I'M NOT DEAD: The Journals of Charles Dudley Vol.1 (26 page)

The Americans, unbeknownst to allied forces, captured and secretly relocated the vessel and its passenger days after the siege at Normandy’s beaches, securing the surrender and cooperation of Dr. Ludvig and his colleague Johann Krause.

In a provocative move, the United States Government granted the German scientists immunity and employed the team of colleagues out of concern they might flee to Russia and share their knowledge of the spacecraft that the Americans now possessed.

 Ludvig’s research on the craft was arduous, but insignificant in light of the spacecraft’s complex design and its passenger. His knowledge of biological weaponry—germ warfare—was vast, and his knowledge of the ship was significantly useful to the United States military.

THE SONORAN DESERT, ARIZONA – 1945

UNDISCLOSED BUNKER

Doctors Ludvig and Kraus stood adjacent to each other at a table, no stronger than a common picnic table, with four metal folding chairs. The room itself was nondescript:  twenty feet by twenty feet, dimly lit, four white bricked walls, and a door with an iron sheet. There were no windows, but it was cool and quiet.

Four men filed into the room: three in military uniforms, and one man, in front, wearing a navy blue suit with a red tie. He was in his early fifties, wearing horn-rimmed glasses, oddly shaped lapels on his uniform jacket, and an all-American schoolboy buzz cut. All four might as well have been clones with slight variations in their faces and carved out at Mount Rushmore. Certainly not the men you will find telling jokes around the water cooler.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen,” the leader spoke while seating himself at the head of the table. He placed three bulky manila folders down onto it:  one labeled
Ludvig
, the other
Kraus,
and the last
Luft
. Kraus shuttered at the sight of Luft’s envelope and couldn’t imagine why Luft was profiled in relation to their agreement with the United States Government. Baron Luft would sooner die than surrender to the Americans.

Dr. Ludvig stepped forward to meet the man sitting at the table. “Mr…, it is our pleasure and with great dignity…” Ludvig began, but the man seated cut him off.

“That won’t be necessary, please be seated,” he said waving his hand at the chairs across the table.

“What we discuss here today, in this room, without question, may never leave these four walls,” he continued. “You will not speak of it to anyone who is not present at this time. The men you see standing behind me, you will not know their names, and it will be the last time you see them. Do you understand? Now, forgive me if I’m a little brash, gentlemen.

These men will oversee your progress in developing
The Cerberus Project
. Obviously, with slight modifications to its predecessor. You will have unlimited resources at your fingertips and zero correspondence with anyone outside of your laboratories and myself. It’s a daunting road to travel, but given your contracts, effective at once, your families have been given long-term provisions in your absence, as promised.

You are doing our country a great service, gentlemen. You are about to forge history as we know. Are you ready to disappear?”

“Yes, Mr. President,” the doctors agreed.

“Let’s continue.”

IT IS TIME.

These are the lives broken by the end of a rope, swallowed by fire, and shattered by stones. Worst of all, by the fear and ignorance of men.

– Eli Crowe

“I didn’t want to write a bio, so I didn’t. My life remains a mystery.”

– Artie Cabrera

BACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself.”

-Lone Man (Isna-la-wica) (Teton Sioux)

Hello, Freaks, Fruitcakes, Family, and Friends.

I struggled (a long time) with the list of friends and family I wanted to say something endearing to, but I am not going to put myself through that emotional meat grinder. Instead, I would just like to say…

Thank you everyone for being a part of my strange existence. Every moment in time with each one of you is a piece that made up this puzzle. And like any puzzle, it would not be complete without its odd shaped pieces.

Very Special Thanks –

Thank you, Sandra and extended family, for letting me be me and for the unconditional support through the process of writing this book.

Thank you, Raissa, Tristan, and Gabriel, who I miss dearly—and for what it’s worth, being the unfortunate inspiration for writing this book.

To all my four legged children, here with me now, or in the great beyond. Even though you can’t read and will never see this…Daddy loves you.

Thank you, Charla Arabie, for your sweet generosity and blind faith in working on this project, and being a friend.

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The Grandfather tells.

An old Cherokee was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, “A battle is raging inside me…it is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

The old man fixed the children with a firm stare. “This same fight is going on inside you.”

They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee replied, “The one you feed.”

Table of Contents

Copyright

PART ONE

DIRTBAG PARADISE

WHEN THE WORLD WENT TO SHIT

PREY FOR THEM

LAZARUS WILL HAVE TO WAIT

DUSTY TRAILS

YOU, ME, AND THE DEVIL MAKE THREE

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

BURY X’MAS

LAST RIGHTS

CRYING IS FOR PUSSIES

BLUNT OBJECTS

THE SUIT THAT YOU WEAR

I SAW YOU

THAT’S THE SPIRIT

MEAT PLOW

JANE’S REMAINS

THE COLD SNAP

TOUGH LOVE

CARPE DIEM

LOVE AND OTHER CALAMITIES

DEATH RATTLE

CLEAN UP IN AISLE STYX

BIRDS, BEES, AND OEDIPUS

SUNRISE AND SATELLITES

DON’T SEND FLOWERS

DEAR GOD

RICHARD (UNCLE DICK

WHERE THE APPLE FALLS

AN ODE TO NANA

BUBBA

JERRY AND THE ANGRY INGRID

BULLDOZER

CHILD’S PLAY

UNEVEN STEVEN SINGS THE BLUES

INSIDE YOU

PILLOW TALK

RED HANDED

STRAYS

PART TWO

CHARLIE & JERRY vs. THE APOCALYPSE

MOURNING GLORY

THE BIRDS OF BEDLAM

THE FIVE FATHOMS

THE BALLAD OF DEADGAR

VALLEY OF THE VAGRANTS

PEEP SHOW

ANATOMICAL MAN

DOG EAT DOG

DUMPSTER

PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

STUCK ON YOU

‘TIL DEATH DO US PART

OVER MY DEAD BODY

WILD FIRE

SHMEGURT WAS A GAGGLE

DOWN THERE

GRUDGES AND GRIEVANCES

ELI CROWE

HONEY IN THE HORNET’S NEST

Paging Doctor Windham –

FALL FROM GRACE

DIABLO DEL MAR – (Devil of the Sea)

DER GEIST DES REICHS – (Ghost of the Empire)

THE SONORAN DESERT, ARIZONA – 1945

BACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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