The God Key

Part 1: The Seventh Day

standard disclaimer

-Prologue-

He took one one one cause she left him and
two two two for his family and
three three three for his heartache and
four four four for his headaches and
five five five for his lonely and
six six six for his sorrow and
seven seven for no tomorrow and
eight eight he forgot what eight was for and
nine nine nine for a lost god and
ten ten ten ten for everything
everything everything everything 1

Hoagie took one small insignificant blue pill from the box and held it close to his thick glasses. The pill was plain, no numbers of words embossed across the surface. Just a little blue pill. Boring. But this pill was no ordinary pill, rather a special pill. Not an illegal substance promising a Euphoric high, or transcendental awesome of wild colors and psychedelic sounds. No, it wasn't a drug. It was a new life.

Polydestrolycocine… or something like that. He tried to break the chemical compounds into words but the little blue pill couldn't be translated into tangible nomenclature. There were also a few unorthodox ingredients he'd rather not think about or mention aloud for fear of imprisonment. So he simple called it polydust. A drug that literally delve deep into your brain, found your deepest desire and morphed your body into it—like an LSD trip that last forever. It was a psychoanalytical chemical that worked predominantly in the hypothalamus and subconscious.

He smiled at the pill, the glory of his own creation. Yes, he made it and would be the first test subject. He took one, swallowed it dry ignoring the bitter taste of the pill. He took another two days later after feeling no effect. He took a third, then a fourth, then fifth. He bottomed out at ten over a span of three days when there was still no response. Then on the seventh day something happened.

Monday:

"Hoagie!" his brother called as he pounded on the door. "Get your fat ass up, we're leaving for school in ten. I know you don't want to walk either!" with those scathing words his brother vanished into his own room. Hoagie, formally numbuh two of the KND rolled his 300 plus pounds over and ignored the screech and rattle of his tiny bed. The floor complained a second later when his foot stepped down on the weakening floorboards. His brother was always jeering at him that the floor would cave one day and he would smashed down into the kitchen.

Somewhere Hoagie wondered when his sweet little brother had grown to be such a colossal douchebag. Then he'd pause and remember when he came running into the house screaming, "First string. I made first string. The only freshman on the team, hell yeah!" Down for Tommy. The kid had given up his silly dreams of Private investigator and was now really for the big time: College football.

Hoagie slowly got dressed, forcing his way into a pair of jeans that fit a few weeks ago and a baggy tee shirt. He looked at himself fin the mirror: gut bubbling out of his pants, his moppy hairy falling into his eyes, mouth full of braces, and the pimples, dear god the pimple protruding from his cheeks like small volcanoes.

"You are one unattractive fuck." He whispered to his reflection.

"I do what I want!" his face sneered back.

Hoagie resisted the urge to scream as his reflection ran stubby fingers over his gut until his hand reached his soft man breast. He blinked and found himself staring at his face again unsure whether or not he hallucinated or his over active imagination was playing tricks on him.

"Bye fat ass, see you at school!" Tommy called up at Hoagie's window. Hoagie rumbled to the window just in time to see Tommy start his turbo charge silver and black GTO and speed out of the drive way.

"Guess I'm walking."

"As you should." His reflection said across the room from him. Hoagie felt his heart leap into his mouth. He grabbed his backpack and bolted out of his room, down the stairs, and as fast as humanly possible down the street. Halfway down the block he was winded and wondered how he was ever as athletic as he was in the KND. Behind him he heard a car approach, windows down with rock music blasting. The car pulled up to him.

"Hoag, get in the car bud. Back seat if ya don't mind, I gotta get Kuki." Wally said his finger stroking the automatic lock button. Hoagie nodded, still trying to catch his breath as he threw himself in the car. Wally, turned the music down, and pulled out into the street without looking behind him. A chorus of horns called to him, but the boy simple jeered in his rearview mirror and flipped off the "rude" woman driving the mini van.

"Hey dude, happy Monday." Wally greeted.

Wally hadn't changed much since his KND days; he was still short, a powerhouse of muscle, bright eyes, and bleach blonde hair. He had acquired a few scars over the years due to fights, brawls, sports. The moist distinguishable of which was the long red line from the bottom of his right eyes all the way down to the base of his neck. The scar attracted all the girls and he'd gladly tell the story to any set of breasts that asked.

Picture it, he'd say, three thugs all atleast 100 pounds heavier than me. They came at me trying to steal my wallet. I dropped one with a spinning back kick, the other I threw across the ally. The last had a knife and slashed me pretty bad, but I got him good.

In truth, Wally was still clumsy and fell out of his window into a tree and then to the ground while trying to sneak out one night. But the girls didn't need to know that.

He was super popular; the school bad boy.

Wally stopped in front of Kuki's house and honked the horn. The upstairs bathroom window fluttered and a second later Kuki burst out of the door way in her short cheerleader outfit. Nobody who had known the girl in the past was surprised she became a cheerleader, but the circumstances under which was the best part. Kuki's unpredictable temper landed her in the office when she threw a book at the substitute after saying something insulting about Japanese heritage. She wasn't expelled but order to join three after school activities and one sport team to alleviate some of her rage. She choose the four activities that kept her strong, her thighs nearly fat less, and body strong. Cheerleading, archery, gymnastics, and kick boxing.

She was also exceptionally popular and had grown to be of the most beautiful girls in the school.

Last but not least Wally pulled up in front of a larger house than the previous two and honked the horn. Abigail sauntered out slowly and drew a low moan from Hoagie's body. He hated volleyball game day; she was required to wear her devilishly too short spandex shorts and tight fitting tank top. But this morning as it was hot, found her wearing nothing but those shorts, tennis shoes, and a blue lycra sport top. Her jersey hung in one hand and single notebook in the other. He no doubt had done all her reading and rarely carried anything else. Hoagie watched the slow sway of her curvy his and the slight bounce in her large but firm bosom. Sweat collect across his forehead and tingle began in his groin.

Years later the torch he held for her burned strong.

Abby climbed in the backseat next to him and gave him a quick hug. "Hey haven't seen you around much. How's that project you're working on?' she asked softly dabbing chapstick across her lips.

He sweated when he realized that she didn't have a purse of pockets. When did that chapstick come… she replaced it back down the front of her shirt. He coughed.

"Good, ugh yielded interesting results."

"Awesome, so what is it?"

"Chemical compound," he said, "basically a drug that works in the brain to…" turn me into everything I ever wanted? No, no cant say that. "It's a body enhancement formula."

"Steroids?" Kuki quirked turned around to face him.

"God no," he managed a forced laugh. "More like a supplement that over time increases muscle mass, brain activity, memory, fat loss." Basically anything you want. He added silently.

"Cool, need a guinea pig?" Wally offered as they pulled up in front of the school.

"It's unsafe, but when I prefect it I'll be sure to let you guys know." Hoagie nodded as he climbed out of the car. High school, ugh. The big brick building looked positively evil. The gang waved and began to split apart. It seemed these rides were the only time they ever spent together these days, although each of their social circles crossed. The person he was sure to see was Nigel.

Kuki flounced off to her other cheerleader friends while Wally walked around back of the school to sit with the other rebel and smoke cheap cigarettes. Abby joined a few other girls waiting for her on the steps. Then he was left alone. He sighed pulled his backpack up higher and climbed the steps.

He went to the silence lab and as expected Nigel was already there with three different girls around him. He was demonstrating how acids and bases worked. They probably couldn't spell the words he was using but they like the way his strong jaw line looked when he said "acid neutralization" and such.

"Hey Hoag, I was just showing them how to neutralize and acid and to…" his voice floated off, "you okay man. You look a bit…"

Nigel wasn't sure what to say, Hoagie you look thinner? Your acme is getting better? Did you comb your hair this morning? I see one less chin? In truth Hoagie looked better this morning than he ever had in the past four years. Hoagie started to deteriorate after they were all decommissioned. The light left his eyes and he started to withdraw from them, trek inside of himself. He rarely showered, smiled, laughed, or did anything but eat. His grades were slipping although everyone still knew he was brilliant. Some kids take decommission harder than others, his superiors said to him when he asked about Hoagie's behavior,

Did hoagie even know he looked different? That one of the girls who at once was watching him was staring at Hoagie with a certain special twinkle in her eye?

"A bit?" Hoagie asked slumping down onto the desk across from him.

"Different."

Hoagie snorted, "Anyway what are you up to?"

"Well Ashley wanted help on her chem. Homework so I designed an experiment to help her study. She needed to know the compounds needed to neutralize this acid or to activate the acid."

Hoagie stood and moved the girls aside and stared down at the beakers. "Well, Ashley was it," Hoagie said as he went into an elaborate explanation the girl could follow. Nigel watched with a smile on his lips as the girls gravitated around him and other kids in the classroom began to take heed of his words. Notebooks appeared as his lecture went on. Even when Dr. Grunder entered the room no one moved. Hoagie's charisma took over the class. The teacher only smiled and let him lecture.

Nigel was as happy as he was worried; Hoagie had never been like this. Perpetually shy around girls and awkward in most social situations, Hoagie always let Nigel do the talking. He sat in the back of the room and watched him. Hoagie's hair suddenly twitched.

"What the?" Nigel said aloud but shushed his mouth when on of Hoagie's followers shot him a dirty look. He moved closer, creeping up so quietly no one noticed him close behind them. The hairs on Hoagie's head lightened in color, ever so slowly before they straightened. Then they parted themselves folding back across his head behind and ear before a single strand fell into his eyes.

He choked on words; didn't anyone just see his hair comb its self? Hoagie turned and smiled showing a mouth full of teeth. His braces twitched and wavered before they vanished all together. His teeth whitened. Then all the blemishes on his skin vanished at once and his glasses drifted off his face before they hurdled themselves across the room.

The fat across his belly rumbled, before sucking itself inward replaced by a rippling six-pack. He grew taller, leaner, his slouch straightened and baggy tee shirt was replaced by a tight black undershirt and designer jeans. Hoagie changed.

Nigel was speechless throughout the transformation but he found the words as a new Hoagie Gillian stood before him. "What the fuck!" Nigel screamed pointing at him.

Hoagie smiled with his brand new dimple and new sneer. "What?"

"What the fuck man!" Nigel screamed again. He grabbed a girl's shoulders and shook her hard. "Did you just not see that? He morphed!"

"Whatever, dude." The girl shrugged and moved closer to Hoagie.

Hoagie frowned at Nigel, "Can't stand it can you?" he sneered, "All about me."

"How did you? It isn't possible!" Nigel stammered coming closer. Something had changed about Hoagie's eyes, they were darker, deeper, meaner. This was no longer Hoagie standing in front of him.

"You know what Nigel, you talk too much. Shut the fuck up." He screamed pointing at him.

Nigel felt his throat close, throb, before a cool breeze scratched down his wind pipe. He pointed and tried to speak. But he found his voice was too dry. He tried again; all that came about was a small squeak of anger.

Then they laughed; the people that had at once idolized him laughed in his face. Their faces stretched wide and wild, teeth growing to pointed daggers. They sounded like hyenas calling in the distance, like wolves howling to the moon… he covered his ears and cried out in a silent scream.

Hoagie's eyes met his and Nigel could do nothing but run.

Hoagie felt like he was watching the world through someone else eyes, like they were living in his body. What was this, he tried to move his arms but he couldn't. who was this? Who inhabited his skin?

He heard a voice in his head. "Hey… remember?" the voice asked.

Hoagie kept trying to struggle against the person controlling him, he watched silently as Nigel grabbed his throat and tried to speak.

"Remember me?" the voice said again, "I don't think you do. I am everything that you hated about life and I'm everything you hated about people. I'm everything you're not, and everything you'll ever want to be. I'm your subconscious Hoagie, and a power beyond your control. In short, I'm everything and nothing, I'm all there will every be and so much more. I am the drive to create polydust, the lust in your heart for Abby, and the jealously you feel toward Nigel. I am your delusions of grandeur and your shame."

Hoagie felt his hand reach into his jeans; he pulled out a single blue pill and popped it into his mouth. When did he make more polydust?

"I am these pills, your brilliance, and this reality. Thank you for being such a pawn and dabbling into the dark arts. Thank you for harnessing reality and trapping it into a tangible treat."

Hoagie felt the pill explode into his mouth and the tiny bitter particles dissolve on his tongue.

"Thank you for handling me the God Key."

Outside the sky turned black.

woot! Finally the first chapter. I know that this may all seem a little schizophrenic but I promise that everything will come together next chapter and beyond. The next chapter should be up by Sunday. Flames welcome, creative criticism preferred.

1 lyricsViolent Femmes: Kiss Off