Take a walk through time as you follow six hippie friends who rejects society norms as they attempt to navigate through life during the 1970s in this sit-com like novel.
Started: August 2021
Published: June 3, 2022
Ended: -
Cover by AlexandraLing2000
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Daniel stood in a drugstore flipping through the latest issue of Chamber of Darkness, Marlboro between his lips. The air of the drugstore was strangely filled with a sweet yet sour scent. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was like the tobacco, various candies, sodas, milkshakes, and medicine all formed to create a scent. The Marlboro under his nose temporarily helped wipe out the underlying scent, though he oddly loved the smell. It reminded him of being a kid and going to his local drugstore in Boston. He'd always have just enough change for a chocolate root beer float and one comic issue. Today, he only had money for a shirt.
Daniel put the comic back and held his cigarette between the index and middle finger of his left hand. He felt himself grinning as he spotted the October issue of Playboy.
The squeak of shoes and children's laughter filled the store as a handful of kids in homemade costumes collected candy. Four of the kids were dressed as characters from children programs while one small girl was dressed as Cousin Itt. Daniel smothered the nude blonde on the magazine against his chest, eying the children sprinting out the store. The girl dressed as Cousin Itt got the bottom of her too large cloak caught under Daniel's foot while running to the door and was yanked back and fell on her butt. An oof flew from her lips when she landed on the ground.
"Come on Sally!" Yelled a kid from the opposite side of the door.
Sally quickly got up and ran out the door, but not before tripping over the bottom of the doorframe and bumping into a young, longhaired blonde man outside, who was attempting the funky chicken. The man fell. The frightened costumed children stepped on him while running away.
The smile returned to Daniel's face when he brought the magazine out of hiding. Paulette Lindberg held a phone to her ear, her other hand covering her bare chest. She stood against a yellow background, which Daniel thought was a good choice to clash yet complement the pink title text.
"Either give me a dollar for that or put it back, son. Ain't no loiterin' in my store. I've had too many folks looking through those dirty mags without buying," said the balding man behind the counter.
Daniel sighed and put the magazine back in place. He knew he needed a shirt more than he needed—fuck, but she's going to be totally naked. I can stuff it in my—his train of thought was interrupted by the collection of records one aisle over. By pure chance, Led Zeppelin was the first thing he saw. He put the Marlboro in the corner of his mouth, needing both hands to hold the beauty of their newest album: Led Zeppelin II.
"Shit," he whispered in amazement. His smile became a frown at the price. "Two dollars and eighty cents?!" With a sigh, Daniel glanced around and caught the dark eyes of a man around his own age. He made a face at the man; scrunching half of his face, making his Marlboro almost burn the tip of his nose. "What're you lookin' at?" The muffled words slipped from his mouth before he could think on them.
