Butterflies and Moonbeams

 This story for me is big. It defined, at least in one of two primary trajectories, the 20th Century history of the Bajazid Valley. It also introduced to me, or discovered amongst my supporting casts, a new star to illuminate the nightmare skies with. It gave me the Butterfly Man.

I had at this point, October of 2018, 29 stories under my belt with a decent portion taking place within the 20th Century and later. Those Tales, while each in some way called out to other stories, had not formed into any specific narrative or character arc of their own. There were plans, but those mostly involved revisiting those who witnessed what happened to Timmy Carmichael. With that being the 1990s and beyond, the 20th was turning out to be just hints of a mine in the 20s, a small community called Jasper as well, the continuation of the community of Bezer and hints that there was an interesting old man up there who promised to tell me his story but has been hiding out and it's starting to get me annoyed 'cause that was gonna really load up post-1960. Other than that, just stories of why this valley isn't the best place to pitch a tent.

At this point I was at a loss on how to approach the Kearns family living in Bezer. "The Fairies of Esmy" had left a very dark future promised and while there were story ingredients in place, none were ready to pop in the oven. This has become, through a cast member from that story, one of the primary 20th Century story arcs that have now developed and Millicent Flores Kearns is just... I just know that there are people like her even without the influence that plays in her life. I have a real monster on my hands here, but these horrors are for elsewhere. There is another cast member elevated that needs to be discussed.

If you travel back in time a few decades, there was this truck-stop diner just outside of Ashfork Arizona on Route 66 before Interstate 40 roared past and rendered it the relic it is now. I remember eating there as a child and I have a really nice photo of its ruins from a visit through a few years past. Seriously, a visit through is the deal here. It was in the ruins of this place, operating as it had before forgotten, that I heard in my musing while strolling in the creek a tale from an old man a few stools down. The more I listened each night as I burned a cigarette beneath the stars, the more I learned who this guy was. The exploits he mentioned, those whom he had brought up to this valley over the years, indicated that he was well known to the place. Squinting in that waking dream that is the creative space in action, I recognized this old biker speaking to me from that diner in the mid-1980s and dared he prove me wrong.

It was he, all right. Frankie Stenoyer, the lead bully of those three that chased poor Eugie Parker home from school forcing him to seek "A Safe Place to Hide". I started doing the math and sure enough, that was Frankie all right. I honestly hadn't expected to see him again as the primary trails leading from that Tale hinted at Eugies' uncle, Eric Parker. I was surprised and asked him what he'd been doing all those years and he called me an idiot... worse actually, but that type of language is just wrong when used out of context and he abandoned all such pretense at that within two words. He had to use quite a few in fact to just simply let me know that was what he had been trying to do this whole time. I replied that I was pretty sure he was just trying to pick up the waitress forcing an admission of such as well.

See, these ideas Frankie had been putting in my head were of this fellow who brought folk up to the Bajazid where...

Nah, you'll like this one and I'm just gonna say that "Butterflies and Moonbeams", in at 5,003 words (a later edit edged it just slightly), establishes the basis now for the 2nd primary 20th Century story arc, one which, like Millie's, spans most that time and allows for nearly limitless possibilities. This story, "Butterflies and Moonbeams" is responsible now for three others directly reflective in title with an absolute logjam of potential Tales waiting impatiently their turn.

As for this story, it was fun to write and I hope it is fun to read. It will be available in an upcoming issue of Weirdbook. I do hope you enjoy the soundtrack that hopefully will sneak into your subconscious while reading this, and yes, you'll be saying that phrase for just long enough to annoy those who remember it. I'm sorry about that, but it's gonna happen. Just really enjoy this story and keep your Weirdbook subscription going. You'll like the loop.

Also, I want to apologize to the grand and magnificent City of Ashfork, Arizona. Please consider the, er, considerations therein as creative license for the edification of this story. Or please, consider it enough that you do not put up a poster of me with reward offered. I occasionally drive up to Williams and really don't want to have to take the Sedona-Flagstaff extra-long way.

One last note... "Butterflies and Moonbeams" marked the completion of my goal of 12 stories for the year and that Tale was completed towards the end of October leaving me, like the year before, with two months of nothing to do. You know, free time in which to gather my thoughts and waste time. I was prepared to do my best...