August 2010
Atlanta, Georgia
After months on hard unforgiving streets Jacob had become homeless wayward soul. Sporting the classic bum look: bushy full beard and matted disheveled hair, his childlike innocence had long since faded. With nothing but the clothes on his back, and a hooded flannel jacket he carried under his arms, he drifted from place to place. His 5’10 frame was slender and under nourished. Jacob seemed invisible no one seemed to care, no one offered a hand. His days were filled with begging and charity. His nights were spent trying to find a warm quiet place to rest. He couldn’t sleep on city benches cops would wake him up in the middle of night and usher him along.
Alleys were the norm for him, but business owner were often less than friendly, especially in the morning. Tired from wandering he found an alley beside a bar called Al Lee’s End to rest. It had scoped it out for days. The owner usually opened around 11am, and she closed at 3am, which made it perfect for his situation. He would sleep there when the owner closed and be gone before it opened. Its proprietor was an young woman by the named of Vanessa Enderson. She was in her early twenties, a few years older than Jacob.
She had a curvy womanly figure. Not thick by southern standard or toothpick thin. She wore a black rocker tee, cut off jean shorts, and sneaker. Her long dark hair rested on her pecan brown shoulders. It was around 9am Jacob was resting; his back was propped against the flat back side of a big green dumpster. His flannel jacket covered the upper half of his body. He thought he had her routine down, until she opened up early one day. Suddenly, he felt something jabbing him in the ribs, but he didn’t move.Vanessa poked him with a broom handle again.Slowly Jacob roused from his sleep.
“You gotta find yourself another place to sleep, man! ”
Jacob didn’t want any problems he just stood up and eased away. “My bad,” he said “I’ll be leaving.”
He didn’t sleep there that night, but next night he was back there again. Vanessa eventually caught him and the cycle continued. After a few, patience trying run-ins with Jacob she soon realized he wasn’t dangerous. Through distance conversation he told her his story. Soon she began to trust him more. Truthfully, she was sucker for a hard luck story. She remembered her father’s story about him saving a baby years ago. So she tried to help people when she could.Through distance conversation she began to trust him more, and more. They continued to work on their trust. After a while she cleaned in him up, and Jacob began running errands for her.
Truthfully, she was sucker for a hard luck story. She remembered one of her father’s stories about him saving a baby. So she tried to help people when she could. They continued to work on their trust, and she cleaned in him up. After a while, Jacob began running errands for her. Earning some needed petty cash. He worked himself into a job at the bar, and let him sleep in the backroom until he got on his feet.
The bar was a family ran establishment. Vanessa’s grandfather, Al Lee Enderson, started it when he retired from the Navy. Her father served as well. After her grandfather died her father left the military and took control of the business. Sadly, a few years later he passed away and the bar became her responsibility. Not wanting to take too much advantage of her kindness, Jacob set out on a job search. Soon he handed landed a mailroom job at a financial firm. In-between his working hours, he went to college part time, and earned a degree in accounting.
He used what he learned to help Vanessa with her finances. After a while, he saved up enough money to rent his own apartment. I was It took him three years, to work his way up from the basement to a cubical. It seemed he had started to put his trouble past behind him. However, he wasn’t happy with his life. He had reached a dead end at his job, and his apartment wasn’t worth the four hundred bucks he paid in rent. The cramped studio apartment was prime real estate. It sat nestled between a fresh fish market and train track. It had muted peach tone wall. The kitchen combined with the living area. There were no walls separating his bedroom from the living room.
Every day began the same. He would wake up at 5am. Make himself a small breakfast, and eat while sitting on his lumpy orange sofa. Afterwards, he would shower and catch the 7am bus to work. Jacob worked at large accountancy firm, called Whitaker Global. They handled audits and offered corporate finance and legal services for large firms. Once he arrived, he pushed through set of glass revolving doors, which led to a large front lobby. Jacob greeted a security guard sitting at the front his desk as he made his way to the elevator. Jacob rode the elevator up to the sixth floor. It stopped ever so often to let people on. His floor was responsible for auditing and tax consulting. As he stepped from the elevator he glanced over the room. Bright fluorescent light illuminated the large white and sky blue painted room.
Each worker had their own short gray four-wall cubical. They were aligned perpendicular forming large squares. Though he was early, his collared shirt and tie wearing co-workers were in the midst of activity. Since he was on the low end of the office hierarchy, he got stuck with most of the grunt work. His co-workers would pile obscene amounts of paperwork on his desk for him to file.
Jacob hated Mondays, since corporations never sleep; paper work get stock piled over the weekend. Once he sat at his desk the file folders came without end. It seemed that once he was able to see his desk top it would spontaneously spawn more files. He would work tirelessly to trim those down as much as humanly possible before lunch. David Whitaker, his boss, was a short rotund man with glasses and a receding hairline. He had a habit of personally checking on Jacob’s progress.
David tip-toed his stubby body over Jacob’s short cubical wall. “You know you would get more work done if you didn’t socialize, Jackey boy.”
Jacob peered through the stack of papers, “Yes sir, Mr. Whitaker. I’m on it.”
As his boss walked away, Jacob shook his head. “Socialize don’t he see all the shit on my desk?” he thought himself. “And stop calling me Jackey, dammit!”
The day dragged on, his co-workers piled more files on his desk for him to languish through. Late nights were regular for him but he didn’t mind, because afterwards he would head to Vanessa’s bar for drinks. After he filed the last of the papers, he took the elevator down to the first floor. He gave a nod to the late night security guard and exited the building. Vanessa’s bar was within walking distance from his job.
The night was cool, and the sky was clear. A brilliant full moon seemed to follow him as it sat poised against its starry backdrop. Al Lee’s End, resided in relatively safe part of town. The streets were quiet traffic was nil. The city had its share of crime, but nothing to major ever happened. As he rounded the corner, the bars red neon sign flashed: Open. As he entered the last of his fellow co-workers were leaving. A jukebox played Numb by Gary Clark Jr. Its bass filled rifts streams through the bar’s smoke filled atmosphere. Nearing the end of its 3am nightlife only a faithful few barflies remained.
Jacob sat at his designated bar-stool, “Hit me, Vanessa.”
Vanessa glared at me, “Its Monday Jacob.”
Jacob loosened his tie, “Come on ‘Nessa not after the day, I had.”
Vanessa reluctantly poured him a shot of whiskey, “You need to find another job. It’s not healthy, Jacob.”
The jukebox flowed seamlessly into the next song Aquemi by Outkast.
Jacob pounded the shot. “I know,” he said while gesturing for another shot. “I’m just trying to save up enough cash, you know.”
Vanessa smirked, “I’m cutting you off today.”
Jacob smiled as he pounded the next shot, “Okay.”
Vanessa cut him off after four shots. However, he was a known fixture there and the locals bought him drinks, regardless of Vanessa’s objection. Before, she knew it he was sloshed, yet again. Though upset she wrote it off, and called him a cab. Jacob paid her double for the drinks. As he walked out the jukebox flowed into the next song SpottieOttieDopaliscious by Outkast. Vanessa was well aware of his routine, and went outside to check on him. She watched as he staggered himself across the street, but this time he didn’t make it across. Unbeknownst, to him a city bus barreled towards him.
Before she could fix her lips to warn him, the bus struck. Jacob’s body surrendered to force of the twelve-ton machine. Traffic was at a standstill. Jacob laid there, his body broken soaked in blood. Panic drenched faces blurred around him, but he couldn’t have been happier. Truth, be told Jacob hated his life.
He flashed a smiled as he passed out. Somehow he survived, but he was a coma. Days came and went Vanessa remained constant in her visit. About midway through the week Jacob began to stir. Jacob was in traction, heavy medication muddled his thoughts. Every bone in his body was broken. He couldn’t move his head, but out of his peripheral he noticed Vanessa. He was shocked to see her there.
“Hey, you,” Jacob mumbled.
Vanessa got up and sauntered over. Tears streamed down her face, “You idiot!” exclaimed
Vanessa. “If every bone in your body wasn’t broken...”
Jacob smiled he didn’t understand how he failed to see it before. She actually cared.
“Sorry I…”
He couldn’t speak, but he saw and heard what went on around him. His heart monitor beeped out of control. Unlike most people he still wasn’t afraid to die. Jacob was calm as his heart monitor flat lined. When everything went dark he found himself standing outside his body watching himself die. He turned toward to Vanessa. Her panicked expression spoke louder than words. Her hands were clinched in silent prayer as she stared through the hospital room window. Jacob hoped for a miracle, but what he got wasn’t what he expected. Out of the ether appeared a dark haired fair-skinned woman with gray eyes. She wore a fitted all black suit with matching thigh high boots.
When Jacob saw her his first thought were Death, “You’re my Reaper aren’t you?”
“No you idiot, I’m your mother,” said the strange woman. “I’m Enyo.”
“My mother!” Jacob exclaimed. “You’re my mother!”
Enyo raised a brow, “Yes…I am.”
It took him a moment to register the name. His mythology was a little rusty.
“Enyo, that’s an interesting name,” Jacob said. “You’re named after Goddess of War, right?"
Enyo glared at him, “Think child, I am Enyo. The Enyo.”
Jacob was flabbergasted, “If you’re my mother then who’s my father?”
“Warren Grimm, he was a dark and beautiful man,” said Enyo. “I met him while he was on leave."
“Leave. My father was in the military?” probed Jacob. “What happen?”
“He was a Seal,” said Enyo. “He died shortly after our meeting.”
Unbeknownst to Enyo, she answered some lingering questions of racial undertones.
“Oh…Okay, how did he die?”
“No man can survive between these thighs.”
Jacob’s eyes widen in horror, “Eww, mom too much information!”
Enyo laughed, “Oh, right I’m your mother.”
Jacob didn’t know what to say, the whole demi-god notion was far beyond anything he could fathom. After all, Greek Gods were myth so he thought. He turned watched as the doctor placed the defibrillator’s paddles on his chest. “Clear,” they yelled as they shocked him. “Clear!” The EKG machine still showed a flat line.
“You’re going to die,” stated Enyo, “Unless you make a choice live.”
“Of course, I want to live. My life is just starting to look up,” he said.
Enyo grabbed his hands, and looked into his eyes. “Then accept your fate, and destroy everything you touch.”
“What?”
“Did I stutter?” Enyo barked.
“…Okay, I guess?”
Enyo's voice took an ominous tone, “Either choose to truly live or die!” she stated her voice shook the air. “Choose!”
He listened as the doctor shocked him again, “Clear!” they yelled.
Jacob cringed, “Okay, I choose to live dammit. I choose life!”
Suddenly, a bright red glow encompassed his spirit.
“See you around kid,” said Enyo with a smiled. She flicked her wrist and hurled his spirit through the air. Jacob’s body jolted. The doctor were just about to shock him again.
Jacob roused from his post dead state. “Don’t shock me dammit!” he yelled startling the doctor.
The heart monitor beeps steadied. The doctors were elated. After a few minutes of monitoring they allowed Vanessa to enter.
“Hey you,” Jacob mumbled.
Vanessa drifted closer her eyes filled with worry. “Please don’t talk. I don’t want you to die again.”
Jacob smiled, “I’m not, I should be out of here soon.”
Vanessa smirked, “Okay, your high damn morphine. Every bone in your body is broken,” she stated while knocking on his cast. “You aren’t going anywhere.”
A nurse came in moments later and announced the end of visiting hours. Days came and went, Vanessa dropped by regularly. All the while, Jacob bided time. He couldn’t let the doctors know he felt a hundred percent better. He wouldn’t know how to explain it if he did. After, the nurse left he attempted to contact his mother. He didn’t know what made me try. May be it was books he read, or movies he seen but he called out to her in his mind. Enyo appeared cloaked from view she was only seen by him.
“I need to know something,” Jacob said. “I’m not really going to destroy everything I touch, am I?”
“Of course not,” said Enyo. “I just wanted you to be the man you were always meant to be.”
Jacob thought about what she said, “Can you get me out of here?”
“Not a problem.”
With a wave of her hand she teleported them back to his cramped apartment. His cast was gone, and he was dressed in a tailored black suit.
Unbeknownst to him, Enyo remained cloaked from view. Strolling through his apartment she gave it a once over.
Enyo nose crinkled as she frowned, “What is that smell?”
“Fish, there’s a market next door.”
Enyo weaved around a coffee table nearing bumping into a television.
Suddenly, the apartment started to shake. Enyo took a defensive stance as pictures fell from the wall.
“What hell!”
Jacob smiled, “Oh that’s the freight train,” he said. “It’s 6pm, it usually comes around this time.”
“Gods of men don’t live like this,” said Enyo. “My son doesn’t live like this.”
Jacob shrugged, “It’s not so bad when you get used to it.”
Enyo gave him a dissatisfied glared as she strolled over to the kitchen. There was a bunch of apples sitting on the counter.
She picked an apple, “Catch!” she yelled as she tossed it to Jacob.
Jacob caught the apple with his left hand, “Thanks but I’m not hungry.”
She walked over to him. “It’s not for eating,” she said. “Close your eyes.”
“Close my eyes?”
Enyo stood in front of him and grabbed both his wrist, “Just close them.”
Jacob closed his eyes, “What are you doing?”
“
So many questions I need you to focus.” said Enyo. “Think about what makes you angry?”
“Oh, there’s a lot things that make me angry.”
“I can imagine,” said Enyo, “but only one is needed.”
Many thoughts and unanswered questioned raced through his mind. He thought about his adopted family, and all the ugliness he endured. For moment, he dwelled on the cold nights and the loneliness. Until questions, concerning his mother entered his mind. He wondered why she abandoned him. He remembered how inadequate and worthless he felt as a child. Jacob’s body trembled. His breaths were rapid and his right foot tapped against the floor.
“Good, good feel it.” Enyo said. “Let the angry flow through your body.”
“What is this, I’m feeling?” Jacob asked. “It burns but doesn’t hurt"
“That’s your rage. Feel its energy,” said Enyo. “Let it flow, channel it through your body and into your arms.”
Unbeknownst, to Jacob a fiery red aura engulfed him. Streams of red energy burst outward in all direction.
Jacob did as she asked. “Okay, I can feel it in my arms. It’s like fire in my veins.”
“Good hold on to that fire and open your eyes,” said Enyo.
Jacob held on his angry as he opened his eyes. However, he didn’t see the red aura Enyo saw. He only saw his mother, staring at him with a pleased smile on her face.
“I need to know something,” said Jacob.
Enyo interjected, she knew exactly what he was going to ask. “Hold on to that question. I’ll let you know everything after this lesson,” she said. “Now channel that angry into your palms.”
Jacob nodded, as he channeled his angry into his palms. He watched in awe as the apple exploded hurdling pulpy fragment through the air.
Jacob eyes widened with shock, “Holy crap! How did I do that? Did I just do that?
Enyo smiled, “Children of Gods abilities vary,” she said as she released his wrists and grabbed him by the hand. “Since you are my child, your abilities reside on the destructive side. Come, we got one more thing to do."
“Do what?”
Enyo thought about telling him, but she knew he would object, “You’ll see when we get there,” she said.
She teleported them to a warehouse and remained cloaked from view. Jacob had no idea where they were. As he strolled through the dimly lit warehouse, he noticed large wooden crates of various sizes. Brown bags and cardboard boxes labeled ‘evidence’ were stacked on shelves.
“We’re in a police evidence warehouse aren’t we?” asked Jacob.
“Yes, we are,” said Enyo as she cracked opened a crate and looked inside. Several kilos of cocaine filled it. Enyo abhorred the drug business but it was her sister’s Eris domain so she tolerated it.
“What are we doing here?” demanded Jacob.
Enyo covered the crate and moved on to another. With simple wave of the hand, she begets four black large duffle bags for nothingness.
“We’re here to get you enough money to move out of that harpy nest you call an apartment.”
“We can’t take this money, it evidence,” said Jacob.
Enyo sighed, “This is not open for a debate,” she said. “Open that crate.”
Jacob stood over a crate and stared at it. He looked towards his mother, and watched as she stuffed stacks of hundred dollars bills into a bag. He knew it was wrong to take the money, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Jacob crossed his arms, and shook his head. “I’m not taking it!” he exclaimed. “I won’t be responsible for putting criminals back on the streets.”
Enyo looked at Jacob she knew what had to be said, “You don’t think I know Jacob?”
“Know what?” enquired Jacob.
“Vanessa’s financial troubles,” said Enyo. “I’m the Goddess of War, Jacob. Wars aren’t fought only on the battlefield they're fought internally as well.”
Jacob knew what she was getting at. He had been Vanessa’s personal accountant ever since he had gotten his degree. He was shocked to find out that Vanessa took a loan out on the bar to help him pay for college. The interest rate was so high that she would never be able pay it off, not with the money she brings in.
Jacob sighed, “Give me a bag.”
He couldn’t believe he was actually stealing. Jacob thought he was beyond that part of his life. However, he cared too much for Vanessa to let her lose something that has been a part of her family, for the better part of a century. As he stuffed stacks of hundred into his bag he decided to revisit an old question.
“Why did you give me up?”
“I didn’t want to ,” said Enyo. “After the foundation of new religion, Zeus outlawed consorting with mortals. So it wasn’t safe to keep you.”
“So why do it. Consort with a mortal, I mean?”
Enyo paused for a moment, “I feel in love, your father was a good man,” she said. “Plus I was bored. Ares was busy with Kuwait and the Persian Gulf.”
Jacob smirked and shook his head, “So what do I do with all this money?”
“You’re the accountant make it legal,” said Enyo.
It wasn’t long before their bags were filled to their brims. Before he could ask how much money they had, Enyo teleported them back home. Once there, she tossed him another apple and advised him to continue practicing. She vanished shortly after, leaving Jacob alone surrounded by bags of money. He channeled his angry and practiced on a few more apples. Shaking the tingling sensation from his hand, he turned and noticed the blinking red numbers on his answering machine. He had ten new messages, and all of them were from work. Jacob stuffed the bags of money in his closet.
“Dammit,” he thought to himself. “No one to call in for me.”
He looked at the clock but it was too late to go in. The next day he caught an early bus and rushed back to the office. Once he made it to his floor, he saw a Temp at his desk. Jacob knew that wasn’t a good sign. He slowly strolled to his boss’s office and knocked on the door.
“Mr. Penn,” said David.
Jacob knew he was trouble, he didn’t call me Jackey.
“What happened almost a week and no word?”
“I had an accident Mr. Whitaker I was in the hospital.”
“Accident really? You look fine to me,” said Whitaker. “You don’t think I hear things. I know about you bar escapades. If you going to lie you should come up with something better.” Jacob hated being called a liar he could feel his arms start to burn. He tried to remain calm he knew his powers were triggered by anger.
“If you can just call-”
Whitaker interjected, “Because of your transgression, we lost several good clients. I’m-”
Jacob stood up and clinched his fist, “Please Mr. Whitaker!”
“I have to let you go,” said Mr. Whitaker.
The burning intensified. Out of anger, his fist struck Whitaker’s desk. A bright red flashed emitted from his hands, and disintegrated it. Whitaker’s eyes budged in fear. As he flexed his jaws to scream, Jacob panicked and palmed his face. His boss exploded before his eyes. Covered in blood and meat particles, Jacob sprinted out the office and to the elevator. “Oh god, I just killed my boss.” Jacob said to himself. A woman’s blood curdling scream shook him, as the elevator door closed. He started to panic as he rode it down to the parking area. Little did Jacob know, he was being watched. As his powers grew entities bound to earth started to sense his powers. Atë Spirit of Ruin and daughter of Strife was the first to locate him.
Cloaked from god and mortal eyes she whisper in his ears and ensnared him, “Murderer,” she whispered. “The building must fall. Save yourself.” Her powers of persuasion clouded men’s mind and led them to rash decision. In a panic, he heeded her advice. Channeling his new powers, he touched each of the buildings support columns. As he left the parking area the columns cracked and buckled. Once outside, Atë freed him from her spell. Shaking the haze from his head Jacob watched in horror he as the building crumbled before as eyes. He turned around and noticed a woman with pale skin and long dark hair laughing at him.
“That was too easy cousin,” Atë said as she faded away.
Jacob turned back towards the building. He couldn’t believe what he had done. Covered in blood he had no choice but to run. Luckily, the morning rush was over, and no one seemed to notice him. His heart pounded against his chest, the horrors he committed bombarded his mind. Jacob wanted to give it all back, his powers his life. He ran until he couldn’t run anymore. Soon he came upon an opened gas station bathroom. Locking himself inside he broken down, tears streamed down his face. He was a murderer and that truth nearly crushed him. As he sat on the bathroom floor, he stared it his bloodied hands.
He couldn’t stand the sight of them. Jacob wanted them clean he needed clean. He sprung from the floor and rushed towards the sink. Glancing up he stared at his bloodied reflection in the mirror. It completely entranced him. “Is this my life now,” Jacob thought to himself. “Blood death is this what she wanted?” His mother was Enyo was the Goddess War. Known to delight in bloodshed, and he was her son. Upon that, realization he made a decision that changed him. Jacob decided to cover his ass. Channeling his abilities, he destroyed his bloodied clothes. He used the sink to clean the blood for his skin. He exited the gas station, wearing dark khakis pants, and a wife beater shirt. Once he gathered his bearings, he knew he was only a few blocks from the Vanessa’s bar. Jacob felt lost he wanted perspective. Vanessa was just the person to give it. He knew she would be there she was always there. Fifteen minutes later, he was at her door.
Vanessa was dumfounded, “How are you out of hospital?”
Jacob deflected the question, “I quit my job.”
Vanessa eyes widen. “No…Really?” she blurted. “…What are you going to do?”
Jacob walked over to the bar and shrugged, “I have no idea,” he said. “But can I ask you something?”
“It’s too early for a drink …”
“A drink is not what I want,” Jacob replied. “I want you. Go out with me.”
Vanessa mouth dropped in shocked, “…I don’t know…” she stammered. “…Jacob I don’t know."
Jacob smiled, “Just say yes.”
Vanessa nodded, “...Okay.”
Jacob leaned in and lifted Vanessa over the bar counter. As they closed for a kiss, the sounds of multiple sirens interrupted them. They both rushed outside, Vanessa saw smoke billowing over buildings in the distance. She was too enthralled to speak. Jacob left her to her thoughts and eased away. While he walked down the street, Jacob called out to his mother. The world paused around him. Everything slowed to a crawled, but he remained the same. A foggy haze engrossed him as Enyo appeared
Jacob out stretched his palms, “Why did you curse me?”
“It is not a curse, it’s who you are,” said Enyo.
“How do you handle the guilt?”
“I bury it,” said Enyo. “You’re a Child of War the sooner you accept it the better off you’ll be.”
After she spoke her peace, she vanished and teleported Jacob back home.
Enyo: Is your spell still holding?
Warren: He and the girl remain cloaked from the Gods, but Atë is something else entirely.
Enyo: Yes she is, I’ll bring the boy when he calms down.
Warren: We can’t wait too long. If Atë knows, we have to start his training as soon as possible.
Jacob magically found himself back in his dark cramped apartment. He hated keeping secrets from Nina, but he couldn’t tell her he destroyed the building. He laid down on his lumpy orange sofa and fell asleep.
************