Jamal Luckett's Amazon Page

Jamal Luckett's Amazon Page
Current list of Published works.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Union: Chapter Twelve: There's a little black spot on the sun.

Chapter Twelve: There's a little black spot on the sun.


The escapee's were aboard the bus fleeing a scene of utter mayhem like bandits. They never heard the gunshots that changed their destiny. From inside the virtually sound proof cabin of the motor coach the tires implosion was all encompassing. Even the eruption of flames at the buses rear in a volcano like geyser of processed fossil fuels was a footnote. Because loosing a tire on a thirty ton mobile behemoth is an attention grabbing wake up call. Robert's initial guess as his mind streaks through the possibilities was two pronged. "Jesus...the fuel tank has gone!" followed quickly in succession. By "We're straight fucked!" The road out of town had been their path at the time it was almost free of the living dead and pointed towards wide open sparsely populated flat mid western farmland.


Everything was a blur as Robert fought the steering wheel on the coach with metal groaning as it preformed a looping left turn heading back into town careening out of control. "FUUUCK!" Robert cried out as the bus continues its swerve. "Grab hold of..........!" The pristine front end of the coach decimates the cement support of a building launching itself upon the sidewalk to accomplish this. The dead meandering around almost sense the crippled buses death throws. While none leapt forward around the flaming crater that was once the local Hiccup Gas station. They came with a "now that’s more like it!" stride for the suffering coach. A jagged chasm appears in the face of the once secured vehicles’ front as brick and metal blend together before peeling outward. Trevor gasps upon beholding far to much sunlight for his liking rolling ahead of the shaft of light reaching for him. He'd never releases Val she was still nestled safely in his chest as he bore the brunt of the assault on the coach. He narrowly manages to make the rear bedroom cabin latching the door in advance of the sunlight. They could still feel Rob struggle in vain as it nears its conclusion. Robert sought to save the breached vehicle even though his vision is obscured as he fought the wheel he could see nothing. The internal sleeping cabin was sealed and sunlight free "M' Lady Valerie hold tight to me, I fear this will not end well for us!" in the inky darkness Val did indeed move closer clinging to the undead prince.


"VAL!!" Robert was screaming aloud fearing what was inevitable as the beast of a coach decimates zombies and abandoned cars as is lolls from one side to the other down the narrow main street. "She........" Jim spoke cradling Li as she bounces painfully on her lame limb. "She....and Trevor ........" the bus then lost one of the massive front tires whipping rubber shrapnel into a crowd of curious fetid corpses. "Fuck Jim!" Robert hung the last syllable at that moment the mammoth coach took to two wheels its left side far above its right. Robert knew there was no turning back from this dastardly turn of events. Mobile homes are hard enough to steer with all four wheels in contact with the pavement. This spectacular stunt was by no means ever meant to be attempted by the craft. Robert Berry lets go of the steering wheel God and his Laws of physics were driving now. The bus had blindly swerved its way back into the center of town. A tightly pack meandering group of zombies plodded towards the out of control battering ram in its current state it simply ground through the mass of zombies coming to greet it and devour the occupants. The living dead were to stupid to sidestep the dying monster. Mangled corpses became unrecognizable pieces of human anatomy after meeting the steel wreck at forty plus miles an hour. As it slams down onto its' right side throwing Jim and Li atop Robert.


The coach plows though Effingham’s main street friction sheering the vehicle apart while sparks jump about. The buses momentum taking it in a slow semi-circle before one wicked airborne revolution deposits it in the lobby of a Drug Rx Pharmacy. The world stood silent as compared to the cacophony of war that had engulfed the city of Effingham Illinois for the last six minutes nineteen seconds. Smoke and dust were all that moved until the sounds of the dead advancing met Roberts ears compels him to move. "Get up man!" elbowing Jim hard "Get....the fuck up they’re coming for us!" The panic in the black mans voice dragging Jim River from a dizzying stupor. "Li!" Jim calls coughing nut unknown to him the woman of his dreams had blacked out. From a blow to the head and the unyielding pain from her damaged arm.


A days worth of light filters in through numerous holes in the fuselage and floods in via the almost non-existent front windshield. Jim begins to move her off him and Rob. "Val.......Valerie!!" Robert bellows. "Vale........" Jim coming alive with anger at Robert’s continued disregard for him. "Hey dick-head! …” he yells slapping Robert‘s thick shoulder. “Scream a little louder and while you’re at it throw in a we’re over here!” Rob stared at the little man who sported a gaping wound to his forehead which poured forth enough blood to coat his face and further sully his grey MWA uniform. Jim knelt down gently lifting Li up over his thin shoulders she was frail, he felt as if he were carrying the world’s most priceless porcelain doll. Well she was priceless to him at least. The first growl came from a head sticking the spider webbed windshield. Robert became aware that his gun was unloaded and jabbing him painfully in the side. Robert tilts his head with inches to spare to avoid a gore shower as Jim gave the dead entity a whack from the axe he had found in the rear "Robert we have to leave man" Jim begged the last conscious person he could see the motor coaches tattered interior bore no further signs of life.


Robert came unsteadily to his feet Jim trying desperately to assist him and remain upright! His ribs ached and his pinky finger on his right hand jutted out awkwardly. Pulling in a deep breath and he pops the digit back into its correct position. Robert had displayed more manual dexterity when taking the ammo from the cop who he’d left to die. Than he did fumbling it into his weapon but never the less it was done. "What do we do Rob?" Jim scanned peaking from the bus. "We find Val and make for that Subway the cop......" Jim halted the conversation. "What kind of asshole are you? You could go there and seek refuge even after killing that man and attempting to leave them stranded?" Rob pushes past Jim "yeah I could", he answers flatly. "Val!!!......" there was urgency eating at the edges of his voice. "Rob......Robert!" uttered Val’s voice muffled. "We can't open the door or...." some movement from outside accompanied with howls from the undead it was ten minutes past time for them to go. “Trevor will...." it was apparent as the sun caressed his brown skin. "Robert!" Jim saw the corpses take aim at the hole in the bus. He steps back allowing Robert Berry room to miss him but hit his dead target. The first corpse took two rounds one through each ocular socket brain chunks slapping his formerly living teammates.


"Val we're going to the restaurant..." The girl they saw could have been no older than ten but she was freshly burnt her skin still smolders like meat removed from a flaming grill and she was gnawing on a severed human hand. The smell of brunt dead human flesh was noxious within the cramped cabin. Stopping the child proved more difficult she took three rounds and still came on. Jim crushes her with the axe a crunch signals a severed spine which finally stops her advance. "Stay here if you want I am leaving!" Jim River calls back totting his love meets a third zombie cleaving its skull in two. "Val....I.....I..." sighing deeply "Robert my friend go I will care for her I swear!" Hearing Trevor play Val's hero yet again enrages him. He spat "fuck you Trevor get a sun tan while you’re out today!" Robert’ spettiness almost driving him to make a horrible decision. Forgetting where Val was and putting a few rounds through the cabin and letting the sun into Trevor’s perpetually dark world! "Valerie ...I'll be back for you I swear!" Robert was a man divided for the first time in his life someone else meant more to him than himself. Jim wasn't fucking around he was already out of sight.


Robert made quick work squeezing though the damaged mobile home. Cautiously he moves over broken glass using the dust and smoke as cover. Up ahead he saw Jim unfortunately so had their foes Robert went running as the dead swarms and envelopes the bus like a piece of meat on the ground at a picnic. For Trevor Clevantes the dark was natural and soothing for Val it was claustrophobic and stifling. Her heart palpated as she heard Rob and his less than quite exit from the coach. The pitch black sleeping area was soon hounded by the sounds of the dead all about they crept into the cabin of the coach bus. They were all about it and yet they saw no flesh but they stayed pounding away just like they always did when they knew human flesh sweet and bloody was somewhere near. Val covers her ears weeping she was afraid to die; she'd never told Robert how she had come to fell about him. As the survivors had no time to relax as they’d fled from Gods biblical judgment. This had come in the form of ravenous zombies stripping the Earth down to its bones. "I'll protect you Valerie I swear we'll be fine!" he whispers as zombies start pounding the only weak spot in their defenses the latched white paneled door. Trevor saw himself crackling and twisting in an agonizing embrace of death brought on by the flaming yellow demon lord who owned the day time sky. He threw himself against the door driving his legs into a corner as an inhuman brace. In a phenomenal show of will, fortitude and sheer strength this is where he would remain keeping the living dead at bay and away form Valerie. Trevor would remain here until the sun blossomed in the cloudless sky cresting and sinking back to surrender to the moon for yet another night.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Caption!

"Shit I dropped the car keys!"


Sunday, March 4, 2012

A collaboration with a very special author.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

  
   I take great pride in presenting my most recent writing collaboration. I had been told this author enjoyed my work and was dying to get a chance to work with me. So I jumped at the opportunity to work on this project. I sidelined everything else until it was done. The author came up with the premise for this particular short story and we hashed out the idea together. He tells me this will be the first part in a series of superhero themed short story. It was refreshing to work with such a promising talent. So I proudly present to you our collective efforts. The story is entitled "Fireheart" by Jorge Robert Luckett my son.


Fireheart by Jorge Robert Luckett



Chapter 1: Burning inside



“I studied hard I know I’ll pass this test” Michael thought to himself. He said feeling very confident. “Okay class” the teacher Mrs. scar said (Weird name huh?) “Okay here I go.” urging himself on looking at the clock on the wall it was 1:15. Michael feels he could take this test and easily read the assigned book. The boy loves reading and he was reading “Redwall” by Brian Jacquse its AWESOME! Alright last question what do scientists predict will happen to the sun? “Hmm it loses power and slowly dies I got this.” he says like George Lopez hearing the bell ring. “Time for gym.” he’s nervous about his test to tell the truth. “I’m not really good at science it’s not my forte” Michael thinks. Seeing his friend Gerth Kidney they always make fun of his name. Michael just called him Guy instead and he likes that. As for his last name he can’t think of a nickname for that one. ”Hi Guy!” Michael waves “How’s it going Michael?” Guy asks sounding down. “What’s got you down man?” Michael says politely. He looks nervous like some one is watching him. “The test man how can you stand there and not freak out!” He screams. “Guy don‘t!” Mrs. Scar the teacher yells out “spider!” Again she yelled “Someone kill it please!” “Will someone get this woman out of here!?” Michael calls “she’s making all the girls have a heart attack jeez!”


 
He runs over and kills the stupid spider. Now they go to gym and after gym Michael knows he will get his test back. “I’m not ready for gym man we have the mile run today.” He said “You can try to do the mile.” They start to run around the track together side by side. Michael and Guy whose longer legs give him an unfair advantage but Michael does his best to keep up. Guy looks over saying “dude why are sweating so bad you’re face is red.” Michael is panting and his breathing is ragged “my …. My chest hurts.” Guy slows down to let Michael catch up to him. Suddenly Michael begins to cough his chest starts to burn “ah Guy my heart feels like its pumping fire!” With that Michael’s legs start pumping furiously as he sprints away from his buddy. “Michael!” Guy calls this time he’s the one trying to keep pace. Michael feels the wind whistling past his face everything is a blur and his feet feel light almost as if they aren’t touching the ground. Then he stops just past the mile line on the track panting his hands on his knees. “Michael……Michael!” he hears looking up to see Guy half a mile in the distance running with his hands in the air. The boy runs up to his friend “dude … Michael what the heck you just ran that half a mile in like the blink of an eye!” Michael stands up his mouth is so dry and he is thirstier than he has ever been in his whole life. “Guy I don’t know but at least my chest isn’t burning anymore.” He stands up slowly only to notice his shirt is signed. Now that he has run the mile Michael has to do pull ups on the bar “Michael you’re first!” Coach Bishop yells “Why me?!” Michael asks he said “you’re easy to pass the time you can get only one pull up.” Coach Bishop Chuckles “Michael just do it and get it over with.” Guy says all Michael could do was to do it and be done.


He went to the bar and did the pull up but the weird thing was he kept doing it he got the most pull ups in the school a hundred. The gym teacher was stunned! “Who are you?!” The Coach yelled then fainted. “Michael how did you do that no one and I mean no one can do a hundred pull ups that’s superhuman!” He had no idea what happened he just did it. “I don’t know how or what I did it just happened!” The bell rings time to go home. While walking in the hallway Michael was wondering what had happened he finished the mile run before any one else and made what he thought had to be the worlds record for “most pull ups ever!” It doesn’t make sense.


 

“Michael come and get your test!” his teacher called. Once Michael got his test he couldn’t keep his frustration in. Out of fury and anger he bangs his fist on his desk and growls not like a fake growl like a actual growl everyone’s eyes darted all over the room there eyes fell upon Michael who’s desk was on fire! He was desperately trying to put the fire out. His veins felt like they were on fire permanently. Like his very blood was fire. He looked at his hands they were on fire alright but he didn’t feel it. He put out the fire but ran out the room it was time to go home anyway. “I’m sure they’ll call my mom.” he ran to his locker and put on his backpack and ran to the door the principle was coming after him “Michael stop!” he screamed the bell started to ring again he ran to meet his dog James outside the school most of the neighbors feared him but were told not to because he’s half wolf but he was really intelligent, loving, loyal and sweet. An understanding always passes through them like talking. Guy came running and they were off. James, Michael and Guy went running James had a complete idea of what was going on. His owner was being chased by the principal yeah that’s it. Michal kept amplifying his speed it was hard for Guy and even James with his canine speed could not keep up. Michael saw a speck in the distance. He puts on extra speed.


 

Chapter 2: Family Secrets

 

He finally got home with Guy and James in tow. His mom notices him sprinting in the house. “Hi Michael.” she said sounding really upset. Guy came and said “Mrs. Roberts….” Michael’s mom raises a hand. “Guy can you just stay down here Michael will want to explain everything to you.” Michael‘s mom waves to him up stairs.

Michael could see fear in her beautiful brown eyes. They were in his room when she started “The principle called today.” she said. “Mom I don’t know what’s g-.” he tried to finish but she cut him off “you have powers beyond your wildest dreams.” Michael was astonished “Your great great grandfather was a powerful king and he had this special power no one knows where or how he got it but ever since then the power was passed down from grandfather to grandson and you have that power Michael. I‘m sorry I didn’t tell you but I was hoping it skipped you.” she told him. Michaels mother stared at her son before speaking again “Michael how’s a mother supposed to tell her son that he can turn into a dragon, talk to animals and has superhuman powers? Would you have even believed me?” “Is that why you were not surprised when I said I had heart burn?” he said. “Yes.” his mother looked around the room. “Do you understand when you look at James kind of like he was talking to you?” Michael was surprised at the question. “Actually yes I do.” he said “You can talk to animals and that’s really rare.” She said. “Cool… but yeah I guess you‘re right I wouldn‘t have believed you mom.” Michael then sits in silence as his mother goes on. “James is a magical dog from our homeland that will explain his intelligence and all that.” Michael was so happy he yelled “Awesome! What’s he called?” “A dog….“ his mother laughs “Now go and explain everything to Guy he needs to know.” Michael went and told Guy the whole story. The two boys sat down stairs in Michaels house. Guy was stunned beyond belief as Michael showed Guy to the door. “Call me crazy Guy but I don’t know if I will be at school tomorrow.” Michael told Guy closing the door and the went upstairs to his room. He got so angry from his test grade he started to morph!


His clothes melted away his hands and feet turn to paws. His nails stretch to claws, he grows a tail and big … great … dragon wings! Michael had turned into a dragon! No wonder why he could see better than usual, breathed fire and broke his desk and ran so fast he was half dragon! The room grew cold as if a frigid mist settled about the room. Michael fells his powers retreating. Suddenly Michael’s window blows open and some one steps in! He was wearing an ice blue hoodie and a weird amulet around his neck. Michal could recognized him easily it was a bully from his old school Bobby Stalls! He was a grade ahead of Michael “I’ve been watching you and I want your power.” he shot his hand and a wave of ice hit Michael in the face the pain was instant. Michael rolls across the floor jumping into the air he transforms back in to the black dragon with an orange patch of scales on its chest. Michal breathes fire on Bobby but it does not burn him or injures him and it covers him like a bubble! Bobby‘s amulet throws off a blue light that protects him against the magic fire. Michael swoops up and hit’s the bully with his tail. “No!” Bobby screams “this isn’t over twerp!” and then he disappears. Michael could not believe what just happened Michael just wanted to sleep. He waddled over to his bed busted and lays down for a well deserved sleep.