felt like I was going to drown in my own sweat because all I could feel was the heat from the knight master’s grill as he roasted me like a piece of steak.

“Do you know how ridiculous you sound?! I’m surprised that you’d even make a claim like that!” said the knight master.

“I know it sounds crazy, but that was the victim’s last words. Remember, I’m the last one that spoke to him because by the time the knights arrived to get him to the hospital, he was unconscious. I’m not making these claims out of the blue. Before he went unconscious, he told me that a knight was the one that shot him. I don’t know which one, but one of your knights needs to be held accountable.” I said.

“That’s impossible. If any of my knights are in a position where they have to kill someone, they’ll do it, but after they do, they report the incident to knight station. There are no reports regarding this case on file. We conducted an investigation, and the evidence came out clean. It couldn’t have been one of my knights.” He explained.

“I see what you’re saying, but what reason did the victim have to lie about it? It’s not like he could get anything out of lying. He was on the verge of breathing his last breath.” I said.

“Yeah, but what you’re saying is speculation. It’s a matter of, he said, she said. Unfortunately, this case will probably end up as an unsolved murder. The case is pretty much closed. The only way that we’ll be able to progress the case forward is if you’re able to provide us with some evidence. So far, we found nothing.” He said.

The last words of the knight master replayed in my mind like a video on loop. Every time I heard his words in my mind, my confidence in solving the case became closer to death. The repetition of his words was equivalent to slowly injecting poison into my confidence.

As I skated on various streets in the kingdom, I looked for any antidote that could save the life of my confidence. Once I was about to pull the plug on my confidence, a surprise led to the sound of a heartbeat. I rejoiced that I discovered the antidote for my confidence, that was on the verge of death.

“Beauty Mark!” I said as I skated towards the bunny that is in my book of loved ones. The massive scar that decorated Beauty Mark’s fur brought my confidence back to health.

“It’s been so long since I saw you. I missed you, Beauty Mark!” I said as I picked up the soft bunny whose fur felt like it should be on the most luxurious coat.

“We never had the odds on our side. That didn’t stop us from surviving in the cruel world.” I said as I looked back and peaked at a diamond on my right wing. “If we beat the odds all this time, what would stop us now?”

“Pretty soon, the crowns will be placed on our heads. We’re gonna take over this kingdom. I hope you’re ready to sit on the throne, you little cotton ball.” I said before I gave Beauty Mark a noogie.

“Can you make love to that stupid rodent somewhere else? You’re blocking my way.” said a familiar voice.

I turned around to the face of the woman that infected the positive aura that I was developing. She stared at me like I was a waitress that took too long to deliver her food. She pointed her finger to the right.

“Didn’t I see you before? I think I saw you at some party or something.” I said.

“Yeah, I’m Alice. I remember you. I saw you at the high school reunion. You really need to check sodas before you give them to people. You destroyed a very expensive dress that I had.” said Alice.

“Yeah, mistakes happen, Alice. We all make mistakes. If anyone knows that it should be you.” I said.

“What is that supposed to mean, you pink freak?” said Alice.

“How about we put the past behind us and start over? No need for a useless feud. I have real villains to fight. Let’s start over on a clean slate. I’m Dysnomia.” I said as I reached my hand out for her to shake.

“Why would I shake your hand? I wouldn’t hire you to be my peasant. I don’t associate with broke girls. Bye. I have a party to get ready for.” she said as she nudged me to the right as she continued walking.

“Some people just don’t understand basic manners. I feel bad for her cloudy fée. Her cloudy fée must get no peace points.” I said as I gently placed Beauty Mark on the ground.

“Thank you, Beauty Mark. You really made my day. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.” I said as I watched Beauty Mark hop into the battlefield of this vicious world.

I was ready to put on my war helmet and follow right behind my brave little bunny. My lips slowly formed the shape of a smirk as I watched the bouncing little cotton ball show the world that it can be conquered. Many would wonder how a cotton ball could be as tough as a rock. I saw the answer to such a question unfold before my very eyes.

“Time for me to leave my beauty mark on this world,” I said.

I skated like I had a million pounds of gold waiting for me. If one really ponders on the topic, I truly had a million pounds of gold waiting for me to snatch because I’m solving a case that comes around once in a lifetime. Everyone knew that if someone could solve this case, they wouldn’t just be any old hero. They would become the biggest hero this kingdom has ever seen. I knew this case could be my big break.

I felt like I was playing the character of a lead spy in an action film. I followed multiple knights around the kingdom as they patrolled the streets. The knights truly lived up to their name, for they attempted to keep everyone in a state of confusion and lost in the night's darkness. Like magicians, they created an illusion where all we could see was the night sky. Little did the knights know I was the star that lit up the sky.

Eventually, the light of my shining star dimmed. My future seemed less bright as I rode the rough ride of the passage of time in the amusement park of life. I no longer felt like a lead spy. I felt like a stalker that was watching people for no reason.

Every knight that I watched like a hawk followed the rules. They minded their business, handed out a few tickets, and even made a couple of arrests. No abuse, murders, or any other illegal activity manifested in the knight’s hang out spots. I sat on the sidewalk as I saw the last rays of the sun before the moon took the spotlight. I knew I was looking at the last rays of my once bright future.

“Hey, how are you doing, Dysnomia?” asked a knight as he walked towards me.

“I’m doing alright,” I said.

“If you don’t mind me asking, I have a question. Were you watching me for an hour?” asked the knight.

“Yes. Don’t take it personally, but I’m trying to solve the case. I know it was a knight that hurt that poor guy. I wasn’t just targeting you. I was spying on a bunch of knights all day. You guys follow the rules with no violations. You guys are so disciplined.” I said.

“I’m not offended. I’m actually glad you’re trying to capture this dirty criminal. Unfortunately, it was categorized as an unsolved murder. The victim passed away today.” Said the knight.

“Really? That’s horrible.” I said.

“Yeah, it actually doesn’t feel real. I knew that guy.” He said.

“Really? Where do you know him from?” I asked.

“We went to high school together. His name was Brad. He was a pretty cool dude. It’s a shame he had to go out like that.” He said.

“Can you tell me more about him?” I said.

“Of course, talking about it brings me back to the times when life was good. No bills and responsibilities. Just hanging out and chilling with your friends in high school.” said the knight. “Anyway, Brad was the type of guy that was cool with everyone. I’m surprised that someone would want to kill him. He still hung out with me even though he was from the elite class, and I was from the lower class.”

“Who else did Brad hang out with?” I asked.

“He hung out with a lot of people. He didn’t care if you were part of the elite or lower class. Brad would hang with anyone that he was cool with. He dated Alice for a while.”

“Alice, her name makes me cringe,” I said. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get personal.”

“No, it’s okay. You’re definitely not the only one that feels that way. She was always an extremely unlikable person. Alice dated Brad for a long time. If anyone knows Brad, it is Alice and her family. Her longest relationship was with Brad. I don’t know how he could take her, but they were together for years.” said the knight.

“Thanks for your time,” I said.

I shivered from the chills that ran down my spine. The chills weren’t the result of the chilly night air. They came from the thought of Alice’s cold and off-putting aura. Despite my feelings, I had to do the heroic move and put my pride to the side. If the villain has the key to get through the door, I have no choice but to make a compromise.

After skating down a few blocks and hopping on a few buses, I realized I left my chills behind. I was on my way to getting the key I desperately needed to unlock this stubborn door. Once I knocked on the door, I actually felt my heart pounding to the rhythm of excitement that my aura produced.

The key was about to be in my hand. My big break was a fortune that any fortune teller would see in the near future. Bryce wouldn’t have to live in the little crummy apartment anymore. I could move him to the elite neighborhood.

“They’re either asleep or somewhere else,” I said.

Before I was about to turn around and walk down the path of failure, the door opened. I skated towards the door of opportunity. A man with wrinkly hands, gray hair, and glasses squinted his eyes to get a clear glimpse of me.

“Who are you, miss?” He asked.

“Hello, I’m Dysnomia. I’m trying to solve a very difficult case. I need as much information as I can get. Do you know anything about Brad? The murder victim.” I asked.

“Yeah, my daughter dated him for a while. He was one of the few boyfriends that Alice actually loved. If she married any of her boyfriends, I would want it to be him out of everyone else. At first I was cold to him, but I’m like that with all her boyfriends. He managed to get me on my good side. He actually made me let my guard down.” He said before laughing with a smile complimented by shining teeth that reminded me of the sun.

“Do you know any reason someone might want to kill him? Do you know anyone that might want to kill him?” I asked.

The sunlight that spread infectious joy to my aura and made my wings flutter dimmed into darkness. The temperature of the warmth that radiated through his aura decreased until I felt nothing but the chilly breeze of the night. He looked at me like he was a doctor that was about to tell me negative news.

“I’m going to be real with you. I don’t think anyone would want to hurt Brad.” He said.

“Really? Then why was he killed?” I asked.

“Realistically, it’s probably because of something Alice did. I love my daughter to death, but I have to admit she is far from a saint. I wouldn’t put it past anyone to hurt Brad to get back at her.” He said.

“Really, do you know any people that would want to hurt Alice?” I asked.

“There’s too much to count. I can’t remember them all. It was nice talking to you, but I have to pick up some groceries for a party before it gets too late. Excuse me.” He said as I shifted to the right. I let him slip by.

As he opened the door and sat in his car, I noticed a knight looking at him from the sidewalk. The motion of the knight’s head followed the car as it pulled out like they were in sync. I looked up at the stars as a feeling of heaviness seized control of my stomach.

“I hope this knight doesn’t hurt this poor old man,” I said.

As his car sped down the street, the knight jumped in his car and followed. Once I heard the knight siren, my hero instinct kicked in and I took flight. I attempted to flap my wings faster as I noticed his car slow down.

“Don’t pull over! Circle around the block and go back to your house! This might be the crazy knight!” I shouted at a volume that I believed would be high enough to wake the entire neighborhood.

I must have been out of touch with reality because everyone continued to sleep like they hadn’t slept in days. The elderly man parked his car on the side of the road and patiently waited for the knight to approach him without a shiver or twitch. He looked up at the knight as a flashlight was aimed at his face.

“Sorry, sir. Was I speeding? I don’t think I was speeding. I always follow the speed limit. At my age I can’t survive a wreck.” said the poor elderly man.

“No, you weren’t speeding,” said the knight.

He looked at the knight amid several seconds of awkwardness. The knight stared at him with enough intensity to burn a hole in his head. He looked back before looking at the helmet of the knight again.

“Then what did you pull me over for? Did I do something wrong?” He asked.

“Get out of the car,” said the knight.

“What?” He said.

“Get out of the car!” demanded the knight.

“What’s going on?” He said.

“Get out of the car!” yelled the knight as he yanked the door open and snatched the poor man out of his car.

“What are you doing? Leave me alone. Please!” He begged.

As I flew towards the scene of brutality like a speeding bullet, I screamed. I swiftly landed on the sidewalk and skated toward them. I felt my stomach drop as the elderly man dropped from a blow to the head of a club.

“What are you doing?! What kind of knight are you?!” I said as I attempted to push him.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t strong enough to move the heavy metal suit. He turned around and faced me like he was ready to arrest me. I ignored the fear that tugged my stomach and slipped my hand in my pocket to get ready to tug my pistol.

“I know who you are, Dysnomia. I like what you do for the community. I suggest you don’t get involved. Go fight a villain.” said the knight.

“I’m about to fight a villain,” I snapped.

“I don’t wanna go there, Dysnomia. According to both of us, this never happened.” said the knight.

“What is your name? I’m going to report you to the knight master.” I said.

I stumbled back as I felt the sting of a punch to the face at the speed of a lightning strike. I felt like my eyes were spinning in circles. After a few seconds of being dazed, I touched my nose to check if it was broken.

“You have metal gloves. That’s not fair.” I said.

“Get out of my way!” said the knight as he charged toward me like a boxer ready to pound on his opponent.

I attempted to stand strong like a tree, but I was no match for his chainsaw. He shoved me with his cold metallic gloves, causing me to fly a few feet across the ground. I landed in the dirt like a rock that got kicked around.

“You know I could kill you right now if I wanted to,” said the knight as he pointed a gun at my head.

As I looked at the long rifle that he pointed at me, the red beam blinded me. I screamed for a few seconds as his metal boot struck my lip. Blood streamed down my cheek from the wound of my lip.

“I could blow your head off and not get in trouble. The only reason that I’m not killing you is because I know your heart. I know that if I was in trouble, you would save my life. You’re a real hero. You don’t see that a lot in this kingdom. I’ll let you go. Beware, this is your only and final warning. Next time you will die.” said the knight before he slipped his rifle in his utility belt.

As the knight began walking away, I gently picked up some mud off the ground and scraped it on the back of his right metallic boot. I laid there in a small puddle of blood as the knight stepped into his vehicle and drove away. Even worse, I laid there in a puddle of shame. I had the key to open the door of success, and someone came along just to snatch it out of my hand. My blood bubbled from the boiling heat of rage.

“Next time it won’t be so easy,” I whispered to myself as I looked at my pistol that sat in my pocket, ready for action.

I continued standing in the puddle of shame as I knocked on the apartment door. I noticed Bryce flinched like he was shocked with a few volts.

“What happened to you?” asked Bryce.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s none of your business. Don’t you have work tomorrow, Bryce? You should go to sleep. It’s getting late.” I said as I fluttered past him.

“It is my business because whatever happened to you could happen to me,” said Bryce as he followed me to the kitchen.

“I got jumped by a few gang members, okay,” I said as I picked up a napkin off the table and wiped the blood off my chin and cheek.

“Man, I hate this place. Why won’t the knights do more about the crime in this kingdom? The knights literally have an arsenal. These little gangs wouldn’t stand a chance against the knight army.” said Bryce.

“Because a knight was the one that did this,” I said.

“What did you just say?” asked Bryce.

“Just go to sleep, Bryce. I got everything under control. It was me that got you out of all your situations, remember?” I said.

“Yeah, I know. I wish I had a better job so I could move.” said Bryce before he turned off the light and plopped on his bed.

While Bryce was lying in his bed sleeping without a worry, I was looking at myself in the mirror with poisonous energy filling my mind. The longer that I looked at the bruises, cuts, and messy hair, the more my aura became filled with poisonous energy.

“You’ll never make a fool out of me like that again. I’m an Ice Killer.” I said as I pulled the silver pistol out of my pocket and pointed it at the mirror.

The following day I requested a box of bullets from Husky, and my wish was granted. I decorated wooden boards with holes for the rest of the time that the sun’s light touched the grass. My ears rang from the sound of the metal in my hand that exploded like a volcano.

The knights might as well put out a warrant for my arrest because there is no one that practices animal cruelty like me. I shot the bullseye so many times in a row that I lost count. I smirked as I blew smoke that surrounded the tip of my pistol.

“How about a little rematch?” I said.

I spent a few hours fluttering with the stars in the sky, looking down upon various knights that were patrolling the kingdom. The smell of failure flowed in the breeze. I didn’t see my buddy from the previous night. Eventually, I finally saw a metallic boot with a mud stain on the back.

“There you are, buddy,” I said before I gently landed behind a bush. “If you mess with an ice killer, you’re automatically skating on thin ice.”

The sound of a volcanic eruption caused a swarm of birds to fly away from the scene. I felt fear throw a sucker punch to my stomach as the knight continued to stand like nothing happened. I felt the wrath of a few more punches of fear as the knight shifted his head and looked right in my eyes.

“What?!” said the knight as he slowly stepped toward me.

“I thought I told you to get out of my way!” He shouted.

As I continued to fire rounds at his legs, he continued walking toward me. It was like I was throwing pillows at him. He laughed until I finally ran out of bullets.

“Oh, shoot,” I said.

“Nice try. Now it’s my turn.” said the knight as I became blinded by a red beam. “Who’s to say I won’t blow your head off right now? You’re so weak that I would feel ashamed of blasting you. It would be like a grown man stealing candy from a little kid.”

He laughed as he swiftly slipped his rifle into his utility belt. I quickly picked up my baseball and struck his head with it. Unfortunately, it just broke into two pieces over his helmet. I crawled back like an ant that was about to be smashed.

“Oh, so now you’re trying cheap shots!” shouted the knight before he pulled out his club and struck my head with it.

I fought against slipping into a state of being dazed by fluttering my wings. As I was lifting off the ground, I felt his metal club strike my back, causing me to slam into the ground like a rock. I felt a sharp strike of pain as his sharp metallic boots struck me.

“Kicking you is like playing soccer. Fun game.” He said as he kicked me a few times. “Lay down you weakling,”

“You aren’t gonna kill me,” I said. I slowly stood up before spitting on his boot.

“You fool!” He shouted.

He struck my cheek with his club, causing me to collapse on the ground like a tree that was cut with a chainsaw. I was slipping into a state of unconsciousness while he yelled at me. He stopped walking and pointed his rifle at my face.

“All because of your actions, I’m going straight to kill Alice. I’m tired of playing with her. Yeah, I’m tired of killing her friends and family. I’m done with attacking her heart. I’m coming for her head!” He shouted as he bent down to get a closer look at me. “Alice is dead, and it is all your fault. How does it feel?”

I quickly pulled the helmet off of his head, exposing his pointy nose, hazel eyes, and glasses. I yanked my cell phone out of my pocket and snapped a photo of his face. The last thing that I remember was him yelling before he swung his club and struck my face.

The feeling of the warm rays of the sun burning my cheeks and nose caused me to awake. I shook my head to break myself out of the state of unconsciousness that I was subjected to. I rubbed my forehead as it pounded. The cloud of a headache swiftly formed above my head.

“I feel like a punching bag,” I said as I slowly made my way to the nearest building.

“Are you okay?” asked a waiter as he jogged toward me.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I said as I gently pushed him to the side and walked to the bathroom.

“No! I can’t believe this! He took my tooth away! He knocked out my tooth!” I said, as the image of the gap between my teeth almost caused me to faint again. “This guy is impossible to beat. I never knew that the knights were so powerful. Alice wouldn’t stand a chance with this guy. I have to warn her. She’s gonna have to pack up and move far away from this kingdom.”

Even though my bones ached, I fluttered to the local hospital because, like a surgeon; I knew I had a life to save. I didn’t know if the surgery would be successful, but I had to try. One thing was guaranteed. Without surgery, my patient wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving.

“Can you take me to the room of the elderly man that was transported here a few days ago?” I asked.

“The guy that was on the news for almost getting killed,” said the lady at the front desk.

“Yeah, that’s the one,” I said.

“I’m pretty sure that you’re not related to him. Only immediate family members can visit patients in the department he’s in,” said the lady.

“I don’t care! Let me see him! I’m the one that brought him here!” I snapped.

“But it doesn’t work like that,” said the lady as she scooted her chair back.

“Well, make it work,” I said as I pulled out my pistol and pointed it at her face.

“Okay! I’ll show you! Calm down! No one needs to get hurt! Follow me!” said the shaking woman as she rushed down the hall.

Alice’s eyes widened as I slipped into the room behind the frantic woman. Alice took a few steps back as the woman shivered like it was below zero degrees.

“Someone wants to speak to you,” said the woman in a trembling voice.

“What are you doing here?” asked Alice as her eyes reddened.

“There’s someone coming for you. I suggest you pack up and leave.” I said.

“I don’t want to leave. I like where I’m staying. It’s not fair that bad things keep happening to me. First, I lost Brad. Now my dad is fighting for his life. I don’t know what could be worse than this.” said Alice as she put her hands over her face.

“Listen to me. If you don’t leave, you’re going to die!” I said.

“But if I leave, I’ll miss my birthday party. I want to enjoy at least something in all this misery.” said Alice.

“Do you want to commit suicide? Look what he did to me. He wasn’t even trying. I lost a tooth!” I said.

I jolted as a cold, heavy piece of metal landed on my right shoulder. I peaked at the metallic glove that rested upon my shoulder. I turned around to see the mask of a knight.

“You’re under arrest. A lady called and told us you forced yourself into the room with a firearm.” said the knight.

“That’s not what happened. I invited her in,” said Alice.

“Okay,” said the knight.

“No offense, but I’m rich. You’re poor. The knights will protect me and my property.” said Alice.

“The problem is that it is a knight that is doing this. The knight will never catch him in time. You’ll be killed before he gets caught. Please! Just leave!” I said.

“No, that’s what this evil, twisted nut wants me to do. I’m staying right where I live. I’m still enjoying my party. He ruined enough things. I won’t let him ruin that.” said Alice as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“She’s the most rude and stubborn person I’ve ever seen,” I said as I walked down the hall with the knight.

“Yeah, unfortunately, by law, we can’t force her to leave. That is her choice. The only thing we could do is act as her security and make sure that no one gets close enough to harm her.” said the knight.

“But the one that is protecting her will be the one that will hurt her. There’s no way that you’ll be able to stop him in time. We have to find a way to put an end to this.” I said as I felt the warm rays of the sun as I opened the front doors.

“Did you see him? Do you know how he looks?” asked the knight.

“Yeah, before I was knocked unconscious, I got a good glimpse of his face. He had a long nose. Glasses. He looked like a total dork. I didn’t think that I’d get beaten to a pulp by a nerd.” I said.

“Knight armor and weaponry will make anyone strong. Any more details?” He asked.

“I actually snapped a picture of him,” I said.

“Really? Let me see.” He said.

“Sure, it’s right here,” I said as I slipped my hands in my pocket. Unfortunately, I felt nothing but lent. “Shoot! He must have stolen my phone. Not only does this guy steal my tooth, but he steals my phone, too. This guy has to be thrown in prison for life.” I said.

“Man, I thought we actually had a case,” said the knight.

“The only thing that we can hope for is that I dropped the phone in that area during the scuffle,” I said.

“We’ll let’s go. It’s not like we have anything to lose.” said the knight before we took the first step of our journey to the field that was on the verge of becoming my final resting place.

Our hope was beaten worse than I was because we searched for several minutes around the field, and we saw nothing but grass and dirt. I felt like pulling the plug on my hope until I got distracted by the feeling of a hard object beneath my shoe. I looked down and saw an outside drain with multiple openings for water to slip through.

I peeked through one hole. The sun reflected through a screen, and I smiled. I fluttered my wings until I landed in front of the knight.

“I found my phone! I found it! It fell in the drain. The question is, how can we get it out?” I asked as we approached the treasure chest with our prized possession locked inside.

“Don’t worry, at the knight station we can contact the company that put the drain there and get them to remove it.” said the knight.

His words weren’t fool’s gold. They were the shiniest of all the gold nuggets. The following day I entered the knight station and was welcomed into the arms of great news.

“I’m glad you came, Dysnomia. We went through the photos on your phone and found the picture you took of his face. We ran his face through our database and discovered his identity. His name is Mark Bardot. We found his address. We’re in the middle of raiding his place of residence now. We actually found out that he’s not even a real knight. His father was the knight. His father retired after twenty-five years in the knight service and never bothered to return his knight armor and equipment back to the station. His son, Mark Bardot, took it and is wreaking havoc.” He explained.

“I need to be in on this raid,” I said.

“You want it. You got it.” He said.

One knight drove me to the residence of Mark Bardot. As he stopped the car, he placed his hand on my shoulder. He leaned over until he was a few inches from my left ear.

“Technically, you’re not supposed to be part of the raid. Since the raid is over and all the knights left, I’ll allow you to look around the premises. You might find something they didn’t. You never know.” He said.

“Thanks,” I said.

I hunted around every room like I was looking for treasure. The knights did a pretty good job at confiscating the premises because I couldn’t find anything of importance. The sight of the spine of a little booklet with a hard cover immediately robbed everything else of my attention at gunpoint.

“What have you done, Alice? What have you done? He’s gonna murder you tonight in the middle of your own birthday party and there’s nothing anyone can do about. Unless I inform the knights, anyway. The party starts at eight.” I said, after skimming the booklet. I glanced at a clock on the wall. “Shoot! It’s five minutes after seven! If I don’t call the knights, she might as well be dead!”

I dug in my right pocket only to find lent. My stomach dropped as I found nothing but a paperclip in my left pocket. I dialed the number to the knight station on the phone in the livingroom, but I received nothing but a message letting me know the phone is out of service.

“Even though you’re the biggest jerk in the world, I can’t watch you get burned to death by the fire that you decided to play with,” I said. “Mark, I’ll just stop you myself,”

When I rushed into Husky’s office, his eyes popped open like an alarm clock rang, shoving him out of his dreams. He almost reached under his desk to grab what I assumed was a firearm.

“What do you want, Dysnomia?! What happened to you? It looks like you got run over by a truck!” said Husky.

“Worse, I got run over by a knight,” I said.

“Knight! Members of the Ice Killer gang don’t deal with knights. We don’t cooperate with knights. We don’t fight knights. We don’t even converse with knights. The most we’ll do is say hey to a knight if we happen to pass one, but that is as far as the conversation goes. We leave the knight alone and continue with our day. If one of us has a family member that is a knight, we have to cut that family member off. We act like the knights are on another planet. Leave the knight alone. We won’t be going after him.” said Husky.

“The thing is, this guy isn’t actually a real knight. He’s posing as a knight. He wants to hurt a woman called Alice.” I said.

“It sounds like a case that the knights will be all over. Isn’t Alice the spoiled rich girl? Don’t worry about her. She’s rich. The knights will protect her. We protect the poor and needy against high crime. The knights protect the rich. Let them protect her.” said Husky.

“Husky, you don’t get it. If I solve this case, I’ll be on another level. This case is my big break. This isn’t some petty criminal in the local newspaper. This guy is on the royal national news. You know what will happen if I solve this case?” I said.

Husky leaned back in his chair. He looked at me for a few seconds as he let his brain soak in his thoughts like a sponge soaking in soap and water, getting ready to clean up this dirty mess that I’m in.

“I hate to say it, but you’re right. I’ll let this case be an exception. There are very few exceptions, but I think this will really help out the whole gang. The only exception that we had was when we killed that knight.” said Husky as he lit a cigarette with a dark blue lighter.

“He was highly decorated with all types of awards and plaques. The problem was that he was on the case of arresting one of our generals. We didn’t have a choice, but we had to set him up for assassination.” said Husky.

“How did you kill him? Did you shoot him?”

“Yeah, he got sniped. You can’t use any old gun, though. The knight’s armor is made of a special alloy that can deflect bullets from any type of gun. There is only one gun that is specially designed to pierce their armor. That is the XL Ultimate Kingdom firearm. That’s the rifle that all the knights currently have strapped to their utility belt. Average citizens aren’t allowed to own or possess that particular firearm. By law, only knights can have access to that firearm.” said Husky.

“So, how did you kill the knight?” I said.

“We have a few of those types of guns stored in a bunker. We keep a few of them in there for the rare case where we’ll have to kill a knight.” said Husky.

“I need one now!” I said.

“This better work, Dysnomia. If this doesn’t work, then you’re out of the gang. Your decisions can either really help the gang or hurt the gang. I’m investing a lot into you. You better make this work.” said Husky.

“I promise I can do this,” I said.

“Don’t tell me. Get out there and show me!” said Husky.

After receiving the firearm that felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, I flew my aching bones to Alice’s parents’ house. I heard an explosion from a distance. It sounded like a bomb going off.

“Dysnomia, I told you to stay out of it! I gave you two chances to stay alive already. Three strikes and you’re out!” shouted a voice that sent chills down my spine.

I looked down and saw a knight with his rifle aimed at me. I was literally a helpless bird attempting to escape her hunter. With one shot, I would be on the ground gasping for air.

I heard a few more explosions. I flew faster because now I knew what those explosions really were. As I screamed, I felt a sharp pain in my body. My flight pattern was off, and the wind carried me until I slammed into a tree. As I laid on the ground, I felt frozen under the spell of pain.

“I won’t let this guy win,” I said, forcing myself to stand up. I attempted to take flight, but I ended up on the ground again. I looked back and saw a large hole in my right wing.

“No! He shot my wing! I can’t believe it! He shot my wing!” I said as tears began making their way down my cheeks. “Me and Alice are dead. We are dead and gone.”

The sound of music ringing from the air from a distance caught my attention. I followed the trail of music. I took the leap of faith, and I wasn’t disappointed. Within four or five minutes, I arrived at the mansion I was looking for.

“Alice! Stop the party! You have to get out of here! He’s coming to kill you!” I shouted as I opened the door and crashed the party.

Once everyone got a glimpse of the rifle in my hand, the party turned into a riot. Everyone began running in the opposite direction from where I stood.

“You again! Why did you ruin my party?! You already know that bad things keep happening to me! One good thing happens to me, and you ruin that! Get out of here!” screamed Alice.

“I’m risking my life for you, and this is how I’m treated. If anything, I should’ve been invited to this party. How am I fighting for your life harder than you are? He’s coming to kill you!” I said.

“The only one that seems like a threat is you! Look at yourself in the mirror! You look like a crazy lady! I’m calling the knights on you!” said Alice.

“Don’t do that, idiot!” I said. “I read the diary. If you want to survive, you have to apologize.” I said.

“Apologize? What are you talking about?” said Alice.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Apologize to Mark. I read his diary. I know you bullied him and tormented him throughout high school.” I said.

“Oh, that creepy guy. If he didn’t want to get bullied, he shouldn’t have been such a creep. He was obsessed with me. Yeah, I know he had a crush on me, but I didn’t want him. I had to turn him down.” said Alice.

“You didn’t have to embarrass him in front of everyone. Why did you and your friends continue to bully him for years after he asked you out? I don’t have the energy to fight him again. If I fight him again, I might not survive. If you don’t apologize to him, you’ll be nothing but a memory with a few body parts for people to remember you by. They’ll probably find an arm over there. A leg over here.” I said before I collapsed on the floor. My eyes drooped.

“Why did you turn this conversation so dark? I have to get you to a hospital. You don’t look too good.” said Alice.

Everyone’s head turned towards the front door as we heard a creaking floor. Our mouths dropped as metal boots stepped across the floor. The steps grew louder as the nightmare approached Alice and me.

“I knew one day we’d be the center of attention together, but I didn’t think it would be like this,” said Mark.

“I’m sorry, Mark. I didn’t mean to treat you how I did.” said Alice as she stumbled back a few steps and apologized. Her face quickly turned red. She shivered from the cold aura of the nightmare that approached her.

“Now, you’re sorry because I’m no longer the weak little nerdy kid that I was in school. You only respect me because now I’m a threat. You don’t really love me!” He shouted as she panicked.

“No, I’m really sorry,” said Alice.

“Prove it. Give me a kiss. We’ll finally be the prom king and queen. Come here, my love.” said Mark as he backed her into a corner. 

“We’ll finally be together forever. My dream will finally come true. We’ll be married. We’ll have a few kids. We’ll buy a few mansions.” said Mark as he ran his metal gloves through her hair as she shook like she was having a seizure.

Suddenly, Mark collapsed as the sound of an explosion made everyone jump. Everyone looked at me as I smirked, with the rifle in my hand. I burned the little energy I had left by stumbling towards Mark.

“You shot my leg, Dysnomia! How could you do this?! I thought you were a hero!” said Mark as I stood over him while he laid on the ground.

“I am a hero. I’m pretty sure that everyone around here would agree.” I said.

“I thought heroes were supposed to fight villains.” said Mark.

“I’m looking in the eyes of one right now.” I said as I looked in Mark’s eyes behind the mask.

“I’m the villain now. That’s what it comes down to, huh? I’m the villain now!” said Mark.

“Yeah, pretty much. I knew you’d figure it out. You’re a smart guy.” I said as I pointed my rifle at his helmet. “Not as invincible as you thought, huh? You thought you were the only one with that rifle. I could blow your brains out right now if I wanted to.”

“If I can’t get Alice, then do it! Do it! If I can’t get the love of my life, you might as well do it! Just do it!” shouted Mark.

“What are you doing, Dysnomia? Aren’t you going to shoot him?” said Alice.

“No,” I said.

“Why not?” asked Alice.

“This guy is crazy as bat, but he’s not a murderer.” I said.

“How do you know that?” asked Alice.

“Because if he was, we’d all be dead right now. Don’t worry, he’s going to prison for a long time.” I said.

“So, this is how it ends, huh? The big bad, evil villain is defeated by the hero and goes to prison.” said Mark.

“Why do you keep saying things that everyone already knows?” I said, before a swarm of knights ran through the door and raided the mansion.

“Don’t think this is over,” said Mark.

A speck of light flickered from behind the smile that I flashed at him like a cigarette lighter. He rested his head on the floor while the knights stormed the building like they couldn’t rest until they found the treasure. It was a victory. X marks the spot because Mark couldn’t leave his mark on another spot if he wanted. He was bound by the wound of his legs. His stinger was broken. He was done.

As I laid in the hospital bed, the soothing honey freshly made from the pollen overshadowed the pain. If each citizen was a speck of pollen, I saved enough to make enough honey to last for weeks. It was worth the sharp pain of the bee’s sting.

“Now what have you gotten yourself into this time, Dysnomia?” asked Tootsie as I smelled a whiff of cigarette smoke while she stepped into the room.

“Just another day in the life of being a superhero,” I said.

“Are you crazy?! You could’ve died!” said Tootsie.

“Yeah, but it’s worth it for the citizens. Not gonna lie. It was kinda nice seeing Alice sweating for her life, though.” I said.

It turns out that I didn’t capture an ordinary bee. I captured one of the royal bee’s ace cards. According to the news, Mark was one of the top hackers for the Quasar Flame Gang.

“Dysnomia, I don’t know how you did, but you did,” said a knight while I sat down on a chair in his office.

“I’ll admit he was a little tougher than I thought, but nothing I couldn’t handle,” I said.

“For solving such a tough case, we’ll give you a hefty reward. For capturing such a major person in a powerful gang, the knight station will give you 325,000 dollars. Congratulations!” said the knight before I shook his hand.

“You have some opportunities you can take advantage of. There are a few stations that want to interview you. If you aren’t shy, I would say go for it. I see a lot of financial opportunities coming your way. Do you want to do the interview?” He said.

I flashed a smirk as bright as the future, looking me in the eye.

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