This is a different type of story than the ones I usually share on this blog because this isn’t one I wrote, it’s one I experienced. Last Saturday night I came home to my house looking like a pool. Get your home electric done properly with the pros at electrician greenlawn. My entire basement was flooded due to some flash thunderstorms in my area. I didn’t know what to do so I immediately searched online for suffolk county plumbers in my area. Luckily I ended up finding Order a Plumber, a local Long Island company that was fully-prepared to handle the job.

They arrived at my house in no time, which was important because I was absolutely FREAKING out. I didn’t know what sort of damage was being done by the water sitting in my basement. Once they arrived they explained the situation to me in clear terms and laid out my options. Call electrician greenlawn if you need a good electrician. Once we decided on a course of action they were on their way! In what felt like a flash my basement was beginning to look more like the room I remembered and less like the pool it had become. There’s no underlying moral to this story except for my glowing review of Order a Plumber. If you’re located on Long Island and need a Suffolk county plumber the next time shit hits the fan (hopefully not literally), then you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t contact Order a Plumber first.

Dark. The city was dark, but the lights were bright. They told her to jump. Stubborn.

On a roof top of an abandoned rundown building a young woman sat down upon the ledge and peered down at the cars and people walking about. The people were more like shadows at this time of the night and the cars were more or less, glowing beetles on wheels. The surrounding city lights looked like stars plastered upon these huge concrete and metal monuments. Some of which were larger than the great pyramids of Giza.  The air was muggy and damp. The sky was a hue of different colors bouncing off the deep dark but highly saturated blue.

“Jane. Jane. Jane.”

The woman stood up. Her scuffed and wet black leather round-toe combat boots rested heavy on the ground. Tall legs covered by fitted ripped jeans stood her body of about 5ft9. A rusty chain hung loosely out of one pocket and into another which complemented the brown buttons and zipper stripe on her deep brown and cracked leather jacket. On her sides, her arms hung loosely. Her fist accompanied by a pair of beaten up high-end leather gloves. Her pinky poked out of her right glove tip as it revealed her snow pale skin.

“Description. Description. Description.”

Her lips curled upward at the skyline. Her deep hazel eyes glowed brightly as pieces of her wild, reddish shade of brown chestnut hair land over her right eyelid. Her ears were not pierced and her skin clear of any marks.

A shadowy figure a couple hundred feet away in the back of her stepped forward. The young woman continued to direct her attention at the city skyline.  Another step was taken by the shadow. And then another step. With each step the shadow took, it grew a foot or two closer to Jane.  Every 3-heart beats meant another step for the mysterious figure that had been closing in onto her ever since she stood up.

“Heart beat. Heart beat. Heart beat.”

Jane stood there feeling empowered and in control of everything in her universe. All the troubles that been in her mind a day ago vanished. The trials and turbulence of life couldn’t break her. The greed and fear of the world did not devour her soul, body, and mind. Unique and special? No. There are others out there. A rarity in numbers but they are out there.

“You are not special.  You are a rarity. Not special.”

The shadow continued on.  She wondered about the many years of heartbreak and rejection from the people around her for a moment before turning around and eyeing the shadowy figure.

Jane is 25 years of age. She struggled for most of her teenage life working odd jobs, saving, studying, and focusing on her dream to own her own department store. The building she stood on is abandoned until all the paper work is finished with. All she needed now was the call.

It took a lot to get where she was. Her father owned a successful Design studio in middle Manhattan and always encouraged her to follow what her gut told her to do. Intuition was huge and with that she studied ways to develop a stronger gut. Growing up in the age of Google, the answers were everywhere.  Eventually she grew to have an abnormal connection to the Universe. Everything spoke to her allowing her moves to be as smooth as water.  Some called it luck. Who would have known she’d own her own building in NYC. This created much more opportunity.

“Its over now” The shadow spoke.

“Is it now…” Jane thought back. Her eyes fixed on the dark blur.  She turned back around and continued to stare at the city skyline.

“One last fight… “ The shadow started. “One last fight and if I win, you jump.”

“That’s not going to happen!” Jane laughed. “You don’t get it do you? It’s over. I won. You should just give up to be honest.”

“If I give up then you wouldn’t have anything to push you.” The shadow replied back.

“Fine… But I’ll win. I won’t allow you to stop me in my tracks.”

“We’ll see about that!” the shadow exclaimed as it took a fighting position drawing some sort of shadow sword out of its body.

Jane turned around without saying another word. Her eyes fixed on the shadow and it’s sword. Jane lifted up her hand as a blade begun to fabricate in her right hand. It was also a sword. Jane thought back to how she’d fought this foe in the past, over and over again. Every time she fought the shadow it was a challenge. At the end of every challenge was growth.

“I’ll end this swiftly.” Jane thought as she took the hilt of the sword in both hands.

The shadow lunged at her with great speed and force, tearing the ground to pieces as its feet lifted off the ground. It’s blade ready to pierce the heart of Jane.

Jane froze for a second; unaware of how fast the entity was going. She’d never witnessed that much power before but this wasn’t going to stop her. She continued forward with just as much speed as the shadow. Never had she moved this fast before but Jane was determine to strike this enemy down and continue on the road to her dreams.

“I won’t lose!” Jane yelled as their swords clashed with one another. Her arms shacked uncontrollably as she struggled to hold the weight to the shadowy figure. The Shadow pushed her back a bit as Jane fell backwards towards the ledge of the building.  “I… I won’t allow you to destroy me. Everything I am.” Jane thought to her self. Just as the shadow took its death strike to the young woman, who was sitting at the ledge of the building, a bright light began to glow from in back of her. Jane quickly stood up and drove the sword straight into the shadow’s mid body.

“…” Without a word, the figure evaporated into the air. Self doubt. Limitations. Fear.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Splash! Water separates and swells back into place. Duke is swimming carelessly in the six-foot deep underground pool that Jackie and Brennan built nearly five years ago today. The temperature’s reached 79 degrees, the perfect day to swim. Duke climbs out of the pool and begins to drink some water. All of a sudden Brennan throws a toy over Duke’s way, caught off guard Duke reacts with quick precise motion and catches the toy with his mouth then finally flops in the pool.  Head barely bobs above water, Duke swims to the shallow end of the pool and sits on the stairs entering the pool. Jackie heads toward the steps and graciously sits beside Duke patting his head. He looks up at her and half smiles. Duke, lapping up the sun, sits for a moment before running up the stairs onto the deck. He takes off running around the yard for nearly 35 seconds. Heart beating faster than the horses in the Kentucky Derby he runs to find water.

Frantically gulping down the ice cold refreshing liquid Duke hears the back yard gate open up. He gazes up at Brennan who motions for Duke to follow him. Ecstatic, Duke makes a dash for the gate. Catching up to Brennan they both walk on the side walk at a brisk pace. Brennan’s smile stretches from ear to ear as he brushes Duke’s hair. Duke shakes off the excess water and looks up at Brennan for approval. They both continue to walk, but Duke stops in his tracks and makes a bee line straight to the house. With confusion Brennan then spots Jackie leaving the gate of the house. Duke circles around Jackie three times before walking at her pace. They catch up to Brennan and all begin walking toward the park. The heat from the sun nearly dries Duke’s hair as he shakes the moisture loose one more time.

As they approach the park, Duke is met by Ofelia. Circling each other they both take off into the open terrace of the park. Jackie and Brennan converse subtly with Rob and Mary. A breeze begins to enter the park and the trees begin to shake. Clouds begin to roll in. “Rain was in the forecast today?” Jackie says puzzled. The breeze gets stronger. “Well we do live in Seattle” Rob joked.  “Yup rain nearly every day” commented Mary.

Brennan whistles to Duke and motions him back to the park exit. Trying to beat the oncoming rain, Brennan and Jackie part ways with Rob and Mary. Raindrops kissing their warm skin Duke is still running. A crash of thunder in the distance stops Duke in his tracks. Jackie reminding Brennan of Duke’s fear of thunderstorms Brennan scoops him up and they all power walk back to the house. Drizzles turned into steady rain as they reach the backyard gate. Duke bolts for the back door of the house and waits for Brennan and Jackie to catch up. Brennan reaches the back door first and replies “You beat me!” Duke barks and wags his tail. He pets Duke’s hair and says “You’re the best dog ever Duke!” Jackie finally enters the house and smiles in awe.