I was covered in sweat as I hellrode through the shadows, Rainstin had been through quite a few hellrides and could hold up for quite some time now. She shook her mane and neighed as I whispered into her ear. I glanced at the landscapes that passed me by like no other. A dessert area that flashed into a forest then quickly became a clearing to a small house that had caught fire and blazed. The heat from the fire was upon my cheek for what seemed a tenth of a heart beat before I noticed the cold that fell upon me as a winters night in a strange land casts its howling winds upon my face.
I rode for a few hours, ignoring the temperature change that occurred around me. I had discovered a faster way of traveling through shadow. Instead of changing little by little I changed whole worlds at once. At one point I was in a small village thundering across the road as strange human forms that seemed to have no face and paper white skin jumped off the road as I thundered by, the next I was riding in a dessert of barren lands, no life lived forms could be seen and the orange flatlands dispersed at the horizon. It would have taken at least twelve hours to reach my homeland the original shadow walking way. Though mine would diminish that by at seven hours I would reach my destination in a maximum of five hours.
I came upon the sky of Amber shortly and looked upon Avalon, Benedicts resting area, where he was worshiped as a god, though he would be in Amber right now, helping train nobles and eager men to fight with arms. Benedict was Amber's Master of Arms, all that was of strategy, and military knowledge thundered in his head. I was glad to be on his good side in Amber affairs.
Passing Avalon on I remembered my last trip through the Forest of Arden on my way to Amber. I came upon a pack of Julian's hounds that were untrained yet and had wandered off in look for meat. I was the prime target of these hounds and had bested them in battle. They attacked me after sniffing me out and I gained a few bites that left me sore for a week with healing wounds. I finished off three or four of them with my sword though I knew it wouldn?t last. They surrounded me and I had but one choice.
I quickly pulled out my trumps and searched for a drawing of a desolate land that was of fire. This shadow lay close to Chaos and had no living being on the planet. It was the fire from hell that I called upon that day. I had fell upon this shadow and quickly departed with third degree burns. This took some time to heal from and after words I drew a trump from memory for this certain shadow. I had no intention of ever visiting this certain shadow again, though it would come in handy strategically in battle. I focused on this trump and soon the flames began to dance within my vision and with a turn of the card I released the power of this shadow and the hounds that survived howled with the pain of the flesh on their bodies were burnt in a horrible death.
I stood in the middle of this transaction with a stone face for I had no sympathy for killing others when they attacked me. A ring of fire surrounded me as I stood with no emotion expressed upon my face with my hair tasseled and my sword laying limp in my hand. Julian came out of the trees upon Morgenstern and a pack of hounds at his ankles. Ready to kill any that opposed his hunting hounds. He came upon my in this transaction and I stood in that ring that contained his hunting party that had been killed by I.
I quickly replaced my trump as to let him ponder how I had conjured it in the midst of Amber were shadow cannot be manipulated. I replaced my sword and waited for the fire to burn out. With the trump that had created this fire gone it would not last long, it would die out before it could spread farther than a foot.
Julian was a little more then upset and attacked me, luckily bare fisted. He jumped upon me from behind. I bested him in a contest of wrestling and punching. Though I don?t wish to try with weapons. I managed to pin him and force him to call a truce, though after he learned that brute force would not stop me he turned to accusation in Amber and attempted to have me thrown into prison for as long as he wished it. I hoped he was over the whole thing though I soon realized that it had yet to blow over. He could have called his hounds upon me in a second, though Julian was always one to guard his honor with care.
The sound of a horn blared in the distance just behind me to the left. I leapt at this sound and shouted for Rainstin, she was already on the run as I had one foot in the stirrup. I hoisted myself up and began to urge my mount to continue at a faster pace. Morgenstern, Julian's mount was beyond my speed and was born from out of shadow. I dashed along the path, seeing the break in the forest just ahead. I had a ways to go before I was out and in the clearing; I had no chance of making it before they caught up though I might be able to bluff him. I took a sharp turn and ran through the forest. They might follow the path leading out for a while, buying me some time. I headed off in the opposite direction at an angle to gain me as much ambiance as possible at the moment. The bark of the hounds and the thunder of Morgenstern's hoofs faded into the distance a ways and I slowed to a stop with a sigh.
I pulled out my trumps and riffled through them. I stopped upon my fathers for a time, though he would not be in Amber and my hellride would have gone for none. I skipped past cursing the time. I stopped upon my mothers, Fiona regarded me as beautiful as ever, though a little more aged then the original decks that Dworkin drew for I had created this one in my image. Time had not affected her much like any other Amberite though a few more worry lines creased her forehead. Most of those were created by me in my rebelling days.
I studied her face as I gazed into her eyes of green and remember passing her in height at a very young age. She was a measly 5'2" in height and I had always poked fun at her for that, I cannot remember what age though in earth years I say it would be around age fourteen. I smiled upon her as she took on color and regarded me with a smile that matched my own.
?Darkin, it has been too long, have you spoken to your father lately he is avoiding me once more. Merlin is still angered about the night we conceded you, he says that I am a deceitful obnoxious woman that would betray her own family if I got what I desired. I can?t believ-?
?Mother I have no time for this, I am being trailed,? I spoke in haste for the hunting horns had turned back and were heading in my direction, I could feel the earth slightly rumble with Morgensterns hoof beats. ?please pull me through, mount and all I will explain once I am safe.? Life sucks when you have family itself that you cannot trust, I picked up the attributes of the family quick, and I was a fast study. I learned that none could be trusted completely and that to not trust anyone you don?t have to.
I was pulled through and Rainstin came with me. I replaced my mother's trump in my case that hung by a clasp at my belt, as I clasped the woman upon the trumps hand in the City of Amber. I gave her a smile and looked about. I was in the main corridors of the castle and needed to leave now. I had taken my mount with me and Random would not like to see her with me in the castle. I headed for the stables as I bid Fiona to walk with me. Rainstin peered curiously she had never been inside the castle walls, the stables were her place and she knew them well. I spoke of my hasty exit from Arden and Julian?s attempt as we walked. Julian would not bother me here and would likely ignore my presence inside these walls if I were right in his face and wouldn?t let him pass. Julian had a hard pride and would not budge unless rights were given by him.
I damned him once under my breath and continued to pat down Rainstin as my mother spoke of Merlin, my father. Fiona held an interest in Merlin and took the liberty to manipulate him into fathering me. Merlin held no interest in loving that of his aunt. Though not of blood. She had a different mother than Corwin, Merlin?s father and was in a way Darkin?s half aunt. Though he still held strong on his believes of family marriage.
With the manipulation of shadow, she convinced my father that she was another person and bore his child. I know not what she had done for she never revealed this secret. If possible she would have simply shape-shifted into another though this ability from Chaos died off in Oberon?s children. Dworkin fathered Oberon and passed this unique talent of to him, though it died as the blood of Chaos died within the Amber family. I have desired this talent on many occasions though it does not exist between my family?s blood. My father was in a nutshell, upset to learn of Fiona?s play by play manipulation and left her for many years, he was not heard from for quite some time. Though he returned upon my birthday of my sixth year to father me, as he should.
I hadn?t grown up with a mother and father that loved each other and slept in the same bed, though I was loved just the same. On occasion my father would disperse from the Great City to clear his head and return a few years later. He would return to his shadow world called earth by its inhabitants and continue his work as a computer geek. This love was passed unto me and I worked with technology in many shadows. A few inventions of my own were kept hidden in shadow and were kept at my will. My father had a few of his own though he stopped this once Ghostwheel took its own mind of things and decided to no longer listen to orders. He still toyed around though always destroyed them at any notice of instability or realization of self.
I learned from my father's mistakes and kept my inventions in check. I suspected he was working on another at this moment for his trump was inaccessible. I returned to my quarters after an elongated conversation with my mother and bid her a good night as well. It was early and the sun was high, though hellrides and being hunted were something to wear a man down. I peered out my window and looked upon the spot were the black road once was. I had not lived to see this though I had been told on quite a few occasions to its whereabouts and could see the unnatural growth that occurred where it once was, cutting across the forest. Removing all particles except for my smallclothes I drifted off into sleep as I pondered upon Corwin, my grandfather. He had been found by Dara and had bourn another child with her, though soon after his daughters birth, Aleah he raised her until the earthly age of one, saying three centuries about and drifted off into shadow were he had been inaccessible via his trump from then on. Some thought him dead.
Others believed him wanting to be left undisturbed, though his daughter was of the age of 17 now and despised her father?s absence. She too drifted in shadow though returned from time to time and had many stories to tell. She was a rambunctious teen that desired knowledge and freedom. Her power over shadow increased dramatically as she spoke too many and continued her search for power. I knew that she would be stronger than I soon in shadow and may end up stronger then Brand himself. She was of only seven centuries ahead of me in the race of life.
My dreams were black and left undisturbed, it was a black thing that lasted eleven hours long. I was left undisturbed and woke with a feeling of refreshment in mind though disgust in body. I had slept in my clothes that had been coated with sweat and desired a shower. The washbasin was warm, servants were sent to refresh the water and have a breakfast sent to my rooms were it would wait upon my dresser while I showered.
I washed my body and lathered my hair with fresh spring smelling soap when it hit me. The feel of contact between trumps, I blocked them out as I leapt from the shower throwing the curtain aside as I reached for my towel. I covered myself and let the disturbing presence enter via my trump. It was Martin, Random?s son who was quite my elder in age though many centuries beneath me by maturity. I could feel his jealousy for me as he spoke.
?It is I, Martin,? I noticed the background as I bore a stare at him, he was in some night club and wavered as he spoke, he was dressed in black clothes with chains of silver hanging from his gothic clothing. He had been drinking and his Mohawk was straight up with gel. He was interested in computerized music and needed quite a few years of maturing before he would play a large roll in Amber affairs.
?Yes Martin I realize your presence, now speak quickly, I have no desire to speak with you and you have interrupted my shower.? I spoke with clear dislike in my voice.
?Heyy don?t you back tallk mme Darrrkin,? his words slurred as he spoke, he had, had a lot to drink. ?I am goooinggg to bee the one that kills you, maarrrrrk mmm-? his words trailed off in a burp and he lost consciousness. I broke the contact and continued to rinse the soap from my body.
He would live up to his words in attempting to murder me though he would need a day or so to recover from the high that he had obtained from the alcohol. I was safe for the time, no need to worry about the future it comes soon enough. I finished my shower and pondered over his words as I ate my breakfast. Unclothed as I was I told the knocker at my door to hold on, I had a visitor and from this I could tell that it would be an eventful day.
Benedict had returned from Avalon, his hide-out in shadow that worshiped him. He had been in Amber for a few days now and just heard of my presence. He greeted me with a one-armed hug for his other had been removed. It was growing back, slowly. It was cut off at the elbow and was now returning in a slow fashion. The arm now extended to the middle of his forearm and a palm of a hand was recognizable. His fingers were nothing but stubs, though in that short of time it was amazing that it grew back at all. I stopped myself from taking a glance at it, for he was a little self conscious about it.
I hugged him back, maybe a little harder. He was the reason I knew what end from the other on the sword that hung at my hip each day. I covered myself with a shirt that I laced up three fourths of the way before I hesitated and actually realized what Benedict had been speaking of.
?Darkin, did you hear me, Martin has returned with a grim determination to find you. Benedict exclaimed as I steadied my face once more, I hated to show expression, it always betrayed me and I now had it under control.
?Yes, I expected this, though not so soon. I damned the time differences in shadow and paced the room looking for my sword. It was comforting to have it on me. Martin has a grudge against me and swore to kill me. He was drunk at the time, extremely though he must have been far off in shadow for it to have worn off by now and to get here. Who?s trump did he come through?
No ones, he hellrode here, I suppose he didn?t trust any of us to pull him through.? Benedict sneered. ? He has good reason, many tries on his life has been suspected for his immature retaliations to anyone that slightly aggravates him.
That was one hell of a hellride, the time difference must have been greatly dramatic, it was not 20 minutes ago that he reached my by trump and swore to kill me.? I spoke quickly for I had to leave and reach shadow to keep my life. Martin was not my better in combat though he knew Corwin?s secret when he brought guns to Amber in his attack for the throne, my dead uncle Eric was killed in that battle. ?I swear he was as drunk as ever, he had to have drunken a barrel of wine to become like that. I know Martin and he tosses down vodka like water.
What shall you do, I will not interfere if you wish it so, but I will not stand by and watch you die. I have no doubt that you can best him in combat, though he might have something else in mind. Martin was never the one to fight with his hands or a hands on weapon.
"I plan to leave immediately and deal with this affair later. I shall be damned for running though it's my only chance." Benedict nodded in agreement and tossed me a trump that he had bore out of his case in his shirt pocket. It bore the picture of Avalon. " Thanks for the gesture though I have my own trump to Avalon, though I wouldn�t hide out in Avalon anyway, Martin knows Avalon well and probably has his own trump there as it is. I tossed the trump back and before I could take a step towards my personal items that I wished to take with me he had thrown it back at me. "Benedict I-"
"Shut-up and listen to me." Benedict continued in a no bullshit voice. " You may have a trump to the inner city of Avalon though that one will take you straight to my personal force that will protect you." I had no answer so I sat on the edge of the bed and listened intently. "Now Martin has a trump to Avalon to the exact same place, he has not obtained one of the inner city for I own all of those and have only given them out to select few. Now once Martin has found you wherever you may go, use the trump and allow him to see where you are going. I am certain that he will follow, via his trump and by then you will have a strike force ready to obtain his presence as a prisoner. If you take my offer I will not let you kill him. I care for him, though I will knock sense into him when needed. I shall stop his attempts and force him to agree of no more attempts at your life, though murder within the family I cannot tolerate." He finished off with a set nod that ended the conversation permanently no questions asked.
He flicked a card into his hands face out so that I could see; it bore the same picture of the one that I held. Avalon in the distance across a small plain and what appears to be the corner of a tent to the left side.
With a moments hesitation to focus upon the card, Benedict dispersed into rainbows and left myself in an empty room with my life in danger and a decision to kill that of which has brought this burden upon me or to take him prisoner and force him to a treaty. I thought to myself as I finished collecting the objects that I wished to take with me and stuffing the trump into my wooden case. I to left the room with only rainbows for remembrance into the shadow world of earth.
I came upon my bedroom in my small boathouse in Florida, I tidied up a little while I blew time. I had papers scattered across the desk and had books that needed to be placed back upon the shelf. I had been gone for less then three days so I had no mail. I finished my inspection of the house and trailed down to the cellar. There I opened a safe just below a shag carpet that lay in the middle of the room. 20-1-13 was the combo and after opening the combo I had a voice activated security system. Only my voice would it open to and it was nearly perfect in defense, the lock could not be picked without great care, and without the voice activation it would set off an alarm and the next lock wouldn�t budge for nothing. I finished my security checks and finally came upon a small opening that held my Colt 45 and over 3 million in cash. I passed the cash for I had no need, I grabbed the pistol and another Dessert Eagle that lay beside the Colt 45. With four clips of ammo for each gun I locked up the safe and continued on my way. I reached my reading room and decided otherwise. I would rather not destroy that room; it held great sentimental items that I wished to be kept in good order.
When I reached my living room that contained two couches of dark green and a wooden rocking chair along with a side table for each piece of furniture and elaborate curtains that hung along the window. I opened the blinds to let in light. I planned to bring Martin to me via trump into this room and finish it here. If circumstances called for it I had Avalon's trump at my side, first in the deck for easy finding.
I found Martin's trump and focused upon his painting that I had drew by memory and his others trumps. He sported a Mohawk and outlandish, gothic clothing. He sat upon a buildings ledge with the view of the city behind him. Illuminated by the many lights and the moons glow. Chains dangled along his black clothing and I wondered how he wore so many dangling chains without tripping in one. They certainly limited his movement for fighting. This was upon my side as he came alive and still wore the same clothing, or something near. He was upon a ship and had grown what seemed to be a goatee that dangled down into a point. He did seem to have weird taste in appearance I noted. He looked me in the eye as he sailed across an ocean from what it seemed. He was coming through shadow and had almost completed the earth's sky and terrain.
"What is it Darkin, I shall not give up in my attempts if you have come to persuade me into dropping this." He exclaimed loudly, the spray of the ocean limited his hearing and spoke louder and louder as his voyage quickened. He must be shifting shadows and bringing an updraft of wind to help his sail.
"I have not called to stop you. I desire we settle this now. Come through, let's settle this now and not wait till you can reach me in a hellride." Or hellsail, whatever it is called when shifting shadows upon a ship. "We shall finish this as men and fight it out!" I shouted at him
"Do not try to persuade me, I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses, you regrettable are stronger than I in the sword. Though I have greater power than you over shadow this I know!" He was always proud of his strength in shadow, though to be honest he was just a novice in this game.
"If you believe that you can best me in a game of wills then I grant you try!" I spat. "I shall crush you either wa-" a surge of pain was flooding its way into my mind, he was strong I'll give him that though I was stronger." I fought back with all my strength into one sharp and short blast. He stumbled back a few paces and lost his concentration. I gained the upper hand and took my chance. He was holding his head between his hands as I put forth all my effort into will power. He stumbled back a few more paces and fell over the edge of the ship. He seemed to balance for a few seconds as his eyes took upon fear when he noticed what had happened. Before he could drop into the icy water his hand lunged out instinctively. I had no desire to kill him this way, I wanted to have his blood stain my sword as it lunged into his heart.
I clasped his hand and pulled him through. He fell into my carpet, as he tried to pull himself up he fainted and dropped, almost lifelessly.
*****
He came back to it a few hours later lying upon my couch with a comforter over his body. I had turned the heat up for it was the coldest winter night earth had had yet and it grew cold with that ocean breeze rocking the house back and forth.
He grew angry that I had not killed him, which made no sense and once he stopped holding his head in his hands he looked up at me as I handed him a tray, filled with meats and cheese. Along with crackers, I learned from shadow earth it makes a good sandwich of sorts.
Giving me a scowl he took the tray and started to eat almost savagely. After he had had his share and I had given him a glass of wine to wash things down with he began to stare blankly at me. After a few minutes of silence I commented upon his blank stare, he hid his features well and he finally spoke.
"After the fight between the trumps, and I being sworn to kill you, you help me out and feed me in your own house when you could have killed me and finished it quick. Why?"
"I have no anger towards you, I do feel hatred upon your oath though I do not see why you hate me so." I stated it as a question not a fact. After a sigh he spoke.
"I am not as readily accepted as you in the family, I have had to work for the little acceptance I get though you get it immediately. You are being trained by the best out there in arms. You have your mother to train you in will. Your father has taught you so much upon shadow and inventions that you have many of your own. I hate your acceptance." He finished with that and said no more.
"Martin, I see why you are angry at the family though I would sooner trust a shadow man then trust family. Our family is not to be trusted. Being 'accepted' as you say is not that grand. You have to watch your back and watch what you say. Any crossword and you have a sworn enemy. Any one could be planning behind you and seem to be your adversary. You have the advantage of not having to hide anything from everyone; you can be yourself and not have to plot at every second. One conversation about the king or anyone else can be one sided, one thing said wrong and they can take it so many different ways." I bore a stare at him waiting for his answer, though one did not come so I continued. " Even King Random is planning behind everybody. I cannot keep a conversation with him without wondering which way he would take it. Random seems to be plotting against everybody and I do not wish to be under his liege." This response must have triggered a thought of rebellion upon Martins father. For he jumped upon me and began to beat me about the face.
That comment that I had spoke with honesty had come without thinking that I was speaking to an Amberite, the most devious and plotting people of all. Martin must have believed I was a threat to his father for he began to spit out words of "Traitor" and "Rebel" also a few choice words that I shall not speak.
"My father trusts you and not me, after he found out that I was alive and got his revenge he departed his bastard son once more. Though I remand true to him and never had one though of trying to take the throne. My father shall congratulate me when I kill you." I gained the upper hand in this fight and started to retaliate with a few comments of my own. We stood and began our brawl. I tried to slow him with words though they slide off him like water on a glass window. Coming after me in pure anger he threw a punch with his left that I quickly dodged by ducking under to find an uppercut to find my jaw. I fell back and caught myself on a wall where I balanced myself out and continued, he would not give in until I had bested him in a fight. I withdrew my belt that held my sword, it would only get in the way, as I retreated farther back. I removed personal items that I wished not be broken and then advanced in a surge of power.
Throwing all of my power into my right arm it connected with the side of Martin's face. He quickly regained his composure though before he had time to strike I had advanced upon him with a series of short rabbit punches to his gut, left right, left, right, and left again. Here he fell and I took the time to position myself into the mount on top of him. I pinned his arms when Martin's struggling stopped. He was looking straight at me though his stare bore through me and his gaze fell not upon me though past me. "I shall return one day to kill you, Darkin, mark me. I will return." Were his last words before he dispersed via trump. Someone had contacted him and that is why his stare was upon me though his gaze was a dead as ever in my eyes.
I fell to the ground where he had been pinned, my hands rested upon his wrists as I held him there and when he left here while still underneath me, my arms collapsed from the sudden change and my face hit the carpet. I laid here for a time catching my breath. That first hit had been good and the wind had been knocked out of me. The carpet was soft and here I rested before I had to get back to life and its hackling troubles. Martin would return, though not soon. I had bested him in a fight and he had been humiliated. His revenge would he seek and I would retrieve the brute end of it.
I had time though. Martin would want to regain his pride lost here in this room by the same means he lost it. We would fight with fists and no other weapons. I would need to practice and keep fit for when he did return he would be trained from many distant shadows and gain more experience in one day here at Amber for the time change would be drastic. I had to be prepared. Here I drifted off into sleep and rested off the rest of the day. I would deal with life later. Right now let me dream a dream worth dreaming. I deserved a rest after what I had been through in just two days.
After awakening I reattached my sword and brushed my hair back with my fingers to make myself presentable. I pulled out Benedicts trump and studied it. The coolness played across my fingers as I felt the connection.
"Darkin, I see you have taken against my decision. With you contacting me, either Martin is dead or he fled when his plan was crushed." It was worded like a question though I knew it not to be.
"You are correct, though Martin is still alive, I bested him in a game of wills and once more bested him in hand-to-hand combat. He fled via trump at the last moment. He has sworn to come back and finish this, though I think I have a little time." Benedict stared with a blank _expression though his dislike was clear. He hated rivals between the family.
"Then come through and we will discuss your training," I gave him a confused look till he explained. "�Martin will be back and his pride will force him to kill you in hand to hand." This I knew though I let him continue. "He is after your death, and this I cannot allow. I care for him so I will not be the one to pull the trigger. Though you will. I shall train you in hand to hand, to kill." Finishing I was pulled through and we discussed strategic maneuvers until the night over took us and he had a servant point me towards my quarters for the night.
*****
After four years of gruesome training, I was stronger than I ever thought possible. Those body builders on shadow earth had nothing on me and I still held my slim form. I was in the middle of will training with Fiona; she had accompanied me in Avalon after a few months to help. When I wasn�t in combat or fighting random creatures from deep in shadow I was practicing on my powers mentally.
"Darkin, you must focus, don�t give me that bland look child I am still your mother."
I held up my hand to silence her and I let the interruption come in.
"Hello, I am sorry to bother you though something has come up." It was Luke, son of Brand, though more welcomed then Brand. We had met here and there though neither held much interest in one another.
"Yes, what is it Luke." I bid him to speak for I noted the worry in his voice, this was something of importance.
"I am sad to say, though Martin has died. He was training in the Courts and he was killed by Mandor, who has held a grudge upon him since he bested him at chess. A silly thing to hold a grudge over though Mandor was the best and has hated Martin with a passion ever since." His pause I noted and would take him upon it later. "Martin was taken from behind and his throat had been slit. Mandor was never found though the knife to kill him was in his room. Mandor has found many a reasons to hate Martin and finally took it as far as to do something about it." My training had come to not because of a simple game of chess and Mandor's furry of losing. " I know you hadn�t liked Martin much, though his funeral will be held here at the courts by the Fountain of Power and he will be cremated. I think it is what he would have wanted."
"Thank you Luke, I shall tell the Amber family and will speak with you later, I have your trump and will call you to pull us through. I guess the funeral will start as soon as we are ready, the time difference is great I have heard."
"Yes, it is tremendously significant and we will be awaiting your call. I bid you farewell and hope the best of Martins soul."
"To Martin." I finished and waved my hand over his face and cut the connection. A black curtain of sorts followed my hand until the connection was complete and his presence faded.
"Fiona, Martin has-"
"I have heard, I caught it from what you said, I have contacted most already they will gather and met us there, most have their own transportation. Shows you the trust in this family." She said haughtily.
"I suppose you have your own means as well then," With a nod from her I connected with Luke once more and faded without a word spoken in-between.
*****
The following day Martin's funeral took place and his cremation was significantly big. His ashes were spread into the abyss and a memorial was placed next to Brands, here I visited often when I returned from Amber from my trips. I hoped that he did not die in vein nor anger of me, I wish that upon no one and hope that he finds what he is looking for. I would like to refer to a well-known poet on the shadow earth that once said
"I know not what will happen after I die, though I will not be restrained in life by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."
Finis
David Rubicam
(Copyright 2006 David Rubicam)