Heroes & Villains The Ultimate Albatross Collection

By The Albatross

From a strange new world far away, to a world closer to home filled with magic and wonder, this ultimate collection of imagination from the mind of the Albatross is sure to leave you wanting more! Come with the Albatross on a journey through strange lands, with strange creatures, and even a sprinkle of some supernatural shenanigans. Inspired by the grind-house vision of storytelling, First follow Princess as she searches for a way home after getting lost in a magical land, in the Princess & the poor boy. Then tag along as Greg Jennings searches for the person who kidnapped his son, in the short thriller Sin's of the past. And last but not least, fly along with Daniel Hawkins after he awakens one day with lot's of powerful new abilities that he absolutely does not want, in Oddball: How to live with powers without having to be super. For a limited time only enjoy all three stories for a great low price!

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Albatross
• Release date: Apr 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310580697

The Albatross

Like the albatross i'm either a gift or a curse. So I stumble when I walk and when I walk slow it's worse.

Book preview

Chapter 1

PRINCESS PAINS

As the story goes, on the day I was born my father needed just one look into my brand newborn baby eyes to know that I'd always be his little princess. And for the longest time; fifteen years in fact, I was his little princess. Dad had just made partner at the law firm months before I was born, and mom inherited nearly a million dollars from her granddad after he passed, so I pretty much grew up getting just about whatever I wanted, whenever, and wherever I wanted. For fifteen years my life was positively wonderful, up until the months preceding my sixteenth birthday. When I first found out that I was soon going to have a baby sister; I didn't exactly take it too well. I started becoming increasingly isolated and angry. I didn't want there to be another little princess, and I was perfectly fine with the way things were. Try as they might to assure me that this new addition to our family would not change our lives, I just couldn't help but too feel as though my days as Daddy's little princess were over. My parents must have easily sensed my agitation, because when it came time for my sixteenth birthday party they truly did go all out. For my dress they got me a black ballerina tutu with pink lace around the edging, and a pair of black knee high Chuck Taylors with pink laces, as well as my own private DJ playing only the music I had chosen. So after several months of needless agitation on my part, I was finally happy once again.

Then just as my dad was about to hand me the keys to what was probably going to be something with four wheels and extremely shiny, my mother began clutching her stomach, and screaming out in obvious pain. I should have been happy, but in no time at all the look of pure joy that was on my face just moments earlier had given way to one of mostly horror by the sudden realization that my mother was about to have my baby sister on my very own Sweet Sixteenth.

AUBREYONA MARIE'S birthday was shortly before 4 p.m. Eastern standard time, much to the joy of the many family and friends who had just hours earlier been celebrating mine. I stood alone outside room 17B with my arms crossed, admittedly watching them with much more distain than I care to admit as they continued to walk in and out, many carrying balloons, and gifts that read Happy Birthday, but were not for me. So feeling lonely, and totally unwanted, I soon decided to take a stroll around the hospital and possibly away from home, which is when I saw him.

Christian? Christian Reed? I said aloud to the handsome brown haired young man whom I hadn't seen in years.

Well if it isn’t the Windy Cities very own, Princess! Long time no see, your highness. He says with a somewhat eager grin.

Yes, I know. It seems like it's been forever! How have you been?

Well, after mom died, between the scandal, the move, and me quitting school; all my dad seemed to care about was getting to the bottom of another bottle of whiskey, which in turn began the unfortunate chain of events that ultimately leads me to why I'm sitting here today!

I remember it like it was yesterday. Christian’s dad had taught a class in engineering at a nearby college and provided very well. That was up until his name was negatively tossed around in the news after a scout ranger master was charged with taking advantage of some trusting young boy's on wooded property that Christian's dad owned. Though his dad had nothing to do with what happened to the children, in the court of public opinion it doesn’t take much to condemn a man, so seemingly disgraced his dad began drinking, and he lost his job, forcing Christian's mom to get a job just to help keep them afloat. Unfortunately, one night as she was driving home from a long day at work, a drunk driver slammed into her head on.

So how have you been? Christian asks as if only to change the subject from him.

I’ve been better. I just had the only sweet sixteen birthday party I'll ever have ruined because my baby sister just had to be born on the exact same day. The little troll couldn’t even wait 24 more hours before she started ruining my life.

Princess pauses for a moment to catch her breath.

So what exactly are you doing here?

Well it seems as if my half- brother seems to have the same lousy timing that your little sister does. This happens to be the fourth anniversary of my mom's death. Four years ago today she died ...on your birthday!

Oh, wow. I’m really sorry to hear that.

Me too! We were on our way to the graveyard when my stepmother went into labor.

That really sucks, but I know how you feel! I swear sometimes I wish I could just escape. You know! Just fly as far away as I could and never come back. Let all three of them have their happy new lives without me around to get in their way.

"Well, What if you could?

"What if I could what?

"What if you could fly away and escape? Would you really do it?

Of course! I wouldn't want to be in the way of their brand new little princess?

A smile suddenly arose on his face that instantly reminded me of just how cute I remembered him being.

Do you believe in destiny, Princess?

I’m not sure. Maybe. I suppose so. Why?

Because I’m beginning to think that it may have been your destiny to accompany me today.

Accompany you where?

To the place that destroyed my life.

Why would we want to go to a place that you blame for destroying your life?

Because, I intend to use this place to restore my life.

How do you plan on doing that?

Hopefully, Princess, you’ll see!

Christian then extends his hand out to me.

Do you trust me? He asks with eyes so bold and blue I found myself briefly having to catch my breath.

I wasn't sure if it was because I was upset about my new baby sister, or if I simply had a feeling somewhere deep inside that compelled me to do it, but I willingly took Christians hand, and after retrieving my pet Chihuahua, CHICO from my parents car, we took off in his parents car and made our way to the place that Christian held personally responsible for the downfall of his everything.

CHAPTER 2

A LIGHT IN DARK PLACES

We had been on the road nearly thirty minutes before I'd begun to wonder if anyone back at the hospital had even noticed that I was missing. It was shortly after that that Christian handed me with a folder containing a variety of sketches inside of it.

Wow. These are pretty good. Did you draw these?

No, they were my moms. I had absolutely no idea she was so talented until my dad gave me those after she died. Do you see the one that looks like a blueprint for a glider?

Yeah, I saw that one. It would be cool if something like that actually existed.

Well, as it turns out my mother was quite a genius, and she sacrificed more than I ever knew to be the saint of a mother she was.

I started to briefly think about my mother after listening to Christian so eloquently talk about his, but about two miles into the thick brush we were driving through I soon saw a huge church steeple towering high above the treetops. Atop the steeple was a large iron cross.

What’s this church doing way out here?

My dad use to be a pretty religious dude so he had it built back here so that when my scout ranger troop went camping we’d still have a place to worship on Sundays. He even had a garage built in so we could work on our soapbox derby cars as well.

After exiting the car, Christian walks towards the garage door.

Are there any cars still in there?

Unfortunately not, I guess you could say that I’ve finally moved up from soapbox.

Christian then opens the garage, and inside are a couple of odd looking cloaks hanging on a couple of weird looking coat racks. One was red, and the other one is black.

Are those what I think they are?

They are exactly what you think they are. My Mother's Dream! You see shortly after my mother's death my father humored me by helping me build them. And for about a year we spent what free time we had, when he wasn’t drunk, working on them. But after he met Rebecca at their Alcohol Anonymous meetings he just stopped giving a damn. So I spent the past few years working on them myself, to honor my mom.

Christian, I think that it's wonderful that you’d do that for your mom, but can you really glide through the air with these things?

No! They don’t glide. After a few failures, and a closer look at my mom's sketches I noticed a few key points that I had overlooked before, and that’s when I realized why I had been so unsuccessful at getting them airborne.

What did you overlook?

The fact that they were never meant to glide. They were meant to FLY!

I’m sure that if those things could really fly you’d be flying in tons of cash right about now.

You forget I’m only seventeen. My dad and his new wife would be the ones swimming in cash right now. Besides, I just want to leave, and travel the world.

Well, if they really do fly, then why haven’t you left yet?

As soon as I catch him hanging outside the prison for recreational time, I'll snatch him up, put the fear of God in him, drop him, and then I'll leave?

Snatch who?

The Scout leader that ruined my life, that’s who! I’ve been flying over the prison for months hoping to catch him outside. So far I haven’t been able to get a clean shot at him, but when I do I'll take him for a ride about seven thousand feet high in the air, and then let gravity take over from there.

You couldn’t! Could you?

Because of him my mother is dead, Princess. I will never get to hold the woman I cherished most in this world ever again. He doesn’t just deserve to die. He deserves to suffer!

Christian then removes the black cloak from the stand and puts it on. He removes a funky looking pair of black gloves from the inside of the cloak and puts them on as well. One of the gloves has a bit of a pouch on it.

What’s with that glove?

That’s where the emergency grapple is stored.

Emergency grapple?

Yeah. Just in case something goes wrong that’s your ace in the hole. Pull the yellow tab not the red. The red releases the harness. Now, Suit up, Princess. Destiny is calling your name.

I put on the red cloak and gloves just before following Christian up a flight of stairs leading up to the steeple with the big iron cross. Once we are standing on the steeple Christian makes a slight movement with his shoulders, and the cloak springs open like an umbrella, revealing a pair of large black wings.

I don’t know if I can. I nervously say to Christian, which of course he completely ignores as he leaps off of the steeple, and disappears from my point of view.

I start to gasp in horror from instinctively feeling as though Christian had just plummeted to his death, so I carefully walk over to the edge of the steeple, to search for his broken body when he suddenly darts up into the air like a bird in the wind.

My God! He's actually doing it! He’s flying!

"You see, Princess, ANYTHING is possible when you care enough about it.

Come now, Princess. Spread your wings and fly. Follow me and learn what true freedom feels like!

Nervously, I begin to mimic the movement Christian made when he extended his cloak's wings. It works, and I soon find that the only thing keeping me attached to the ground is, me, myself, and I.

Come on, Princess. Take that leap. You’ll never forgive yourself if you don’t. I can promise you that.

A bit frightened, but genuinely excited, I took hold of the two small harnesses’ that are attached to each wing, and of course proceeded to say a brief prayer.

God, if I’m wrong about this, I beg of you to please cut me some slack! Technically it wouldn't be suicide, just an unfortunate case of stupicide!

And like an idiot I leapt from the top of the steeple. The fall felt like the beginning of a scary rollercoaster, but as the wind began to race beneath my wings, I began to glide quite uncontrollably in the direction of a nearby forest.

USE THE HARNESSES ON THE WINGS TO MOVE LEFT AND RIGHT PRINCESS! Christian screams out as loud as he possibly could, and thank God he did, because I narrowly escaped smacking into the side of an enormous oak because of it. Unfortunately all too soon I found myself gliding uncontrollably into a nearby lake.

CHRISTIAN! I’m about to glide into the water!! WHAT NOW?

HOLD ON TO THE HARNESSES, AND USE YOUR ARMS TO FLAP LIKE A BIRD, PRINCESS!

Seconds from making an unscheduled water landing, Christian's advice once again saves my ass and good thing too. I wouldn't have wanted to miss this experience. Long have I dreamt of being able to fly, and now here I am actually doing it. And believe me when I tell you that it is breathtaking in every sense of the word. Any lingering fears I had were soon replaced, and turned into pure joy as Christian and I both soar through clouds, racing, and embracing the miraculous achievement that these cloaked wings represented. It was an unbelievable experience, and a wonderful birthday present as well. Unfortunately though, it seems all good times can’t last, as I notice Christian's demeanor change as we began flying over the outskirts of the city of Chicago.

Is something wrong?

Christian doesn’t answer. He simply retracts his wings falls helplessly towards the cemetery below, then extends his wings shortly before he touches the ground. After landing I keep a watchful eye upon him as he pulls a rose out from his cloak, and places it on the grave below him.

I LOVE YOU, MOM! Do you see! Your dream didn’t die with you.

After a brief moment of silence Christian turns my way.

It's ironic, isn‘t it? Her gravestone ends, where yours begins!

Before I could respond to that interesting little point of his, the weather swiftly began to take a turn for the worse, and we were forced to head back to the church before it got too treacherous. Christian assures me that as long as we fly above the clouds that we will be fine, again, unfortunately for us the storm turns out to be much worse than he had anticipated. We both ended up using just about every ounce of strength we had just to get to the point where we could see the iron cross sticking up from the mostly wooded area below.

You're almost there, Princess!! Christian yell's as he lands atop the steeple, and tightly grabs hold of the enormous iron cross with one arm, while reaching out to me with the other. But the wind is too strong and, my arms continue to grow weaker and unable to do what my mind wants them to do. Desperate,