FDF-MN

Friday Knight News

I mentioned this crucial part of martial art training in almost all of my books but it is one of the least practiced elements of martial arts and self defense instruction. It is often abbreviated to FDF-MN. When a pack of predators zone in on you; you feel it.  It doesn't take sight, scent, or a initial sound to heighten your awareness of the pack.  When I lived in the country I and a few of my friends had been chased by feral pigs through the countryside one afternoon.  That was one of the scariest life experiences I have had, there's something primal about the fear of being eaten alive. Having wild pigs chase you through the woods and across streams puts you in a different state of mind. However, it was sound of squeals and grunts that first warned us about the attack from the approaching pigs.  Being attacked by man was different as there seemed to be a extrasensory component to the incident.

It was a mid-70s in Columbus, Ohio. I and my friends had been wandering around looking for a vague address that had been given to us, it was for a black belt that was giving instruction from his home garage.  My friends had already left and I decided to continue the search for another thirty minutes.  We knew we were in the vicinity but the friend who had found out about this private dojo was notorious for getting lost and bad directions.  It was evening time in the early summer and most people were just sitting down for their evening meal.  I was walking around the big curve in the residential street a few blocks off of Main Street when I had the strange sensation that I was being watched.

I looked across the street about half a block and there was a small group of young men about my age or a little older shooting hoops.  I could not hear them from where I was but they had all stopped playing and were staring at me.  I froze in place and return their stare for a few seconds.  This was right before the entire gang of them came rushing toward me, running through the yards in between our positions.  Instinctively I turned and ran not down the winding residential streets but across yards and backyard fences heading for Main Street.  I found myself running in between detached garages in between homes and through breezeway's while trying to allude my assailants.

I had always been a fast runner when it came to mid-to long distance sprints and cross county running but the sheer numbers of the pursuers had begun to funnel me in one direction as they spread out during the chase.  So as I crossed a short chain-link fence with a vault and entered the breezeway between a garage and home I made my way to the side door of the house.  I could hear my pursuers just behind me and I had heard hands thump against the far side of the garage indicating I was almost surrounded.

The doorknob turned in my hand and allowed me access to the utility room adjacent to the kitchen of the house as my pursuers entered the breezeway.  I quickly shut the door behind me and continued running through the strangers house.  The family was sitting down for their dinner as I made my way through the kitchen.  To me one son looked like he was a senior in high school, and the other son was slightly older and he looked as if he had recently returned from the military.  The man and woman sitting with them had to be in their mid to late forties. The father had the look of a carpenter or a construction worker due to his physical appearance, mainly from the dark leathery sun exposed skin.

 (continued below)

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them. Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker) Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.  Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker) The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle. Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker) Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables. Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker) Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers. Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5) Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers. Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6  Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.

I said without stopping, "excuse me," as I rushed past looking left and right for the door.  Spotting it I raced across the living room for the front door as I heard my pursuers entering the house behind me.  I had seen both sons and the father raising up out of their chairs as I pulled the front door close behind me on my way out.  There was a terrific commotion behind me as I made my way to the street running full speed without ever looking back until I had a full block between us.  Seeing I wasn't being pursued I slowed down to a walk to avoid looking suspicious.  A few blocks away I heard the sounds of several approaching sirens.  They seem to be heading in the direction I just came from.  This was not the first time I had been set upon by a gang of youths for no apparent reason other than being outside of my territory.  This however was the first and only time I'd gotten away without a fight which reminded me of this often neglected primary self-defense teaching. A teaching I had received in every style of martial arts I had ever trained in FDF-MN.  Feet don't fail me now!