This story is the product of all of my ish I needed to work out, I guess. This little series is turning out to be good therapy.

Luke doesn’t give a crap about my writer’s block or past pain – he just wants me to get over it so I can start writing again and he can get back to Naya.

Here, Luke fights like crazy to show just how much Naya – and being reunited with her – means to him.

I didn’t know dude had it in him… #BlackLove

The battle continues… who will emerge victorious?

Carii, a powerful demon well-versed in battle, is using psychological tactics to weaken Carlo and Ana through Jenea, a newly-formed feral demon. It appears the poor girl got entangled in the demon fuckery of Roshaton while trying to visit Carlo for a sweet V-Day smoke session.

Carlo is pissed and can’t think straight. Can he get a grip on his emotions enough to fend off Carii?

Ana is scared. She knows they’re up against a deadly foe and they don’t have their powerful leader Naya there to guide them. Plus, her love/hate for Carii is a very dangerous variable…

Luke and I have defeated his demon and locked it away, so, onward to the next test!

Except the next milestone won’t reveal itself. It appears to be cleverly hidden…

… by me. (Ugh…)

It’s during this time that we learn – uncover? – more about Luke as a character and as a man by finally just talking to him instead of at him.

Turns out, he’s way more different from the typical male than I thought.

Luke and I are just resting in the woods for a day.

I’m working – i.e. writing – while I nurse my son back to health.

He had a terrible nightmare last night where he woke up screaming. (I don’t know why I feel like that’s relevant.)

Luke isn’t looking too good, either… I wonder if he and my son’s illnesses are connected?

Now I feel even guiltier about not finishing this part of the path yet.

The closer we draw to the monster I must face, the higher and faster my fears and insecurities rise. It’s crippling me, and unfortunately for Luke, that means I’m going to be running from my problems today. I’ve also been acting incredibly irresponsibly. The events have turned out to be both sad and obnoxious for Luke, who kind of looks up to me now, but it’s all got a cartoonish feel to it as well.

Avoiding problems means drowning myself in wine coolers while chilling outside in the sunshine with a spliff. It also means surrendering to the guilt I feel whenever I feel I’m not being productive, so I have a notebook and a pen next to me so I can jot down notes that will push this story forward.

Luke is confused, but there is one bright spot: he finally gets to see Naya. Not quite in the way that he expected, but still a touching reunion nonetheless.

Oh, and Carlo shows up! Dope. He’s my favorite, but don’t tell Luke.

She’s a ghost. She’s still on Earth. And she wants to know what the deal is with the entities sending a “fake light” to humans upon death that tricks them away from the “true Light”.

As one of the few left on this side to find out the truth, she’s determined to uncover the mystery of this astral deception and help those passing over find their way to the Light for real.

There’s a serpent, a dove, and a Tree of Life.

The dove doesn’t want to get eaten by the serpent, so it stays in the tree.

The serpent? Well… I guess it doesn’t know what it wants at first.

Until the dove begins to speak to him, that is…

Poor guy. He’s got so many questions, but he’s asking them at the wrong time.

As he ponders the meaning of life, love, and circumstance, a twisted tale of betrayal and revenge unwind around him.

Asking “Why?” isn’t always the problem,  it seems. It’s the actions that result from the answer that are so goddamned problematic.