The writer gives life to a story, the reader keeps it alive.
Guild Master Anum Anzeti, along with Guild Masters Heyem Merek, Octavia Vijay and the rest of the Guild, watch as the captured Floating Asylum ship is transported to a holding cell on the outskirts of the Hungarian Kinjoutouchi, a heavily guarded Kyo-ashita city on Martial Earth. Octavia Vijay seethes, as Heyem Merek indulges in her victory.
Five hours have passed, and the last of the asylum victims have been taken to the Cloning hospital on Civil earth, to be assessed and given citizen status on the new world. Future Alexand watches with Katherine as Floating Asylum ship One is dematerialised to a quarantine area on Martial earth, where the Guild Masters, and her twin sister, Heyem will no doubt perform a full autopsy on it and on the experiments in Helga Ritter’s laboratory. (Happy New Year!)
After releasing the asylum prisoners from their cells, Alexand went looking for Katherine, and found her tending to Helga Ritter’s victims.
After taking a very long shower, Katherine departed with Captain Samira Ganesh, along with her colleagues, Jay Varma and Ajeeta Kothari and a medical team from the cloning hospital on Civil Earth. Samira took them to the aftermath of the battle, to where a captured enemy ship was docked in the harbour, and thousands of prisoners were being lead to freedom by the Kyo-ashita army.
Omorose Merek-Balsara transported her enemy, Andre Kruus, to a little village in Estonia, where Andre’s parents still live, decades after their son was stolen from them, by thieves in the night. Omorose deactivates the tracking device in his arm, to prevent the Amanojuko locating him.
As a result of Lord Anderson’s warning, President Allerton had to interrupt his three-week vacation in the Bahamas to hold an emergency conference with other Knights of the Amanojuko
Back on Civil Earth in 1277 FD Alexand and Katherine’s mansion is emptying of guests. The children have made their way to bed, Inajda and her ex haernyara friend and ward, Anya, sit by the pool, as the full moon reflects on the water.
Future Alexand, tormented by memories of her torture in a different life, battles her way towards the Guard Tower, alongside three versions of her grandfather, Xan Medani, to emancipate the captive inmates onboard Floating Asylum Ship One. (For Nana.)
After deactivating the antiquated Amanojuko forcefield separating her and the Guild Master’s General, from the captain of the Floating Asylum, Hope and her companion leapt through the observation windows, surprising the socialites barricaded inside.
Still recovering from being turned into a bloodthirsty monster, and receiving the cure from a woman who claims to be her future daughter, a very disorientated Heyem, watches the battle onboard the ship, from the safety of a bubble shield.
General Edith MehXian leads the other generals towards the dormant battle, on Floating Asylum Ship One. To where three versions of Xan and one version of Alexand have already stepped into the Amanojuko nest.
Eldenath and her future family materialised on the mountain, 3992, overlooking the sea, where a Chinese woman, who she didn’t know, and her great aunt Heyem, (a younger, past version of Heyem) stood. The floating Asylum ship is in the distance on the horizon.
After Eldenath had walked her to her mother’s cottage in their grounds, and said good night, Aïcha still felt useless, and decided to head towards the walk-in wig wardrobe, which contained all her mother’s wigs, given by her fans, after she lost her hair. Kat didn’t want it in the main house, as it contained hundreds of wigs and took up a lot of space. But Aïcha, had a gift, and that was to style her mother’s wigs for her forthcoming world tour.
After cutting communication with a future version of Xan, Edith slept on Future Heyem’s sofa, as she was also feeling too tired to take part in battle. The sound of an owl wakes her from her sleep, and after washing and dressing, despite the fact it is now night-time in Cairo, Edith prepared herself and her granddaughters a cooked breakfast of baked flatbread, soybean milk and deep-fried dough sticks.
Heyem lays down next to her future twin sister, and her thoughts wander to the world she is running from.
On her way back to her grandmother’s house, after walking her aunt Aïcha to the cottage, Eldenath heard footsteps approaching from behind. (Happy almost Birthday, Mum. You are one of the kindest, funniest and sweetest people on this earth. Thank you for all that you are and all that you do. Come on Barbie, let’s go party.)
Iosif, had delivered six letters, and persuaded four of the invitees to meet with the Guild Master’s General in the old werewolf enclosure. Iosif’s older sister, Iyzebel, (born on Civil Earth in peacetime, the fourth eldest Merek, after Farokh,) together with his younger sister, Yelena Merek, (Inajda and Eric’s youngest daughter) Ayo Apfvarzian, (eldest son of Juba and Lucy Apfvarzian) and Omorose Merek-Balsara, (Heyem Merek and Yemi Balsara’s daughter) Iosif and the others, watch as the Guild Master’s General eats up the meal Hope had laid out for him on a picnic rug.
After leaving Guild Master Merek’s official summons with General Merek De Somme, the Guild Master’s General watched Hope and Iosif from the shadow of the forest.
Professor Sumian’s Fourth Dimensional Training Grounds, in a far future bubble world, (4487) General Hope Merek De Somme, along with her uncle, Iosif Merek, has broken free of her duties for a while, to steal a sliver of joy. She has rigged a zip-wire up inside the old werewolf enclosure and is intent on spending the afternoon pretending to fly.
General Medani travelled away from the Prison of Souls, back on the submarine. From Antarctica, he materialised on a half-submerged mountain, Volcan Los Atlixcos, overlooking a distant ship in the Gulf of Mexico, 3992.
General Edith MehXian attempted to persuade Alexand to accompany her to Mexico, as per their orders received from Guild Master Heyem Merek. This version of her granddaughter is tricky and has an agenda which conflicts with her duty.
After escaping from the drunken debauchery in his grandmother’s wine cellar, Zero, teleported to the theatre, where rehearsals are taking place for his live performance tomorrow evening. (If you enjoy these stories, please consider donating to the Drag Defence Fund, a charity supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, fighting the current backlash against LGBTQ+ artists and people, who simply want to live their lives with the same rights as everybody else in this world.)
After receiving her second consecutive orders from Guild Master Merek, a furious future Alexand transported herself from the sanctuary of her bedroom in Los Angeles, to her sister Heyem’s apartment in Cairo, ready to fight with Heyem about the relentlessness and frequency of her missions.
Edith, together with her granddaughter, Heyem, search for something amongst the possessions of Ye-Shin, ex-girlfriend and present Amanojuko collaborator. (Apologies to readers for this scheduling oopsie. This episode was due to be released on 21st, and its mother was too busy with outside world S£i^ to realise it had not been published. Please enjoy this episode a week later than planned. All the very best for the New Year. Cheryl.)
Anya was knocked unconscious during the explosion and woke up to find herself lying on Future Alexand Merek’s sofa.
Posing as Kyo-ashita warriors, charged with the rehabilitation of the ex-Haernyara, Anya Ranyevzsky, Future Alexand, (Creya Johal) and her grandchildren, Eldenath and Zero, head towards the deck of the Kyuunansen.
Future Alexand had woken early, as instructed by her Guild Master (Future Heyem Merek,) she is ready to take a very nervous Anya to the past, to carry out a fake assassination, which will set a series of events in motion.
Inajda thought it far too risky to take Alexand and Jarad to the Kyuunansen, as a temporary sanctuary, due to the fact Katherine De Somme is alive and well, onboard. Needing to avoid any potential encounters, (paradoxes) Inajda had no choice but to take her fleeing family to the most secure place in the whole world. The Prison of Souls.
The Guild Master’s General separates himself from the scurry of reporters and Alexand Merek fans, as the two women, the reporter Bizzi Gray, who he rescued not so long ago, and Alexand Merek, herself, approach. (See Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 28: Cordelia (Bizzi) Gray)
Cordelia (Bizzi) Gray is a reporter working for 101 Downtime News, which specialises in celebrity live news reports. She has just been given the heads up that the reclusive Alexand Merek has been spotted inside the School of Applied Resurrection. She has pushed her way to the front of the building, along with her camera crew, to where she can see Alexand Merek, beside her wife and a strange woman with tattoos on her face resurrecting four dead children in front of a school of Time Academy students.
Alexand and Katherine have got up early so they can prepare to take Anya to the School of Applied Resurrection. Alexand walks down the stairs into the lounge to join her wife for breakfast. (For Barbie. One of the most beautiful people in this world.)
Alexand shows Anya to her room, although it is mid-day to the ex- Haernyara, who paces back downstairs to explore the mansion. Anya is not the first enemy slave that Alexand and Katherine have helped rehabilitate, but she is the most significant so far, in terms of affecting Alexand’s own past life. (For Tori. Thank you for taking me to the other side of the galaxy.)
Asenath Bomani orders the entire army of Kyo-ashita, and everyone else save Inajda Rekaya out of her High Council chamber.
Future Alexand, in the guise of a Kyo-ashita guard, has been charged with the custody of Anya Ranyevzsky.
Disguised as a Kyo-ashita guard, Future Alexand (although not an intruder on the ship) thought it best to observe the events of the past, incognito. Her mission in this time was not purely to visit Katherine, but to take part in an event which set in motion a series of occurrences, leading to a cataclysm in her own past self’s life.
Asenath Bomani, president of the rebellion, woke in her cabin to the sound of the ship’s intruder alarm. Kyo-ashita guards appeared at the foot of her bed, to escort her to the High Council chamber. She quickly transformed herself into the leader everyone would expect at such a time as this. Flanked by Kyo-ashita, President Bomani marched to the High council chamber, to meet with the captured intruder, and to consult her advisors.
The Guild Master’s General returns to his studio in London, after a very exhausting assassination. He is hungry and tired and just needs to sleep.
Lord Anum Anzeti waits in his Presentation Room as Mr Ash approaches.
The Guild Master’s General returns to his slum after a series of missions to maintain the fabric of time’s continuity.
Inajda is one of the few people who has been granted access to Anesidor Sumian’s Transient Laboratory. She and Alexand materialise inside the laboratory, hoping to find Anesidor Sumian.
The Guild Master’s General takes Katherine with him to a place she’s visited once before. To a future cloned earth, where the people of the original earth have fled or are taken after they die.
The Guild Master’s General and Katherine have been phased between matter and energy, and followed Eric Mehmed through the convent cloisters, to where Sister Ancille showed him to his room. (This story is dedicated to David Prosser, who has supported these stories for almost a decade. You can visit David’s blog The Buthidars here)
Generals Edith MehXian and Xan Medani have travelled back in time to complete a mission to uphold time’s continuity, and to prevent their own world from unravelling.
Alexand, to make a point, has arranged to donate one of her mechanical eyes to a fifteen-year-old girl, who has lost her sight, and has no access to proper after care. As Katherine’s Bullet is still one of the top stories in the news, Alex has arranged for the press to schedule live reports of the operation, keeping the fifteen-year-old girl’s identity secret, out of respect. One very rich man, Georges De Somme, looks on from his study, as a familiar name is mentioned.
Katherine, and Ajeeta Kothari have spent a month attempting to isolate the antibodies responsible for immunity in their three blood samples.
Alex presses her hands against the exit door, anxious to get outside onto the beach.
Future Katherine takes Inajda to Nan Ha, to be with a very ill Alexand. Katherine watches from the trees, as Inajda makes her way down into the village, towards her brother’s house. Inajda turns around just in time to see Katherine dematerialise back to her future world.
After a month of overseeing Katherine’s rehabilitation, Inajda has been left behind, wondering where future Anesidor has taken her friend. She has been accompanied by the mysterious future version of Katherine, who seems to have an agenda for her as well.
Despite having remembered all the events previously erased by Future Anesidor Sumian, (the death of Farokh, and the fact Inajda came to Katherine to retrieve an inhibitor to slow Alexand’s illness) Inajda has been convinced that staying with Katherine is the best option. They are waiting for future Katherine to show up, with a future version of Alexand, and the promised cure for their Alexand’s illness.
Helga Ritter, second in charge after Lord Anderson, watches from a distance, as the Amanojuko factory crumbles. A trail of survivors emerges, but they are mostly socialites. A few Amanojuko have not been buried, including the ringmaster and the pianist. She walks towards them, has to override Lord Anderson’s plans, as she senses he is gone. (Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this journey over the past seven years. The writer gives life to a story, but the reader keeps it alive.)
Anesidor Sumian has been shown the future, by the mysterious Asenath Bomani.
Heyem finds herself standing outside Hong Kong University, still dressed in her Amanojuko clothing. The writer she held in her hand has stopped working, and as she tries to fix it, it disintegrates. (For those of you with delicate minds, please forgive Heyem for what she is about to say. If you are easily offended by swearing please be warned Heyem is rather angry, and you may prefer to read another story, on one of her happier days. Maybe this one?)
Abouna has been listening to Inajda and Katherine’s conversation, from the corridor outside the living room.
The Guild Master’s General has been summonsed back from his detour to see Katherine De Somme. He knows what’s waiting for him back on the streets where he lives. Reassuring Katherine was worth the beatings he’ll get as he waits for Mr Ash to arrive. The next issue is out on 25th June to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of these stories on wordpress.
Mr Ash is head National Guard working for Lord Anum Anzeti, Dala Hesa, and ruler of Earth One. (See issue 19: Anum Anzeti) Ash has sworn an oath of celibacy, but he is frustrated and angry. He can’t remember a time as a civilian, as he was indoctrinated into the service as a boy. It’s his job to relay orders to a tricky character, a genie, and Lord Anzeti’s pet, known to some as, The Guild Master’s General. (See Issue 40: The Guild Master’s General Part 2) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
In the years before the arts were put inside “The Bad Thing Box,” there were artists and dreamers, musicians and opera singers. Edith MehXian was one of those artists. From the age of seventeen she sang amongst the finest opera singers in The Chinese Hall of Excellence. She came from a poor family, but her skill was so great that she won a scholarship and became one of the most loved singers in the whole of China. This is the story of her final performance. The day her dream ended. Edith was a perfectionist. She wanted people to remember her, flawlessly. (This story is dedicated to one of my childhood heroes, Elizabeth Sladen, who will be missed by many people, some of whom didn’t even know her, but grew up loving Sarah Jane Smith.) Edith MehXian is Alexand and Heyem’s paternal grandmother. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Anastasia was stolen from her family when she was five, and forced to live as a concubine. From the age of fourteen she has produced children for the Amanojuko Lord, Ichitumbu. The Amanojuko are a race of immortals who have the ability to regenerate. They are no longer human, but Anastasia’s mother, Alexand Merek’s blood, is poison to them and can turn them into ‘What isn’t’. Amanojuko scientists are using Anastasia to attempt to find a cure for the poison in Alexand Merek’s bloodline. Anastasia has no concept of death and therefore no concept of murder. “What wasn’t” is an Amanojuko term for human and “What could be” refers to the potential for Anastasia producing an Amanojuko child. So far she has failed and her husband isn’t pleased. This story also mentions Anastasia’s mirror twin, Ancille Merevija. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Abouna Panak’s life is going to change more than he can imagine. He has been left an orphan at the age of ten, but has no time to grieve for his mother’s loss. After he discovered his mother laying in the kitchen, with a suicide note, he was greeted by a very dubious man. Abouna has no other living family. His mother never told him why. The man in the balaclava isn’t responsible for his mother’s death, in fact his mother seemed to trust him. Who is this Guild Master’s General, and why would Abouna’s mother wish for him to travel with him after her death? CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
After the murder of her father, and the disappearance of her brother and sister, Ancille Merevija must rebuild her life, with her mother, Alexand. Alexand was on a military mission and returned to find two of her children stolen, her husband murdered and Ancille left for dead. Ancille was badly injured and lost her hearing. When Ancille was strong enough, Alexand took her daughter to her sister, Heyem’s house, to hide from whoever destroyed their family. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Heyem Merek has run away from her former life. Her childhood, spent in poverty and her teenaged years in military correction. She is well educated and proud of her achievements. If only her identical twin sister, Alexand would allow her to forget about her past, completely. Things would be a lot less complicated and painful. (Artwork on the wall in drawing 2: by Frida Kahlo, “My Nurse and I.” 1937) This story also features Samuel, Ancille and Anastasia Merevija. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
The Guild Master’s General is a mysterious man, who appears throughout time and place. Not much is known about him, apart from the fact he has created a lot of chaos in the lives of many. This story also features, Alexand Merek. CLICK HERE for next chronological story. A Spanish version is now available, translated by Hernán Jara Droguett.
Inajda Rekaya (Ee-n-eye-da) is seventeen years old, but has joined the army to support her husband, Eric and twin Daughters, Alexand and Heyem. She doesn’t realise that her decision will not just save their lives, but change the future of her family. Special Thanks to Imran Malik for helping me with translating English to Hindi. (The Hindi reads, “It’s open!”) This story also features, Katherine De Somme. CLICK HERE for next chronological story. A Spanish version is now available, translated by Hernán Jara Droguett.
Juba Apfvarzian needs to forget his past. He spends a lot of time taking drugs and drinking with his best friend and fellow drunk Alexand Merek. They met decades ago on a floating asylum ship for the criminally insane. Juba had a wife, Lucy and a son, Ayo, before he went to the asylum. When he was released, he discovered that they had both died of influenza, and he was alone. He and Alexand met up again after her release and discovered that they had a lot in common. Alexand had also lost her wife, Katherine to an unknown virus and her husband Jarad to an unbeatable war. Her son, Sam and daughter, Anastasia had been stolen when they were children. Alexand’s surviving daughter Ancille has grown up and Alexand and Juba spend a lot of their lives trying to run away from bad things. This is one of those days. (A Spanish version is now available to read, translated by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Katherine De Somme is thirteen years old and has been forced to join the army, (by her father Georges) after accidentally killing her younger sister, Lali, in a chemical explosion. Her parents had high expectations of her, but her need to live up to their high standards has resulted in devastation for everyone. Katherine loses everything and everyone, in one horrible night. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Jarad Vijay has spent the past four years, bringing up his son alone, after his wife, Alexand, was taken and placed in an asylum for crimes against the military. Once released she woke from a catatonic state. Six months have passed since she woke. Jarad hoped her recovery would enable him to rebuild their lives as a family. Unfortunately, things aren’t that simple. (Jarad and Alexand grew up together as children. They were forced into the military at a young age. Jarad left, but Alexand remained a soldier. Their lives drifted apart until a series of events brought them back together. They were married after Alexand was widowed. Jarad believes she is still grieving for her dead wife, Katherine De Somme. He is very much in love with her, but this further separation in the form of Alexand’s imprisonment, has done little for their relationship. Alexand is very traumatised by her ordeal inside the asylum and Jarad doesn’t know if he can help her recover from it.) Trivia: Why has Alexand got metal fingers? Answer: Her fingers were severed by a samurai sword, during a mission as a young woman. (See issue 9:) The sword bearer was a man dressed in a black balaclava. He appears throughout time and place. People come to know him as The Guild Master’s General, but know little about him. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
This story is set seven months before issue # 1: Alexand Merek, (a week after her release from an asylum). Samuel Merevija is only four years old. His mother was taken from him and his father when he was a baby, but now she has been brought back to their family home, after spending four years in a floating asylum ship. Samuel doesn’t understand why his mother won’t speak. He has made some special things for her to try and bring her back to his world. (Characters from left to right are: Samuel Merevija, Jarad Vijay and Alexand Merek). (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
Eldenath Balsara is an orphan. She doesn’t know who her father is and her mother was put in ‘The Bad Thing Box’ for being ‘evil’. She has a new mother, who is a matron in The House of Plenitude and Mirth. Eldenath has to un-learn the Bad Things taught to her by her old mother, like reading big words and looking at paintings and singing in the shower and listening to music. (See issue: 17) She is about twelve years old here. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
Anesidor Sumian dreams of escaping from a gradually shrinking world and the confines of a disapproving society. Her story begins with a wish and is set over a century before her first appearance in my series of novels. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
Alexand Merek has been released from a floating asylum. She has just woken from catatonia. This story is set fifty years before her first appearance in my series of novels. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
