Mimgardr: Introducing Dan Barker and Aaron Flanagan

Host: Today is September 4th. S. R. Ford's latest book Mimgardr will be released in two days on September 6th. Forty-eight hours. Can you believe it? I don't know about you, but I'm as excited as a puppy waiting for a Beggin' Strip.

As a special treat for you today, I'm very proud to introduce two people who are very important to this new story. They're my two special guests. Please welcome Dan Barker and Aaron Flanagan!

***Applause***

Host: Welcome, guys. It's great to have you here.

Mr. Barker: Glad to be here.
Mr. Flanagan: Thanks for having us.

Host: So, you've got a pretty big day coming up.

Both guests: Yes, we do.
Mr. Flanagan: And we're pretty excited. This is the beginning of our life story after all.

Host (holding up Mimgardr): These are some pretty amazing events in here. How do you feel about revealing them to the world? Do you think you're ready for that?

(Guests look at each other)

Mr. Barker: Well, I have to say it's hard having my entire life open for review. My thoughts, actions, everything is open, and I only hope people will try to understand what we've been going through.

Mr. Flanagan: No kidding.

Host: So what would you say is a major theme for this book?

Mr. Flanagan: Know who your friends are. That's what I'd say. Know who your friends are, and stand by them.

Mr. Barker: That's a good way to put it, Aaron. (Turns to Host) When they were talking to us about the tagline for Mimgardr, I told them it should be either "Sometimes we're our own worst enemy" or "How many times can one heart be broken?" But they decided to go a different route. I can't feel bad though; they had hundreds of good ideas.

Mr. Flanagan: Both of those would've worked though.

Host: Now, I have to ask: What was it like getting to see things firsthand that you thought never actually existed?

***Both guests laugh lightly***

Mr. Barker: Sometimes it was pretty amazing, and at others it was the exact opposite. You'll have to read and see which was which.

Mr. Flanagan: Well put.

Host: Well, gentlemen, I see you've brought a little clip of Mimgardr. Can we share it with the audience?

Mr. Flanagan: Of course!

Host: But first, give a little heads up. What's going on in the clip?

Mr. Flanagan: This is the very beginning of the story, time-wise, where I find out that I've been targeted as part of a coup by my best friend.

Host (Pointing to Mr. Barker): And that mean's you. Doesn't it?

Mr. Barker: Yes it does.

Host: What a jerk...

***Laughter***

Host: You just can't trust anyone anymore, can you? (Turns to audience) Ladies and gentlemen, take a look:

Mimgardr

Chapter One

The King of Hearts

(Excerpt)

Copyright 2013 S. R. Ford

“Purcellville,” Aaron announced happily. “That’s where we’re going.”

“What’s in Purcellville?” Dan asked as he raked a hand through his black hair, ensuring that it remained swept back and parted while the window was down and the wind rushed around them. Two things Aaron had always admired about Dan were his well-kept, quite formal appearance and his ability to keep his hair swept back and parted almost perfectly without gel or hairspray. The combination had always lent Dan a hand up with the ladies.

“I got a call this morning from a man in Purcellville,” Aaron replied, turning the company’s white GMC Canyon up the on-ramp and onto the freeway. “He said he wants someone to come by and do an evaluation. So I figured we’d get out of the office and go ourselves for a change.”

“But why are we going there now? The appointment isn’t until noon. You should’ve just stayed out there in Hamilton, and I would’ve driven out to meet you before the appointment.”

“Like I can justify not showing up to work just because I have an appointment set up by my house. Besides, I figured that if we were together we could talk to some people out that way. They don’t see our company very often.”

“We’re salesman in northern Virginia, Aaron. No one around here complains about not seeing salesman, especially when they’re only home between seven at night and five in the morning, thanks to commutes and traffic. And that’s if they’re lucky.”

“Remind me why you bother working this job,” Aaron returned. “You’ve been doing this for two years, and all you do is complain about it. If I hate this job as much as you do when I’ve been here for two years, I’ll quit in a heartbeat.”

“I doubt it. I stay because it’s what I’ve got. I don’t need to press my luck by quitting when the economy is still so flimsy.”

Aaron shrugged. “Good point. Are you still planning on heading back out west this autumn then?”

“That’s the plan,” Dan acknowledged happily. “Why don’t you lose that tie? The temperature’s going to break ninety degrees today, and the humidity’s going right up there with it. You’ll boil up if you wear a tie all day.”

“Aren’t we supposed to look professional?” Aaron chided.

“Our definition of professional doesn’t include a tie specifically. You know me; I’m all for looking crisp and formal. But in this climate it’s hardly appropriate. We just need to look respectable. You know, climate-appropriate business casual. A white or blue button-up or polo shirt, slacks, and shiny shoes are all we’re asked to wear. Unless we’re in the office, of course.”

“All right then,” Aaron smiled, loosening the knot in his tie with one hand and pulling the tail through his collar. “You’re the boss.”

“Anyway, you should take some time off and fly out too. You could escape this Washington to see your family in the other Washington.”

“I can’t. I don’t have enough vacation days left.”

“Oh,” Dan breathed, turning up the radio so the guitars and drums would overcome the roar of the traffic around them. “So did you find a date for Friday?”

“I haven’t had time to look. Besides, I haven’t been here long enough to meet anybody worth asking.”

“Oh, and I have been?” Dan retorted tauntingly. “I just got transferred into this sector a few months ago, but I’ve got a date. Maybe we can find you someone today. Can’t have you showing up dateless, now can we? We’ll just have you win over some fine lady with those blue eyes of yours, and we’ll be all squared away. You said you can sing like Sinatra, didn’t you?”

“I don’t think flirting with girls is appropriate during work hours.”

“Of course, it’s not. So we’ll do it during lunch. The way I see it is that we don’t have to be back in Ashburn till three o’clock, and all we need to keep the boss off our backs is a good enough report to justify driving out here ourselves. So that’ll give us at least a little time to hunt down a date for you.”

They arrived in Purcellville around 9:45 AM and parked at the far end of a Bloom Market parking lot. They walked the town and met several of the business owners, including a print shop owner, a spa manager, and a few fast food joint supervisors. As they were making their way around, Aaron noticed that the closer it came to noon, the more fidgety and uncomfortable Dan became. Normally Dan was sarcastic, funny, and quite well known for taunting people, but the closer the twelve o’clock chime marched toward them, he became apprehensive and looked almost on guard.

“What’s wrong?” Aaron finally asked while they were eating lunch at the local Tropical Smoothie Café.

“Nothing,” Dan replied quickly. “Just thinking about stuff is all.”

“You look scared to me.”

“We’ll see who’s scared when I plant you in front of that blond girl over there at the counter. She keeps looking over here at you.”

“Will you stop trying to find me a date? I’m nineteen years old. I can get my own date.”

“Do it then,” Dan challenged with a wink. “Or a twenty-one-year-old will do it for you.”

“You’re twenty,” Aaron corrected with little enthusiasm.

“I’m closer to being twenty-one than twenty,” Dan shot back. Then he stood and swept the wrappers from his tray into the waste bin a few tables over. “We’ll have to stop by and talk to her on our way out of town. Come on. We’re going to be late.”

They made their way down the road and turned past the vacant high school. The building held onto its loneliness for the second to last weekend before students would return to its halls at the close of summer break. Across the street from the school, they turned into an apartment complex with white buildings, green roofs, and a circular arrangement. Aaron led the way into the complex and found the unit they were seeking. They rounded the building looking for the stairwell that would take them up to the second floor, but they ran into a tall, old man instead. He was at least a foot taller than Dan’s six foot height and about a foot and a half taller than Aaron. His head, though bald on top, was surrounded in long silver hair and a thick beard. He wore a nicely pressed, navy blue suit, and stood with his arms folded, glaring down his crooked, pointy nose at them.

“Merlin!” Dan cried out in alarm before bowing quite deeply and causing Aaron to turn his attention to Dan in surprise.

“You’re late, Daniel,” the man replied with a solid tone. His elegant British accent was unmistakable.

“I know,” Dan quickly apologized. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t let it happen again,” the man pressed with a tease in his voice.

Aaron, who was most perplexed and frightened, looked up to see the man smiling at him.

“Hello, Aaron.”

The ground lurched as Aaron attempted to speak. A hole opened beneath him, and he began dropping downward. In a second he was ten feet down and could see the silhouettes of Dan and the old man looking down after him. Then with a flash of light the soil around him became void and blackness enveloped him. He couldn’t think, and he couldn’t cry out. The shock of the last few moments had left him voiceless. The light now high above was quickly swallowed amid the abyssal darkness, and he was surrounded in nothing but empty space. Then all at once he hit the ground with a gentle thud. Everything was dark, except for the large palm leaves and aspen branches that fluttered softly overhead. Against the black, starless sky, the branches and leaves glowed gently as if they themselves were under the light of the noonday sun.

His face twisted in confusion as he flexed his fingers and felt the long grasses in which he lay. They were soft and cool to his touch, and they tickled his skin. He could hear water trickling not too far off on his left, joined by the quiet lapping of water on a shore and the smell of flowers filtering through the air. What happened? Night and day at the same time? Where am I? he thought...

(End of Excerpt)

 ***Applause***

Host (to Dan): Wow! How could you do that to your best friend? What was that like for you?

Mr. Barker: I was more of an unwilling participant than anything, to be straight about it. I had no idea what was actually going to happen that day. (Fights a chuckle) But, I'll never forget the look on Aaron's face. At first it was the epitome of "What's going on here?" but as soon as he began to fall it changed to the most hilarious "OH <----->!" face.

Mr. Flanagan: Well, let's drop you in a hole with no warning and see what you look like. You could've at least warned me.

***Laughter***

Mr. Barker: The expression made the whole day for me. And that's saying something, 'cause I really didn't like that day. Still don't. You'll understand why in a couple days after the release. And to be honest, it was a hard thing to live through. Aaron and I had become very close friends and when I turned him over to Merlin, I had no idea what was going to happen.

Host (to Aaron): Did you forgive him?

Mr. Flanagan: (looks at Mr. Barker for a few seconds) I guess you'll have to wait and see.

Host to Audience: Well folks, it sounds like there's a lot to brace for. Don't miss the release of Mimgardr by S. R. Ford, available this weekend. (Turns to guests) Gentlemen, thanks very much for being here. I hope this becomes a big success for you.

Guests together: Thanks. Us too.

Host: Ladies and gentlemen, Dan Barker and Aaron Flanagan!

***Applause***

Host: And we'll be right back!