Ghostdancing #4

By Jamie Delano

The unnamed girl gawks at the loss of power in the city, curious how many'd be killed before they got their lights back, then asking Brother Christopher if they would, he uncertain, she taking a mo. for a piss break, but actually trying to make a call, the pay phone dead. After she comes back still wondering if they'd lived to the apocalypse, she senses how out of it Brother Christopher was, she suggesting they find shelter, and leading him a couple hours walking distance to her sister's, she offering they chat to pass the time, beginning by sharing her name, Zoe, everyone sickeningly calling her ZZ, BC in return sharing his name, and admitting to dropping the Brother, whilst in Cali, due to its religious tone. She then inquires after Coyote, and why he'd referred to him as Snot-Boy, BC not certain, since everything'd gone wonky as soon as they'd met the day before, and intros him as Father Craft. ZZ then advises he be wary of the God nuts, she being a searcher rather than a seller, her last q being which he was.

Coyote locates and assures who he is to White-Buffalo woman, and asks all sorts of qs of what the enemy'd done to her, and he relating, but his powers greater than they were, but becoming cocky, and loud as he confides of not telling anyone of BC's destiny, a man listening, Coyote attempting to wake her to dance with their bros and sis's so BC could get his power vision. White-Buffalo woman finally speaks only to say her given name of Hump-Cow, and not having a kid. Coyote is surprised how the enemies had broken her. In order to bring her out of it, he shows his natural form, and reminds her of when last they danced in the time of the summer of love.

Meanwhile, Cody's at ZZ's sister's apt where his dislike of native drums is renewed. Snake being a dumbass, who got led on by his wang, he being better off if he'd agreed with Cody, he knowing he'd need to off his partner even before the scientist, Mammonites came to him, Snake not caring if his music wasn't radio friendly. Cody hears a tremor which reminds him of buffalo and makes him uneasy. Cody begins wondering where the 2 were, he knowing ZZ's sis was her only contact and BC was a noob to the world.

His assistant tells of the city being a bit jumbly and to give them time, and updating of his orders being to watch BC til they calculated his importance as they interviewed Coyote. They then see the 2 arrive, Cody hoping the music'd get turned off, now. ZZ's sister is tripping out over how their ma'd have her kidnapped, her boyfriend sharing how fucked up Cody was. BC notes the tunes they were playing, the band called Fifth World, and the 2 having played it nonstop since taking Ghostdancing a couple weeks previous, the 2 still high.

ZZ's sis recommends she try it, since it was better than what she'd been using, ZZ open to it, due to only having been doing the other junk to tap out of seeing their ma with her weirdo boy toys. BC again makes sure who the band is, the bf telling the group'd been ahead of the game 25 years ago, ZZ's sis sharing of Snake being idol material like Hendrix or Joplin, but he only disappearing, like Sugarman, and hadn't actually died. The 2 then consider Cody's closeness to the group and Snake. ZZ's sis then confides how around a month ago, the rumor of Snake being alive began, along with the quakes, then Ghostdancing showed up, and the festivals popped up on the coast at holy grounds, she and her bf already having experienced a handful, and whilst it wasn't live music, it didn't affect the vibe of feeling a part of everything. The couple expands on how once they understood TV, cities, and streets meant nothing and dancing with nature brought about people seeing true magical demonstrations, and the more BC listened, he realizes he wanted to feel it for himself, and the bf shares of it being the perfect time, since the next fest would supposedly have Snake performing, ZZ itching to try out the Ghostancing, but her sis not having any, BC showing his stash.

Snake is seen perched atop a hill overlooking the camp, and noting those open to the change being prepared for the new world, and instead of being happy with excitement, he was scared and paranoid, feeling how large the blow up would be, and wondering what'd occur upon its settling. Joni updates him of hundreds of thou's of people were already there, and they were expecting more, other indigenous nations starting the dance, as well. Snake notes how quickly everyone either joined them or ran away in fear, he explaining how those who could handle brain shift was on the magical but, those who weren't'd be walking in a ghetto. Before leaving, Joni states how back then, she thought he was full of shit off and on, Snake knowing her instincts had been correct, not actually being a shaman, and needing White-Buffalo woman, who he knew as Brown Mary, he always having been a hwhite guy posing as Native American.

The Director of the Mammonites considers how fucked everything'd become, all because of prehistoric myth and religion, they always having attempted to redirect the natives to money instead of their old knowledge, the group always having been able to quash the outbreaks of mystical occurrences, and w/o even putting forth much effort, the Director feeling the fuck he was getting nailed with, and then receiving news on how weird shit was happening at San Andreas, acting like Jello. 3 people boiling alive in a hot tub in Palm Springs, a couple thou of suicides yesterday during the power outage, and nature upheaving oddly, as well. It's also offered how Ghostdancing blocked the left brain and tickled the right-intuitive side, this being how people connected psychically, which then creates the Fifth world, which is Hopi in origin, and is about a sort of post-apocalypse age. Coyote's slip-up is also mentioned, since it'd led to them learning the creation of Snot/Blood-clot boy through White-Buffalo woman's blood/mucus, he a type of divine god.

The Director then flips out for considering the likelihood of Father Craft actually being Coyote, and how fucked they were if this were the case, esp. once breaking down the rest of what they knew of BC's senses and whatnot. The Director then orders for Cody to use any way of turning BC to their wants, which was to have the benefits of Fifth world under their control. Meanwhile, once ZZ gets BC alone, she straight up asks if he plans on sharing and messing around togevah. BC doubts this is the right time for him to try it, but ZZ still goes for it, and asks whether he wanted to bone, he self-consciously confessing his V-card, which impresses her, she then feeling the ghostdancing, BC riding her wave, feeling what she felt, and getting jonesed by her horn dawgery, they getting down, and BC's reaction differing from the norm when his skin starts ripping open (like the cover), he then feeling emptiness.

Cody's currently getting sick due to another tremor, and the update is they'd heard the kids forking, and it'd gone silent, Cody snorting some hwhite powder, and getting ready to set BC straight. Engrossing, as always, and they don't shy from the forking, either! The story is definitely fascinating though, what with the lore, and the elevation to changing the world by opening up the psychicness and whatnot. Onward!