Back in January 2020 I wrote a story before the lockdown not knowing that we were in a pandemic… so that is why I left this story on the backburner.
It is about people left behind following the evacuation of citizens after a zombie apocalypse. I mentioned on twitter that I was tempted to publish it now… and people seemed to encourage me to do so. I went ahead and made a cover. I’m quite impressed with the cover tbh.
What do you think? Because it was already completed and edited 2 years ago I only need to go over it once or twice for last minute edits and checks, as such I’ve set a 31st August release date.
My short stories: In Our Home & On Our Graves have done extremely well peaking at no. 2 to no. 4 in horror short stories so if you downloaded and read thank you. I think the free promotion is still on so grab copies now for life, otherwise you need Kindle Unlimited to read them. Number #3 In Their Minds is being edited and will be out this week. Then I’ll release In The River which should round the series off.
So as you can see since Beach Town ~ Survivorswas released, and I am so glad it has, I’ve been busy. Granted I kept all these things on the low side because I was wanting to promote Survivors more than the others. I have more time now to dedicate to writing and with multiple stories in editing, and being written I’d say I have my hands full.
At the end of the day if I want to be a writer and be known as one I need to put my work out there. I see so many writers on twitter who started publishing only 2 years ago who have loads of fans and tons of stories out, with good ratings. It is my hope to become one of them, although maybe my work isn’t good enough. You need to tell me if that is the case.
Welcome to the fourth post in the medieval England series, this is the dragons section. If you have followed the series so far you will recount Alchemy(1), Knights(2) and Wizards(3) for the previous posts. Hopefully you enjoy reading and you can of course listen to the audio version via Spotify. Thanks you and enjoy this episode.
Dragons! The most feared creatures within the land during the medieval ages. A knight or group of knights known were known as Orders of Chivalry, like the knight Templar. Those orders were sometimes called upon to slay a dragon. We have legends like St George who slayed a dragon.
The story of St George is well known to England. He successfully tamed and slayed a dragon which had both demanded and consumed human sacrifices. The dragon would extort villages of livestock and trinkets, like gold. Eventually they turned to offering humans once a year, because they simple didn’t have the livestock or jewels to give the dragon. This horrific practice continued until eventually a beloved princess was chosen as the next offering. St George rescued the princess from the dragon.
St George and the Dragon! (source-wikipedia)
Lesser known is the slaying of the dragon by St Margaret of Antioch, who was swallowed alive by a dragon. Whilst inside she made the sign of the cross – which could have been using her sword – which caused the dragons belly and stomach to burst open! She used to be quite the revered saint in England during the medieval ages, and was associated with protecting women in childbirth. This destroying of the dragon using the sign of the cross ties into a religious idea about dragons, which is talked about further down. The story though was disputed by Jacobus de Voragine, who had written the Golden Legend which St George was a part of.
Enter another legend, Beowulf. Based on the epic poem. Not quite English and around the 6th century, a Scandinavian legend, but a brutal final attack about a dragon slaying. 50 years after defeating Grendel’s mother Beowulf slays a dragon, but is mortally wounded in battle and dies! A final courageous battle for a fearless man, one man alone who chose to fight the dragon solo. The people were fearful after his death, because they believed without him that they would be defenseless. It’s a great story and you can even watch the movie which was released in 2007 (I still remember watching this with my dad and brothers, it was a good time).
Beowulf slays the dragon, before dying from wounds.
Dragons still play a significant role today in society through the various multitudes of artwork, sculptures on public display and movies. Due to the dragon being associated with religion, particularly the devil, it was said during medieval times that to see a dragon was a reminder to not sin and to be a good person, particularly when saw in church. Said to have been the tempter of Eve in the garden of Eden.
All this mythology is great, but what about something close to real? Meet the Wyverns, a common dragon in medieval heraldry. Commonly depicted in artwork. Not that these are any more real, but certainly the more common types that were known in England and Wales.
Wyvern
Wormhill dragons, around 700AD named by the Anglo-Saxons. The hill at Knotlow in Derbyshire (I used to live in Derbyshire) was the base or lair of the dragon. Couple them with legends like the Longwitton dragon, of Northumbrian legend. Each dragon brought bad things. No medieval village or settlement was safe with them around.
What makes dragons so scary? Well, for one they fly with their huge wings. This gives them an automatic advantage when attacking villages or castles. In order to hide from a dragon people would have had to be inside a stone building or underground. They have extremely strong scales which are akin to armour, and a lot of knights could not kill them with their swords and stronger weapons were needed like catapults or cross bows. Fire they breathe… yes the fire is death and destruction and it could rip through a village and kill everyone very quickly. Unless you had some way to appease it, and most people didn’t, then you’d be killed. They can use their huge mouths and teeth to just simply chew you up. In the Hobbit movie, Smaug is unstoppable and has been for many years, and can only really be stopped with courage and powerful weapons.
Before we end let’s look for a final time at what a dragon symbolises, among other things: psychic abilities, honesty, fearlessness, passion, magic abilities, medieval times, uncertainty, faith. The story of St George is significant to understanding exactly what a dragon was that they all saw. Below are depictions of the dragon he is supposed to have slayed, and they all resembled jurassic creatures. Could dragons of medieval times simply have been ancient dinosaurs which so happened to fly? It is not far fetched at all, it is also possible that dragons might actually be real, or were at some point in history.
Undoubtedly the biggest threat in the medieval ages after the black death, hunger and the inquisition. Although we don’t have pictures of them from the medieval ages, you can watch many films with dragons. Dragonheart – highly recommend it to see a proper dragon. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the film is dragon from start to finish. Game of Thrones of course has dragons and so many more.
Thank you for reading episode 4 – dragons – in the medieval England history series. If you liked then please like, comment, reblog and follow and as usual, have a lovely day.
Confession time. Not last night, but the night before I ate this chicken burger. It was called a ‘tower burger’ and consisted of chicken, hash brown, cheese, lettuce and tomatoe and onion, some BBQ sauce and two lovely buns – not the sesame buns, some variety of gourmet/posh buns. Anyway, I hadn’t slept and I needed to eat so I ordered. It came with really tasty crispy fries with peri peri powder, brilliant taste. I am supposed to be a vegan but since I hadn’t slept I felt like I should divulge myself. Anyway it was lovely and I considered it a treat. Was it filling? Yes it was. Did it taste nice? Hell yes. How did I feel after? I have no idea as half hour after eating I blacked out for 12 hours on the sofa, apparently You Only Live Twice {James Bond} had played on tv and at some point turned itself off, as the day after it said ‘watch again.’ Well I slept right through that.
The picture above is from the site I ordered from. They forget my drink even though I ordered a meal which included one. Not the end of the world, great takeaway. I feel slightly guilty though for giving in to the meaty temptation. I suffered bad heartburn and a ‘junk food hangover’ the next day. It reminded me why I went vegan to begin with!
It wouldn’t be a good post without a poem about said burger: I Ate Chicken, Ultimate Vegan Sinner
Not knowing how passion could exist without it
or how the eyelids could remain awake
the meaning of life slipped into a bun
I remember just how much it was 'yum-yum'
no pickled beetroot, no devastating soya
I just know, I was all out of juice
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Ages or time that transcends comprehension. Back to a day when it was a life force, creatively made by supremecy.
Residing in the Pleromaheavenly realmdivinity in beinginhabitation of the spaceangelic and trinity
The pleroma was a term for heaven. Aeons were the divine beings inhabiting the pleroma, consisting of the trinity and the angels.
The trinity is : collectively, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. We can see from the diagram below that God is all 3 elements. He is The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It clears up the common misconception that both The Father and Son are the Holy Spirit, a common misunderstanding.
Love, light, peace. Goodnight.
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If there was ever a stranger place on earth or in heaven than the human mind, let it be known.
Humans for centuries have strived for development of individuals and society as a collective. Building vast empires and civilisations which flourish for many decades, even centuries. But, they all come crashing down. The most excellent of cultures, like Egypt, like the Aztecs, are washed away… seemingly to be found thousands of years later as relics and remnants of a history long gone. What of the tales of Alexandria, or the library that burned down? What of the ancient knowledge that these civilisations possessed. Where has all that information gone?
You won’t be surprised to know, that the majority of it will be suppressed, locked away in decaying ancient vaults, never to see daylight again. Select people on the other hand, are aware of what information is contained within, and with such, have literally moved human consciousness and evolution to suit their own agenda. Do you know the real reason Pharaohs had all the power whilst the majority slaved away to build the pyramids. Information and knowledge that would change mankind instantly is otherwise held or destroyed… why? What could it be that they do not want us to know about? Aliens and secret space races visiting earth, developing nations for thousands of years, to then destroy them when they no longer suit their masters needs.
That is all external. What counts is what is on the inside. What do you know about yourself? Do you like to read about ancient stargates? Perhaps you are interested in alien human genetic modification and hybridizations programs. What about the idea that an evil occult group runs and owns all the elite royal families and presidencies and celebrities in the world? Does any of it sounds plausible?
Inside an ear
You can see literally what is inside, that is, ‘inside the ear’ from the above diagram. You know you have a heart and brain and you might not give thought to autonomous processes or even to your own feelings and emotions. If you ever feel ‘hurt’ when someone upsets you, ask yourself, why. Where does that hurt come from, where does the pain and trauma form or manifest. Is it mere fragments of an illusion? The illusion being your own existence, on the path to reunite as the source of all things. You created this life, literally shaping the world around you, and no… it is not magic.
The ear diagram shows us that there is 3 parts, although not labelled. There is the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. When you get to the inner ear, you are in the labyrinth. Did you see that movie Pan’s Labyrinth ? I’ll come onto that in a moment. The point is, that you can see the diagram of the inside of the ear. You know from research and scans, that we have been told that inside the body is the heart and the liver and the kidneys among others. You were told that information, you never sought to understand that, you just assumed you ‘functioned’ since you were born. Unless you were unwell and needed to have scans or invasive surgery in which case, you trust that the ‘doctors’ went ‘inside’ to resolve the issues. You never needed to learn this about yourself and all knowledge came from an external source, whether it be teachers, doctors or whatever.
Contrast that with the ancient civilisations. You might be thinking, ‘looking at the alien picture I already know what he is going to suggest.’ Well, no you don’t. The alien picture above is a symbol in this post. It is a symbol of something being alien, as opposed to an intelligent life form. Carl Jung In 1958 concluded that it was more desirable for humans to believe UFO’s exist than to believe they don’t exist. He also concluded that UFO’s were example of synchronicity, where external events mirror internal psychic states.
“As we know from ancient Egyptian history, they are manifestations of psychic changes which always appear at the end of one Platonic month and at the beginning of another. Apparently they are changes in the constellation of psychic dominants, of the archetypes, or ‘gods’ as they used to be called, which bring about, or accompany, long-lasting transformations of the collective psyche.”
Carl Jung
Collective psyche is the idea the the human race shares an unconscious collective unconsciousness, which affects the world. Just as we project our emotions, so too do we project our psyche without even realising it. Alchemists used to do the same some centuries ago.
We can see any image we want, and gather information we seek. We do not however imagine that aliens or UFO’s would be the result of psychic changes. People claim that aliens built the pyramids. They also claim millions have been abducted. Manifestations though are significant in understanding what is ‘within’ ourselves. “an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something abstract or theoretical.” Is it possible collectively, the human race has already manifested all it needs to know, or will it continue to bring in new ideas? But just as history teaches us, civilisations get too good, they collapse and they end. Species are wiped from the planet, like the dinosaurs, wiped from the earth by an asteroid, or the great flood, in which Noah had to rescue the animals who otherwise would have been killed alongside the Nephilim.
Being able to guide your own light and life is amazing. Having the strength to build yourself up and make yourself and the world a better place is a fantastic start. But, what do you really know? Do you have clear knowledge of your own body, of your own psyche? Did you ever question anything taken undoubtedly to be true? Sometimes the most engrained of norms in society turn out to be false, to be lies. It is time to start uncovering how you feel, to set aside stereotypes and ideas that no longer belong to you. We can see people already expressing these changes throughout the globe. What do you want to be?
Knowledge, as Indiana Jones says in the Kingdom of the crystal skull, was the treasure or secret or the alien visitors. You see, the bad Soviet lady gets burned to death by the aliens for wanting too much of it. Maybe this film has more important messages for humanity, such as, stop, take a literal look inside and around you and love and enjoy what you have. If ancient Egypt fell apart, for whatever reason, did it reflect their level of understanding of life and the universe? Is stargate worth exploring, ancient stargates, purported to allow humans to literally teleport around the globe. Has the positioning of the pyramids, aligned with Orions belt, got significance?
Coming briefly onto Pans labyrinth, let’s look at the meaning of the words. Pan is firstly a God:
“In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Pan is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, rustic music and impromptus, and companion of the nymphs. He has the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat, in the same manner as a faun or satyr. With his homeland in rustic Arcadia, he is also recognized as the god of fields, groves, wooded glens and often affiliated with sex; because of this, Pan is connected to fertility and the season of spring. The word panic ultimately derives from the god’s name.”
pasted from wikipedia
Pan is the short of Pansexual, meaning someone who does not see gender when it comes to sex, to put it simply. Pan means all inclusive. It is a popular word used throughout the globe.
Labyrinth, which also means maze:
“In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the hero Theseus. Daedalus had so cunningly made the Labyrinth that he could barely escape it after he built it.”
wikipedia again
In the movie, Pans labyrinth, a faun is found within the labyrinth, literally befriending the girl throughout the movie. We can see from the above that inside the labyrinth is a minotaur, it is a monster, a bad monster. The interesting part is calling it Pans labyrinth. Pan is the God, right? Actually, the faun, is Pan. It is quite literally deceiving the little girl into this dangerous place.
The girl called… rather dubiously, Ofelia. This name… yet again derived from Greek, meaning ‘Help.’ Why call a little girl befriending a monster, stuck with uncaring parents, ‘help’? Minotaurs were also fed children, or small humans. What do you know still? Does the knowledge make you sick or are you interested to know more, so to avoid such ugly movies? Pan, of sexual deviance. Yet, a girl lured into the labyrinth to be ‘Queen’ of the ‘underworld’ ultimately paying the price through death. Pan, the so called ‘help’ of Ofelia, or a mere liar who uses Ofelia, seeking ‘help’ to open the gates to the underworld… hell. Pan is nothing more than Satan. Ofelia is crying out for emotional and physical love, yet she gets Pan, a deviant. She is roped into a deal with Pan, and she is in need of supernatural ‘help’ at that point. I dare not venture into Narnia, which the first creature the little girl sees is a faun… Pan.
Do you know what you think you know? Has your inner most thoughts been changed at some point, or are you still waiting for someone to tell you the truth?
I have to give a presentation next Monday on the Youth Justice System…
Green tea is very beneficial for you. Wizard frequently drinks it. Apparently the benefits of such tea includes things like improving mood, increasing concentration and assisting in weight loss and sugar control…
Wizard also enjoys trying to use such substances to enhance his mind set when he is meditating. Aside from tea he also manages to write poetry as you know.
He still reiterates that you need love and self love. You need to love yourself and treat your mind and body with respect and remain loyal to God. Gaining all the power you need is easier than you think.
Treat people kindly, eat healthy, try not to spend too much time in front of the TV… you get the point yes? Maybe you consider yourself more than a billboard or advertisement? Personally I agree with Wizard most of the time, he has some interesting things to say. He also highlighted the importance of spending time together, smiling, and having a good time overall. I think you probably should be spending more time together, being ‘you’ and not holding back. Otherwise what is left?
Being British is good. He recommends people to take a moment to appreciate your origins. To really accept and put some faith and loyalty back into your native country. He sees many people nowadays who are abandoning their home countries in search of something better. Hindsight?
Wizards lair is full of smoke sometimes, not the bad kind,maybe more of a myst? Myst as in mystical. Light or inner light that is found and worked using nothing but his bare hands is pretty incredible. Shaping and forming who you are from the inside out, and not the outside in. Being able to distinguish good people instantly, and being able to detect potential danger a mile away. Practice of meditation to strengthen the mind from the noise we all endure on a daily basis. He uses various shades of purple, not a lot though, as too much can be over powering. Purple is the colour of the highest vibrating state and that of the crown chakra. A symbol of Royalty, power and fantasy… To use to much can be akin to arrogance, as once upon a time it was only afforded by the wealthy.
magicshooting from finger tipslove dripping from thy lipspluck the petalmixing metalalchemical frying nightaura
The Wizard let me into his lair today and I briefly smelt what I believed to be brewing tea leaves but actually turned out to just be the smell of some lovely flowers he bought. Some yellow, some white and a few purple with many yet to bloom. He’s got the new vase on his window beside a lit tall white candle. He is fiddling with his new tourmaline tumble stone in his hands as he paces the room. Sunlight beams in and his great purple cloak is translucent, revealing the power beneath as a white shimmering glow. ‘I am honoured,’ I say, sitting in his brown leather armchair, helping myself to some crystalline water beside it in the most magnificent crystal jug.
He hasn’t given me permission to allow you to share, as he says his words are so powerful that only a few may actually read them. You are free to enjoy here, but insists that for safety they do not go any further, for risk of looking rather silly. You can also check out the post on soon to be famous quotes.
BEGIN
Just because I like flowers that does not make me a pansy!
Wizard
When I was a boy I had many wands. My favourite I always kept in my pants
Wizard
I once stood in a gay bar and told them all I am about to disappear with a poof.
Wizard
It is one of those days again, release the flying monkeys.
Wizard
Bring me a crystal, and a pipe.
Wizard
Ever wondered how they get the rabbit in the hat?
Wizard
Thanks for reading those selected quotes from the Wizard himself. I had a lovely tea with him and checked how his lilies were doing. They have started to bloom and are the loveliest of lilac, pink and purple in a combination. Closer to pink. I also had a look at his crystals and he said that he prefers to work with them at night, something about the moon. I cannot remember. Anyway have a lovely day!
It is time for you all to try this most excellent of breakfast suggestions. It is vegan, it is tasty, it is cheap and it is easy to make. Do you need me to convince you to try it?
I use seeded the seeded batch bread, a superb and tasty choice for this breakfast option. So what is the suggestion?
Avocado and tomato on toast
Simple but effective. I guarantee you will enjoy it. I’ll come on to the different drinks that may go well with this vegan dish.
Ingredients are easy to source. Avocados should be nice and soft and almost mushy if you squeeze it. I would suggest using 2 whole avocados to get the most out of this, the amount you use is entirely down to you. 2 slices of toast. Don’t use white bread, try something better like the seeded bread or whole meal. Use anything! I just like to see people using the wide array of bases out there. Of course, need some vegan butter. I am using an olive spread at the moment which is one of my go to choices to butter my toast. I recommend for the tomatoes either – cherry tomatoes, the small things, although they may not be as easy to slice or the big normal tomatoes. Big tomatoes allow you to slice them and there is more for you to use. I also use peanut butter, simply because it bulks up the toast and gives it extra flavour. For those who eat eggs, you might enjoy topping this delight with a fried egg, easy over!
What to do?
Make sure the toast is not hard, rather it should have some flexibility still. Butter them, liberally, apply the layer of peanut butter… if using that. Next fry the tomatoes, make sure you slice them in half or you could slice them into pieces and fry them. Using the avocado you can do a few things, smash it into a spreadable substance or simply place slices of it on the layer of peanut butter. Next, add those sliced tomatoes. Add pepper and salt to taste. I actually like to add turmeric when frying tomatoes. I also recently discovered some vegan sausages which are soft and succulent and would make a great addition to this. Like I said, it is simple but I find it really satisfying and filling.
My other post on egg filled fried tomato recommended adding whole wheat toast with avocado. I actually recommend as it is tasty, to simply combine the dishes. There will be a lot of tomato. Of course, vegans can replace the eggs with an alternative. There is a multitude of options, like hash browns – brilliant! Beans, bigger mushrooms, pancakes (?), bagels instead of normal bread.
Sides
As a side, classic says go with some variety of fruit. Maybe a bowl or strawberries or blueberries, a bunch of chopped banana, some yoghurt, some muesli cereal.
You could even have a side of those vegan sausages I mentioned, slice them and stuff them with herbs and garlic butter? Radical ideas change things… okay maybe stuffing sausages is far fetched but I would. A small portion of lentils or beans, like kidney beans or black eyed beans. Tofu , although I find it tasteless, can be tasty if you put enough flavour into it, and only eat small amounts.
Drinks
Coffee – so many flavours and strengths, one of the biggest markets in the world of trade. Decaffienated, whole, mild, intense, pure Arabica, a simple insta coffee maybe? After choosing the variety, you then have options in how to drink. Black coffee, no milk or alternatives. Have milk, oat milk, almond, hemp. White or brown sugar, honey or sweeteners? It’s so fascinating when you explore the options.
Fruit juice or smoothie – Absolute go to choice for a lot of people is orange juice. With bits or without? Apple juice works well too. I said smoothie since fruit is used in these. Load up the pineapple, cherries and bananas and liquid of choice and get that pumpin’ boost ready for your breakfast. My preferred option, but I might also have a cup of decaf coffee with it!
Water – You made it this far and now you want simplicity. It falls from the sky ladies and gentlemen so if you like a tasty water for breakfast, go right ahead. Sparkling water or flavoured?
Teas – I love being British because we have so many teas available. From the normal black teas, to green, chai, turmeric, earl grey (I love this at breakfast), English breakfast! The list is huge and what tea you choose for breakfast is up to you. Lavender tea is fine!
So, there you have it. A simple and tasty meal for the start of the day. To all those vegans out there trying to be better people by avoiding animal products, well done. I really enjoy the idea of being vegan, sometimes though, it can seem like I am in the minority although plenty of you are out there. It is a choice that only you can make. I recommend it for health and to boost well being.
Happiness,
shining like a light,
your soul,
burning through the night,
"I've moved on"
say your at the end,
of your might,
at wits end,
the interval,
a revival,
a white star,
watching from afar,
not in a rush,
to go far.