Om Vents Graciously

The following is an original short story written as an entry to the now-dead 'Holders' Series, a 2007 horror web-project consisting of publicly submitted short stories. Most stories are structured as detailed instructions to obtain all-powerful 'Objects'. The overall premise is this: In any city, in any country, there's a mental institution or halfway house you can try any of these in. There were 2538 of these Objects, but 2000 were lost. The remaining 538 must never come together. Ever. Enjoy!   ___________________________________________________________________________________   "The Holder of Psychedelia" In any country, in any city, go to any lonely alleyway, where no natural or city lights can penetrate the dark shadows. Walk in. After a while, you would be met with a large concrete wall; a dead end, where a hooded figure casually rests. It seems completely indifferent to the world, looking down at the ground, as smoke escapes its mouth. Go up to the...

Mick Jenkins, a lyricist born in Alabama and raised in Chicago, has captivated listeners with a special talent for spitting wisdom in funky ways. His debut album, the Water (2014), was a risky undertaking - he has committed from the start to a brand of rap that doesn't instantly appease one sonically, but the lyrics are filled with tongue-in-cheek bits that unexpectedly weave together to keep you chuckling throughout the track - all the while telling you the story of the Black experience with zero filters. Since then, his poetry has only refined, with his seventh album, the Patience (2023), showing a new level of confidence in his delivery. Finally, we have a Jenkins that believes in the strength of his  rhetoric, and also in you, the listener, to listen closely, and to chuckle right along with him. The first track, Michelin Star, busts out the doors with his signature flow - staccato, enunciated, and intense.  "These n** facts be opinion based // But not in ya face...   ...