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.
Showing posts with label UNDERGROUND. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UNDERGROUND. Show all posts
20140126
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.
20140121
A Word From Our Sponsor
It's a trap.
Simon looked around. The voice in his head went off, sounding like a freight train. He had a sense of vertigo, a strange feeling of deja vu. His vision was askew.
"They're moving," Donnelly said. "I think they are onto us."
"Element of surprise is over," Scorpio said.
Don't do it.
Simon's head was on fire, like a phosphorus flare burning white. Like the sound of dice rolling across the table, echoing in his mind.
Scorpio brought out his gun and stood at the door to the adjoining car.
Make a saving roll.
Simon looked around. The voice in his head went off, sounding like a freight train. He had a sense of vertigo, a strange feeling of deja vu. His vision was askew.
"They're moving," Donnelly said. "I think they are onto us."
"Element of surprise is over," Scorpio said.
Don't do it.
Simon's head was on fire, like a phosphorus flare burning white. Like the sound of dice rolling across the table, echoing in his mind.
Scorpio brought out his gun and stood at the door to the adjoining car.
Make a saving roll.
Unstationed
Goner leaned out into the aisle, staring. "Hey Frank?"
Frank was looking in the other direction; Akimoto seemed troubled by something that Tatter had said to him. The big man was strange even by their standards. Suki knew the most about him, but she had been gone for so long...
"Did we pick up any other passengers at the last stop?" Goner asked.
Frank tried to remember... Things weren't always clear on the subway. "I don't think so... It was a long time back, wasn't it?"
He saw what had caught Goner's attention. People moving in the car ahead of theirs.
"Angst," Frank said calmly. The cheerleader was toying with her pom-poms while Aqua braided her pigtails. "Get your guns."
Frank was looking in the other direction; Akimoto seemed troubled by something that Tatter had said to him. The big man was strange even by their standards. Suki knew the most about him, but she had been gone for so long...
"Did we pick up any other passengers at the last stop?" Goner asked.
Frank tried to remember... Things weren't always clear on the subway. "I don't think so... It was a long time back, wasn't it?"
He saw what had caught Goner's attention. People moving in the car ahead of theirs.
"Angst," Frank said calmly. The cheerleader was toying with her pom-poms while Aqua braided her pigtails. "Get your guns."
Underground Dramatis Personae
STONE - detective turned conspiracy theorist
RIVETA - detective turned metaphysical investigator
DONNELLY - ex-principal or maybe a priest
SCORPIO - geek turned double-agent
SIMON - mystery man
AKIMOTO - temporally-displaced norse samurai
TATTERDEMALION - strange girl from another planet
AQUA - teenage tiger-fist
FRANK - reformed LEGACY hitman
GONER - ex-mercenary
ANGST - cheerleader avec uzis
Logo Hunter
Logollos put the phone down on the receiver and
cracked a vicious smile and said to no one in particular, "'And that's
how the game is played."
"Don't you know that in games you can bend the rules here and there?" said a voice from the shadows, which startled the hell out of him. Logollos scanned his office and couldn't find the form. He had to have the bio-detectors checked once again; this was the third time in a month they didn't scan anyone out of the ordinary. He didn't panic, instead quickly moved his foot over to the alarm switch underneath his desk. All he had to do now was stall the intruder for thirty seconds.
"I don't know who you are and how you came in here," he said with all the charm and charisma of a snake-oil salesman. "But it's the last thing that you'll ever do."
"Precisely," Mayganne said as she stepped into the light, holding one hell of a handgun. It looked like an arquebus.
Before Logollos had a chance to reply she pulled the trigger and a blue ball of energy shot out of the barrel.
The top ten floors of the Legacy Tower erupted into a brilliant ball of light which could be seen for miles around.
"Don't you know that in games you can bend the rules here and there?" said a voice from the shadows, which startled the hell out of him. Logollos scanned his office and couldn't find the form. He had to have the bio-detectors checked once again; this was the third time in a month they didn't scan anyone out of the ordinary. He didn't panic, instead quickly moved his foot over to the alarm switch underneath his desk. All he had to do now was stall the intruder for thirty seconds.
"I don't know who you are and how you came in here," he said with all the charm and charisma of a snake-oil salesman. "But it's the last thing that you'll ever do."
"Precisely," Mayganne said as she stepped into the light, holding one hell of a handgun. It looked like an arquebus.
Before Logollos had a chance to reply she pulled the trigger and a blue ball of energy shot out of the barrel.
The top ten floors of the Legacy Tower erupted into a brilliant ball of light which could be seen for miles around.
20140120
Open File
The clatter of the tracks suddenly got louder as the car entered a tunnel. Riveta grabbed a railing and stood up.
"Where's Mayganne?" she asked, her voice panicked.
Stone glanced around, blinking. "Ok... calm down..." he said softly, maybe to his former-partner, maybe to himself.
Riveta had the truth of it, though: Mayganne wasn't with them. Scorpio's cell-phone was ringing.
Donnelly turned to them, looking disoriented. "There's some people... in the next car... strange..."
Riveta turned, checking for her pistol under her jacket, relieved at the feel of the steel. Looked past the Father, through the window in the door at the end of the car.
A girl in a tattered sweater talking to a huge man, his blond hair tied in a top-knot. A cheerleader and another teenage girl in a cowboy hat. Two other men.
Simon put a hand out to steady Riveta. "It's okay," he said. He looked exhausted. "We'll be okay."
Scorpio snapped his cell-phone shut, ending his quick call with Greg Logollos. From LEGACY.
"That was the Professor," Scorpio said. "We're supposed to kill the people in the next car."
"Where's Mayganne?" she asked, her voice panicked.
Stone glanced around, blinking. "Ok... calm down..." he said softly, maybe to his former-partner, maybe to himself.
Riveta had the truth of it, though: Mayganne wasn't with them. Scorpio's cell-phone was ringing.
Donnelly turned to them, looking disoriented. "There's some people... in the next car... strange..."
Riveta turned, checking for her pistol under her jacket, relieved at the feel of the steel. Looked past the Father, through the window in the door at the end of the car.
A girl in a tattered sweater talking to a huge man, his blond hair tied in a top-knot. A cheerleader and another teenage girl in a cowboy hat. Two other men.
Simon put a hand out to steady Riveta. "It's okay," he said. He looked exhausted. "We'll be okay."
Scorpio snapped his cell-phone shut, ending his quick call with Greg Logollos. From LEGACY.
"That was the Professor," Scorpio said. "We're supposed to kill the people in the next car."
20140117
The Mind Eyes
Tatter opened her eyes and looked around the
car. Her breathing was shallow and she was in a cold sweat. Her eyes
adjusted to the dim fluorescent light. She glanced around and noticed
everyone resting, sleeping. Trying to catch a few z's before the next
stop, whenever that would be. Her eyes drifted from the blur of the
world through the windows to the back of the car, where Akimoto was
sitting lotus-style. Eyes closed, finger and thumb pinched. She got up
and moved toward the rear of the car.
"Aki," she said after she sat down on a seat facing him. "You up?"
Aki cracked an eye at her and smiled.
"Bad dream?" he inquired. He didn't move from his position.
"Kinda," Tatter replied; she looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes looking at the ads and posters as they melded into other eras and styles. "What do you remember of Citadel?"
Akimoto's eyes opened wide and he looked at her.
"Aki," she said after she sat down on a seat facing him. "You up?"
Aki cracked an eye at her and smiled.
"Bad dream?" he inquired. He didn't move from his position.
"Kinda," Tatter replied; she looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes looking at the ads and posters as they melded into other eras and styles. "What do you remember of Citadel?"
Akimoto's eyes opened wide and he looked at her.
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