The Legacy of Tarsus

I live on a toroidal planet.

You see, my world is in the shape of a torus. You would call it a giant doughnut. We call it Tarsus.

I live in the middle class area, right around the 2 degree mark. I can’t afford anything flatter. Gravity doesn’t pull straight down; it pulls toward the center of the world, toward the Void. That means that the ground is slanted everywhere other than exactly around the outside where the richest people live, centered on a giant road that circles the planet.

My friend Jenny lives out in the 5 degree zone—not because she is poor, but because her passion is exploring. She’s unsettled by flat ground; she would rather be constantly hanging on for her life. The risk thrills her.

Jenny likes to take me on rides in her helicopter. These are times when we can detach from the world and exist on our own plane—one that’s flat. She doesn’t mind being flat (her house is perfectly level, being built on stilts); it’s just a flat horizon she can’t stand. We’ve seen plenty of amazing horizons on our journeys. Out there, beyond civilization, the strangest creatures have evolved. And there’s just nothing like a slanted sunset.

One day, we packed our bags and set off on our longest trip yet. We flew farther than we’d ever gone before—past the 90 degree mark where the rivers become waterfalls, and all the way to the forever dark inside of the ring, where the planet was just a granite ceiling above us. We found a cave and had a picnic there, sitting on the edge with the stars below us, obstructed by a ring of stone that began at our heads and extended far beneath us.

We stared at the Void, the center of our world. We could feel its tug of gravity, but it seemed like there was something more. It was a call filled with so much longing and so much hope. It came so suddenly, yet it was so familiar.

“Can you feel it?” Jenny asked me, the stars twinkling in her eyes.

“Oh, yes,” I said. “It’s very strong, but I think somehow I’ve always felt it.”

“Now you finally see,” she said, her face aglow.

We clasped hands and together we jumped into the unknown.

We spun in the darkness—completely weightless as our eyes were fixed on the immobile stars. As time slowly trickled by, the atmosphere grew thicker, slowing our descent. Eventually our feet touched strange but solid ground.

We had arrived at the island within the Void. This was where all the detritus from the mother planet accumulated, creating a world within itself. Everything we stood on was once a part of Tarsus before it was lost and forgotten. Before it found a new purpose.

I smiled at Jenny as our new life began.

Hogwarts Year 7 (Again)

I finally wrote my very first Harry Potter fanfic! It's really more of a sketch because it's so short. I finally realized how good J. K. Rowling is because I found this quite difficult to write, and it turned out no where near as good as the books. But it does show fairly accurately how I interperet the characters, which has always been a bit different. I hope you enjoy it!


The boundary between platforms nine and ten was receiving extra attention today, which was noticed by a few of the more observant Muggles. Every fall and every winter, the area would be cluttered by the oddest-looking children and their parents, and yet they never boarded any trains. They just vanished as if by magic.

As the clock neared eleven on this fall day, only two stragglers were left by the barrier. They were joined by another, who had just finished hugging her parents.

“What,” asked the tallest of the three, “are you going to do without us?”

“Well Ron, I will miss you, and Harry too,” she said, indicating the shorter boy. “But it’s not like I’ll need either of you while preparing for my N.E.W.T.s. To be honest, you never were much of a help in studying.”

“Thanks a lot Hermione,” said Harry. “But you’re right. You’ll go much faster without spending half your time fussing over our homework habits.”

Hermione gave a little sob. “Oh, but I wish you two would come. Things just won’t be the same.”

Ron smiled. “You know I couldn’t go back after all we’ve been through. I tried once already, and that didn’t work out.” He patted his pocket, which held the Deluminator: his greatest treasure. “I never saw much use for N.E.W.T.s anyway, but I know they’re important to you, and well…good luck.”

Hermione ran over and hugged Ron, knocking him slightly off-balance. “I love you, Ron,” she said.

“Well, don’t forget that while you’re gone. I don’t want you coming back with some sixth year boy or something.”

Hermione laughed and broke away. “You don’t have to worry about that.” She turned to Harry. “Try and stay out of trouble, okay?”

“You know me,” he said with a smile, reaching out to give Hermione a hug, which earned him a glare from Ron. “You’ll be brilliant.”

Hermione stepped away and picked up her trunk. She glanced at the barrier, then turned back. “You’ll write won’t you?”

“Of course we will,” said Harry.

Hermione gave one last smile and walked away, picking up speed until she vanished behind the barrier. Harry and Ron stared at it, a symbol of a world they no longer belonged to.

“What are we doing out here?” asked Ron. “Let’s go wave good-bye.”

They ran through the barrier onto the platform. The Hogwarts Express was bellowing out steam and hissing at it started to move down the track.

“There she is,” said Harry. Hermione had just entered the train near the back and shut the door. Moments later, her head peered out of one of the windows. She smiled when she saw Harry and Ron and wiped away the tear that was crawling down her cheek.

They waved until they could see the train no longer.

Things I had never done before the Pioneer Trek

Push a handcart. (Not too hard, but not much fun either)

Be in a boy band. (Of Midas And Men, just as a fill in. Check out the video!)

Sleep under the stars and with no pad. (Ouch!)

Eat chili, a hard-boiled egg, sliced oranges and dried apples. (Seriously! I guess I’m a little picky, except for when I’m hungry)

Have 8 “brothers” and “sisters.” (I love you guys!)

Have adventures involving sleeping bags. (Don’t ask)

Be so happy and so sad at the same time for something to end.

My Car

Well, it's not really my car. I just drive it all the time.

Anyway, my mom and I washed it recently. I didn't think it needed to be washed because I never notice those kinds of things, but my mom bribed me with money. I couldn't refuse to help after that.

Now, every time I see the car I feel a small flutter of suprise. Something is very different about it. Also, every time I touch the car to open the door, I feel that same suprise. That's slightly disturbing. I think I'll go wash my hands now.