B.T.W.: The joke Mark told; A sandwich goes into a bar and orders a drink. The bartender look at the sand witch and says,"I'm sorry. We don't serve food here."

Project Ten :: Riders On The Storm
date: right now

"I have become the demon that created me."

This is basically what happens to the main character in this story. The story follows a young city councilman (Bud) and his battle for a seat in his states house of representatives. He is an honest hard working but generally average politician in the beginning. He can probably win the seat against the aged incumbent since the districts population has become evenly split between young ambitious families and older conservative families. He and is small staff, lead by a homosexual campaign director (KJ) are running a typical boring campaign when Bud's family and babysitter are killed by a deranged madman in his home. Bud confronts the killer and kills him with the knife the killer used to kill his sons.

From then on out Bud is a changed man. He walks around in a daze at first, not even remembering he is a public figure. His story is plastered across the state news and people everywhere recognize him. He considers dropping out of the race for the house seat when he realizes it is drawing unwanted attention to him when he is trying to grieve. But during a fateful trip to the grocery store; the first time since the murders; he goes though a whole range of emotions from being glad to out and about again, to tragic sadness when he realizes he has just put several boxes of easymac into his cart while chatting with a woman who recognizes him and mentioning that his boys love easymac. After walking around the store again in a saddened daze and with a kind of embarrassment Bud gets into an argument with the guy ahead of him in the checkout line after the guy makes a derogatory remark about the young black checkout girl. Everyone in the store is already watching him when the argument starts and Bud proclaims load enough for everyone to hear that he does not want to serve people like the guy in line but would rather have the support of people like the check out girl.

Bud has resolved to quit the campaign when the news of the argument and Bud's statement make the local news that quickly spreads statewide. KJ talks Bud into staying in the race and redirecting his campaign to rally the new support of the quiet majority. Publicity and popularity shoot Bud into the forefront and he is considered the easy winner now. KJ gets Bud close to many powerful people that think Bud can go much farther than the state house and they are already laying out an agenda to get Bud to the top because they feel he is malleable and can easily be swayed to support their concerns. The political machine is rolling strong and Bud is having some difficulties keeping up. He still hasn't had a good time to grieve the loss of his family. He is still timid about moving beyond the state house seat. He is confronted by nightmares of him killing the murderer of his family, and then seeing the bloody knife in his hands and his murdered family nearby, the face of the murderer changes to his own. He is barely able to meet and greet with a smile on his face at the many public functions he is now shuffled into.

The pressure starts a change in him. Its almost a running gag, but a series of bathroom scenes shows Bud's progression from quiet and timid to boisterous and confident. He says what he wants, when he wants to the terror of KJ but surprisingly to the cheers of the public. KJ starts recognizing these changes in Bud and realizes he is beginning to loose control of his candidate. Bud is talking to people on every side of all issues and making alliances with people and groups that KJ thinks are at odds with what should be Buds agenda. To KJ's dismay, people are accepting Buds multidirectional stances, saying that he is finally a politician with common sense, not just a follower of the party line. The people feel that Bud has the balls to push through changes and doesn't care if one party gets credit for it or not. Buds campaign is steam rolling and KJ can't do much to change its direction. All he can do is hope Bud makes it to the election before he does something that destroys his chances. At a function that KJ sets up for Bud to meet homosexual voters, Bud tells KJ privately that he has never approved of his lifestyle. And that it is not a lifestyle but and sickness, just like cancer or polio. It might be genitally predetermined, but that doesn't make it acceptable. Bud goes through several well spoken reasons in short order while the two are alone behind the scenes before Buds introduction. Kj is astonished. As a final insult, Bud says to Kj as he turns toward the door of the stage, "Ok, lets goes press some faggot flesh so I can get out of here before I catch something."

Kj is hurt, disappointed and angered at Bud's remarks. He wants to resign, but this late in the campaign, it would be detrimental to their chances. Kj likes the politics too much. He tries to put the remarks behind him and he dives back into the campaign. He starts to push Bud harder and steer him to the people and power brokers he needs to court to make it past the house.

Bud can only just hang on again. Even his new persona is starting to get stressed. His nightmares are still there and getting worse. He now sees himself as the murderer. In his dream he gets pleasure from raping and killing the babysitter. These dreams terrify Bud. He doesn't have anyone he can confide in about these things. In the past his wife was always there to lend emotional support, but now Bud is alone. He eventually turns to a young woman on his staff and they start a relationship. She (Susan) is kind of swept up by Buds advances and doesn't mind his wild emotional swings or aggressive physical contact. Bud doesn't threaten Susan, but he takes her when he wants her; when he wants to feel the comfort he feels when the act is done and they just lay there.

There is much more to this, but I have to get back to work now.