Bill Harding

Summary:

To master the deadly dance

Bill Harding

arthurp 02 Oct 2010 05:20

A month ago I was a simple (if expert) performer looking to make a buck and improve my act. But then that changed. It all began with that foreign whore. She said there was work and it would pay well. I figured it would break the monotone of performing 6 times a day and anyway I could use the cash and maybe a ride … if you know what I mean. It turned out to be a really big chaw to chew on.

First, just as we were talking to the employer (or I guess that's what he was) this crazy bastard with rubber bullets crashes through the window and tries to kill us all. That went south really fast and the next thing I know I was fighting knee deep in snakes. Then the crazy bastard just out the window and gets him self killed; served him right really. I just decide to hoof it. It was way to weird for my taste. But then that creepy employer of ours forces me to come back; he messes with my mind! That's not how men deal with men! Anyway then he puts the crazy bastard back together except for his heart. He puts his heart in a box. Don't ask, I don't know!

Well at that point he tell us what he wants us to do and then up and disappears. The cowardly bastard. Then we spend the rest of that day and night hunting a damn mummy. It was like some horror action flick. It was actually really exciting. You really feel like a man when you are lighting a mummy on fire!

The whole experience inspired me. I'm going to master my whips, especially the glass one the cops always try to take from me. So I practiced hard for a month. I started working on some new stunts that also might be useful in a fight. It's coming easily. As if I'm somehow stronger or smarter than I was.

Then almost a month to the day from when the mummy hunt. I was doing my act and suddenly I'm falling. Like really falling, not just off the horse. It takes me a bit but I finally realize that this must be another one of those gigs or something. Well at least I didn't have to see that pussy creepy guy who employed my last time.

Well it turns out it was several of the same people I met last time. We seem to work OK together. Even though they are seriously weird folks. We spent something like a week living in the jungle of all things and getting hunted by these damn invisible gorillas. It was kinda awful actually. In the end I was suddenly right back in the middle of my act right where I was before I fell. Then of course I fell off the god damn horse. I really wish these gigs or whatever would be more convenient and would hurt less. The little Asian chick's healing things worked wonders, but I'm gonna have a big scar on my hip from this one. I really wonder what these adventures are all about.

But again it was exciting. Makes you feel like a man. I'm thinking I may need something a little more hard core than just broken glass, so I'm thinking about seeing if I can get a chainmail whip made. I know they exist. Also maybe I can put a razor wire fall on it. .. heh! .. The cops 'll like that!

I really wonder what is going on in this world. There is magic or something that is bigger than I am. But I get a real fight and some real practice with the whip that you cannot get any other way. So I'm not complaining so far. If this keeps going I'm gonna be the best whip cracker in the world in no time. And then I'll be better than anyone thinks is possible. It's like being in a comic book. I don't know what to think about it.

Bill Harding

arthurp 13 Oct 2010 06:26

So I'm starting to get into a rhythm of things. Around once a month something weird happens and I'm off to another bizarre adventure to almost get my self killed. Like I need more scars. Even outside the adventures things are getting odd. I've been having strange dreams. I almost think someone (or something) is trying to tell me something to my dreams. I've been dreaming of performing which isn't that odd but everyone in my dreams has really long hair. I have no idea why.

This little adventure started with some weird chick in the woods handing me a set of planes tickets to Moscow. And I'm always up for some excitement, so I went. Kinda wish I hadn't at this point, but you can't change the past. As usual there was nobody there to tell us what to do when we got there. All there was was a couple maps and a note saying to stop the disease. We also picked up a boy who was sent to Moscow in a big box. We didn't know it yet (though we should have guessed) that it was totally insane and really dangerous. I'll never forget that. My wrist will be a constant reminder.

Once we got out to the village where the "disease" was we found what looked like the plague. Like THE plague. I'd only seen it in books but it was obvious. However the more we looked the stranger it got. Finally we found some survivors but they were just trying to bury the dead and had no hope for their own lives. It was sad really. Then suddenly out of no where the kid kills one of the survivors. It was so fast I had no idea what to do with it. But I guess instincts kicked in and I managed to get my whip wrapped around the kid and hold him so he couldn't to any more harm. That situation turned even worse really quickly when Travis started to round up the survivors and looking like he was gonna shoot them. It was like everyone had gone insane. But finally we had the boy tied up in the car and we where on our way to follow the only lead we had. Where the man who had gotten sick first had been hunting.

We walked out in the woods and then the doc started to show signs of the disease. We found a weird rock with a cave in it. We had to leave the doc behind because we was getting too sick but we continued into the cave. Finally we found a huge room inside the hill with all these weird runes and evil symbols. There was glowing ball but we couldn't get to it because there were holes in the floor and some black goo in it. Then suddenly the kid was there. I have no idea how he got out of the car and I wish to God he hadn't. He was jumping across the first circle of goo and into the inner ring so I went after him. And almost exactly at that moment the goo was on fire and I was ringed in. The kid went leaping through it, so I followed after him. I was burned real bad. It was like I'd been roasted on a spit over a fire. But I was alive and I got my self put out and ran up to the ball. Then I made what was probably the stupidest decision of my life (other than maybe my ex-wife) and I grabbed the ball. I was going try to smash it against the ground. But as soon as I touched it I couldn't. I just couldn't bring my self to do it. Then that kid was there and demanded I give him the ball. I wasn't about to give that bat-shit kid the ball, he'd prolly kill us all with it. But he had a big knife so I kicked out at him, but I guess I didn't get him hard enough because he managed to land a blow on my wrist and the last thing I saw was the bared bone of my wrist and blood everywhere and then I passed out.

… I was waking up laying on the grass and there was a whip in my hands it was the was the weirdest whip I'd ever seen. I was made of hair; my hair. And I could feel it like it was my hand. I loved it like it was my self. I reached out to touch …

And I came too to see the Jade standing me treating my arm. And the boy was standing next to one of the big holes looking down. Then Jade stands up and levels a gun and shoots the boy the back of the head. He just silently crumpled forward and fell into the pit. It made me sick to see it in a way, he was just a kid. But it's like a mad dog. Sometimes you just have to put them down.

I came in and out of consciousness for the next while and I saw some of the others working around me and eventually they carried me out on some branches. Honestly I can't thank them enough. Jade and that funny snake guy have saved my life 3 times now. So as odd as they are I have to respect them. I owe them both.

As we where driving back to Moscow I talked to Jade a bit.

"Thanks, miss. You've done it again and saved me." I said, "I owe you. I gotta say, you have more in you than I thought. The way you put that boy down put chills down my spin. Don't get me wrong. It needed to happen…. But I wouldn't want to be on your bad side."

They took me to a hospital in Moscow where they set my wrist properly. And then we all went our ways. I bet I'll see them in a month.

Back in the good old US of A, I got some proper treatment and I think I will be able to use my wrist again in a few weeks. The doctors say it's a miracle. I'm pretty sure it's just Jade's little viles. There's some magic in that girl.

As I've been getting better I started to think about that whip I dreamed about and I keep yearning for it. I keep waking up reaching for it. So I decided to make it. I took a whip and some of my hair and wove the hair into the whip all the way through the fall and the cracker. I took it out and gave it a good crack and it worked well. No better than before but no worse. But I did feel some draw to it. That night I hung it next to my bed and then in the morning I woke up and the whip was laying next to me. I reached out to touch it and I felt it like it was my hand. This world is far stranger than I ever thought. I hope this isn't some witchcraft that God will strike me down for.

Re: Bill Harding

DFenyx 18 Oct 2010 07:32

"My thanks for your gratitude, but really you are very skilled in your art. I couldn't truly stand how damaged you were. I acted out of anger more than anything, which I hope the August Heaven will someday forgive me for."

Re: Bill Harding

arthurp 29 Oct 2010 21:14

So I got a letter strange letter. I'm starting to get used to this. The letter just had an address in it. And it's been a month since I've been on one of these adventures so I was ready for some excitement. So I went to the address. It was just an abandoned warehouse. So I went in. So my surprise (though I guess I should be used to this sort of thing now) I was on a beach. And strangely, so was Tonio!! I never I expected I would ever actually meet him! It was an honer to shake his hand. He turns out to be a really nice guy and has a great flare for the dramatic. I liked working with him. There were also some of the others I've met before and a some ninja dude. He looked old but man he's bad-ass.

So once we had grouped up we start to make our way into the scrub and palms inland. We pretty quickly realized we were being hunted. There were a bunch of guys with tranq. guns. But they were not that hard to fight off. So in time we cleared out a good few of them and found what they were protecting: An office building with a huge security fence. On the way though I managed to get the armor off one of the guard. It's pretty good armor. Maybe I'll stop almost dying every other adventure.

When I got to the clearing around the fence I saw the strangest thing. Tonio was standing there and all the guard were firing at him, but not a one seemed to be able to hit him. And even the few bullets that did literally bounced off his skin. There more to him than an actor and star. I ran for the fence and climbed into one of the guard towers. Pretty much everyone in there was already dead (That ninja was a good shot). And then I heard over the radio a strange voice just invite us to come in and I saw the gate open. So we just walked out across the space inside the fence to the building. There was no resistance. I think the guards were all either dead or scared at this point.

There was a security station at the entry but no one manning it. So we just walked through and just headed up the elevator. We were trying to get to the top floor, but at like the 30th floor (out of 50) the elevator jammed. We all piled out and looked around. There was really nothing to be seen. So Tonio and I (Wow I can't even believe that I can say that phrase!) decided try to ride the elevator cables up without the elevator. So we climbed out on top of the elevator and managed to get the cables to snap. It was amazing. We flew to the top and managed to land at the top floor door. I broke the door and then we climbed in.

We were in a large room filed with old weapons and stuff. I walked out across the room and then I set off the trap. Suddenly were were being shot at by 4 little auto guns on the ceiling. I ducked and covered, but before I had a change to really do anything the guns were broken on the floor. It's like working with a bunch of super heroes (or villains I'm not sure sometimes). Then a man stepped through a door at the side clapping. There was something creepy about him. But he seemed to be nice enough.

I guess the ninja didn't think so though since he handed him a card and then they bowed (strange Japanese tradition I guess) and then suddenly he throw his sword in the are shot the guy and then tried to cut him in half. But the guy just took the bullet and caught the blade. It was like he was totally invulnerable. It was amazing. And that was that. The ninja just bowed and stepped back.

And that was the end of it. The strange man turned out to be our employer Thomas Veil. We had been hired to test his security (which had totally failed). He was quite generous and let us keep all the gear we stole off his men and gave us his card. He said he might be able to help my make my razor wire whip. That would be amazing.

But I've been working on doing some really strange stuff with my whip. I think I could flip a small car with it if I had to. I don't know how. But it's like it has a strength of it's own now. So I've been practicing. I'm also learning that even when trying to lift things finesse is everything with a whip. If I get my form right I can lift almost anything. It's amazing. I've been turning it into an act. Throwing gallons of gas in the air with the whip and cutting them into pieces with a flaming whip. It makes a huge fireball and it really draws the crowd! I've only lite my self on fire 3 times so I'm doing pretty good. My manager thinks I'm crazy. And I probably am. But people pay a lot to see it!

Re: Bill Harding

arthurp 08 Nov 2010 20:02

[Deutsche Welle news in german]
A mini-van exploded last night at a petrol station in the suburbs of Stuttgart. A bystander was shot through the head in cold blood. Evidence points to the explosion being a targeted assassination of one Bill Harding. He was an American rodeo performer. What is unclear is why someone would want to kill him and why they would go to such lengths to do it. He appears to have been killed instantly by a shaped charge mounted under his seat. There is evidence that there were other people present and that they somehow survived the blast and fled. An investigation is ongoing.

Re: Bill Harding

arthurp 08 Nov 2010 20:02

Rest in Pieces.

Re: Bill Harding

Bratovitch 09 Nov 2010 17:44

Sorry about that Art: I fully expect to play a girl scout as my next ringer & I'll be gunned down before selling a single cookie.