Makulu

" Daddy, are you going to come see my show?" Anita asked her small brown face filling the  lap top on his hotel bed. 

Makulu reached into the pocket of his tailored suit and produced a plane ticket. " Wouldn't miss it for the world baby girl"  His daughters face lit up and she squealed he noticed a bit of powdered sugar on her lip. " Anita have you been eating donuts again?" he demanded 

" Yes  daddy she ain't had fruit all week!" said Donavon gleefully. 

" No Dady she has not had fruit all week" Makulu corrected him. Donavon rolled his eyes 

" Jamel dean talks that way" he retorted 

" Does Jamel know how to say, do you want fries with that?" Makulu asked 

Donavon huffed loudly. 

" So i heard you made the baseball team" Makulu said feeling a swell of pride in his chest. 

" I hit my first home run!" Donavon started babbling excitedly about practice and the new friend he made. Who Makulu was secretly glad to hear was not another son of a famous rapper. He had every respect for the music of his people but Jamel was just straight up bad news the kid crashed his dad's car on national television.  Makulu was dam sure that he was the reason for his son's new found lack of respect and he was worried that punk was going to get Donavon hooked on something illegal.  

" So who's this Marci i keep hearing about?" Makulu asked casually 

" ooooooh Daddy Donavon in love!" Anita piped up. 

" I am not she's just a girl i know" Donavon said a little too defensively his ears turned red. 

Makulu was about to inquire further when his phone rang. He looked at the caller I'd Mick Sheldon 

" Kids, can hold for a minute?" The Senator asking hideing the annoyance in his voice. They agreed and he took the call. 

" Sheldon i'm with my family now" Makulu sighed 

" Sorry Mr Sahib, this is important. The kid we got to ask questions at your  speech, yeah she has the flu" Sheldon said. 

" You found a replacement i trust?" Makulu resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

" Mr Benson has a nephew" Sheldon responded. 

"  When he opens his mouth is your first thought yes he's related  to Jon Benson?" Makulu asked 

" With all due respect Mr Sahib, you did choose him" Sheldon reminded him. 

" And after haveing to reassure twenty some advocacy groups that no Benson was not makeing fun of the disabled women he told to stand up, I regret everything" Makulu informed him. 

" The kid's smart enough to know how to follow instructions" Sheldon replied. 

" I hope so, we  cann't  afford any more mishaps on the campaign trail" Makulu reminded him a bit sharply.  Then bideing him good bye, Makulu turned his attention back to his video chat. 

" So What is this i hear about a girl?" 

 Then the hotel door opened and Anthony and his security team entered. " Sorry kids i've got to go" the man said a wave of disapointment filled his chest " Anita no more donuts, an apple or an orange. Both of you be good for Miss Sanchez , bye" 

" Bye Daddy" the kids chorused before he logged off, got up and picked up his briefcase ready to began his day.....

A few hours later Makulu Sahib, scrambled got out of his car followed by  Anthony quickly running toward the senate building hardly able to believe his eyes. He'd seen some weird things on the way here, a man riding on a horse and cart on the street for example, not to mention the fact the whole city looked like a tornado hit it cars were on their sides, buildings torn, people running around screaming, power lines knocked over and street lights down. He just kept on driving; hoping that once he got to his destination everything would make sense. This just trumped everything! The media stood around snapping pictures. Citizens stood gaping, while senators and staff stood outside gazing at the impossible thing in front of them. There was a stable in front of the senate building, not one of those clean modern stables either, it was one was those old-timey stables from the time of knights and dragons.

Then things got worse, "Look!" one staff member yelled out pointing to the sky. Something shot out from the stable and up into the sky.

"Mother of God!" another person cried out as the thing stopped and Makulu and everyone saw exactly what it was, a white horse with big feathery wings.

"Look there's another one!" cried a teenage girl. Sure enough, more flying horse things took to the sky flying around and chasing each other playfully.

"This isn't happening, this is not happening," Makulu started muttering. "This is just some wacky dream, yeah." The senator pinched himself on the arm. Then looked back at the sky, no, the flying horse menaces were still there.

"Look there's a baby!" one girl cried, sure enough, a little horse with wings was being nudged toward the air by a bigger flying horse. "Aww!" a group of females cooed, more pictures were snapped. The cameraman turned on his camera, the female reporter preened in front of the camera.

"I'm Gloria Shine, here in downtown DC. Today we're going to show you footage you have to see to believe." The camera pointed upward. Makulu scanned the crowds of stunned or enraptured faces, looking for someone or something that made sense.

"They're flying! What the hell is going on?" the senator asked. Near him, a woman jumped. Then there was an ear splitting shriek! And the flying horses scattered, people looked around confused.

"Why did the horses go?" asked the reporter. Then a giant bird swooped down and snatched her in its claws carrying her up to the sky. Makulu watched horrified as more birds swooped down upon the crowd, people ran away screaming and more were snatched up into their talons. Makulu watched again in terror as the giant bird swooped toward him, then Anthony shoved him down and took aim with his gun, he fired three rounds, the bird fell to the ground and the two men scrambled out of the way of the falling body.

Anthony dragged Makulu into the bushes near the capitol building. "Get down!" he hissed. Makulu crouched down internally praying, Please let me survive! Around him, he heard cries of fear and shouts of pain and the horrible sound of wings swooping through the air. After a while the noises stopped, there was a deathly silence. Makulu heard voices, human voices, heard boots, male ones. Finally a rescue party.

"We're over here!" he called. Then his face fell, it wasn't a cop he saw or a fireman but a twenty-five-year-old man dressed in black clothing. He was huge and possessed the build of a Viking warrior: large and intimidating. However, the shadows that hung around him like a cloak were unusual, it wasn't even his shadow but a collection of shadowy shapes. The man turned, and under his gaze, Makulu was suddenly consumed with thoughts of indulging in nothing but veal, wine, and red velvet cake. Thoughts of his secretary's low cut blouse, the long brown legs of the Secretary of Defense, and various women over the years he'd seen and their gorgeous flesh. Not stopping for a traffic light when in a hurry. Getting up and screaming at the president, all of congress and everyone in the room. Then before the thoughts could continue the man turned his gaze away, his eyes knowing.

Anthony acted as Makulu's shield. "Are you the devil?" Makulu asked before he could stop himself.

"We have an agreement," the man responded. Then a dark haired boy appeared out of nowhere, holding a long scythe, he looked miserable as he threw himself to his knees face to the floor.

"I failed you, my lord Dagda. The girl escaped and I barely retrieved my scythe." Dagda motioned for him to rise, he did so. "I'm so stupid." It was almost a whisper.

The man looked at him sternly. "Reaper, you are a bright, capable young man, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen you."

The boy looked at him. "Maybe you made a mistake."

The man shook his head softening his tone. "Nonsense, he is the one who made a mistake." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder and looked him in the eye.

He knelt again. "Your Highness, with your permission, I'd like to cause as much havoc as possible."

The king smiled evilly. "How can I deny my most loyal subject?" Reaper rose, his pupils shrinking again; he ripped off his gloves, shoved them into his pocket and flexed his fingers. A dark smirk crossed the boy's lips. The King chuckled in an agreement, then his eyes landed on Makulu and Anthony, they took on a look of disdain which the senator took utter offense to.

"Makulu Sahib, Senator of the United States," he announced regally.

"I take it you are a man of some importance?"

The senator bristled. "Some? Without me, nothing would ever get done."

Dagda looked at him ironically. "I suppose they'll have to manage." Then he struck the human with his magic, suddenly Makulu felt as if he had lost about ten pounds, although he wasn't a big man by any means. The dazed senator started to struggle as the fairy king grabbed him.

"Put me down now! I really don't have time for this!" he protested. The Unseelie King simply jumped on the back of the nearest breeze and the two of them were carried up over the ruins of Washington DC with Anthony frantically shouting into his walkie talkie below.         

Makulu's introduction chapter had a total of three re writers. In earlier drafts he got more build up and there was more snide commentary about  the American political system but  it was just takeing too long to get to the inciting action. I removed his video chat with his kids entirely too but recently re added that because its important. 

Next chapter 

Makulu learns to believe in magic and be terrified by it.