The fountain of youth is not in a clandestine landscape nor is it stories of myth. It is very much real and can be bought by the right price. The elite of the elite who are aging and close to death, purchase a once in a lifetime opportunity to dunk...
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The stairs leading up to the cathedral landing were much harder for Caroline Hughmount than she remembered. She had walked them for close to sixty years, but lately, it seemed as if she had never attempted them before. Her knees popped with each step as her liver-spotted hand clutched the stair railing, her purple veins pulsating underneath her yellowed skin. She felt beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she swept away her white bangs out of her face.
Father McMalley ran out of the church coming to her side. "Ms. Hughmount! Let me assist you! You shouldn't be attempting these steps alone."
"Your chivalry won't get you any more of my money," Caroline breathed. "Lord knows I've given this church enough to be built into one of those mega-churches."
Father McMalley gave a deep belly laugh. "Of course not Ms. Hughmount! Your generosity has been more than appreciated by the church! Can't a father help a kind older woman up to service."
"You're a bad liar," Ms. Hughmount sighed. "But, yes I'll take the help. Forgive you Father for you have sinned."
Father McMalley was caught off guard and gave a concerned look, "What is my sin dear?"
"For not investing in better stairs for this blasted church!"
Father McMalley roared with laughter as he gingerly helped Caroline to church.
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Augustus Hans Schlieper took a puff of his cigar and rested back in his recliner. If anyone were to look at him, they would guess he was in his mid-twenties. He had glistening jet-black hair that was pulled tight into a ponytail. His skin was clean shaven, but free of any blemishes, almost like porcelain. His teeth were a blinding white that anyone could see from across a dining hall. His emerald green eyes were lively, piercing, and calculating.
"Happy seventy-eighth birthday mein fuhrer!!!," said a vivacious blonde as she burst through the study doors with a trolley.
Augustus took another puff of his cigar and gave a slight smile. "Gertrude, you humor me. What is all this?"
Gertrude pulled the trolley up to Augustus which had a huge silver platter with a silver lid on it. "I brought presents my beautiful!"
With a flick of her wrist, Gertrude removed the lid and stood back, giving a whispering, "Ta-Da."
Augustus' eyes widened as he put down his cigar and stood up from his chair. On the center of the platter was a severed head among a bed of freshly cut lettuce. In place of the eyes were two huge diamonds and in the mouth was a piece of parchment.
"Go ahead my love," Gertrude squealed. "Read the note."
Augustus grabbed the parchment and with the overgrown fingernail of his index finger, he broke the cherry wine wax seal and initialed, "AHS." His signature seal.
He opened the parchment and scanned it, suddenly his eyes glistening as he blinked several times and used his shirt cuff to wipe his tears away.
Gertrude beamed as her grin widened.
"It's beautiful my dear," Augustus said putting down the note. Beautiful. And to think, we have my thieving nephew to join us."
As he said this, Augustus pointed to the severed head and gave a mocking laugh.
"Are those the diamonds he stole?" Augustus remarked pointing to the head's eye sockets.
"Yes my love," Gertrude replied.
Augustus grabbed a Diamond from the left eye socket and gave it a quick look over before putting it in his pocket and doing the same with the right eye socket.
"Oh silly silly Klaus," he said shaking a finger at the head. "You were a very naughty boy indeed. But, I thank you for returning my diamonds to me lad."
Augustus threw back his head and cackled, as Gertrude began to laugh as well.
