Johnny Wraith Stories

A New Start

"Johnny, do you know why mankind was cursed with The Disease?" asked Wulf.

"No, but I don't think it's a curse."

"It is a curse. How could it be anything else?"

I shrugged.

"Well?"

"You're suggesting mankind is being punished. I just don't see it that way. A deadly virus mutated faster than medical science could fight it. The Disease won. We simply lost the top position in the food chain. It's an impassionate cause and effect; nature is blind to any concept of good or evil. Nature doesn't curse or punish mankindfor moral or ethical reasons."

Wulf raised a meaty paw and pointed it at me. "Johnny," he tisk-tisked, you have a lot to learn. There IS a moral and ethical reason for The Disease, and the reason is your race's irresponsibility."

"Really? You're going to have to explain this to me in detail. I'm skeptical."

"I'll tell it to you straight: your race, as you know it, simply advanced as far as it could before inevitably destroying itself with the power it possessed. Extinction was guaranteed. To prevent extinction, The Disease was sent to... let's say, separate the wheat from the chaff, so a better, more responsible race could emerge from the ashes - or more exactly, from the chosen few left behind." 

"I don't buy it. We were just getting into stem cell science, cloning, medically-induced hard-ons, DNA mapping, bunker-busting bombs, affordable Lasik surgery. Science was at an all-time high! How can this be so dangerous? It's all good stuff that made the world a better place than ever."

"Johnny, science's ‘all-time high' was not going any higher, and that's the problem. As you've pointed out, your race has done exceptionally well in the areas of science and technology, but it has never developed or advanced its Passions. In fact, mankind has been perverting the Passions from the beginning - actually standing the Passions on their heads. The Disease had to come so that the new race would have a chance to move forward with the science and technology of the old race, while embracing the Passions in their true, uncorrupted states. This marriage between pure Passions and advanced knowledge will allow the new race to safely progress far beyond the point where the old race left off."

"Wait a minute here. I think we need to step back. Who, exactly, sent The Disease?"

"Johnny, you should know at least a part of the answer."

"Vina?"

"Yes. The Goddess Vina was only one of the many of The True Godhood involved in the decision, but for now, I can only discuss, with you, why The Disease was sent - not the identity of the other pantheon members behind the decision. You have much to learn before any other members of the True Godhood can be revealed. In fact, you may never learn more of Them in this life. It all depends on whether you will be chosen."

"Oh shit! You mean I'm not chosen already? I might still catch The Disease and die?"

"Or die a violent death."

Or die a violent death. I sighed and dropped my head. I sat there, weakened, hopeless, and unable, for what seemed an eternity. Why did I have to be a part of all of this? Why did I have to play this game? It wasn't right! It wasn't fair! Shit! Fuck! What did this have to do with me? I just wanted to be left alone. I felt caged, chained, with nowhere to hide. With these thoughts boiling, the despair too much to bear, something began to tingle from deep inside, something faint, but hopeful. And it slowly grew stronger, like the last smoking ember in a dying fire that miraculously puts forth a weakened, shaking fist, opens its withered fingers, and releases a tiny flame. How this small flame worked its way from the core of my being, lit the kindling, steadily grew warmer and brighter, rolled out from my trunk in my warming blood, into my limbs, then into the very capillaries of my fingers and toes! The blood in my veins began to boil. My face turned red and swelled, my eyes turned bloodshot with pressure and bulged, the hair on my back and neck stood on end, the RAGE, the first passion, unveiled its face to me for the first time! In an instant, from a fetal position of withdrawal, the fire within me exploded forth, as if finally burning down the locked doors and finding the gunpowder stores. With foaming mouth, I sprang to my feet with narrowed, insane, bulging eyes, fists clenching their fingers white, teeth glaring. "WULF!!! TODAY YOU SHALL DIE YOU GOD DAMNED MOTHER FUCKER, YOU FILTHY BASTARD FROM THE VILE STINKING CUNT OF A ROTTING INFESTED WHORE!!! And with that challenge, the battle began.

I stood braced for combat, truly fearless for the first time in my life, face to face against a snarling, giant wolf with a head as big as a lion's, and rows of teeth long and sharp as the deadliest daggers. Because the RAGE gave me focus, all I remembered in that moment of absolute passion were the guiding words of my grandfather I'd heard as a boy: "Johnny, if you are ever confronted by a large, angry dog, just make a fist, aim it straight down the dog's throat, and punch it straight in as deep as you can. Hold on tight, and you'll keep that dog from bighting or breathing. I don't care how big it is. It won't be able to fight."

Wulf lunged. It was like standing in front of a charging train with teeth.

With a well-aimed punch, I jammed my fist straight down the monstrous dog's throat and found his tonsils clinched tightly in my hand. My feet came off the ground, and my body flailed and lashed about. I felt like a rodeo cowboy hanging onto a 10,000 lb, bucking bull, but I held on tight with one hand, just like grandpa said I should.

"CUNT!!! ASS FUCKING MOTHER FUCKER GOD DAMNED SON OF A BITCH. FUCKING GOD DAMNED FUCKING WHORE!!!!" I raged. And I Raged. And I RAGED as I flipped about in the air, not letting go, and I believe I lasted more than 8 seconds before taking the offensive: With my free fist, I slammed into the side of Wulf's head as hard and fast as I could, not letting up until all my fingers and knuckles were broken, my lungs too spent to inhale once more, my body too weak and battered to hang on any longer. As I let go, my sight went black.

"Johnny, wake up." It seemed an eternity had passed.

I slowly gained consciousness. The light was bright through my eyelids. My slumber was deep. "Wha?? What?"

"Get up!"

I batted my eyes and the shadowed image of a large wolf's face appeared over me.

"Johnny, wake up. You've been asleep for a while," said Wulf.

With a bit of a struggle, I sat up and looked around. I felt embarrassed, as if I'd just woken from a long night of drunkenness - one in which I'd made an extreme fool of myself, couldn't remember much, but did remember grabbing a few asses, saying terrible things, vomiting and urinating in the wrong places. My face blushed bright red. I could feel the heat of my shame.

"Johnny," said Wulf. "Don't worry about what happened. It was necessary."

"Necessary?"

"Yes."

"Well... um... what, exactly, happened? Please include all the details."

"Johnny, don't you remember? You attacked me."

"Yes, I remember that. I'm sorry about that."

"You put up a great fight! I'm so proud of you. You've taken a very large first step."

"Thanks. I was surprised how well I did."

Wulf chuckled. "Johnny, you only did well at the start. But I give you credit. You got in a lot of great hits, and gave my tongue a good yanking."

"What happened after that?"

"I bit off your arm, then your head."

I looked down at my arm. It was intact. I felt my head. It was still there. With a worried face, I looked to Wulf for an answer.

"Johnny, The Goddess put you back together. She was moved by your truly finally accepting the first of the Passions into your heart. You gave your life to, you died for a Passion, RAGE."

"Died?"

"Yes, but brought back to life. Don't worry. You're as good as new."

Still feeling uneasy, I took a moment to examine my body for defects. "I hope so."

"You're fine!" Wulf chuckled.

"This is really weird."

"Yes, it will take a while for all that has happened to sink in.  Just be happy you've won Her heart so far. She did see fit to bring you back."

"I haven't already won Her heart for good?"

"No, though you are on the right track."

"I thought she once told me I was with her forever, in a dream!"

"In the spirit, yes, thought not in the body."

"I thought She already chose me unconditionally. After all, as you said, She just brought me back from the dead. I've even sucked wine straight from her tits," I objected, but deep inside I knew it was going to be a long and uncertain journey.

"Yes, you are favored. However, and unfortunately, you are just one of a number of Her contestants, for lack of a better word. Only if you prove yourself will you become one of the selected fathers, chosen to sire the new race of men."

"Sire? Chosen? Shit. This is getting crazier and crazier."

"Johnny, let's get back to why The Disease had to be sent. Your other questions will have to be answered at another time."

"Yeah, alright, but let me drink some wine first."

"That's a good idea," agreed Wulf.

So we drank from the nearby stream by the gallon, me with eager, splashing hands, Wulf with giant, lapping tongue. With quenched thirst we staggered back to the grassy mound to continue my lesson.

"O.k., so, The Disease had to kill most of us off because mankind didn't have the right emotional state, it abused the Passions, even though it was succeeding in advancing technology and science - and for this reason, we were going to inevitably extinct ourselves with the power we'd possessed," I started.

"Very good Johnny! Again, I am so proud of you. You just gave the answer, but do you see exactly why this answer was necessary?"

"I'm not sure. A few examples might help."

"Very well. Look at the world right before The Disease broke out. Thousands were dying in the Middle East over corporate plans to control oil. Small unstable countries were testing nuclear weapons with the intent of killing millions over ideological or religious issues. People were being murdered in the streets by mobs over the publication of religious cartoons or for eating pork or beef. Women were denied the right to willingly sell sexual services to paying customers - and in some places were required to wear scarves over their faces, or burqas over their heads, in public. Smoking was being banned almost everywhere. Even in the ‘advanced' nations of the world, decent citizens were being imprisoned for enjoying harmless hallucinogenic pleasures in the privacy of their homes. The work week was at least 40 hours, on average, in the United States, and in some states, like Utah, tired workers were forced to settle for 3.2% beer each night. Drivers were required to pay public highway tolls after being forced to pay almost half their salaries in taxes. In Taiwan, the government was going so far as murdering people for selling drugs. The list goes on and on. It was all wrong. And those are examples of what happens when the Passions are perverted and corrupted."

"Yeah, that's all pretty fucked up."

"With mankind having reached such a corrupted state, how can you but agree a cleansing was required, that it was time for the The Disease to arrive and purge the sickness?"

"O.k., I guess it is all starting to make sense. Too much scientific knowledge in the hands of irrational and irresponsible animals is not a good thing. If every religious nut out there could make an atom bomb in his kitchen sink, it would spell a lot of trouble for the human race."

"Perhaps it would spell total annihilation? Wulf winked."

"But... But what the hell am I still doing still alive? Look at how I attacked you. I'm no better than them."

"You aren't perfect, but you are better than them. You keep the Passions to an individual, personal level, and don't force others to engage in the Passions with you. That is the trick. That is why you've been chosen."

"But Wulf, look at me. Before The Disease, all I wanted to do was write stories, go on adventures, get laid, and drink wine."

"Exactly! You kept the Passions pure!"

I scratched my head in thought "That's true. I kept to myself for the most part."

"Did you ever want to murder people for religious reasons? Or to gain wealth?" Wulf prompted.

"No."

"Did you ever embrace politics?"

"No, politics is just another word for a few powermongers to use when rationalizing the stealing of money and freedom from the many," I answered.

"Have you ever cared about what other people choose to do with their own bodies?"

"No. If someone wants to buy a blow job from a willing hooker or smoke a joint in front of the TV, why do I care?"

 "And what would you do if you possessed all the knowledge you needed to make an atom bomb in your kitchen sink?"

"I'd use the knowledge to make cheaper electricity, never to kill people."

"Johnny, you've answered your own question of your worthiness. If everyone believed in the often-called Live and Let Live principle, mankind could continue advancing without worrying about bringing about its certain annihilation."

"But I'm not perfect. I drink a lot of wine and bang all the chicks I can. I've engaged in violence. I've killed people."

"If everyone only sinned as much as you do, then all would be fine. The Passions would remain pure. The Passions would remain the perfect guides for managing powerful science and technology."

"What about Grace? Didn't I abuse her?"

"No, she chose to give herself to you, even though it wasn't in her best interest. She chose abuse. You accepted the offer."

"What about the guy I shot that was trying to raping her?"

"You killed him for taking her freedom, and that's not a bad thing."

‘What about my attacking you, Wulf?"

"I deserved it because I was challenging your freedom. I consented to the fight."

"What about my drinking too much wine?"

"No one is required to worship Goddess Vina, but she willingly offers her abundant breasts to thirsty babes."