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Johnny Cachet was a very rich young man. He was thirty two years old and had made two billion dollars investing in hedge funds, derivatives, and other high risk properties since leaving college. He was regarded to be a financial wizard on Wall Street. But the game had gotten old for him. Investing, riding the adrenaline high as his portfolio increased exponentially, the dinners, the partying, the whores, the cocaine. He was tired and three weeks after his thirty second birthday he officially retired. He put his money in long term, low risk investments, saved some on the side for a little day trading here and there, and toured the country. He was vacationing with a purpose. He had decided to leave New York and settle somewhere, build an estate, and settle down. He just wasn’t sure where. He decided on Louisiana, near New Orleans. He had spent some time in NOLA over the years and his family had actually sprung from the Cajun bayous of the area. He loved the city but decided he wanted to ...

Cancer. The doctor had conveyed the news across his desk in an even toned, emotionless delivery, honed over years of medical practice. She had not heard much after that word. Cancer. She felt as if she were in a film. She saw the doctor there before her, saw his mouth moving, but heard nothing. Cancer. Suddenly her senses returned and she caught the end of his sentence “...unfortunately there is not much we can in your case Sara. I’m truly sorry. We will do our best to make you as comfortable as possible for whatever time you have left.” Cancer. Death sentence. It had been a tumor in her liver and then it had spread to her lymphatic system. She was basically fucked. She was thirty two years old and the first thing that came to mind were all of the things she had put off and planned to get to when it was convenient. Travel, a family, a show at MOMA. None of that was going to happen now. She felt empty. Despair. She spent the next couple of weeks at home, trying to adjust to the fact th...

Travis had been looking forward to this trip since he was a teenager. It had taken quite a while to save the money, but in the meantime he had learned all he could about Kenya and its wildlife. He had devoted practically all of his free time and energy to becoming an expert on the subject and now he was here, about to take his first ever hot air balloon trip over the tantalizing landscape. His acute fear of heights were not going to be very helpful, but he steeled himself for the trip and was determined to enjoy the adventure. The pilot, Menzie directed him into the gondola and they were off. It was magnificent. They floated over high rock formations, trees, and grasslands of the savannah. He saw vast herds of wildebeest, antelope, zebra and other exotic animals. His adolescent fantasies had not even come close to the reality of the experience he was having and he felt a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. After they had been up for a few hours Travis heard Menzie swear and...