The Shack

It's a rare thing when I seek out help from one of my kids. In fact, I don't know that I've ever really done it before. However, since Noah has become the angel on my shoulder, we've been spending a lot of time together and he's kind of become my conscience. I always knew he was a good kid, trying to follow his heart as well as staying true to his Christian beliefs. For some reason, I just never really saw the heart of him. Since he's afraid to leave me now for fear of lynching...or plucking of feathers... we've had many long chats and I've decided he is the best character I have ever created. I haven't told him this, let alone any of the others. But it's a truth I needed to share here.

Writing this morning had me searching for another character. I know, after the recent influx of new chibis that a new character seems a little unnecessary. But they're like bugs. No real names or face, and most of them have faded away anyway. This character needed to be solid and real. She needed a real face and a real name. And so I started asking Noah's advice. His advice? We go to...The Shack.

Now there's recently been a book published with the exact same title. It's been on my shelf for a little while, and without knowing what the book was about at all, they decided it would be the name of the storage unit I have for characters that were created but never used. I was a little worried about going there.

"Honestly, Noah, I haven't been to The Shack for a long time now and I'm a kinda afraid of what might be behind those doors. You leave the untamed alone for awhile and they tend to get a little...hungry."

Noah waved his hand dismissively. "Come on. What are you afraid of?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You've never seen the inside of that place. It's a lot bigger than it looks on the outside, and it's a lot...darker. I wasn't always a fluff writer, you know."

"I've read your battle scenes. I know. But really, what is there to be afraid of? Come on. We'll go together."

Sweet tiny Noah. My angel and my protector. So we made our way over toward The Shack, and I started to feel eyes at our backs. "I think we're being followed," I whispered.

"We are," agreed Noah. "An angel on your shoulder must always come with a devil."

Turning to peek, I see Fischer strolling casually behind us, smoking as I have told him before is not allowed, looking as though he hadn't a care in the world. He took a drag of his cigarette, then blew the smoke out with a grin at me. "Hey there, darlin'."

"Can I help you?"

"Just thought I'd take a walk. Breathe a little fresh mornin' air."

"I'm sure that goes well with the cigarette."

He smiled. "Breakfast of champions. So where are you and Wings headed?"

"To a place no man or heavily used character has ever gone before."

"Sounds like fun. Mind if I tag along?"

Like I had anything to say about it. Fischer was famous for doing what he wanted, when he wanted. And I'm sure he was missing Ribbon. She'd be a cute chibi, alas, she does not belong to me.

"So what're we lookin' for since we're obviously heading to The Shack of Doom."

"A new character," Noah answered, eying Fischer as the older man perched himself on my other shoulder. He was used to Fischer and could tolerate the man, even if he didn't care for him in the least.

"Won't that give Blondie a reason to holler." It wasn't a question so much as an amused statement. Fischer did like him some chaos.

So we reached The Shack and my hand was at the knob when the silence was torn apart by a, "WAAAAAIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Out of nowhere, Jaryn comes streaking across the grass and throws himself in front of the door. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO?!"

Noah and I kind of have the same confused and shocked looks on our faces, Fischer is just smug. "Dude, Jaryn. What's the deal?"

I had never seen Jaryn's eyes so big and filled with fear. Not even after he ate the last chocolate cupcake and Aislyn was in one of her moods. "If you open this door, you will unleash horrors that no one is prepared to face."

"Dramatic much? Jaryn, it's no big deal. I'm going in for one character. That's all."

He didn't say anything, just looked past me with the same terrified expression. Of course this made me turn around to see what he was staring at. On the hill behind us, with a sunset for her backdrop, was Aislyn. In full armor. Sword and all.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"I will go in," she told us as she marched over to where we all stood.

"Aislyn, it's no big deal. You guys are blowing this seriously out of proportion. This is insane."

She looked up at me, green eyes narrowed beneath her helmet. "Perhaps we are the only ones taking this seriously enough. You..." Here she pointed her sword at me. "...are the insane one." Lowering her sword, she looked at Jaryn and nodded. "Open the door."

This was way more dramatic than I ever expected. The look on Jaryn's face was grim, but he finally moved, pulling open the door as he did. With a deep breath of determination, Aislyn moved inside and swung the door shut behind her. There was silence for a moment, then sounds of a clear struggle and a scream of indignation that could only have come from Aislyn. I heard Noah mutter a prayer while Fischer made himself more comfortable. Jaryn glared at me as though I'd just condemned Aislyn to her death. When it seemed like the tension would break us all, the door swung open, and Aislyn came out. Her helmet was off and her sword drooping. She looked at me in confusion.

"They...they're just sitting around watching Days of Our Lives."

This was surprising, if not amusing. I'd expected all the time locked up in the forgotten would make them crazy. Not the opposite.

"They're just a bunch of pansies. How disappointing."

"But we heard a struggle," Noah said with concern, "and a scream."

Aislyn shook her head, clearly let down. "I couldn't get my helmet off."

"Well that was very...anti-climatic. And I still don't have a character."

"You don't want one of them." She sounded so let down that I almost felt bad for her. "Trust me. They'd die before the chapter was even finished."

Well that was no good. "Well what the heck? Guys, I need a new girl. This is non negotiable."

"Well," hedged Jaryn, "why don't we all get together and create her." His looked pointedly at Fischer. "I mean all of us from the book."

I raised an eyebrow. "You'd really want to do that? Aislyn?"

Aislyn tossed her sword down so she could shrug before resting her hands on her hips. "Might as well. If your so bent on having a new chick, we might as well have some input." She looked at me. "Can I just make a suggestion?"

"Sure."

"Burn that shack." She looked at it once and shuddered. "I may have nightmares for the rest of my life."