The Saga of Sam Goody.

An seemingly ordinary day spent quite ordinarily by seemingly ordinary people. The sky was bright and the sun was shining. The world was green and good. There were no signs, here, of the evil which men occasionally whispered in more urban parts of the world, when, loosened by the coils of drink, they began to mutter under their breaths of encroaching darkness. Here, children still played and sucked suckies, and were careless and free. They gotteth down to Fleetwood Mac and dreamed dreams of cave trolls and of journeys into the city.

But this day was no ordinary day. This day dark clouds would let loose. This day, three seemingly ordinary children would transform into the extraordinary. This day, the fate of the world hung suspended taut as the string of the cello, tension undulating. Heroes would be born on this day. Old alliances awoken; new alliances forged. This day was of the days that men recall to their awestruck grandchildren by fireside. This day was of the days when young worlds become wizened and old.

Dawn rose on that morn, as dawn had always risen. Our heroes had made plans for their first real trip to the Great City. They were to visit the market there to purchase a small disc of great value. Excitement and spirits were high, though, it was dreadfully early when our heroes set out.

The trip was quickly complicated. Long and well-traveled roads were mysteriously barred; detours were the order of the day. It was the cause of no great concern. This was an adventure, after all, and who knew to what destination a detour could lead? What foes might there be to grapple with? What treasures might there be lying in wait for discovery? Excitement and spirits were less than soaring though when the trio realized that it would require several mile’s backtracking before the proper path could be reached. But the mission was yet young, and they would see far more horrible sights that day.

They entered upon the proper path, and there was cause for much celebration. But the celebration was marred by young Michael’s sighting of a rather Sad Semi. The Semi had been stopped by an officer of the law. April speculated that the Semi was evil. But the others weren’t so sure. There was something compelling in that Sad Semi’s frown; something urgent that could not be denied.

The trip quickly picked up speed, and the trio arrived at their destination without further delay. There was much rejoicing. And the children were awed by the Great City’s Giant Market. They had never seen a Market as such. And they rushed to enter into it. But it was only a brief moment before their bliss was disturbed. A young child – an almost mechanical looking child – shuffled by.

“She was staring at me” said Mike.

“She probably had cameras in her eyes!” said Sarah.

But the incident was quickly forgotten. With so many shops to explore, even the strangest happennings are hard to keep at the forefront of the memory. The children did not know how closely they had brushed danger.
They did not know the cruel fate they had mysteriously managed to avoid. They did not know that even now, they were as little lambs before the slaughter.

The small disc was on everyone’s mind. And the children made quick work of navigating the market in order to locate the proper shop. “Sam Goody,” read the sign above the door. The children entered. In their naïve, childlike way, they began picking up small discs. They made use of the complimentary devises built into the store for the purpose of listening; innocently they listened to Sam Goody’s discs. But search as they might, they could not locate the proper disc. They were distraught; but there was still hope that the trip was not for naught. Perhaps this disc was so special that the clerk did not dare to leave it where the general public could manhandle it. The clerk was found and inquired of.

The clerk consulted his divining device. “The disc you seek is not here, children, but we can arrange for it to be brought. Tuesday, it is, it shall arrive,” he said hypnotically, searching each child’s eyes as he spoke. Poison seemed to glaze his teeth and gather around his lips as he slithered out the last sentence, “Shall I order it for you?”

The children were struck. The temptation pierced unto their very souls. But these children were of strong breed and stock. They had been well-raised. And, in a manner which shocked the clerk, whose own soul had long ago been swallowed up, they forced out the answer “No.”

“What did you say?” the clerk sputtered, aghast.

“No. We won’t be here Tuesday. We have traveled far. We shall seek our disc elsewhere.”

“Wait! Wait! I can order it special delivery for you!” shouted the clerk as the children exited the store. He was desperate; as a man hunted. A servant who knew he had not served his master well; who knew the consequence of failure.

Evil had been averted, thus far. But even strong souls, of the sort of our brave heroes, could not resist the constant temptation forever. Evil had not counted on such strength and endurance. But adaptation is the mark of the cunning reptile; so Evil retreated back and made plot to strike again.

Here ends Book 1 of the Sam Goody Saga.
posted by Sarie at 1:02 PM

For this cause the Sad Semi gave them up unto their vile affections: for even their women did change the natural purchasing process into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving their natural lust toward paying for cd's which are actually in the store, burned in lust towards products which would not arrive until Tuesday, men paying with credit cards, working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves the recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain the Sad Semi in their knowledge, the Sad Semi gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, prepaying, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of the Sad semi, despiteful toward Amish, proud, boasters, inventors of unnatural purchasing norms, disobedient to parents. Without understanding, purchasing norm breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of the Sad Semi, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
posted by Sarie at 12:13 PM