Blood in the Sand (BOOK 1)

-TEN-

Pardon me while I burst
Pardon me while I burst

A decade ago, I never thought I would be
At 23, on the verge of spontaneous combustion, woe is me!
But I guess that it comes with the territory
An ominous landscape of never-ending calamity
I need you to hear, I need you to see
That I have had all I can take
And exploding seems like a definite possibility to me

So pardon me while I burst into flames
I've had enough of the world and its people's mindless games
So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame
Pardon me, pardon me, I'll never be the same

Not two days ago, I was having a look in a book
And I saw a picture of a guy fried up above his knee
I said I can relate, 'cause lately, I've been thinking of combustication
As a welcome vacation from the burdens of the planet Earth
Like gravity, hypocrisy, and the perils of being in 3D
But thinking so much differently, and

Pardon me while I burst into flames
I've had enough of the world and its people's mindless games
So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame
Pardon me, pardon me, I'll never be the same
Never be the same, yeah

Pardon me while I burst into flames
Pardon me, pardon me, pardon me

So pardon me while I burst into flames
I've had enough of the world and its people's mindless games
So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame
Pardon me, pardon me, I'll never be the same

Pardon me, I'll never be the same, yeah

-Pardon Me-Incubus-1997

-JASON-

We made our way through the tunnel without incident until we came across what looked to be a sacrificial chamber, according to my wife. Even though those things hunted us, I couldn't help but stop for a bit while she explored with a smile on her face.

I felt like I was learning more about her the longer we were down here. Salim stood by at a distance. I knew I should be grateful that he'd saved AJ's life twice, but there's part of me that can't shake what I've had hammered into me since birth, but at the same time, I had to put my wife first.

"The others trust you, and I am grateful for what you've done for her," I begin. "But if I think for one second you're tryin' to cross me, best believe, the following second, you're dead!"

"I kill vampires," Salim retorts. "You think I'm afraid of a jarhead? Actually...I take that back. Your wife is more intimidating than you are."

That broke me, I admit. He's funny. I meant what I said, though. Anyone who gets in the way of me getting my team out dies.

"Jason," he says after we stop laughing. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend...that's not always true, but if we both want to live, we must fight as one. As I've said: the sword and the shield. I will repeat myself until you believe it."

"...Still too wordy for my liking..." I reply, "But I'll consider it."

"I am not familiar with American weddings, but surely you have to write vows?" Salim asks.