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A new continuing story
- Thread starter CaptainWacky
- Start date
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
Mark followed the cat, Sarah following behind Mark, and the world changed around them as they walked. One moment they were walking along a beach, the next they were in a busy city and Mark wondered if the people were real or just dream creations, then they in a grey and desolate land. That was where they stopped.
"Sara, you could leave us, this will go better without your interruptions," said the cat and, before Sara or Mark could object, she disappeared.
"Is she okay?" asked Mark.
"Of course she is, I just sent her home for a while. I'd never hurt Sara," said the cat.
"She doesn't seemed to like you," observed Mark.
"She's a strong-willed girl," said the cat. "But we're here to talk about you, Mark."
"Where are we?" asked Mark, looking around. There was grey land all around and somehow there appeared to be no sky above, just more grey.
"Tell me Mark, where do you think we are?" asked the cat.
"Well, we're in the realm of dreams, aren't we?" asked Mark.
"I can see why you could think that," said the cat.
"But this land...it was be dreamland, I entered it through my dreams!" said Mark. "I mean, that's how we can shape the land, isn't it? Because it's all a dream."
"This is not a dream, Mark, this is real," said the cat. "This land isn't formed by dreams, dreams are formed BY this land."
"I don't understand," said Mark.
"This place, the great realm I command, it was here before the first human, before the first dream. Long befor. It was here before your planet. It was here before your Universe." Mark just stood dumbfounded. "It will be here after your Universe. After everything of Earth is gone."
"That's...big," said Mark.
"Yes," smiled the cat. "It is. Mark, the rules of your world don't apply here, but it's more than just a dream world. When you dream you can experience something of this land, but for most humans it is only the briefest touch. There are those who are special. Boris, Sara and of course you, Mark. You can live here."
"But why do you want me?" asked Mark.
"Because I'm lonely," said the cat, though Mark could tell there was more to it than that. "For one thing," the cat added, as if it could tell what Mark had thought.
"You're lonely?"
"There aren't many entities that can live here...I would so like there to be more," said the cat. "When one like you comes I do everything I can to keep you here. Boris, Sara, they both came during their lives, but weren't strong enough to stay. When they died I snatched them up, and they were happy for it But you, Mark, are stronger than both, you still live in the real world, yet you can be here at the same time."
"You mean I'm still alive, I could wake up?" said Mark, excited. The cat growled at Mark's excitement.
"Reflex action, sorry," said the cat. "You could Mark...and you will, in fact. But first, I want you to create for me."
"Create what?"
"Anything, Mark. Test your powers, test them to the limit."
Mark looked around at the grey, the never-ending grey...and made it green. The cat was unimpressed.
"More!" it said.
Mark made his home appear, his bedroom, and there he was, lying in bed sleeping, but standing over himself at the same time. "Am I really here...it feels so real..." said Mark.
"No," said the cat. "And this isn't what you want. You know what you want."
And just like that Mark was now the Mark in bed, but he was awake and he wasn't alone...he was with Sara.
"Mark...I'm yours," she said, lying spread back with her eyes closed, inviting him in...
"That's not Sara," said Mark.
"No, it's one of your creations," said the cat.
"It's wrong!" said Mark and he tried to make the Sara disappear, but she opened her eyes and he got angry and she screamed and her flesh burned and before Mark could stop it she was taken by fire.
"Good. Gooood," said the cat, rubbing against Mark, the smell of burnt flesh still in the air.
"You're trying to make me a killer!" said Mark.
"No, of course not...she wasn't real Mark, you didn't kill anyone...but you want rid of her and you did it...well done. That's enough for now...I know you have questions, things you want the real Sara to tell you because you trust her and don't completely trust me yet...so go to her!" And with that the cat and Mark's bedroom were gone and he was back in the grey. He could see her in his mind, Sara burning, and it horrified him...then he was somewhere else. Another bedroom. A gir's. The real Sara's. She was sitting on her bed, looking upset, but when he appeared she looked up and was happy.
"Did you transport yourself here?" she asked, hugging him.
"I guess so," said Mark, drawing away, he could still see her burning, oh the terrible burning.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "What did he have you do?"
"Sara...what's going on? Why does he want me? I mean he said I'd return to the real world, but before he said I wouldn't want to, I'm so confused..." Now Sara looked worried again.
"Mark...he wants to bring them here. Everyone, everyone alive on Earth."
"Oh. Well, that's not too bad."
"He wants to make them his slaves. He wants to conquer all the known galaxies and dimensions. And he needs you to help him do it," she said.
"Shit," said Mark.
"Sara, you could leave us, this will go better without your interruptions," said the cat and, before Sara or Mark could object, she disappeared.
"Is she okay?" asked Mark.
"Of course she is, I just sent her home for a while. I'd never hurt Sara," said the cat.
"She doesn't seemed to like you," observed Mark.
"She's a strong-willed girl," said the cat. "But we're here to talk about you, Mark."
"Where are we?" asked Mark, looking around. There was grey land all around and somehow there appeared to be no sky above, just more grey.
"Tell me Mark, where do you think we are?" asked the cat.
"Well, we're in the realm of dreams, aren't we?" asked Mark.
"I can see why you could think that," said the cat.
"But this land...it was be dreamland, I entered it through my dreams!" said Mark. "I mean, that's how we can shape the land, isn't it? Because it's all a dream."
"This is not a dream, Mark, this is real," said the cat. "This land isn't formed by dreams, dreams are formed BY this land."
"I don't understand," said Mark.
"This place, the great realm I command, it was here before the first human, before the first dream. Long befor. It was here before your planet. It was here before your Universe." Mark just stood dumbfounded. "It will be here after your Universe. After everything of Earth is gone."
"That's...big," said Mark.
"Yes," smiled the cat. "It is. Mark, the rules of your world don't apply here, but it's more than just a dream world. When you dream you can experience something of this land, but for most humans it is only the briefest touch. There are those who are special. Boris, Sara and of course you, Mark. You can live here."
"But why do you want me?" asked Mark.
"Because I'm lonely," said the cat, though Mark could tell there was more to it than that. "For one thing," the cat added, as if it could tell what Mark had thought.
"You're lonely?"
"There aren't many entities that can live here...I would so like there to be more," said the cat. "When one like you comes I do everything I can to keep you here. Boris, Sara, they both came during their lives, but weren't strong enough to stay. When they died I snatched them up, and they were happy for it But you, Mark, are stronger than both, you still live in the real world, yet you can be here at the same time."
"You mean I'm still alive, I could wake up?" said Mark, excited. The cat growled at Mark's excitement.
"Reflex action, sorry," said the cat. "You could Mark...and you will, in fact. But first, I want you to create for me."
"Create what?"
"Anything, Mark. Test your powers, test them to the limit."
Mark looked around at the grey, the never-ending grey...and made it green. The cat was unimpressed.
"More!" it said.
Mark made his home appear, his bedroom, and there he was, lying in bed sleeping, but standing over himself at the same time. "Am I really here...it feels so real..." said Mark.
"No," said the cat. "And this isn't what you want. You know what you want."
And just like that Mark was now the Mark in bed, but he was awake and he wasn't alone...he was with Sara.
"Mark...I'm yours," she said, lying spread back with her eyes closed, inviting him in...
"That's not Sara," said Mark.
"No, it's one of your creations," said the cat.
"It's wrong!" said Mark and he tried to make the Sara disappear, but she opened her eyes and he got angry and she screamed and her flesh burned and before Mark could stop it she was taken by fire.
"Good. Gooood," said the cat, rubbing against Mark, the smell of burnt flesh still in the air.
"You're trying to make me a killer!" said Mark.
"No, of course not...she wasn't real Mark, you didn't kill anyone...but you want rid of her and you did it...well done. That's enough for now...I know you have questions, things you want the real Sara to tell you because you trust her and don't completely trust me yet...so go to her!" And with that the cat and Mark's bedroom were gone and he was back in the grey. He could see her in his mind, Sara burning, and it horrified him...then he was somewhere else. Another bedroom. A gir's. The real Sara's. She was sitting on her bed, looking upset, but when he appeared she looked up and was happy.
"Did you transport yourself here?" she asked, hugging him.
"I guess so," said Mark, drawing away, he could still see her burning, oh the terrible burning.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "What did he have you do?"
"Sara...what's going on? Why does he want me? I mean he said I'd return to the real world, but before he said I wouldn't want to, I'm so confused..." Now Sara looked worried again.
"Mark...he wants to bring them here. Everyone, everyone alive on Earth."
"Oh. Well, that's not too bad."
"He wants to make them his slaves. He wants to conquer all the known galaxies and dimensions. And he needs you to help him do it," she said.
"Shit," said Mark.
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
SECRET BUMP IN CASE CASSIE MISSED
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
"Are you sure?" asked Mark, after a long pause. He'd been trying to take in what she'd said.
"Oh yes. He's been quite open about it," she said.
"Then how can he expect me to help him!?"
"What did he have you do, when the two of you were alone? Just tell me."
"He...showed me how to make things. They felt real. More than real..."
"Did you make a person?" she asked. He was going red.
"Yes," he said. "I did."
"Did you kill it?" she asked.
"What!?"
"I killed my first. I think everyone does. It's so hard, to control the people you make...but once you get the hang of it, Mark, it's intoxicating. They can do anything you want, anything, and it'll feel more real than anything you experienced on Earth."
"Then I won't let it get that far," he said, firmly. "I'll go home."
"He'll have some way to keep you, some angle...he's smart Mark, he always knows...he just always knows..."
Mark sat down on the bed beside her.
"So you've made people?" he asked.
"Yes...I was so excited about it at first. They're not people Mark, they're just phantoms, like in dreams, you have to understand that."
"I do."
"And that's why you can do terrible things to them, because you tell yourself it's not real and you're just satisfying your curisousity...I think he puts the thought in your head, you know, to hurt your creation."
"I set mine on fire," said Mark. "It was horrible."
"But you felt powerful."
"Yes," he admitted.
"Boris loves killing his...he'll make millions in an instant then make them die for an eternity and he'll feel every second of it...he must have been pretty fucked up by the war."
"Even so, there's a choice!" said Mark.
"Is there? When you forget everything you knew of the real world, when the laws of reality are changed, then the laws of choice are changed. You're in completely new territory here, Mark."
"Do you still do it? Make people?"
"I haven't since you came. But yes, sometimes I need companionship."
"Oh," he said, looking away, embarrassed a bit again.
"Not like that! Well, not just like that. Sometimes just a friend, someone to talk to...even if they're just one of my creations. It's the closest I'll ever come to having children, I suppose."
"You mean you can't..."
"I'm a dead girl living in the realm of dreams, what do you think?" Mark laughed, because he saw she was too and knew it was okay.
There was a knock on the door. It opened right afterwards. Boris was standing in the doorway.
"I didn't say you could come in," said Sara.
"I'm not in," he said. "The boss wants to see you both."
"Why couldn't he come himself?" asked Mark.
"Don't question the boss," said Boris. "Move your asses, now. And you, wear a longer skirt." He looked at Sara's legs in the disgust, though her skirt was just about knee-lenght.
"Oh shut up," said Mark.
"Watch your mouth, boy," said Boris. "The boy might need you, but when he's done...maybe then I'll have my fun with you. A real living boy, to add to the games..." Then he stopped abrutply, because Mark had made a boxing glove appear in front of his face.
"Mark!" said Sara.
"Oops," said Mark. The boxing glove hovered in front of Boris.
"Is this suppose to...OUCH!" It punched him, right on the nose, apparently there was a disembodied fist inside.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" said Boris, entering the room.
"Enough," came the voice of the boss. "Come. Now."
Mark, Sara and Boris were suddenly standing in front of the boss, who was on a platform above them, but there were more there, dozens perhaps, Mark couldn't get a good count because some very moving, some flickering in and out of existence seemingly...some not even human.
"The rest of his army," said Sara. "A pitiful little band, I think you'll agree."
"Army?" asked the boss, still shaped like the ginger cat. "These are the citizens, the first citizens, of my dominion. No blood shall be shed, Sara. I am not a man of war."
"You're not a man!" she shouted.
"Well, that's a good point," he said, licking his paw.
"Oh yes. He's been quite open about it," she said.
"Then how can he expect me to help him!?"
"What did he have you do, when the two of you were alone? Just tell me."
"He...showed me how to make things. They felt real. More than real..."
"Did you make a person?" she asked. He was going red.
"Yes," he said. "I did."
"Did you kill it?" she asked.
"What!?"
"I killed my first. I think everyone does. It's so hard, to control the people you make...but once you get the hang of it, Mark, it's intoxicating. They can do anything you want, anything, and it'll feel more real than anything you experienced on Earth."
"Then I won't let it get that far," he said, firmly. "I'll go home."
"He'll have some way to keep you, some angle...he's smart Mark, he always knows...he just always knows..."
Mark sat down on the bed beside her.
"So you've made people?" he asked.
"Yes...I was so excited about it at first. They're not people Mark, they're just phantoms, like in dreams, you have to understand that."
"I do."
"And that's why you can do terrible things to them, because you tell yourself it's not real and you're just satisfying your curisousity...I think he puts the thought in your head, you know, to hurt your creation."
"I set mine on fire," said Mark. "It was horrible."
"But you felt powerful."
"Yes," he admitted.
"Boris loves killing his...he'll make millions in an instant then make them die for an eternity and he'll feel every second of it...he must have been pretty fucked up by the war."
"Even so, there's a choice!" said Mark.
"Is there? When you forget everything you knew of the real world, when the laws of reality are changed, then the laws of choice are changed. You're in completely new territory here, Mark."
"Do you still do it? Make people?"
"I haven't since you came. But yes, sometimes I need companionship."
"Oh," he said, looking away, embarrassed a bit again.
"Not like that! Well, not just like that. Sometimes just a friend, someone to talk to...even if they're just one of my creations. It's the closest I'll ever come to having children, I suppose."
"You mean you can't..."
"I'm a dead girl living in the realm of dreams, what do you think?" Mark laughed, because he saw she was too and knew it was okay.
There was a knock on the door. It opened right afterwards. Boris was standing in the doorway.
"I didn't say you could come in," said Sara.
"I'm not in," he said. "The boss wants to see you both."
"Why couldn't he come himself?" asked Mark.
"Don't question the boss," said Boris. "Move your asses, now. And you, wear a longer skirt." He looked at Sara's legs in the disgust, though her skirt was just about knee-lenght.
"Oh shut up," said Mark.
"Watch your mouth, boy," said Boris. "The boy might need you, but when he's done...maybe then I'll have my fun with you. A real living boy, to add to the games..." Then he stopped abrutply, because Mark had made a boxing glove appear in front of his face.
"Mark!" said Sara.
"Oops," said Mark. The boxing glove hovered in front of Boris.
"Is this suppose to...OUCH!" It punched him, right on the nose, apparently there was a disembodied fist inside.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" said Boris, entering the room.
"Enough," came the voice of the boss. "Come. Now."
Mark, Sara and Boris were suddenly standing in front of the boss, who was on a platform above them, but there were more there, dozens perhaps, Mark couldn't get a good count because some very moving, some flickering in and out of existence seemingly...some not even human.
"The rest of his army," said Sara. "A pitiful little band, I think you'll agree."
"Army?" asked the boss, still shaped like the ginger cat. "These are the citizens, the first citizens, of my dominion. No blood shall be shed, Sara. I am not a man of war."
"You're not a man!" she shouted.
"Well, that's a good point," he said, licking his paw.
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
"I won't help you!" shouted Mark, suddenly. The cat smiled, then changed its form, turning into a kindly old man. The smile looked more geunine now. "And you can't trick me by turning into my grandfather!" Mark added.
"Damn!" said the boss, then laughed. "I just trying to lighten the mood."
"Sara told me what you plan to do," said Mark.
"What, end war and suffering throughtout all the known universes? What a bastard I am!"
"That's not what she said..." said Mark, looking at her.
"He twists the truth," says Sara. "He'll try and sell it like he's bringing peace to the universe, by conquering it, but there would be no freedom..."
"And look what people have done with freedom!" said the boss. "Did you know, Mark, that on every planet I've visited, through dreams of course, there has been war?"
"Oh so what!" said Sara, rolling her eyes. "You've done this whole, every planet his violence speech before and it's never worked on me! They also have love!"
"My planet doesn't," said a Wolfman.
"Okay, not the planet of the Wolfmen, granted..."
"I gathered you all here today to introduce Mark," said the boss. "He is very important to us...please, Mark, come up onto the stage."
"No," said Mark.
"This is the chosen one?" asked a disgusted gaseous entity. "I thought he'd be more gaseous!"
"The chosen one?" asked Mark. "The one who will bring balance to the Force or some crap like that?"
"No," said the boss, firmly. "Your coming wasn't foretold in any prophecy, but we were waiting for you, one like you. One through which we can fully manifest in the real world and then...well, I don't want to give the plan away yet, I'm sure you understand."
"I'm not going to help you! I already said so!" There were rumbling of anger from the crowd.
"This was a mistake," said the boss. "I underestimated the effect Sara would have on you. Perhaps...perhaps a new tact is called for."
"No..." started Sara, but she was grabbed from behind by Boris. Mark tried to make something happen to Boris, using the power of his mind, but he found himself again in a cage.
"This trick again?" he asked, thinking he could now simply leave the cage with a thought. But it didn't work. The boss nodded.
"I'm afraid your power is not yet as great as mine, Mark." And before he knew it, without even seeing the scenery change, Mark was in a dungeon, still in his cage, and through the bars he could see Sara...being stretched on a rack.
"No! If...if you want me to help you, so that you won't hurt her..."
"Don't fall for it!" shouted Sara, through her pain.
"No, no," said the boss, appearing beside Sara, back in the form of the orange cat. "I just want you to watch."
"Damn!" said the boss, then laughed. "I just trying to lighten the mood."
"Sara told me what you plan to do," said Mark.
"What, end war and suffering throughtout all the known universes? What a bastard I am!"
"That's not what she said..." said Mark, looking at her.
"He twists the truth," says Sara. "He'll try and sell it like he's bringing peace to the universe, by conquering it, but there would be no freedom..."
"And look what people have done with freedom!" said the boss. "Did you know, Mark, that on every planet I've visited, through dreams of course, there has been war?"
"Oh so what!" said Sara, rolling her eyes. "You've done this whole, every planet his violence speech before and it's never worked on me! They also have love!"
"My planet doesn't," said a Wolfman.
"Okay, not the planet of the Wolfmen, granted..."
"I gathered you all here today to introduce Mark," said the boss. "He is very important to us...please, Mark, come up onto the stage."
"No," said Mark.
"This is the chosen one?" asked a disgusted gaseous entity. "I thought he'd be more gaseous!"
"The chosen one?" asked Mark. "The one who will bring balance to the Force or some crap like that?"
"No," said the boss, firmly. "Your coming wasn't foretold in any prophecy, but we were waiting for you, one like you. One through which we can fully manifest in the real world and then...well, I don't want to give the plan away yet, I'm sure you understand."
"I'm not going to help you! I already said so!" There were rumbling of anger from the crowd.
"This was a mistake," said the boss. "I underestimated the effect Sara would have on you. Perhaps...perhaps a new tact is called for."
"No..." started Sara, but she was grabbed from behind by Boris. Mark tried to make something happen to Boris, using the power of his mind, but he found himself again in a cage.
"This trick again?" he asked, thinking he could now simply leave the cage with a thought. But it didn't work. The boss nodded.
"I'm afraid your power is not yet as great as mine, Mark." And before he knew it, without even seeing the scenery change, Mark was in a dungeon, still in his cage, and through the bars he could see Sara...being stretched on a rack.
"No! If...if you want me to help you, so that you won't hurt her..."
"Don't fall for it!" shouted Sara, through her pain.
"No, no," said the boss, appearing beside Sara, back in the form of the orange cat. "I just want you to watch."
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
"What IS the point of this?" asked Mark. "You said I'd be unable to resist your offer and now you're torturing Sara but you say that isn't a means of pesrsuasion...well GET TO your means of persuasion then!"
"Why so impatient, Mark?" asked the Boss, rubbing up against Sara's legs. "Do you know how long I've been planning this? Since before there was even life on your home planet! You only came to me attention months ago!" He laughed. It was strange to hear a cat laugh.
"You're never going to convince me! Letting me making...fake people didn't work, it has no appeal to me. This...this won't work either," he said, looking sadly at Sara, who was in agony.
"Oh bit it will. You just don't understand, do you Mark? You're here forever. You're immortal now, in my realm. I make the rules here. You cannot die, you cannot grow old. I could hold you in that cage for five hundred of your years if I so wished. Or a million. You will agree to help me, Mark, it is inevitable."
"If you're so powerful why do you need me?" asked Mark.
"He's not that powerful!" sneered Sara. It was them that a dominatrix entered and started whipping Sara. Hard.
"I've never lived in the real world, you see," said the boss. "I need someone who has, someone like you. Maybe not you though. Like I said, you're no chosen one. Another will come, eventually. In the meantime...watch her cry."
Mark watched. Every time the whip hit her flesh it felt worse and worse, he felt like he was being whipped himself. Finally, he could take no more. "RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" he roared and, somehow, the bars of his cage blew apart! The cat ran into a corner, scared. Mark ran over to Sara. The dominatrix swung her whip, but Mark just pushed his head out, sending her flying backward into the wall. He easily released Sara from her chains.
"Mark...we can't run...remember the last time," she said.
"We have to try," he said. She nodded. They kissed. Then ran.
"Should I go after them?" asked the dominatrix, picking herself up. I could transform into a speeding bullet and end up in his skull, if you wished.
"No," said the boss, smiling. "Everything is going according to plan."
"Why so impatient, Mark?" asked the Boss, rubbing up against Sara's legs. "Do you know how long I've been planning this? Since before there was even life on your home planet! You only came to me attention months ago!" He laughed. It was strange to hear a cat laugh.
"You're never going to convince me! Letting me making...fake people didn't work, it has no appeal to me. This...this won't work either," he said, looking sadly at Sara, who was in agony.
"Oh bit it will. You just don't understand, do you Mark? You're here forever. You're immortal now, in my realm. I make the rules here. You cannot die, you cannot grow old. I could hold you in that cage for five hundred of your years if I so wished. Or a million. You will agree to help me, Mark, it is inevitable."
"If you're so powerful why do you need me?" asked Mark.
"He's not that powerful!" sneered Sara. It was them that a dominatrix entered and started whipping Sara. Hard.
"I've never lived in the real world, you see," said the boss. "I need someone who has, someone like you. Maybe not you though. Like I said, you're no chosen one. Another will come, eventually. In the meantime...watch her cry."
Mark watched. Every time the whip hit her flesh it felt worse and worse, he felt like he was being whipped himself. Finally, he could take no more. "RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" he roared and, somehow, the bars of his cage blew apart! The cat ran into a corner, scared. Mark ran over to Sara. The dominatrix swung her whip, but Mark just pushed his head out, sending her flying backward into the wall. He easily released Sara from her chains.
"Mark...we can't run...remember the last time," she said.
"We have to try," he said. She nodded. They kissed. Then ran.
"Should I go after them?" asked the dominatrix, picking herself up. I could transform into a speeding bullet and end up in his skull, if you wished.
"No," said the boss, smiling. "Everything is going according to plan."
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
Mark and Sara ran, hand in hand, up a spiralling staircase, without looking back.
"He's insane, the cat is insane," said Mark. "I'll never help him, not matter how long I'm here."
"He says that's what many of the others said...some of them went on to become his closest allies," said Sara.
"You resisted," said Mark.
"He didn't really need anything from me," said Sara. "And I still spied on you, for him."
"But you tried to warn me, delay him finding me..."
"I did nothing," said Sara. They stopped. "Mark, we can't stop."
"You're the only thing keeping me sane," he said, looking her straight in the eyes. "Without you...maybe I would have given in to his first offer and joined him." They were both close to tears.
"We have to keep going," she said and he nodded. They started up the stairs again.
"So how long exactly is this staircase?" asked Mark.
"I don't know," said Sara. "I've never been in this castle before. It might be one the boss had in storage...he might have just invented it to torture us."
"Wait, so this staircase...he could have made it endless," said Mark, as they still ran, the staircase still spiralling.
"Very possibly," Sara admitted. "But we can't shape, not inside one of the boss's creations..."
"I broke the bars," said Mark, confidently but without arrogance. "I can make..."
As they turned another spiral the staircase abruptly stopped. There was a door before them. "A door!" said Sara. Mark opened it and they stepped out. They were in a busy street, full of people. Mark looked concerned. "Good idea making all these people, we can hid amongst them...what's wrong?"
"I made them all?" he asked. "I mean it was only a passing thought, but I've made dozens of people appear and they look real, they're acting real..."
"They're just meat puppets," said Sara. Mark shivered. "Come on, you watched me being tortured, you can make it through this!" She took his hand again. He nodded. They ran into the sea of people.
It was then that the sun, high above them in the blue sky, was replaced with the face of the boss. Mark and Sara didn't notice. But they did here him speak.
"You can run but you can't hide. Or you can hide but you can't run. Either way, I get you," his voice boomed all over. Only Mark and Sara looked up, the other "people" continued going about their business.
"Excuse me, do you have the time, my watch has stopped!" a businessman asked Mark, but he and Sara just ran on. "How rude!"
"We need something..." said Mark...then it started to rain. Instantly, umbrellas appeared in everyone's hands, including Mark and Sara.
"Oh very good!" said the boss. "I'm looking from above so you block out my view with umbrellas! You must know I'll get around it easily, I could start taking control of your meat puppets like in this movie, The Matrix I think it's called...but still, very good!"
Mark and Sara kept running. "Is there anywhere we can go?" Mark asked her.
"I can't say," she said. But he knew from her tone that there was.
"He's insane, the cat is insane," said Mark. "I'll never help him, not matter how long I'm here."
"He says that's what many of the others said...some of them went on to become his closest allies," said Sara.
"You resisted," said Mark.
"He didn't really need anything from me," said Sara. "And I still spied on you, for him."
"But you tried to warn me, delay him finding me..."
"I did nothing," said Sara. They stopped. "Mark, we can't stop."
"You're the only thing keeping me sane," he said, looking her straight in the eyes. "Without you...maybe I would have given in to his first offer and joined him." They were both close to tears.
"We have to keep going," she said and he nodded. They started up the stairs again.
"So how long exactly is this staircase?" asked Mark.
"I don't know," said Sara. "I've never been in this castle before. It might be one the boss had in storage...he might have just invented it to torture us."
"Wait, so this staircase...he could have made it endless," said Mark, as they still ran, the staircase still spiralling.
"Very possibly," Sara admitted. "But we can't shape, not inside one of the boss's creations..."
"I broke the bars," said Mark, confidently but without arrogance. "I can make..."
As they turned another spiral the staircase abruptly stopped. There was a door before them. "A door!" said Sara. Mark opened it and they stepped out. They were in a busy street, full of people. Mark looked concerned. "Good idea making all these people, we can hid amongst them...what's wrong?"
"I made them all?" he asked. "I mean it was only a passing thought, but I've made dozens of people appear and they look real, they're acting real..."
"They're just meat puppets," said Sara. Mark shivered. "Come on, you watched me being tortured, you can make it through this!" She took his hand again. He nodded. They ran into the sea of people.
It was then that the sun, high above them in the blue sky, was replaced with the face of the boss. Mark and Sara didn't notice. But they did here him speak.
"You can run but you can't hide. Or you can hide but you can't run. Either way, I get you," his voice boomed all over. Only Mark and Sara looked up, the other "people" continued going about their business.
"Excuse me, do you have the time, my watch has stopped!" a businessman asked Mark, but he and Sara just ran on. "How rude!"
"We need something..." said Mark...then it started to rain. Instantly, umbrellas appeared in everyone's hands, including Mark and Sara.
"Oh very good!" said the boss. "I'm looking from above so you block out my view with umbrellas! You must know I'll get around it easily, I could start taking control of your meat puppets like in this movie, The Matrix I think it's called...but still, very good!"
Mark and Sara kept running. "Is there anywhere we can go?" Mark asked her.
"I can't say," she said. But he knew from her tone that there was.
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
They kept running. She kept looking at him, like she was trying to communicate some information without speaking it. Every so often they'd hear the boss.
"I just want to see how long you'll run for, really, that's why I won't end this right now..."
"What can we do?" asked Mark.
"He can hear us," said Sara.
"She's quite right!" shouted the boss. "I just gave myself super hearing."
"If I can just...I don't know..." he looked at her, helpless. Then, suddenly, she stopped running. "Sara, what are you..." but she put her finger to her mouth, the international sign for silence. She was standing in front of a shop window, looking in it. He stood beside her. They could see their reflections looking back. Then, suddenly, he understood.
"Run," she said. And they started running again.
"You should never have stopped!" said the boss. "Very lazy of you, I'm surprised to be honest. Both of you should know by now how to stop yourselves from getting tired...well, time to end this."
Mark made the meat puppets run. He and Sara rang amongst them. Then he concentrated really hard. Two new meat puppets appeared in the crowd. Even though he'd made it happen, Mark still gasped silently as he saw an exact replica of himself running beside him. There was a Sara duplicate too. The real Sara looked at him and nodded. Suddenly, two holes appear in the pavement, right in front of them. There was no time to stop. Mark and Sara fell into the holes. The replicas kept running.
They were in the void and Mark's first instinct was to shape an environment, but nothing came.
"You could tell I was suggesting the duplicates idea...could you read my thoughts?" asked Sara.
"No, I just worked it out," he said, with a faint smile. "Surely they won't fool him for long."
"He'll know already, but they got us here," said Sara.
"And where is here?" asked Mark. They were floating, not falling, just floating in nothingness.
"There are others like me, Mark, others who disagree with the boss...but they're in hiding. He thinks they're dead, they fake their deaths..."
"And you couldn't tell me this before!?" asked Mark, trying not to be angry.
"Mark, we were in HIS domain before, I couldn't risk it! You don't understand, I could never bring you here, he'll be looking now, even here, in the forgotten void."
"I'm sorry...I know you must have had your reasons. Why bring us now?"
"Because it's our last hope...before I couldn't give the game away, I thought maybe the boss might let you go home..."
"He said he would give me the choice," Mark remembered.
"He lies," said Sara, simply. "I just don't know how the others are going to feel...they want nothing more than to live in secret, away from him, live quiet lives...but I had to bring you here."
"Where are they?" asked Mark.
"ALL AROUND," came a voice, not unlike the boss'.
"Well...hi," said Mark.
"I just want to see how long you'll run for, really, that's why I won't end this right now..."
"What can we do?" asked Mark.
"He can hear us," said Sara.
"She's quite right!" shouted the boss. "I just gave myself super hearing."
"If I can just...I don't know..." he looked at her, helpless. Then, suddenly, she stopped running. "Sara, what are you..." but she put her finger to her mouth, the international sign for silence. She was standing in front of a shop window, looking in it. He stood beside her. They could see their reflections looking back. Then, suddenly, he understood.
"Run," she said. And they started running again.
"You should never have stopped!" said the boss. "Very lazy of you, I'm surprised to be honest. Both of you should know by now how to stop yourselves from getting tired...well, time to end this."
Mark made the meat puppets run. He and Sara rang amongst them. Then he concentrated really hard. Two new meat puppets appeared in the crowd. Even though he'd made it happen, Mark still gasped silently as he saw an exact replica of himself running beside him. There was a Sara duplicate too. The real Sara looked at him and nodded. Suddenly, two holes appear in the pavement, right in front of them. There was no time to stop. Mark and Sara fell into the holes. The replicas kept running.
They were in the void and Mark's first instinct was to shape an environment, but nothing came.
"You could tell I was suggesting the duplicates idea...could you read my thoughts?" asked Sara.
"No, I just worked it out," he said, with a faint smile. "Surely they won't fool him for long."
"He'll know already, but they got us here," said Sara.
"And where is here?" asked Mark. They were floating, not falling, just floating in nothingness.
"There are others like me, Mark, others who disagree with the boss...but they're in hiding. He thinks they're dead, they fake their deaths..."
"And you couldn't tell me this before!?" asked Mark, trying not to be angry.
"Mark, we were in HIS domain before, I couldn't risk it! You don't understand, I could never bring you here, he'll be looking now, even here, in the forgotten void."
"I'm sorry...I know you must have had your reasons. Why bring us now?"
"Because it's our last hope...before I couldn't give the game away, I thought maybe the boss might let you go home..."
"He said he would give me the choice," Mark remembered.
"He lies," said Sara, simply. "I just don't know how the others are going to feel...they want nothing more than to live in secret, away from him, live quiet lives...but I had to bring you here."
"Where are they?" asked Mark.
"ALL AROUND," came a voice, not unlike the boss'.
"Well...hi," said Mark.
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
"Well...could I see who I'm talking to?" asked Mark, reasonably, he thought.
"No," said the voice.
"Why not?" asked Mark. Sara was smiling a little.
"Because I'm just a voice," said the voice. "Does that amuse you, Sara?"
"No..of course not," she said.
"Why did you bring him here?" asked the voice.
"The Boss was going to force him to..."
"Not a valid reason," the voice interrupted. "We took your into our confidence, Sara."
"We trusted you," said another voice.
"He'll know about us now," said the first. "You do realise that."
"He must have known all along that you were still alive...so to speak..." she said.
"Yes, but he didn't know where, and he didn't particularly care, as long as we stayed away from him," said the voice.
"Excuse me, but who exactly are you, if you don't mind me asking?" asked Mark.
"We do mind, child," said the voice. "We are old. As old as the boss. He chose to rule. We chose to stay here, independant from him, but without form. Sleeping. That is who we are."
"Oh," said Mark.
"And now our peaceful lives are ruined because this willful young woman has brought you here and brought us to Grrrrrzzzzzzzzing's attention!"
"That's his name!? No wonder you call him the boss!" said Mark.
"Lives?" asked Sara. "What lives? You're just disembodied voices!"
"SILENCE!" said the voie.
"Why, what are you going to do, shout at me? You're just voices! But you have one useful power, the power to send Mark home. Please, do it. The boss is going to use him to conquer the other reality..."
"And why should we care about the other reality?" asked a voice that hadn't spoken yet, a dark voice. "We left it before any other life had grown there. It means nothing to us. Let the boss conquer it. Let us sleep."
"Cowards!" said Sara. "One simple thing, one small act of defiance, and you won't even do it!"
"We have not ruled yet," said the first voice.
"So you might send me home?" asked Mark, wanting it but also, strangely, not wanting it at the same time.
"We must discuss it between ourselves," said the first voice.
"There's more to tell," said Sara.
"We've heard enough," said the voice, and like that, the voices were gone, Mark just knew that they were gone. He and Sara were alone in the forgotten void.
"Sara...if these voices can send people home...why not send you?"
"I died, Mark," she said, simply. "There's no going home for me."
"How long do you think they'll take?" asked Mark.
"Oh, I imagine they'll make their minds up quickly, now that I'm here," said the boss. Just like that he was there, still as that damn ginger cat, floating in front of Mark and Sara. They felt the void shaking, which is a most unusual thing to feel. "When are you going to learn that we are meant to work together, Mark?"
"I already have a job, back on Earth," said Mark. "And I hate it."
"No," said the voice.
"Why not?" asked Mark. Sara was smiling a little.
"Because I'm just a voice," said the voice. "Does that amuse you, Sara?"
"No..of course not," she said.
"Why did you bring him here?" asked the voice.
"The Boss was going to force him to..."
"Not a valid reason," the voice interrupted. "We took your into our confidence, Sara."
"We trusted you," said another voice.
"He'll know about us now," said the first. "You do realise that."
"He must have known all along that you were still alive...so to speak..." she said.
"Yes, but he didn't know where, and he didn't particularly care, as long as we stayed away from him," said the voice.
"Excuse me, but who exactly are you, if you don't mind me asking?" asked Mark.
"We do mind, child," said the voice. "We are old. As old as the boss. He chose to rule. We chose to stay here, independant from him, but without form. Sleeping. That is who we are."
"Oh," said Mark.
"And now our peaceful lives are ruined because this willful young woman has brought you here and brought us to Grrrrrzzzzzzzzing's attention!"
"That's his name!? No wonder you call him the boss!" said Mark.
"Lives?" asked Sara. "What lives? You're just disembodied voices!"
"SILENCE!" said the voie.
"Why, what are you going to do, shout at me? You're just voices! But you have one useful power, the power to send Mark home. Please, do it. The boss is going to use him to conquer the other reality..."
"And why should we care about the other reality?" asked a voice that hadn't spoken yet, a dark voice. "We left it before any other life had grown there. It means nothing to us. Let the boss conquer it. Let us sleep."
"Cowards!" said Sara. "One simple thing, one small act of defiance, and you won't even do it!"
"We have not ruled yet," said the first voice.
"So you might send me home?" asked Mark, wanting it but also, strangely, not wanting it at the same time.
"We must discuss it between ourselves," said the first voice.
"There's more to tell," said Sara.
"We've heard enough," said the voice, and like that, the voices were gone, Mark just knew that they were gone. He and Sara were alone in the forgotten void.
"Sara...if these voices can send people home...why not send you?"
"I died, Mark," she said, simply. "There's no going home for me."
"How long do you think they'll take?" asked Mark.
"Oh, I imagine they'll make their minds up quickly, now that I'm here," said the boss. Just like that he was there, still as that damn ginger cat, floating in front of Mark and Sara. They felt the void shaking, which is a most unusual thing to feel. "When are you going to learn that we are meant to work together, Mark?"
"I already have a job, back on Earth," said Mark. "And I hate it."
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
"How long are we going to continue with this dance, Mark?" asked the Boss. "Don't you know by now that I'll find you anywhere?"
"You can find me but you can't make me do what you want," said Mark, confidently.
"Why do you think that?" asked the boss.
"Because if you could force me you would have by now."
"Very good," said the boss. "But I can do this." And just like that Sara disappeared.
"Where is she?" asked Mark, not wanting the boss to think he'd rattled him, though on the inside terrified.
"Don't worry, I just put her away for a while," said the boss, as an explanation. "She'll be back. Now, can we talk?"
"What's left to say?" asked Mark. "You want me to help you conquer the universe, I'm not going to. That's it."
"A rather glib interpetation," said the boss. "Do you fully understand..."
"You lied to me," said Mark, interrupting. "You said you'd give me the option to go home."
"Fine," said the boss. "You can go home, now. All you have to do is wish it. No tricks. Wish it and you can go home. NOW."
Nothing happened. "...I can't without knowing where Sara is," said Mark, at last, though that wasn't the only reason by a long shot.
"And because you want to find out more about my world," said the boss. "You can't just go back to being normal, Mark, like everyone else, a limited, mortal human being. Not now. Not ever."
"But I still won't help you," said Mark.
"No?" asked the boss. "Do you know what it's like, Mark, to be in control of a realm? I don't know if you ever took any human drugs, but I can assure you that the power I have feels a million times as pleasurable as any of them. And that's just having control of the dream realm. Being in control of the whole universe, I can't even imagine it, Mark! I'm trembling thinking of it! Having the power to make the stars spin, to create life! To control time. THINK ABOUT IT."
"Still not doing it," said Mark, as quickly as he could, though he really was thinking about it.
"You think I'm evil, I realise that, it's certainly a valid point of view, but that's all it is, a point of view. Terms like good and evil no longer apply to me. I'm above them. You could be too."
"I don't deserve to be," said Mark. "I'm just a human being."
"Who deserves anything? The Universe isn't fair, Mark...but we could make it fair. Me, and you, together, bringing justice to all!"
"NOT FUCKING INTERESTED," said Mark, getting angry because this really was an idea that appealed to him. "Power corrupts," he addded, as an afterthought.
"Meaningless human concepts," said the boss, shaking his head.
"Just go," said Mark. "JUST GO."
"Coward," said the boss. "Perhaps there's hope for you yet! Clinging to your fear to stop you from doing a bad thing. How noble!"
"You're still here."
"Did I mention that the so call forgotten void is only here because I allow it to be? The voices are just echoes, Mark, they have no real power, don't believe what Sara tells you. Just remember that...just remember..."
And before Mark could even perceive it the boss was gone and Sara was back. They said nothing, they just held each other in the void.
"So what now?" asked Sara.
"I was just going to ask you that," said Mark.
"I BELIEVE I HAVE A SUGGESTION," said the voice...
"You can find me but you can't make me do what you want," said Mark, confidently.
"Why do you think that?" asked the boss.
"Because if you could force me you would have by now."
"Very good," said the boss. "But I can do this." And just like that Sara disappeared.
"Where is she?" asked Mark, not wanting the boss to think he'd rattled him, though on the inside terrified.
"Don't worry, I just put her away for a while," said the boss, as an explanation. "She'll be back. Now, can we talk?"
"What's left to say?" asked Mark. "You want me to help you conquer the universe, I'm not going to. That's it."
"A rather glib interpetation," said the boss. "Do you fully understand..."
"You lied to me," said Mark, interrupting. "You said you'd give me the option to go home."
"Fine," said the boss. "You can go home, now. All you have to do is wish it. No tricks. Wish it and you can go home. NOW."
Nothing happened. "...I can't without knowing where Sara is," said Mark, at last, though that wasn't the only reason by a long shot.
"And because you want to find out more about my world," said the boss. "You can't just go back to being normal, Mark, like everyone else, a limited, mortal human being. Not now. Not ever."
"But I still won't help you," said Mark.
"No?" asked the boss. "Do you know what it's like, Mark, to be in control of a realm? I don't know if you ever took any human drugs, but I can assure you that the power I have feels a million times as pleasurable as any of them. And that's just having control of the dream realm. Being in control of the whole universe, I can't even imagine it, Mark! I'm trembling thinking of it! Having the power to make the stars spin, to create life! To control time. THINK ABOUT IT."
"Still not doing it," said Mark, as quickly as he could, though he really was thinking about it.
"You think I'm evil, I realise that, it's certainly a valid point of view, but that's all it is, a point of view. Terms like good and evil no longer apply to me. I'm above them. You could be too."
"I don't deserve to be," said Mark. "I'm just a human being."
"Who deserves anything? The Universe isn't fair, Mark...but we could make it fair. Me, and you, together, bringing justice to all!"
"NOT FUCKING INTERESTED," said Mark, getting angry because this really was an idea that appealed to him. "Power corrupts," he addded, as an afterthought.
"Meaningless human concepts," said the boss, shaking his head.
"Just go," said Mark. "JUST GO."
"Coward," said the boss. "Perhaps there's hope for you yet! Clinging to your fear to stop you from doing a bad thing. How noble!"
"You're still here."
"Did I mention that the so call forgotten void is only here because I allow it to be? The voices are just echoes, Mark, they have no real power, don't believe what Sara tells you. Just remember that...just remember..."
And before Mark could even perceive it the boss was gone and Sara was back. They said nothing, they just held each other in the void.
"So what now?" asked Sara.
"I was just going to ask you that," said Mark.
"I BELIEVE I HAVE A SUGGESTION," said the voice...
CaptainWacky
I want to smell dark matter
Oh yeah, I was thinking about it the other day...sometime...