Max awoke in the pre-dawn morning, his eyes flickered open. His first compulsion was to reach for a cigarette by the night stand but there wasn't any there.
"Oh, that's right," he thought.
He threw the blanket off and sat up on the bed. His feet touching the cold wood floor, giving him the sensation that he was still alive, kicking and able to feel sensations like a cold floor.
He stood and stretched, his body making noises like a breakfast cereal once milk is poured. A cacophony of grunts, groans and other sounds emerging from the vocal cord.
"I'm still not getting too old for this shit," he muttered.
He walked to the balcony doors, drawing the curtain and then he stepped back in amazement. His eyes widened in wonder, much akin to a child looking at a Christmas gift that they thought they would never get but did.
He brought his right index finger to his mouth and bit down hard on it. It was an old trick he learned from a monk to see if he was still dreaming; the sensation of pain was real enough. He opened the balcony doors and stepped out into the cold February morning, glancing up at the sky seeing the moon so close that he thought he could touch it. Beyond the moon he could see three other planets as well.
"Well...." he simply said.
20140201
20140126
All Good Things...
Dan's eyes flickered open. He was covered in a cold sweat.
It was dark out and he glanced over at the alarm clock. 3:33am. His throat was dry and parched; he got up out of his bed and into the small bedroom/sitting room. The tent was hot like a furnace; his body produced a huge amount of heat and the closed flaps made it unbearable. Dan slept in a tent in the bachelor apartment, since a man shouldn't eat, sit, and sleep in the same room. And walls or barriers were needed for defining and keeping the mind focused and sharp, due to the changing environments.
Damn. It was a dream.
In the kitchen he poured water from a pitcher in the fridge. He stopped and took a couple of deep breaths to calm his nerves down a little. He was still going over the things in his minds. His skin had the feeling of a billion pins stabbing into them, like the dead weight of sleep... or were they pencils reanimating him back to this version?
No. No it wasn't - I transcended.
Was it a dream? He wasn't quite sure what the hell had happened, but it was an experience. He scrambled over to where he kept his journal and with pencil in hand began to furiously scribble down notes. He didn't bother on sharpening the pencil when it got dull, he reached over and grabbed a pen and continued to write down every little thing that his dream world had unveiled to him. It was a visionary quest, similar in nature to what the natives of North America have experienced in their sweat lodges. Whatever had happened he wanted to make a record of it before the tendrils of sleep reached out and comforted him again.
He put the pen down at 6:06am and looked over his transcript. 44 pages all jotted down like a madman's scribble. Satisfied, he decided to crawl back into bed and get at least another hour of sleep before heading over to the restaurant for coffee. Just before his head hit the pillow a cellphone rang. And Dan's eyes widened upon the realization that he hadn't bought one.
It was dark out and he glanced over at the alarm clock. 3:33am. His throat was dry and parched; he got up out of his bed and into the small bedroom/sitting room. The tent was hot like a furnace; his body produced a huge amount of heat and the closed flaps made it unbearable. Dan slept in a tent in the bachelor apartment, since a man shouldn't eat, sit, and sleep in the same room. And walls or barriers were needed for defining and keeping the mind focused and sharp, due to the changing environments.
Damn. It was a dream.
In the kitchen he poured water from a pitcher in the fridge. He stopped and took a couple of deep breaths to calm his nerves down a little. He was still going over the things in his minds. His skin had the feeling of a billion pins stabbing into them, like the dead weight of sleep... or were they pencils reanimating him back to this version?
No. No it wasn't - I transcended.
Was it a dream? He wasn't quite sure what the hell had happened, but it was an experience. He scrambled over to where he kept his journal and with pencil in hand began to furiously scribble down notes. He didn't bother on sharpening the pencil when it got dull, he reached over and grabbed a pen and continued to write down every little thing that his dream world had unveiled to him. It was a visionary quest, similar in nature to what the natives of North America have experienced in their sweat lodges. Whatever had happened he wanted to make a record of it before the tendrils of sleep reached out and comforted him again.
He put the pen down at 6:06am and looked over his transcript. 44 pages all jotted down like a madman's scribble. Satisfied, he decided to crawl back into bed and get at least another hour of sleep before heading over to the restaurant for coffee. Just before his head hit the pillow a cellphone rang. And Dan's eyes widened upon the realization that he hadn't bought one.
The Homecoming
Memories and realities seemed to merge for Dan.
He sat down on a bench, he could hear, feel the sudden rush of wind as a
subway was approaching.
"Dan," Suki said. "You might want to brace yourself."
Dan looked up as the subway pulled in. He could see Max in one car and Simon in another car. A cluster of other figures. They were all caught in some frozen 2-dimensional fight.
"Dan," Suki said. "You might want to brace yourself."
Dan looked up as the subway pulled in. He could see Max in one car and Simon in another car. A cluster of other figures. They were all caught in some frozen 2-dimensional fight.
20140125
Between Here and There, Now and Then
He tapped the phone off
and picked himself up from the ground; he felt like he was in a lucid
dream. His mind swirling with images and afterthoughts that he couldn't
place, what things were where. His body terraformed and his mind seemed
to be sinking in the details of the phone call. A series of random waves
from a voice. The Professor. Was it the Professor; a GMC come to life?
Or had he always been there.
"I'm going mad," he muttered.
"Not really," Suki answered as she returned from a vending machine. She held out a chocolate bar like an offering. "You should eat."
"We eat here?" Dan said.
"We do," she replied with a smile. "You've been around the gaming table long enough to figure that out."
He had been reading psychology books about transcendation and scanning websites about the possibilities of opening doors to other worlds, other realities. That the currently real world he lived in was just a facade of imagery manipulated by his mind to offset his own desires of changes and remorse. He knew that he was either evolving or simply going mad. He preferred evolving since mad men were branded and exiled.
Dan opened the wrapper up and took a bite and it felt like heaven. His taste buds seemed to explode with flavour. Suki smiled.
"That's how I felt once I passed through into your reality," she noted. She sat down on a bench. "It's like being reborn, isn't it? Seeing worlds through fresh eyes and dimensions."
Still, something didn't feel right with Dan. It was like he was here but not here.
"I'm going mad," he muttered.
"Not really," Suki answered as she returned from a vending machine. She held out a chocolate bar like an offering. "You should eat."
"We eat here?" Dan said.
"We do," she replied with a smile. "You've been around the gaming table long enough to figure that out."
He had been reading psychology books about transcendation and scanning websites about the possibilities of opening doors to other worlds, other realities. That the currently real world he lived in was just a facade of imagery manipulated by his mind to offset his own desires of changes and remorse. He knew that he was either evolving or simply going mad. He preferred evolving since mad men were branded and exiled.
Dan opened the wrapper up and took a bite and it felt like heaven. His taste buds seemed to explode with flavour. Suki smiled.
"That's how I felt once I passed through into your reality," she noted. She sat down on a bench. "It's like being reborn, isn't it? Seeing worlds through fresh eyes and dimensions."
Still, something didn't feel right with Dan. It was like he was here but not here.
Reborned Askew
His brain was on fire and there was nothing he
could do about it. He felt like his whole insides were being rearranged,
like molecules in a transporter. Maybe this was why Dr. McCoy had
refused to constantly be beamed aboard.
"Can't breath," he gasped, his voice raw and forced.
"Liar," Suki replied nonchalantly. "You spoke right there."
He was having difficulty breathing. In fact, he was sure he wasn't breathing at all. "This is strange."
"Tell me about it," Suki said as she helped him up.
She was about to say something when Dan's cellphone began to ring.
"Can't breath," he gasped, his voice raw and forced.
"Liar," Suki replied nonchalantly. "You spoke right there."
He was having difficulty breathing. In fact, he was sure he wasn't breathing at all. "This is strange."
"Tell me about it," Suki said as she helped him up.
She was about to say something when Dan's cellphone began to ring.
Fictionless Truths
Dan's vision had gone blurry, staticky. His
vision was trying to focus in on his surroundings. The fluorescent
lighting was stabbing through his eyes and into his brain. Pain was
white and hot and with the ferocity of Wolverine's claws slashing
through his brain.
"What's happening?" Dan asked. He looked at his hands and saw right through them. He could pick up billions of tiny pencils on his skin moving. He felt them drawing on him.
"You're readjusting," Suki said. "Your body is being terraformed to suit this reality."
"Terraformed?" Dan repeated. He sat up and received a mad head rush, vertigo grabbed a hold of him and slammed him down to the ground again.
"Take it easy, Dan," Suki told him. "It might take awhile."
"What's happening?" Dan asked. He looked at his hands and saw right through them. He could pick up billions of tiny pencils on his skin moving. He felt them drawing on him.
"You're readjusting," Suki said. "Your body is being terraformed to suit this reality."
"Terraformed?" Dan repeated. He sat up and received a mad head rush, vertigo grabbed a hold of him and slammed him down to the ground again.
"Take it easy, Dan," Suki told him. "It might take awhile."
20140124
Station Nation
"You okay, Dan?" Suki asked. She was standing
over him with a bottled water. The orb had stopped orbiting around her
and was perched on her left shoulder like a parrot waiting for a
cracker. "I forgot to mention the side effects."
"What happened?" Dan asked. He was staring straight up at Suki. The fluorescent light made her features seem soft. He tried sitting up but vertigo hit him hard.
"You blacked out," she told him. "We shifted. It's a side-effect from shifting."
Dan was lying on a subway platform.
"What happened?" Dan asked. He was staring straight up at Suki. The fluorescent light made her features seem soft. He tried sitting up but vertigo hit him hard.
"You blacked out," she told him. "We shifted. It's a side-effect from shifting."
Dan was lying on a subway platform.
Visitor
There was a knock on the door. Dan went over and answered it. He opened it a crack and saw a gangly looking kid in a huge
trenchcoat standing there. He should know this guy; in fact the kid had
a look of familiarity about him.
"Darius?" Dan asked. That was the first name that came to his mind.
"Huh," the kid replied. "I thought I'd drop by to see how you are doing."
"I'm fine," Dan replied. The kid was waiting for the invite in. Dan stood there, the door opened just a crack, trying to obscure the view inside. He didn't want to reveal secrets. He couldn't explain it either and as if on cue he could feel pressure in his temple; it was a sign that another headache was coming on.
"Well, you didn't seem yourself the other day," the kid said. "I just wanted to know that you were okay. And wanted to talk about what's going on next in the campaign, if you don't mind."
"Honey?" Suki said coyly, from behind the door. She was still at the computer. Her fingers dancing away on the keyboard. Her vision focusing on a certain page and a huge smile on her face.
The kid smiled and nodded. "Ah. Oops, my bad."
Dan awkwardly smiled and shrugged, his face tinting red like a log as the flames died down.
"I see that you are entertaining," the stranger said. "Give me a call later, okay?"
"Darius?" Dan asked. That was the first name that came to his mind.
"Huh," the kid replied. "I thought I'd drop by to see how you are doing."
"I'm fine," Dan replied. The kid was waiting for the invite in. Dan stood there, the door opened just a crack, trying to obscure the view inside. He didn't want to reveal secrets. He couldn't explain it either and as if on cue he could feel pressure in his temple; it was a sign that another headache was coming on.
"Well, you didn't seem yourself the other day," the kid said. "I just wanted to know that you were okay. And wanted to talk about what's going on next in the campaign, if you don't mind."
"Honey?" Suki said coyly, from behind the door. She was still at the computer. Her fingers dancing away on the keyboard. Her vision focusing on a certain page and a huge smile on her face.
The kid smiled and nodded. "Ah. Oops, my bad."
Dan awkwardly smiled and shrugged, his face tinting red like a log as the flames died down.
"I see that you are entertaining," the stranger said. "Give me a call later, okay?"
20140123
The Carousel Effect
The kitchen floor was tiled, all white and
polished. Dan grabbed a cup from the counter and poured hot water over a
tea bag. His head was fuzzy, feeling more like an arm after having lain
on it for awhile.
"What do you take in your tea?" Dan asked to Suki.
"Just a little sugar," she replied without taking her eyes from the screen.
Dan looked around at his kitchen; it seemed bigger than usual. The walls were tiled and had taken on the look of Danforth Street platform.
He brought the two cups into his living/sitting/bed-room. Placed one on the table beside the laptop. The little metallic orb was still circling her head, every now and then a small click would be heard. Like a wasp trapped in a glass.
"I know," Suki answered.
Dan turned his attention to the television set. He had turned it on earlier as a background noise to help drown out the drunks that were in the apartment next to his. He thought it would be only decent for his guest not to hear the ramblings of several alcoholics that cry, sing, yell, scream and cry about nothing in particular. On the tv screen Michael York was dressed in a black tunic and was screaming at the people of the city, "You don't have to die! You can live! LIVE!"
Dan knew this movie. He had it in his collection, but there was something quite not right. He didn't know what was wrong. Just that the movie seemed off; heck, his whole evening was off so he shouldn't let a classic movie bother him.
Both Dan and Suki stopped and looked at the screen as the announcer's voice came on:
"We will return to Max Cube's Plight right after these messages."
"What do you take in your tea?" Dan asked to Suki.
"Just a little sugar," she replied without taking her eyes from the screen.
Dan looked around at his kitchen; it seemed bigger than usual. The walls were tiled and had taken on the look of Danforth Street platform.
He brought the two cups into his living/sitting/bed-room. Placed one on the table beside the laptop. The little metallic orb was still circling her head, every now and then a small click would be heard. Like a wasp trapped in a glass.
"I know," Suki answered.
Dan turned his attention to the television set. He had turned it on earlier as a background noise to help drown out the drunks that were in the apartment next to his. He thought it would be only decent for his guest not to hear the ramblings of several alcoholics that cry, sing, yell, scream and cry about nothing in particular. On the tv screen Michael York was dressed in a black tunic and was screaming at the people of the city, "You don't have to die! You can live! LIVE!"
Dan knew this movie. He had it in his collection, but there was something quite not right. He didn't know what was wrong. Just that the movie seemed off; heck, his whole evening was off so he shouldn't let a classic movie bother him.
Both Dan and Suki stopped and looked at the screen as the announcer's voice came on:
"We will return to Max Cube's Plight right after these messages."
Designer Dreams
The sound of a subway shuttling past made him
do a double-take. He was used to hearing trains shunting back and forth
but the sound of a subway on a platform seemed a little unnerving. When
he looked around the room the image had taken on a blurry kind of static
feel to it. Like trying to tune in a station on the UHF channel. His
mind was trying to comprehend a million things now and nothing was
making sense.
"I found something," Suki said aloud. It was aimed at the metallic orb. She was going through his mac, scanning through various websites and reading; every now and then she would jot a few things down on a piece of paper. "I think we're close."
The kettle in the kitchen began to whistle. It sounded like a subway train stopping.
"I found something," Suki said aloud. It was aimed at the metallic orb. She was going through his mac, scanning through various websites and reading; every now and then she would jot a few things down on a piece of paper. "I think we're close."
The kettle in the kitchen began to whistle. It sounded like a subway train stopping.
Station 23: Tea & Crumpets
Dan sat there and took a sip of
his coffee. Suki was scrolling through the orange-coloured mac laptop
on the table. She was pausing now and then to see something and then
continued to scroll down the pages. The little metallic-insect creature
hovered around her head like a moon orbiting a planet. It continued to
change colours every so often as it clicked. Dan kept an eye on it. He
wasn't sure, his head was pounding again. Like a wave on a distant
shore.
"Headaches," Suki told him. "You're out of phase at the moment."
"Really," Dan replied dryly. His tongue felt like fuzz.
"Honestly," Suki said. "I haven't the foggiest, but there are several factors at work here."
"But how?" he wanted to know.
"This is a weird thing to be happening," Suki said. "I sought you out because it was the only factor I know."
"Headaches," Suki told him. "You're out of phase at the moment."
"Really," Dan replied dryly. His tongue felt like fuzz.
"Honestly," Suki said. "I haven't the foggiest, but there are several factors at work here."
"But how?" he wanted to know.
"This is a weird thing to be happening," Suki said. "I sought you out because it was the only factor I know."
20140122
Station 23
He fitted the headphones on and pressed play on the
walkman. One of the mix-tapes made for him by the man behind the
cardboard screen. KLF, 3am Eternal. Walking home, past the baseball diamond, over
the tracks. After tonight's session - they had called it right when the
gunfight was about to start on the subway. Leave it at a cliffhanger,
keep them all excited for the next session.
He might be gone by then. Didn't know how to tell them yet. That he was likely going to be moving. Felt like he had just got here. New Order, Touched By The Hand Of God Remix.
It had been a strange few months. Tonight too, the way playing had started to feel. Like something more was happening than just a game.
Dan unlocked the front door to the small brownstone. Up the stairs quietly, the walls between apartments were thin. His room, number 23 on the door. He remembered the day the landlord first showed him the bachelor apartment and he knew it was where he was going to live.
Clicked off the walkman as he opened the door. Turned on the light and saw someone standing in the room, waiting for him. A Japanese woman in her early 30s. For a second he had the strange thought that she was supposed to be a kid.
"Hey Dan," Suki said. There was a clicking noise.
He might be gone by then. Didn't know how to tell them yet. That he was likely going to be moving. Felt like he had just got here. New Order, Touched By The Hand Of God Remix.
It had been a strange few months. Tonight too, the way playing had started to feel. Like something more was happening than just a game.
Dan unlocked the front door to the small brownstone. Up the stairs quietly, the walls between apartments were thin. His room, number 23 on the door. He remembered the day the landlord first showed him the bachelor apartment and he knew it was where he was going to live.
Clicked off the walkman as he opened the door. Turned on the light and saw someone standing in the room, waiting for him. A Japanese woman in her early 30s. For a second he had the strange thought that she was supposed to be a kid.
"Hey Dan," Suki said. There was a clicking noise.
Dice & Demon
Dan dropped the pencil onto the table and it
danced, hit both the positive and negative dice on top of his character
sheet. He rubbed his temple due to the sharp pain in his frontal lobe.
His eyes opened up and he was sitting at a table with several others.
"Headache?" someone asked.
Dan looked over and saw a fellow sitting there with thick black hair, glasses, and a goatee. And a sense of deja vu hit him; he recognized the face but couldn't put a name to him.
"Uh-huh."
"Did you make it?" another fellow asked. Dan looked over and saw a huge native looking at him over the cardboard screen.
"Wha..what?" Dan repeated.
"Did you make your saving roll?" the fellow asked. "Simon is having a splitting headache and I asked you to roll the dice to see if he could figure it out."
"Simon?" Dan said. "It's... supposed to be Max."
He glanced around at the others at the table. Other than the native and the dark-haired fellow, there was an athlete who was wearing a rugby shirt, a blonde haired girl that was sitting there with a smile on her face wearing a cowboy hat - she seemed to be in her teens, another fellow with dark and curly hair who looked like he could be related to the goatee fellow. And there was a young lad with dirty blonde hair and glasses sitting there looking at him.
"This is wrong," Dan said.
"Headache?" someone asked.
Dan looked over and saw a fellow sitting there with thick black hair, glasses, and a goatee. And a sense of deja vu hit him; he recognized the face but couldn't put a name to him.
"Uh-huh."
"Did you make it?" another fellow asked. Dan looked over and saw a huge native looking at him over the cardboard screen.
"Wha..what?" Dan repeated.
"Did you make your saving roll?" the fellow asked. "Simon is having a splitting headache and I asked you to roll the dice to see if he could figure it out."
"Simon?" Dan said. "It's... supposed to be Max."
He glanced around at the others at the table. Other than the native and the dark-haired fellow, there was an athlete who was wearing a rugby shirt, a blonde haired girl that was sitting there with a smile on her face wearing a cowboy hat - she seemed to be in her teens, another fellow with dark and curly hair who looked like he could be related to the goatee fellow. And there was a young lad with dirty blonde hair and glasses sitting there looking at him.
"This is wrong," Dan said.
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