Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 1 Zer0 XHDX 0137

 Having awaken on a frozen snow covered tundra, Zer0 had no recollection of how he had gotten there. Zer0 was perplexed that he didn't seem to feel any pain what so ever about his body. Zer0 had streams of frozen blood coming from his nose and eyes. Zer0 stood to marvel at the beautiful majestic landscape that surrounded him.
 Zer0 was clothed in a solid black outfit so he defied the white snow covered tundra around him. Zer0's hair was frozen in spikes that stood 12 inches from his scalp. Zer0 stood 6 feet tall and to his knowledge was the only living breathing entity that dwelled in this lonely place. Zer0 noticed a large summit of a hill that was fairly nearby. He decided that he would journey over towards it to see if he could gain a better vantage point of finding out the contents of this frozen wasteland.
 Journeying over to the summit Zer0 checked the contents of his pockets and most unfortunately came up empty handed. At the top of the summit Zer0 peered out over the strange and mysterious land that he found himself trapped within. He noticed the tree line of what looked to be a great and ancient forest. Zer0 decided to himself that if he were to ever find any answers to this mysterious place he would find them within that great and ancient forest. Turning to begin his descent to the bottom of the summit a very large paw was very forcefully swung in the direction of his face.
 On second instinct Zer0 swung his head back from the large paw that so forcefully invaded his space just in time before the large claws of that paw tore the flesh from his face. Zer0 observed a large polar bear standing on its hind legs. Thinking very quickly Zer0 stayed low to the ground and rotated his body in a 360 degree counter sweep attack on the large mammal's supporting legs. After his counter attack landed it knocked the polar bear off of its balance and the large bear fell over the edge of the summit to the grounds below. Zer0 watched as the large mammal landed on its hind end and slide to safety in the valley below the summit.
 Knowing that the bear was safe Zer0 felt better about him and decided that he would go and explore the great and ancient forest that he had observed from the top of the summit. So he began his descent to the ground below the summit. It looked as if it was a straight shot from his current position besides flowing hills that lie here and there along the way. Unexpectedly Zer0 had to use the washroom to take a number 1. After unzipping his pants preparing to relieve himself Zer0 fell over as a booming voice made an announcement almost directly at him "The four X's will lead to the Door." The voice exclaimed and just as Zer0 finished relieving himself he felt himself whirring almost back in time to a distant memory of his former past.
It began on a day like this one that we experience today. It was very grim outside not very friendly in the street. It didn't really make sense to all of them why they stayed where they currently stayed but yet they lingered on. Enduring on their great adventure in a place known as Great Onyx, Zer0's sanity very slowly slipped away from him as he knew it or once knew it at least.
 
 

They rocked on with their modern day jams, at least they were modern day to them counting that they got lost in this place known as GO and they had never been updated on anything else that was happening in the outside world, and good friends of the many legends that you'll hear of from time to time through out the population updates of this place. For you see that they didn't exactly get to see public much through out their horrific stay at this place. So they more or less stayed frozen in time as they indulged in their studies of many random thoughts and experiences through the technology world.
 Some were kept to them and others were spoken through out the long days that they struggled with. Zer0 once heard a saying from a friend that he used to know, the story comes to the storyteller as water comes to the ocean from the flowing rivers, for do not try to intervene with the almighty flow of the great river, let it flow as it does. Row with the flow as it's spoken in a short phrase and you shall receive the words of the almighty flowing river. And on goes the process. And in his time that he spent at GO he learned so many new things and he met so many new interesting people that he would NEVER forget.
 His time is coming near that he will retire and be headed on his way into what is known by them as the "outside world." With so many things left to discover and experience through out his life. The one that he will NEVER forget is the true friends that he made at GO and the way they made him feel that he was equal to them. That he didn't have anything else left to be in debt to them that all he had to do was just be there and it was all ok. Zer0 will NEVER forget that people just seemed to fade out only to be remembered by some random action that they made therefore forcing them into a state of termination or by completing their trade and heading into the outside world.
 Zer0's version of the legend began with 3 individuals that went by Slim, Midnight, and Sketch. Sketch was a very hyper active son that was very skilled at drawing and such this being the reason why he went by Sketch. Whenever he was called a "white boy" by another he would react by informing them in a very ill manner that he in fact was "not white he was Italian." Therefore after Zer0 made the notification that these 3 hung out with each other he labeled them the "Italian Mafia."
 Zer0 decided that this would be the group in which he hung with the majority of the time he was there. These individuals held such things in common with Zer0 such as similar tastes in music. The hardcore selection of music was their course of listening. The one that goes by Midnight fascinated him in her own way with her unique taste in music by informing him on a new genre of music entitled "Dark Wave." He was not really sure how to describe this new genre of music except that after listening to a band entitled "Cruxshadows" he described this wonderful musical experience as being as a poem reading set to a musical beat that sounded something of a old school Western salon type taste. Slim was named this because he was very tall and skinny so they felt that this alias fit him well.
 Tori was a girl that Zer0 met on myspace.com. Zer0 was fully in love with Tori from the minute he set eyes on her. And she was in love with him as the same. They started going out with each other and made a very lovely couple.
 Slim and Midnight started taking an interest in one another somewhere along the beginning of their great adventures at Great Onyx. And so they ended up going out with each other in good time of course. This in no way bothered, Zer0, as he totally supported them and still does to this day in their individual stand as a gothic couple. Zer0 was totally aware that it's wrong to label things he was just doing his best to sound technical for this was his GREAT ADVENTURE OF Great Onyx.
 Slim and Midnight were standing in the ghetto court yard with the picnic tables made out of concrete surrounding them was a beautiful star lit night. Slim ended up using the classic line "Do you see the stars above Midnight?" Midnight, replied "Why yes I do. Why might you ask Slim?" And Slim replied "I've been counting those stars up there and for every star I could count I would think of a reason why you're special to me. There is only one problem." Midnight said "And what's that Slim?" Slim in his smooth manner replied "I ran out of stars." And so they started going out with one another.
 Sketch was a very sporadic individual he ended up going out with many randomized cracked out chicks around GO. One day later on down the road, while Zer0 was in trade which was computer technology for him and welding for Sketch. Sketch came into Zer0's trade and requested that he give him two latex gloves for some odd reason. Zer0 replied "Sure." So Zer0 handed Sketch, who was the Father of The Italian Mafia at the time, the two latex gloves he requested.
 Later on that day after trade Zer0 saw Sketch walking down the sidewalk with a very solemn look upon his face. It turned out that he had returned to welding and he filled both gloves with a flammable gas and took a lighter to each one. Now the action of this very sporadic individual almost blew welding up. Therefore he was terminated. With the absence of Sketch in the Italian Mafia this group label no longer served any use to anyone. The crew that Zer0 hung with now went by The Family when The New Father Slim rose to power with his Empress Midnight at his side.
 The rising of The Family to power meant that there were new slots to be filled for new individuals like ourselves. There was also a very needy situation for money in The Family. Therefore to meet the following needs the new members were named H17m4n, Koby, Malakia, Heavy D, and Old Man Buck and to meet the money requirements for The Family Slim instituted The Economy. The Economy worked in a way that they received snack every night at 8:30 PM. The Family would save their snacks and give all of them to Slim the New Father. Slim started out selling snacks at 50 cents a pop. This built quick revenue for Slim to work with in The Economy.
 H17m4n and Koby were the first two African Americans to make it into the family. H17m4n was always talking about taking somebody out in the shadows or something along those lines and that's where he got his alias from. Koby was by far the most hyper active minor that Zer0 had come across in his time at GO besides this fact he somewhat resembled the famous comedian Dave Chappelle. Koby got his alias by default along with Old Man Buck. These two were just originally known by that alias in specific. Malakia was accordingly descendent to a vampire named Malakia's bloodline this being where he got his alias. Heavy D was just very large and plain stupid this being where his alias originated.
 Later on others joined the ranks of the family while the majority of the former members were terminated from GO for many random reasons. The Economy is what The Family eventually became led by. The 4 main individuals in charge of The Economy were Slim, Midnight, Zer0, and B1g P1mp1n. Zer0 in good time led his own part of The Economy into a spiraling wreck of debt just before he managed to get his act straightened out for the big test of The A+ Certification exam. Zer0 failed the first part once but fortunately he was given another chance and was able to pass the second time at attempting the Hardware portion of the exam. Zer0 passed the software portion of the exam on the first attempt. He moved into the outside world after that.
 The booming voice declared "The first X is complete. The next is the second X."  Zer0 was sitting at his house bored as hell. That's when his mother asked him "hey do you want to come with me to the mall to run some errands?" So he said "yeah I'll go." Zer0 stood outside the mall and let his mother go ahead and walk in so he could finish his cigarette. Zer0 went in and ran straight into one of his old friends. She was with 2 females that he didn't know. They asked him if he wanted to hang out with them so he said "yeah." They went outside to get a smoke. And that was when his old friend introduced him to the 2 other females. One named Kelly and the other Kali. When he locked eyes with Kali Zer0 automatically fell in love with her. Kali was accordingly staying that night at Kelly's house. So he got Kelly's phone number so they could hang out the next day. That entire night all Zer0 could think about was Kali and if she liked him like that.
The next day he called Kelly and got directions to her house and went over there. They hung out with each other for a couple of hours until he had to leave and that was when Kali approached him and gave Zer0 her phone number. He called Kali that night and they talked he told her the way he felt for her and she said that she felt the same way so they started going out that night. They went out for 3 months without fighting or arguing with each other what so ever. One night Zer0 was hanging over at Kelly's house with Kali, Kelly, and one of his friends named Matt that ended up going out with Kelly.
It started to get late but Kali and Kelly didn't want Zer0 and Matt to leave. Zer0 asked Kelly "When is your mom going to sleep?" She told him that her mom had taken some sleeping pills and she would be out in about 30 minutes or so. Kelly told Zer0 that he should go with Matt down the street to a local gas station and call them on a payphone at 2 AM since it was currently 1:30 AM. So Zer0 kissed Kali goodbye and Zer0 and Matt went down the street. There they were sitting in front of the payphone when 2 AM hit and Zer0 called Kelly's house.
She told him that her mother wasn't asleep yet and to call back in 30 more minutes. So he said "ok." He came back to the car and told Matt what Kelly had said. Matt says to Zer0 "I've got to go to the bathroom and I'm kind of hungry. But I don't really feel like going in this gas station. Do you know any other place we can go that has more of a party atmosphere?" Zer0 said "Dude, it is 2 AM. The only place I know that would even have a slight bit more human activity is the grocery store down the street." So Matt said "Ok then lets go there." So Zer0 and Matt went to the grocery store down the street. The booming voice exclaimed "The second X is complete.  The next is the third X."
Zer0 was attending a public high school called Northwest High School in his home town Dalton, GA. He was 16 at the time. Zer0 was always rejected by the popular kids in that high school so he decided that he needed to try and make friends with other people. That's the day Zer0 noticed them standing in the corner of the cafeteria a group of other teens that were dressed in all black. Zer0 decided that he would go over and start trying to talk to them. So that's what Zer0 did. Zer0 started hanging out with them and they became better and better of friends with each other. Zer0 learned more and more about the ways of becoming an outcast. Zer0 started wearing all black, listening to metal, and being defiant towards authority figures. One night Zer0 got an idea, Zer0 figured that since they all held being outcasts in common with each other they should be united in some way. And that's why on that night Zer0 formed the group known as AVN (American Vanda-list's Network).
Zer0 had every last one of his friends that was considered an outcast join AVN. They decided that their first target to strike would be the most important authority figure in their lives at the time. And that was Northwest High School. Zer0 got 2 of his friends in AVN to come with him at 2 AM on Monday morning. They went and broke into the high school wearing black ski masks and gloves. Their mission was to steal school funds that were accordingly in the principal's office. They searched everywhere for these funds but never found anything so they left. The next time Zer0 went by himself because Zer0 couldn't get anyone else to go with him. Zer0 arrived at the high school at 2 AM with a black ski mask and gloves on. Zer0 broke in and flooded 6 bathrooms in the complex. AVN decided that they would strike the school one last time. And this time they wouldn't go soft core on them. The booming voice announced "The third X is complete. The next is the fourth X."
At age 14 Zer0 and his only sister were both in a really serious car accident. Zer0's sister's name is Kat. Kat's car collided with a tractor trailer at 60 MPH. Kat took the collision on the steering wheel and broke every bone in her face and Zer0 took the collision on the dashboard in his left eye. Zer0's brain slammed into the front of his skull and on the recoil of the collision into the back of his skull bruising both the front and back, Zer0 broke his noise, had internal bleeding from every one of his organs, and his left elbow was shattered into three pieces.
On the recoil their bodies came back with so much force they broke the bench front seat of her car in half and were left in a lying position. The collision with the tractor trailer set it off balance and it fell on top of Kat's car destroying it. Zer0 was knocked un-conscience on the collision. Unfortunately for his sister she was still conscience left with blood and spinal fluid gushing from every opening in her head. Shortly after the paramedics arrived on the scene of the accident Kat went un-conscience as well. They were airlifted to the nearest hospital which was Erlanger Medical Center in a town called Chattanooga, TN. It turned out that Kat needed re-constructional surgery performed on her face to repair the bones that had been broken. Everything in that department went smoothly. Zer0 on the other hand wasn't so fortunate, Zer0 had internal head trauma. Zer0 was kept in a drug induced coma for 2 weeks while other necessary surgeries were performed on him. Zer0 was forever and always Already Dead. The booming voice announced "The fourth X is complete. Follow the wolf Zer0."
In that moment an artic wolf and a black rose appeared before Zer0's eyes. Zer0 figuring that somewhere along his journey the black rose would come in handy placed it in his pocket. The wolf started to walk in the direction of the great and ancient forest. Up and over the rolling hills the two went. Zer0 could feel a sense of adventure stirring in his veins. Zer0 felt anticipation creeping over the hairs on the back of his neck. The wolf led Zer0 into the tree line of the great and ancient forest. 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 2 Pixx

 Zer0 followed the wolf through the great and ancient forest down a very winding trail that seemed to spiral forever. Eventually the two came to a clearing when the sun began to set on this mysterious land. That's when Zer0 noticed a sign that read: Welcome to The Land of Hollow Distortion. So that was the name of this place Zer0 thought. Zer0 decided that he would set up a camp and settle in for the night. Zer0 made a camp fire and found a comfortable place to lie down that was near some bushes. The wolf patiently sat obediently and waited for Zer0.
 That night that Zer0 rested so snuggled in his place he had a vivid dream of standing within a hallway and in front of him was a door. The hallway was very dark and dreary. In the dream Zer0 decided to open the door to peer into the room and spot check its contents. After opening the door there was what seemed to be a box at the very back of a four walled room. The room was very small in size. The box itself was cardboard but looked as if it had been soaked in water and set to dry. There were insects of all sorts of shape and size scattered about the room in various places. Zer0 very carefully stepped around all the insects to inspect this strange box. In the background of the dream there was a girl named Tori singing. And she sang "Even though her father passed away she stood bold. And for that her father will always mean more than gold." Tori is Pixx and Pixx is Tori. Zer0 reached down and opened the box and in that moment just before he was able to make out the contents of the box he awoke to find himself lying on his side. The wolf than arose to its feet to start the journey once again.
  Directly in the center of the clearing were a stump and a log that a very curious raccoon stood upon watching Zer0 very intently. Zer0 wondered why the raccoon was so interested in him but decided to go ahead and follow the wolf down the trail once again. The wolf led the way down the winding trail and through the forest. When the two came to a cave entrance the wolf vanished into thin air. Zer0 decided that this cave must have some type of important contents with in so he decided to investigate the matter at hand.
 Entering the cave Zer0 felt very lonely for it was a very dark narrow passage way into the cave that he took. On the walls were hieroglyphics of all sorts of shape and size the very confusing writing didn't bother Zer0 in the least. He found it very interesting and intriguing that whoever wrote these hieroglyphics on the cave wall must have been advanced in whatever subjects they found relevant. Exploring the cave even further revealed that there were three passage ways. Zer0 chose to take the center passage counting that it looked the biggest. Zer0 presumed that the center passage would have the most interesting of contents within.
 The hieroglyphics seemed to be less and less as the center passage narrowed and became slimmer in height and width. Zer0 came upon a dead end. There was a rounded concrete door that looked to be as a cocoon. There was a very large engraving upon the door that looked to be a pixie of a human size. Zer0 touched the engraving on the concrete door and it lit up. The door began to open revealing a cocoon made of a fine silk. The cocoon than unraveled, itself, revealing a pixy that was human sized on the inside. The pixy then opened her eyes and stared at Zer0 for a long minute. Zer0 stared back at the human sized pixy's eyes and instantly fell into love with her.
She asked Zer0 "Who are you?" Zer0 replied "My name is Zer0." She asked him "What are your intentions here in Hollow Distortion?" Zer0 answered "I'm not sure of how I got here, but I was wondering who you are though." She replied "My name is Pixx." Zer0 asked "Are you the only occupant of this cave?" Pixx replied "I am the leader of a former pixy race that was wiped out by Hexx the creature of the darkness." Zer0 replied "Oh my goodness! So you're the only survivor of that war?" Pixx replied "Yes. I'm the only survivor of my race. I was lying dormant with in this cocoon to preserve my body from aging." Zer0 asked "Where is Hexx now?" Pixx answered "I'm not sure." Zer0 timidly asked "Would you join me on a quest to rid Hollow Distortion of Hexx?" Pixx replied "You're very brave to attempt such a journey, but yes I will join your quest." Pixx smiled and Zer0 smiled in return.
 Zer0 asked Pixx "Where's the exit to this cave?" Pixx answered "Why there's an exit right behind me. Be sure to stay low to the ground though because, it's fairly narrow compared to the entrance." So the two ducked down very low to the ground and began to go through the narrow exit of the cave. On the way Pixx explained to Zer0 about what had happened between the war of her race and Hexx the creature of the darkness.
 After exiting the cave the two found the main trail that led out of the great and ancient forest and into the outskirts of the forest. Pixx explained that the outskirts of the forest used to thrive with human activity but now all that remained of the outskirts of the forest was just a wasteland. Zer0 could see that all that remained of the outskirts of the forest were trash and a steady lifeless wind. Pixx explained to Zer0 that Hexx the creature of the darkness was very evil and destroyed what ever it could find that was alive. Pixx also explained that there were certain characters that might be left in the land of Hollow Distortion that might still perform Hexx's evil will.
 Zer0 thought about telling Pixx about how he felt towards her, but didn't know how to put his feelings of love towards her into words. So Zer0 decided to go unsaid about those feelings at this time. The two came upon what seemed to be a former war zone and they both saw a hummer that had been flipped over and rested on its roof top. Steam floated from one of the mechanical parts on the underside of the hummer itself. Zer0 and Pixx decided to check out the condition of the vehicle to see if there might be any survivors from the obvious war that had happened here just recently. That's when Zer0 heard a noise coming from the vehicle and was curious to find out what had made that noise in the first place. 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 3 X-Ale

 He crawled from the wreckage that used to be his hummer that he once shared with his comrades. He stood 6 feet tall and he wore a gas mask that had become stuck to his face from all the war fare that he had faced. He faced Zer0 and Pixx and asked them both "What are your intentions here in Hollow Distortion?" They both answered together "To destroy Hexx the creature of the darkness." Zer0 introduced himself and Pixx to X-Ale. X-Ale stated "My name is X-Ale."
 Still dressed in his military fatigues X-Ale explained to Zer0 and Pixx that he had just recently fought a war with Hexx the creature of the darkness and had lost that battle. He explained that his comrades had all fallen at the hand of the evil creature. Zer0 asked X-Ale "Will join our quest to rid the Land of Hollow Distortion of Hexx?" X-Ale answered Zer0's question "Gladly, I will join your noble quest." X-Ale stated "There is a trail just over this ridge here to a town known as West Echo Side or WES. I believe that would lead to more answers on Hexx's whereabouts. Hexx will come about when you least expect him to."
 Zer0 stated "Than we will take that trail to WES than." The rest of the party agreed to Zer0's plan and the three started out on their noble quest over the ridge and down the trail towards WES. WES used to be a very large thriving city on the out skirts of Hollow Distortion. All that was left of WES was a very large butchery at the center of the ghost city. The three found themselves standing on the outside of this butchery.
 Zer0 said "Me and X-Ale will go inside to spot check this place out Pixx you stay out here and keep watch for any of Hexx's henchman. Pixx agreed to keep watch while they went inside to spot check for any survivors of the Great War that fell over this once thriving city. Zer0 and X-Ale entered the butchery together they both saw organs and animal bodies scattered among tables on the inside. There were stairs that stretched up on both sides of the room. Zer0 took one set while X-Ale took the other set.
 The balcony centered with a doorway. X-Ale entered the door way first followed by Zer0. Both of them could hear mumbling growing stronger and stronger as they entered the large room beyond the doorway they had already entered. The mumbling sounded as "Prophecy must kill Zer0. The prophecy the meaning of it means I must kill Zer0." The mumbling was coming from an individual that had his back turned to the two that entered the room through the doorway they had found on the balcony. 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 4 Nife

 The individual turned around he was holding a butcher knife in his hand. He was wearing a butcher's apron that was covered in blood. The individual stated "My name is Nife. My brother betrayed me and my company a long time ago. My brother's name is Syrs. He took all the money from me that we had saved together and he went to live in EES or East Echo Side. I've been reading up on you Zer0. The prophesy states that you must die at my hands." Nife went to go stab Zer0 in the heart but just before he was able to do just that X-Ale jumped into the way and he ended up stabbing X-Ale in the heart with his knife. What Nife didn't know was X-Ale had drawn his commando knife and stabbed Nife in the heart at the same time.
 Both individuals in that moment vanished into thin air. But before X-Ale disappeared he stated to Zer0 "Enter the door that you find before your eyes. It will lead you to Mount Zion." In that moment a door appeared before Zer0. Zer0 entered the door, but just as he did Hexx captured Pixx. Pixx tried to call out to Zer0 for help but it was too late Zer0 had already entered the door.               
Zer0 appeared on a mountain top standing with Midnight and Slim. 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 5 Slim XHDX XFFX 1134

 The light headed feeling that a smoker gets from smoking the first cigarette of the day is how Slim felt when he awoke within a sealed tomb lying on his chest were two very large books the one on his right with the title XHDX across the cover and the other on his left with the title XFFX. Slim had no recollection of how he had arrived in this sealed tomb or where he currently was but he was amazed by the fact that he didn't seem to have any pain about himself what so ever. Slim sat upright from his lying position. Slim noticed two big doors the one on his right had been engraved with XHDX and the door on his left had been engraved with XFFX. Slim decided to investigate the first of the two mysterious books that he seemed to have been sealed in the tomb with in the first place. He started with the one entitled XHDX since it was on his right hand side and counting that he was right handed.
 Slim was clothed in a solid black outfit and was wearing a solid black leather trench coat that extended from his collar to his ankles in length. Slim had no flesh left on his skull and the flesh that remained on his bones had obviously began to deteriorate over the length of time that he had slumbered in this sealed tomb while holding these two sacred books entitled XFFX on his left hand side and XHDX on his right hand side. After opening the cover of the sacred XHDX book, the pages lit up the sealed tomb. The text inside the book instantly came to life and there were pictures on the pages that seemed to dance with exceeding joy to the Lord.
 Slim began to read the first text on the first page aloud "The four X's will lead to the Door." After he completed reading the story of the first X Slim exclaimed loudly "The first X is complete. The next is the second X." Slim decided to leave the first book open and open the second book entitled XFFX and as he opened it just as the first sacred book the second sacred book's pages lit up the sealed tomb like a lamp lighting up a cabin in a deep forest. The sacred book of XFFX text instantly came to life and there were pictures on the pages that seemed to dance with exceeding joy to the Lord. Just as the first Slim began to read the first text on the first page aloud "The four X's will lead to the Door." As a running narration Slim said aloud just as he had for the first sacred book "The first X is complete. The next is the second X."
 Slim finished reading and switched back to the sacred book of XHDX and stated aloud "The second X is complete, Now for the third X" but before he began the third he went back to the sacred book of XFFX and read the second X and its contents and than stated aloud "The second X is complete, Now for the third X." He than as he did before switched back to the sacred book of XHDX to read the third X and its contents. After Slim finished reading the third X he announced "The third X is complete. The next is the fourth X." And as usual he switched back to the sacred book of XFFX to read the third X and its contents and after that he announced "The third X is complete. The next is the fourth X." Slim then changed books going back to the book of XHDX to read the fourth X. After reading the fourth X Slim announced out loud "The fourth X is complete. Follow the wolf Zer0." He than went back to the sacred book of XFFX to read the fourth X and its contents. After reading the fourth X Slim announced out loud "The fourth X is complete. Follow the bat Midnight."

Both of the sacred books were fully read and therefore vanished from the possession of Slim. The two doors that were engraved as the books lit up the dark and sacred tomb. And then the doors screeched open one at a time. The one labeled XHDX opened slightly and then the one labeled XFFX opened slightly revealing the exit from the sacred tomb that Slim had been buried within. Slim therefore left the tomb behind to explore the contents of this mysterious place he found himself trapped within. Slim found that he was within a graveyard. On the right hand side was a tombstone that had been dug up that read: Zer0 XHDX 0137 and on the left hand side was a tombstone that had been dug up that read: Midnight XFFX 1133. Slim wondered where these two individual's bodies had ended up. Slim decided to leave the graveyard behind. Right in front of Slim's eyes was a third grave that had been dug up with a tombstone that read: Flag. There was a long double edged sword lying next to the tombstone. Slim decided that it might come in handy so he took it with him.
There was a very narrow trail cut out along the way of many tombstones that numbered past billions. Slim decided to follow that trail and see where it might lead him. The trail led to a harbor and the only boat present in that harbor read: Tomorrow's Dream upon the side of it. Slim noticed that the water of this mighty body of water that the ship floated in was solid black. It looked as if it might be a tar of some type. Either way it didn't look as if an individual could swim in it what so ever. Slim approached the ramp that led to the deck of the ship and was stopped by someone. The individual stated sternly "Stop right there ye land lover." 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 6 Midnight XFFX 1133

 The light headed feeling that a smoker gets from smoking the first cigarette of the day is how Midnight felt awaking from what seemed to be an eternity of slumber in a very fancy well decorated finely elaborated sacred mansion bedroom. She sat upright and had long flowing dark hair that was braded appropriately to her royal stature. Midnight was the last of a dying breed of royal vampire incarnation bloodline. As Dracula was the first true pure blooded vampire in mythology, Midnight was the last pure blooded vampire in all the land to survive the horrible chaos that the place that she had awaken to find herself trapped within had experienced.
 She arose out of her bed to find a tinderbox that was a gift from Dracula himself to her. She opened it and in the center arose a tiny dancing figurine and along with this entertainment a tiny melody played itself that was as old as time and well engraved in Midnight's memory from when she had grown up Dracula had raised her as the pure blooded vampire incarnation that she was. There was also an engraving in the tinderbox lid that she noticed and she read it aloud saying "To: My sweet incarnation. I hope that you will always hold this gift as precious as I held this gift for it is from my heart to yours. Sincerely, Dracula"
 Midnight wondered why she had slumbered without waking for so long. She felt very lonely as she closed the tinderbox and placed it back in its original spot on her dresser. Midnight was dressed in a solid black night gown but decided to go to her wardrobe to change so she did just that and changed into a mid evil type black dress with cloth wings. She also decided to unbraid her soft dark long hair to allow it to flow freely in the draft that blew through out the royal bedroom.
 Midnight was curious on whether or not any of the other pure bloods was awake to serve her the usual blood meal that she so righteously indulged in at this time. So she wondered out of the royal bedroom and into the darkened hallway outside she found absolutely no one there. So she decided in the mean time to attend the washroom for the need of a number 1. Making her self comfortable on the royal throne she picked up an article that Malakia had apparently hand written the last time that he used the washroom. Within that moment Midnight dropped the article as a booming voice declared "The four X's will lead to the Door."
 It began on a day like this one that we experience today. It was very grim outside not very friendly in the street. It didn't really make sense to all of them why they stayed where they currently stayed but yet they lingered on. They endured on their great adventure in a place known as Great Onyx.
 They rocked on with their modern day jams, at least they were modern day to them counting that they got lost in this place known as GO and they had never been updated on anything else that was happening in the outside world, and good friends of the many legends that you'll hear of from time to time through out the population updates of this place. For you see that they didn't exactly get to see public much through out their horrific stay at this place. So they more or less stayed frozen in time as they indulged in their studies of many random thoughts and experiences through the technology world.
 
Old Man Buck once said to The Family that, the story comes to the storyteller as water comes to the ocean from the flowing rivers, for do not try to intervene with the almighty flow of the great river, let it flow as it does. Row with the flow as it's spoken in a short phrase and you shall receive the words of the almighty flowing river. And on goes the process.
 GO or Great Onyx is a Job Corps center located in Mammoth Cave, KY. Mammoth Cave is an actual historic site that is the World's largest cave complex. Zer0 on one of usual Job Corps field trips went on a cave tour with in Mammoth Cave itself. Great Onyx is located right in the center of a national forest reservation so it's guarded by forest rangers. There was a rock road that The Family named Dear Trail as it circled from one end of GO to the other located on Dear Trail was a water treatment plant that The Family called Biohazard.
 It was all about what was happening with The Economy in this day and age at Great Onyx. Zer0 was responsible for selling off snacks of the many along with off brand menthol cigarettes. Slim mostly sold snacks of the many and name brand full-flavor cigarettes. Business with in The Economy was booming. New members to The Family included B1g P1mp1n, Ch1ck3n, and Gr1ml3n. B1g P1mp1n got his alias because he was exactly just that he was fairly large and he was P1mp1n. Ch1ck3n got his alias from a story about him and his brother being called Ch1ck3n & Gravy. Gr1ml3n got his alias from the fact of the matter that he appeared as if he would be some type of Gremlin so The Family called him Gr1ml3n to keep it unique.
 Slim and Midnight were happily together at the top ranking of The Family and they ruled with an iron fist all through out the underground at Great Onyx. Zer0 stood at their sides as a body guard. B1g P1mp1n became known very fast as he was responsible for selling name brand menthol cigarettes through out The Economy. Zer0 gained up to a max revenue to just himself of $600.00 dollars. Things were doing just fine within The Family.
 There was much disrespect at a certain time with in The Family coming from the one known as Malakia as he was being very obnoxious one day while Slim was attempting to play Yu-Gi-Oh. Slim decided that we would have a Family meeting upon this main issue. It was to be call The Ceremony Of The Royal Pimp Smacking. Koby was allotted the responsibility of carrying out the Ceremony with a right handed back hand Pimp Slap upon the left cheek of Malakia's face. During the Ceremony H17m4n left to be on his own so Slim allowed him to go on his own way. The Ceremony was carried forth and the rest of the day was set as a good one.
 One day Slim and Midnight decided that they wanted to be alone with each other so in secret they went to the back of Biohazard and were together there. Zer0 found a great place in the forest there known by the occupants of GO as Halo's Point. Halo's Point was a beautiful cavern in the side of a cliff with a water fall coming down in front of it. Zer0 after finding this elusive site gave tours to the new comers to GO on the side.
 Slim on the side of all the business The Economy brought in, performed several custom piercing scenarios. Life at Great Onyx for The Family wasn't always exactly a bowl of cherries. For every one Caucasian at Great Onyx there were two African Americans. So as in the wild there is always power in numbers. This was the beginning of a new day and age that everyone in The Family would have to make room for it was the beginning of the famous Jump Week.
 One day three dumb Caucasians got together on the underground and formed a group at Great Onyx called The Cracker Killers. Now these three were known as Roger, Hoover, and Lil Boy. At times The Family would chill with Roger and Hoover but at the time had no idea that they were apart of this idiotic group in the first place. Through out the beginning of the week The Family took note that Lil boy got something called lock and socked. This was when several African Americans would take a sock drop a pad lock inside gang up on the individual target with in one room turn off the lights and bop the target on the head a couple good times.
 Lil boy went to the hospital and wasn't heard from again. Roger ended up leaving Great Onyx for unlisted reasons most likely fear of being lock and socked to death. Hoover was asleep when the attackers came into his room he instantly awoke just before the strike came down on his head just in time to block the attack with his arm. His arm after that was bruised up and down by the attacking blow of the sock and pad lock. The Family took this as a message from the fellow African American population at GO and that was Don't Be Racist for Any Reason What So Ever.
 Later on down the road there were new members that were joined to the ranks of The Family and they were Miami, The Assassin, and Rabbit. Miami came from Florida and that's where he gained his alias from. The Assassin was very quick to sneak up on people and that's where he gained his alias from. Rabbit was very good at getting items that were for sale, advice, and words of wisdom to people on foot, and that's where he gained his alias from.
 These three new members along with Zer0 himself made up the part of The Family that were called hired muscle. The Economy was made up of customers that paid straight cash for the items that they purchased and other customers were at times allowed to put the item that they wanted on credit until the next payday. The problem with credit was that sometimes the other customers that used this payment method wouldn't pay. And that's where hired muscle came into the picture.
 The Economy at this time was ran by Slim, Midnight, Zer0, and B1g P1mp1n. Each had a list of individual customers that had credited some type of item with them. Anything over $20.00 was checked into by Zer0 and the hired muscle. In one of these situations the debt was either erased and the individual was banned from making anymore purchases or the customer could take on something called a Bag Tag by Miami and the other hired muscle crew. Bag Tags were also dealt out to individuals that caused commotion against The Family.
 At one time there was an unnamed individual that caused commotion for The Family so the hired muscle including Zer0, Rabbit, The Assassin, and Joe Kid got the individual's limbs and held him in mid-air. While Miami stood at the center of this individual's legs. Miami then delivered the Bag Tag to the individual's nut sack with the tip of his knuckles. The four hired muscle than let go of his limbs dropping him from mid-air to the hard ground below. This basically shattered any pride that individual had.
 The booming voice declared "The first X is complete. The next is the second X." Zer0 and Matt walked in and started walking straight to the back of the store towards the bathroom. Somewhere half way down the chip aisle Zer0 decided to see if a price tag on the shelf was flammable. Zer0 lit the price tag on fire. Then he said "Hey Matt. Check it out." And he pointed to the fire. Matt said "Big deal man. Put it out and let's go." So Zer0 swatted at it with his hand and the flame went out. Zer0 walked to the end of the aisle and turned back to double check it. The flames were as long as his arms and burning all the merchandise on the shelf. Zer0 ran back to it and swatted at it with both of his arms and the flames went out. But before Zer0 left he didn't double check it. And the plastic coating that the price tag had been made out of was melting and a piece of it dripped on to a bag of chips and set it back on fire.
Zer0 had turned around and went to the bathroom. When Zer0 and his friend Matt came out of that washroom the flames were to the ceiling. Zer0's friend Matt went outside and Zer0 ran straight up to the fire and swatted at it with both of his arms and legs but the fire was too great. Zer0 started getting smoke inhalation so he went outside the store to join his friend Matt. Zer0 and Matt waited 20 minutes and the cops and fire fighters finally got there. They questioned all the employees of the store and the customers about the fire. Zer0 told the cops that he didn't know what happened but that he tried to put the fire out when he noticed it. Zer0's friend Matt said about the same thing. It ended up that they had cameras in the store and the cops claimed that they had Zer0 on camera starting the fire.
Zer0 got arrested with his friend Matt. Counting that Zer0 was 17 he went to juvenile and his friend Matt was 18 so he went to jail. Zer0 was depressed when he arrived at juvenile. Every night he spent in that place he cried himself to sleep. Zer0 didn't eat his first 2 weeks in there. Zer0 never talked to anyone. About 1 month into being locked up he got a call from his girlfriend Kali. Kali said "Hey, it's good to talk to you. It's been awhile. Hey, I have something to say to you. You've been in there for awhile now and you still haven't been to court yet. I'm out here and you're in there. So....I want to break up." Zer0 begged and pleaded with Kali not to break up with him. Zer0 told her that he loved her more than anyone that he had ever met in his life. But there was no changing her mind. She was gone.
Zer0's whole reason for living was gone. He didn't have anything left except a brick wall to stare at, stiff bed to sleep on, and a barred up window to look out of. He cried so hard that night. He didn't say anything to anyone. He didn't even come out of his cell for visitation when his mother came to see him. Nothing mattered to him. Zer0 eventually went to court and pleaded guilty. Zer0 was charged with arson of the 3rd degree. Zer0 was told that he did over 1 million dollars in damage to that store but because they had insurance He didn't have to pay anything back. Zer0's punishment was 3 months of short term program. Zer0 was transferred from juvenile in his home town to boot camp in south GA. Zer0 got kicked until he bled everyday for 3 months straight.
And finally Zer0's day came when he was released. Zer0 got out and went back home. Zer0 saw Kali about a month later and tried to talk to her. She told him "Zer0, I've moved on. I've matured. I won't go back out with you. You're too immature for me." In that moment Zer0 was shot down by the girl he ever loved that much. Zer0 was Down In Flames. The booming voice exclaimed "The second X is complete. The next is the third X."

Zer0 got 2 of his friends to go with him for the third time. As usual they arrived at 2 AM wearing black ski masks and gloves. They broke in and this time they spray painted the main hallway up and down. When they were in class just because they dressed differently from everyone else that attended the high school the administration would treat them differently then the rest of the student body. So they then broke into each and every administrator's office and vandalized the crap out of their offices. They broke their computers, they broke pictures that hung on the wall, and flipped their desks.
After that they took a box of electronic devices that the high school administration had taken away from the students that had brought the devices to school. They planned on giving the devices back to the students they belonged to because they didn't agree with the school taking something that you would have spent your hard earned money on. And after that they ended the wonderful night with breaking into the science area of the high school. And in the science room that they broke into the high school had these gas faucets that are used for science experiments. They turned on 8 gas faucets. There was 420 lbs of phosphate gas that was emptied into the high school. After that they left the high school.
They drove past the front of the high school the next day. It was covered in local cops and FBI. They even made the local news. They went back to high school 2 days later. Everything was all good until the end of the day. When they made the end of the day announcements they announced that over the weekend 3 vandals had broken in and that if any students had any information leading up to the arrest and conviction of the vandals that they would receive a $1,000.00 scholarship to any college in GA. After school that day they burned all the evidence that linked them to that crime. The only problem was somebody that was in AVN liked to brag about the things that they had done to the high school. It turned out that Zer0 was pulled into the office to talk to a detective and that he already knew Zer0 was the one that broke in the detective just didn't know who the other two individuals were.
The detective told Zer0 that they had done $6,650.00 dollars in damage to the high school. And that Zer0's mother would have to pay all that off unless Zer0 gave him the other two individual's names. Zer0 thought about it for a long time. And since Zer0 didn't have a job at the time and his mother would have to pay that off by her self. Zer0 told the detective their names. Zer0 stayed locked up in juvenile for a week, served 6 months house arrest, was banned from every public high school in the United States of America, and served 6 months of intensive probation. After all of that Zer0 was done serving his time he then buried AVN forever. The booming voice announced "The third X is complete. The next is the fourth X."
Kat said "If he dies I won't be able to deal with the guilt of killing my own brother." The doctor informed Zer0's family "It doesn't look good for him. He has a lot of swelling in the front and back of the brain. He probably has less than a 50% chance of living. And if he does live chances are that when he comes to he'll most likely be brain dead." Zer0's mother and sister cried upon hearing this. Zer0 was kept in a drug induced coma for 2 weeks while other necessary surgeries were performed on him. Things for Zer0 at this moment didn't look very bright what so ever. Zer0 was forever and always Already Dead. The booming voice announced "The fourth X is complete. Follow the bat Midnight."
In that moment a bat and a solid white rose appeared before Midnight's eyes. Midnight picked up the white rose and put it in her pocket. She followed the bat out of the bathroom and down a long narrow hallway. The bat led Midnight down a set of stairs and then flew through a bookcase that had one solid black book upon it. Midnight pulled the black colored book down and the entire bookcase opened revealing a hidden cave passage behind it. 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 7 Vamp

 Midnight followed the bat and entered the underground cave entrance and noticed a sign that read: Welcome to the land of Fear Fantasy. There were torches that lit a staircase downward that led to a humongous cavern. Midnight grew very tired at this moment and decided to lye down beside the cavern wall to rest. Midnight fell asleep in that moment.
 Midnight dreamed that there were two paths for Zer0 to choose from. The main path and the alternate path, these paths were based from what would be done with all the ideas for Hollow Distortion. The main path consisted of the ideas being sung about on a stage, while the alternate path consisted of the ideas being put into a story such as this one. These ideas numbered greatly from what the characters would look like to how the nicknames would be spelled out. In Midnight's dream Zer0 decided to take the main path but he didn't know how to go about getting a group started so he decided to tell of the story first. This story was to be known as the story of the land of Hollow Distortion which was the sacred book of XHDX that Slim was buried with.
 The decision was made that Zer0 would take the main path, but would take the idea of the alternate path with him down the main path. This consisted of adding to the story of the main path to align the alternate with the main in one grand scheme. In the dream Midnight could see that the band was able to eventually get together. This band consisted of a total of 13 members. Each character started with an alias of some type followed by XHDX followed by a model number. Just as a radio tower sends out radio waves for radios to pickup. Each character had a brain frequency that their model number represented. Zer0 stood as a frozen body and Zer0 stood for sub-zero temperatures. Zer0 was the founder of all the ideas for Hollow Distortion and therefore he was the first and the last member of the group. The 13th member of the group was Hexx the creature of the darkness. Hexx is an inverted version of Zer0 and Zer0, Midnight, and Slim's worst enemy.
 The main path was now one with the alternate path so Zer0's adventure led him to Midnight and Slim upon the top of mount Zion.  That is when Midnight awoke from her dream the bat had nestled itself within a crevice in the cavern wall. Midnight went back to the staircase and grabbed a torch so that she would be able to see where she ventured into this humongous cavern room.
 Midnight was lonely counting that she could remember that there used to be many vampires that resided within the mansion and the manor of Fear Fantasy with her. Midnight wondered what had happened that all the vampires would have left her behind by herself. Midnight noticed that there was a nearby underground river. Midnight wondered how she would cross such a mighty river safely. The bat led Midnight to a bridge that towered over the mighty river. Midnight thought about it and remembered that the other vampires had set up traps to stop any intruders from entering this underground cavern.  Midnight found a trip wire and safely removed it from her path.
Midnight was able to cross the bridge successfully. The bat flew right up to a doorway and than disappeared into thin air. Midnight wasn't able to remember this doorway much less entering it as a child. Midnight entered the doorway peering inside the room. In the center of the room was a coffin that sat alone. The top to the coffin had been partially moved to the side. A hand rose from the coffin removing the top all the way and then a head rose from the coffin. The individual spoke to Midnight "Hello, who are you?" Midnight responded "My name is Midnight. Who are you?"
 The individual said to Midnight "My name is Vamp. I'm the last half breed of vampire left over from the war that ravaged this land." Midnight interrogated Vamp "What happened to the others?" Vamp replied "They fell at the hand of Hexx. Although I was protected from that war counting that I was hidden away within this cavern." Midnight said "Oh I see. Will you join my quest to rid the land of Fear Fantasy of Hexx?" Vamp replied "You're very brave to attempt such a daring action, but yes I will join your quest. After all together we will stand much stronger than if we stood alone." 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 8 Syko

 Beyond the manor of the royal mansion the two found a trail that led to a very large asylum. The two found a sign that read: East Echo Side Asylum. They both decided to check out this strange complex. When they entered the door creaked open. There were two hallways that stretched out one to the left the other to the right. Vamp stated "I will take the passage to the right. Midnight you explore the passage to the left." Midnight agreed with Vamp's plan and than the two split up. Midnight found many rooms lining the hallway that she explored. All of the rooms were empty. There were many tables within these rooms that had straps on either side. Midnight figured that those tables were to hold patients of this asylum.
 Midnight met up with Vamp at the end of the hallway. Midnight asked Vamp "Did you find anything?" Vamp replied "Just a bunch of empty rooms. I wonder what is behind that door though." Vamp pointed a large door right in front of the two with a sign posted on it that read: Syko. The two entered the room together. Suspended from the ceiling of the large room was an individual in a straight jacket.
 The individual asked the two "What are your intentions here?" Midnight answered "We are on a quest to rid this land of Hexx." The individual asked "What are your names?" Vamp answered "I'm Vamp and this is Midnight. What is your name?" The individual answered "I'm known as Syko. I lost my mind and was put into this asylum during a war between the patients and staff of this asylum against Hexx. I was the only one left behind. There is a city very close called EES or East Echo Side." Midnight asked Syko "Would you show us the way to that city if we let you down from there?" Syko answered "Yes I will join your quest and show you the way to the city."
 So Midnight and Vamp helped Syko down from the ceiling. Syko led the way out of the asylum and to a very large elevator which was the entrance to the city. The three boarded the elevator as Syko pressed a button on the control panel. The elevator began to lift them into the sky towards the city of East Echo Side. 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 9 Syrs

 The three were led to a very large metropolis in the sky. This metropolis was very highly technically advanced. Syko stated to Midnight and Vamp "This is it. We're here." Midnight stared in amazement at all the tall buildings but especially a tall tower set in the center of the city which was the highest tower in all of East Echo Side. Midnight asked Syko "What is that tower at the center of the city?" Syko answered "That leads to an individual named Syrs. He is the creator of this grand metropolis."
  So Midnight led the way to the tower that stood at the center of the city. They arrived at a doorway of the tower and began the long journey up the stairs towards the top of the tower. When they arrived they were greeted by Syrs himself. Midnight introduced herself and the others to Syrs. Syrs said "My name is Syrs. I'm the creator of this city. I'm the brother of Nife that lives in West Echo Side. I betrayed my brother and took my share of money with me to create this city. I've done a lot of research and have formulated a door that leads to Mount Zion. But only one person may enter the door." Syrs recognized Midnight from legends that he heard of from Dracula. Syrs told Midnight "You're the one that will enter the door that I've created. Your quest has led you here to me because you seek the door and what lies behind it." Midnight agreed that she would be the one to enter the door.
 Midnight entered the door leaving behind East Echo Side bringing her to Mount Zion where she stood with Zer0 and Slim. 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 10 Flag

 Slim said to the individual "My name is Slim. Are you the owner of this ship?" The individual answered "Yes I'm the owner of this ship. My name is Flag." Slim asked "Can I ride on your ship?" Flag answered "I've seemed to have lost my sword if you found my sword I would allow you a ride." Slim asked "Is this the sword that you seek?" Flag answered "Yes that is my sword. You may ride on my ship now. I know the way to Mount Zion. Would you like a ride there?" Slim answered "Yes that sounds like a good destination." The two rode the ship to Mount Zion. After arriving Slim thanked Flag for the ride and began to climb to the top of Mount Zion. Slim reached the top and met Zer0 and Midnight there. 
Tomorrow's Dream
By: Ryan S. Brown
Ch. 11 Azrl The Awakening

 At the top of Mount Zion Slim met Midnight with open arms. Zer0 looked up and saw Azrl the angel of death flying just above them. Midnight gave Slim the white rose that she had kept in her pocket. Slim kissed Midnight in return for the gift that she had presented him with. Azrl with a booming voice said "Welcome Zer0, Slim, and Midnight to the end of your journey. Slim and Midnight I can see that the two of you are happily reunited with one another. Zer0 your journey is not yet complete though. You must still face Hexx to complete your quest here. The only way to conquer Hexx is through love. Love conquers all in the end. I will now reveal Pixx to you Zer0." In that moment Azrl flapped one of his wings and revealed Pixx to Zer0. Zer0 gave Pixx the black rose that he had kept in his pocket.
 Zer0 took Pixx's hand and put it on his chest. Zer0 asked Pixx "Do you feel my heart beating?" Pixx answered "Yes I do." Zer0 said "That's the way you make me feel Pixx." Pixx blushed but hugged Zer0 in return. Zer0 said to Pixx "I must part ways with you now Pixx. Our worlds will always be close together though. I have someone else that I must return to." Pixx said that she understood what Zer0 must do. Hexx had been defeated and smothered with love. Azrl didn't take Zer0's real name from his book.
 A voice came through the darkness "Zer…Zer….Ze….Z….R…Ry….Ryan….Ryan." After hearing his name Ryan opened his eyes. It turned out that Ryan had survived the coma that the car accident had left him in. The first person that Ryan recognized was his loving mother standing within the hospital room with him.

The End