THE NIGHT WAS COMING TO A STRANGE POINT. It was sort of the midpoint between day and night. The stars were now shining bright enough to illuminate the mindless people who were staring up at them.
JULIAN was in his house. He was eating food and preparing to face what ever might lie outside his door.
JOHN was speaking with his sister and father. They spoke to him again and again but their words were drowned out by the overwhelming symphony that was playing on the outskirts of town.
X was watching over the town from one of the towers, waiting for John and Julian to somehow appear in the town center.
It was Julian who started out on the journey first. He left his door and noticed that things were lighter than usual. It was like some sun was managing to shine through into the night. As strange as it was Julian tried not to take notice. He pushed through the crowds of dazed people and made his way towards the town center.
When he did reach it the area was clear from the zombies inhabiting other parts of the city. Strangely enough it was just him and it was silent.
"Hello," a voice called out.
Julian turned and looked all around him. No one there. Especially not...
"Hello Julian," the voice called out again.
Julian jumped and turned around one more time. He had definitely heard her voice. Where was she?
"Hello!" he called out in reply. "Show yourself!"
A shadow leaped across the building behind him but Julian didn't see it. Instead he focused on the amazing towers that lingered just under the stars. They weren't glowing as brightly now but instead were sort of flickering. That definitely wasn't good. Julian didn't know WHY they were there but he knew the towers were of great importance.
"Julian!" the girl's voice called again. "I'm over here..."she said and her voice faded away.
It was in that instant when Julian figured out that he would never see this girl again. For the first time in a long time he felt remorse slowly spreading throughout his body like a disease. He should have said more to her. He should have made better use of his time. Now Julian wished this horrible night would end.
And what about his father? Julian had momentarily forgotten that his father had been shot earlier this night. What had been done with his father? Was someone planning to bury him? Julian would have to think about this some other time. He didn't have the brain power to do it right now.
"Hey!" a voice called. This one was different. Julian turned hoping that this was not a figment of his imagination.
To his suprise it was not. John came walking into the middle of the town center. In his hand was a strange metallic object.
"What is that?" Julian asked pointing to his hand.
"Don't worry about it."
"Where's X?" Julian asked.
"Who?"
"You don't know?"
There was a look of genuine confusion on John's face. Apparently he hadn't had the same encounter that Julian did. That reminded Julian about what X had told him. About John's father and sister.
"Your family," Julian said. "What happened to them?"
"They're day-runners," John replied quickly.
"You mean they were?"
"No they are!"
At the moment upon which John stressed that his family was still alive Julian felt something else. Another person was there. It was X, he was sure of it.
"X!" Julian called out.
"I'm here!" a voice called from the sky. "Strange to see a human who looks so similar in the physical."
"What?" Julian called out.
"I'll explain later."
John tapped Julian on his shoulder.
"Who are you talking to and where is this person?" John asked.
"It's X. He's one of the beings in the towers."
"You mean the sky towers?"
"Yeah."
"I'm up here!" X called from the sky. "You must see this!"
Julian felt that strange sensation again and he could see by the look on John's face that he felt it too. Both of their bodies fell to the floor yet they were still standing straight up. Julian looked down to see that their bodies were indeed asleep on the ground.
"Come up here!" X said.
"How?" John asked.
"Think!"
The two slowly lifted off the ground and before they knew it they were about the three and four story buildings that surrounded them. It was strange to see that the city looked so full of life again. All the lights were on but nobody was running the places. X appeared in true form.
"Oh my god!" John said when he caught sight of X.
"Yes, this is my true form. I take it you've seen the towers?"
"Yes."
"That's besides the point though. Look across the city."
The two did. At first they saw nothing but them they watched a particular crowd. One by one the people in the crowd were disappearing, just fading away.
"Why are they leaving?" Julian asked.
"Listen!" X said.
The music coming from the factory was becoming louder and louder. Apparently that made it more powerful.
"Cover your ears!" John shouted. "It'll make you forget!"
"No need!" X said. "Your physical bodies can't actually hear it right now. Only your soul can and it has no effect. At least I dont' think it does."
"This is strange! What are we supposed to do?"
"You know we have to go to the factory," Julian said. "If not to stop it just to see what's causing this."
"I have to say goodbye to my family first. They're probably wondering where I am!" John said quickly.
"John..." Julian started but couldn't finish his sentence for some reason.
"We will make him see when the time is right," X said quietly.
The three quickly made their ways back to the theater. John said goodbye quickly to his father and sister. His father, who never seemed to quit acting. Came off the stage, still speaking lines. He handed the violin to John and said:
"Take this violin. Let them know that music does something other than make people forget," he said.
"You know who they are don't you?" Julian asked.
And X seemed to speak the words as John's father did.
"Yes I do."
to be continued...
Friday, September 26, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
PART SEVEN: One Who Hasn't Heard
THE CITY WAS VERY UNUSUAL TONIGHT. Julian found it strange that his whole world could morph so much in one night. But he realized that something very traumatic could do that. Maybe this was all in his mind. But he was fairly sure it wasn't. Something greater was happening here.
Julian wasn't sure how big of a part his father's murder was. The man who had called him said it was an accident, that he thought his father had been someone else. So was it really an accident? Julian personally believed that there were no accidents in life. So, accidental or on purpose, his father's murder was a great part of what was taking place this night.
"Hello?" Julian called out, meaning to find the girl who had disappeared. No reply.
Julian made his way out of the close mall. What he found when he reached the plaza just outside the mall was shocking. Countless people, still as can be, staring up into the sky. This made julian himself look up into the sky, it was beautiful. An endless panorama of dark colors and bright white stars. Julian almost found himself memorized. He shook out of it. He turned to a woman next to him.
"What exactly are you staring at?" he asked the lady.
"The stars," she said, and her mouth fell open.
"What about..."
"They're changing shape," she said, cutting him off.
Julian continued walking through the crowd of staring faces. He was very uncomfortable. Just as he thought his father's murder was part of something much greater. But what was it?
Julian continued walking, right past a theater. Another person came running out and almost bumbed into him.
"Hey watch out man," Julian said. He looked at the other teenager. Something rang a bell in his head. This person was important. But why?
"I'm sorry," the teenager said.
"I'm Julian," julian said without really realizing it. He was just happy to find someone who wasn't a zombie.
"I'm John," the other said.
"What were you doing in there?" Julian asked, pointing to the theater.
"Talking to my sister and father. There they are over there."
Julian looked inside the theater door. The man on the stage and the girl in the audience looked familiar. But why?
A newspaper.
He had seen them in the newspaper once. But what did it say about them?
"Were they in the newspaper before?" Julian asked.
"Not that I know of."
Now Julian was just confused.
"Well," he said. "I'll see you later, I guess."
"Shouldn't be hard to find you amongst all these," John said and pointed at the people staring into the stars.
Julian started walking off, more confused than ever.
John, went the other way. He gazed off, into the distance, at the factory that stood just outside the city. A thorn amongst a group of beautiful flowers. Something must be done.
The music started playing, earlier than usual.
Julian was at his house, asleep when the music started playing and it had stopped by the time he woke.
Julian woke to find that it was still night. Perhaps he had only been asleep for half an hour. Something like that. How he could sleep when his mind had just taken such a blow he had no idea. He tried to return to sleep but instead:
He found himself falling, or at least feeling as if he was falling. His eyes snapped open. His nose was touching the ceiling.
"What the hell is going on?" he asked but his mouth didn't move.
He flipped over and looked down to find his body still sound asleep in his bed. Strangely enough, he didn't worry, he didn't panic. He knew that doing so would send him back into his body.
Julian flew over the city. He saw strange things. The teenager he had met was walking to the outskirts of town, the towers were glowing like never before, music was playing but he could see the notes floating over the town.
Julian flew higher, to the top of the towers (which were now hidden in the clouds.)
He flew through the walls of the tower and stepped inside, only to come face to face with a strange being.
"How did you get here?" the being asked.
"You... You can see me?" Julian asked, stunned.
"Of course I can and from the looks of it you're either dead or having an out of body experience."
"A what?"
"You're mind is awake but your body is asleep."
Julian still couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"It often happens to people at a time of great shock, or when they're unbalanced. Most people do it every night when they're asleep but they don't remember. This is called astral projecting."
Julian had never heard of it.
"You're the trolls in the towers?" Julian asked.
"We're not trolls," the being said.
And a name, or more a letter, appeared in Julians mind.
"Your name is X?" Julian asked.
"Yes."
"How did you do that?"
"We can communicate telepathically."
"Do you know what's happening in this city?" Julian asked.
"Vaguely," X replied.
"Something evil isn't it?"
"Just because your father was killed because of it doesn't make it evil."
"I knew it!" Julian exclaimed.
X looked at him but seemed to stare right through his head.
"If it's not evil what is it?" Julian asked.
"You'll find out soon enough," X said. "We will meet again soon, but not on this plane, in the real world and we will stop this."
"I don't want to go back yet," Julian said.
"You have no choice."
Julian looked down. He began floating again. He tried to hold on as hard as he could. He didn't think of his body though.
"One last thing," Julian said. "I'm sure you saw that teenager I met today since you guys see everything."
"I did."
"He showed me his father and sister. Where have I seen them before?"
The minute he asked that he felt something pry into his mind, quickly. It ransacked his memories and when it came back out of his head it was the greatest relief ever.
"Was that you?" Julian asked.
"I thought you would feel that. I hope it didn't hurt."
"Not at all. So where did I see them?"
X looked at him again.
"The Obituary."
Juilian, truly shocked once again, returned to his body quickly. When his eyes open, it felt like he he had been punched in the face. He had one goal in his mind now, and he didn't even know why.
Go to the factory.
to be continued...
Julian wasn't sure how big of a part his father's murder was. The man who had called him said it was an accident, that he thought his father had been someone else. So was it really an accident? Julian personally believed that there were no accidents in life. So, accidental or on purpose, his father's murder was a great part of what was taking place this night.
"Hello?" Julian called out, meaning to find the girl who had disappeared. No reply.
Julian made his way out of the close mall. What he found when he reached the plaza just outside the mall was shocking. Countless people, still as can be, staring up into the sky. This made julian himself look up into the sky, it was beautiful. An endless panorama of dark colors and bright white stars. Julian almost found himself memorized. He shook out of it. He turned to a woman next to him.
"What exactly are you staring at?" he asked the lady.
"The stars," she said, and her mouth fell open.
"What about..."
"They're changing shape," she said, cutting him off.
Julian continued walking through the crowd of staring faces. He was very uncomfortable. Just as he thought his father's murder was part of something much greater. But what was it?
Julian continued walking, right past a theater. Another person came running out and almost bumbed into him.
"Hey watch out man," Julian said. He looked at the other teenager. Something rang a bell in his head. This person was important. But why?
"I'm sorry," the teenager said.
"I'm Julian," julian said without really realizing it. He was just happy to find someone who wasn't a zombie.
"I'm John," the other said.
"What were you doing in there?" Julian asked, pointing to the theater.
"Talking to my sister and father. There they are over there."
Julian looked inside the theater door. The man on the stage and the girl in the audience looked familiar. But why?
A newspaper.
He had seen them in the newspaper once. But what did it say about them?
"Were they in the newspaper before?" Julian asked.
"Not that I know of."
Now Julian was just confused.
"Well," he said. "I'll see you later, I guess."
"Shouldn't be hard to find you amongst all these," John said and pointed at the people staring into the stars.
Julian started walking off, more confused than ever.
John, went the other way. He gazed off, into the distance, at the factory that stood just outside the city. A thorn amongst a group of beautiful flowers. Something must be done.
The music started playing, earlier than usual.
Julian was at his house, asleep when the music started playing and it had stopped by the time he woke.
Julian woke to find that it was still night. Perhaps he had only been asleep for half an hour. Something like that. How he could sleep when his mind had just taken such a blow he had no idea. He tried to return to sleep but instead:
He found himself falling, or at least feeling as if he was falling. His eyes snapped open. His nose was touching the ceiling.
"What the hell is going on?" he asked but his mouth didn't move.
He flipped over and looked down to find his body still sound asleep in his bed. Strangely enough, he didn't worry, he didn't panic. He knew that doing so would send him back into his body.
Julian flew over the city. He saw strange things. The teenager he had met was walking to the outskirts of town, the towers were glowing like never before, music was playing but he could see the notes floating over the town.
Julian flew higher, to the top of the towers (which were now hidden in the clouds.)
He flew through the walls of the tower and stepped inside, only to come face to face with a strange being.
"How did you get here?" the being asked.
"You... You can see me?" Julian asked, stunned.
"Of course I can and from the looks of it you're either dead or having an out of body experience."
"A what?"
"You're mind is awake but your body is asleep."
Julian still couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"It often happens to people at a time of great shock, or when they're unbalanced. Most people do it every night when they're asleep but they don't remember. This is called astral projecting."
Julian had never heard of it.
"You're the trolls in the towers?" Julian asked.
"We're not trolls," the being said.
And a name, or more a letter, appeared in Julians mind.
"Your name is X?" Julian asked.
"Yes."
"How did you do that?"
"We can communicate telepathically."
"Do you know what's happening in this city?" Julian asked.
"Vaguely," X replied.
"Something evil isn't it?"
"Just because your father was killed because of it doesn't make it evil."
"I knew it!" Julian exclaimed.
X looked at him but seemed to stare right through his head.
"If it's not evil what is it?" Julian asked.
"You'll find out soon enough," X said. "We will meet again soon, but not on this plane, in the real world and we will stop this."
"I don't want to go back yet," Julian said.
"You have no choice."
Julian looked down. He began floating again. He tried to hold on as hard as he could. He didn't think of his body though.
"One last thing," Julian said. "I'm sure you saw that teenager I met today since you guys see everything."
"I did."
"He showed me his father and sister. Where have I seen them before?"
The minute he asked that he felt something pry into his mind, quickly. It ransacked his memories and when it came back out of his head it was the greatest relief ever.
"Was that you?" Julian asked.
"I thought you would feel that. I hope it didn't hurt."
"Not at all. So where did I see them?"
X looked at him again.
"The Obituary."
Juilian, truly shocked once again, returned to his body quickly. When his eyes open, it felt like he he had been punched in the face. He had one goal in his mind now, and he didn't even know why.
Go to the factory.
to be continued...
Friday, August 8, 2008
PART SIX: Attempted Censorship
X GAZED DOWN FROM THE TOWER. For the first time ever he could actually see the factory from which the music had played every morning. 5:58 to be exact. The factory loomed in the distance, just outside the city, like some kind of slaughterhouse of the mind. It didn't have lights, it didn't have a sign or text of any kind. It was just there.
One thing X had noticed about "the factory" ,as him and the other trolls were calling it, was that the music it sent off seemed to daze people. Why the factory played it only minutes before sunrise was as strange a question as any but X had to find out.
X knew at once that he would have to come down from the tower and walk amongst the night dwellers to figure this one out. It was something he hadn't done in many years now.
"Where are you going X?" one of the trolls asked through his mind.
"I'm going down to where the night dwellers are."
"You know it is looked down upon to do so."
"Yes," X replied. "But something's happening here. Have you seen the factory that plays the music?"
"Of course. We all have. What is it about this factory that is so special?"
"I believe it is brainwashing the night dwellers."
At this the other being didn't laugh but X could sense that it believed this to be funny.
"Why would it be brainwashing the night dwellers? Who has the kind of power?"
"I don't know but it's not good."
X was going down the tower, paying no attention the the city around him as he did. The way down was very quick and within five seconds it was over, he was at ground floor. And what he saw was hypnotizing, if not horrifying.
The majority of the night dwellers around X were staring off into space, almost none were moving. X went up to one of them.
"Excuse me," X said with his actual voice. The person didn't seem to notice him. "Hello? What are you looking at?"
"The stars," the person replied.
"What about them?"
"They're changing shapes."
X looked up at the stars. They were there, same as usual, but none were changing shapes as the man claimed. He went up to another person and got the same response.
"What's going on here?" X asked himself.
"X!" a voice said in his mind. It was a telepathic message from one of the other beings. "X. What is happening down there?"
"It's as I feared," X said with his mind. "Many of the night dwellers have apparently been brainwashed. They thing the stars are changing shape."
There was a pause but X could feel the other beings thinking about what to do.
The city surrounding X (or more like the plaza he was at) was very eerie like in how silent it was. Usually the city was bursting with life, surreal in every sense, but now even though the lights and music were still going the people were not.
"I shall go to the factory," X said.
"What if it's not safe?" one being asked.
"It's a chance that's worth taking."
X gazed up at the tower above him. How strange, he thought. For a human being to gaze upon these strange towers. Most had never seen anything like it but where X came from cities were full of buildings that extended into the sky.
A bigger question for X was why him? The reason the towers were on Earth was for these beings of higher intelligence to watch over the humans. And because these beings were more in tone with psychic and other abilities it made them more powerful than any human, despite the fact that they couldn't do half the things an earth person could.
But X had a theory. He knew why some humans were able to spot the towers. He knew that many humans who were night dwellers were more in tact with their spiritual body and therefore understood the towers to be a building of psychic energy.
"I'll go to the building," X said again.
"Alright but keep in contact with us."
"It's fine. I sense I won't be alone in this mission."
But it wasn't just this that X sensed. It was another presence near him. This one was, as strange as it was to him, not a night dweller. X sensed many things about this man. Mainly that he had just comitted a great crime but that he also was mentally right in his head. He also sensed the man still held the weapon that had been used for the crime. He had to confront this man.
X followed the man through a strange alley way of zombie-like night dwellers, all staring at the stars. They didn't even move when the man bumped right into them. X realized that he wouldn't catch up with the man like this. He tried something else, telepathy.
"Stop!" he said loudly in his mind. The man stopped, and looked frightened half to death. X was closing in upon him when he withdrew his gun.
"Who's there?" he asked, and wave the pistol around.
X stayed back. Not even X was immune to the power of a bullet so he stayed in a dark corner, out of the man's sight.
"Don't be afraid," X said in his mind.
"Who's saying that stuff?" the man said, losing control.
"I did!" X said physically and stepped out from behind the corner. The man had never seen anything like it.
"I'll s-s-shoot you!" the man said. "I'll kill you right here!"
"You shouldn't be afraid. I'm just here to ask you some questions."
"What would those be?" the man asked.
"Just look at the stars," X said calmly. The man did so quickly.
"Did you see anything strange?" X asked.
"B-b-buddy! You're strange!" the man shouted at him. "And so are those three standing in the corner over there."
The man pointed at a dark corner but X saw no one, not even any non-physical beings.
"There's no one over there," X said.
"WHAT?" he screamed. "How can you not see them?"
"Who are they?" X asked.
"Some shadow people or something," the man said, trying to find the right words. "They've been following me ever since..."
"Ever since you shot that man," X finished.
"How'd you know about that?" the man asked and pointed the gun at X.
"Don't worry about it," X said.
The man looked around again. The shadows seemed to be everywhere.
"Get away from me!" he screamed and began choking. He fell to the floor and aimed the pistol in the air. He fired. This triggered a horrible pain in X's head. All violence did that for these beings were a peaceful race.
The man got up and ran off. X made contact with the others.
"What is it X? Are you at the factory?"
"No but I seem to have figured out what else the music does."
"What's that?"
"In humans who aren't night dwellers it drives them to insanity."
"How do you know?"
"I could sense it in this one man. I could sense the music to be the root of it."
"Why do you think that is?" one being asked.
"I have no idea," X replied.
to be continued...
One thing X had noticed about "the factory" ,as him and the other trolls were calling it, was that the music it sent off seemed to daze people. Why the factory played it only minutes before sunrise was as strange a question as any but X had to find out.
X knew at once that he would have to come down from the tower and walk amongst the night dwellers to figure this one out. It was something he hadn't done in many years now.
"Where are you going X?" one of the trolls asked through his mind.
"I'm going down to where the night dwellers are."
"You know it is looked down upon to do so."
"Yes," X replied. "But something's happening here. Have you seen the factory that plays the music?"
"Of course. We all have. What is it about this factory that is so special?"
"I believe it is brainwashing the night dwellers."
At this the other being didn't laugh but X could sense that it believed this to be funny.
"Why would it be brainwashing the night dwellers? Who has the kind of power?"
"I don't know but it's not good."
X was going down the tower, paying no attention the the city around him as he did. The way down was very quick and within five seconds it was over, he was at ground floor. And what he saw was hypnotizing, if not horrifying.
The majority of the night dwellers around X were staring off into space, almost none were moving. X went up to one of them.
"Excuse me," X said with his actual voice. The person didn't seem to notice him. "Hello? What are you looking at?"
"The stars," the person replied.
"What about them?"
"They're changing shapes."
X looked up at the stars. They were there, same as usual, but none were changing shapes as the man claimed. He went up to another person and got the same response.
"What's going on here?" X asked himself.
"X!" a voice said in his mind. It was a telepathic message from one of the other beings. "X. What is happening down there?"
"It's as I feared," X said with his mind. "Many of the night dwellers have apparently been brainwashed. They thing the stars are changing shape."
There was a pause but X could feel the other beings thinking about what to do.
The city surrounding X (or more like the plaza he was at) was very eerie like in how silent it was. Usually the city was bursting with life, surreal in every sense, but now even though the lights and music were still going the people were not.
"I shall go to the factory," X said.
"What if it's not safe?" one being asked.
"It's a chance that's worth taking."
X gazed up at the tower above him. How strange, he thought. For a human being to gaze upon these strange towers. Most had never seen anything like it but where X came from cities were full of buildings that extended into the sky.
A bigger question for X was why him? The reason the towers were on Earth was for these beings of higher intelligence to watch over the humans. And because these beings were more in tone with psychic and other abilities it made them more powerful than any human, despite the fact that they couldn't do half the things an earth person could.
But X had a theory. He knew why some humans were able to spot the towers. He knew that many humans who were night dwellers were more in tact with their spiritual body and therefore understood the towers to be a building of psychic energy.
"I'll go to the building," X said again.
"Alright but keep in contact with us."
"It's fine. I sense I won't be alone in this mission."
But it wasn't just this that X sensed. It was another presence near him. This one was, as strange as it was to him, not a night dweller. X sensed many things about this man. Mainly that he had just comitted a great crime but that he also was mentally right in his head. He also sensed the man still held the weapon that had been used for the crime. He had to confront this man.
X followed the man through a strange alley way of zombie-like night dwellers, all staring at the stars. They didn't even move when the man bumped right into them. X realized that he wouldn't catch up with the man like this. He tried something else, telepathy.
"Stop!" he said loudly in his mind. The man stopped, and looked frightened half to death. X was closing in upon him when he withdrew his gun.
"Who's there?" he asked, and wave the pistol around.
X stayed back. Not even X was immune to the power of a bullet so he stayed in a dark corner, out of the man's sight.
"Don't be afraid," X said in his mind.
"Who's saying that stuff?" the man said, losing control.
"I did!" X said physically and stepped out from behind the corner. The man had never seen anything like it.
"I'll s-s-shoot you!" the man said. "I'll kill you right here!"
"You shouldn't be afraid. I'm just here to ask you some questions."
"What would those be?" the man asked.
"Just look at the stars," X said calmly. The man did so quickly.
"Did you see anything strange?" X asked.
"B-b-buddy! You're strange!" the man shouted at him. "And so are those three standing in the corner over there."
The man pointed at a dark corner but X saw no one, not even any non-physical beings.
"There's no one over there," X said.
"WHAT?" he screamed. "How can you not see them?"
"Who are they?" X asked.
"Some shadow people or something," the man said, trying to find the right words. "They've been following me ever since..."
"Ever since you shot that man," X finished.
"How'd you know about that?" the man asked and pointed the gun at X.
"Don't worry about it," X said.
The man looked around again. The shadows seemed to be everywhere.
"Get away from me!" he screamed and began choking. He fell to the floor and aimed the pistol in the air. He fired. This triggered a horrible pain in X's head. All violence did that for these beings were a peaceful race.
The man got up and ran off. X made contact with the others.
"What is it X? Are you at the factory?"
"No but I seem to have figured out what else the music does."
"What's that?"
"In humans who aren't night dwellers it drives them to insanity."
"How do you know?"
"I could sense it in this one man. I could sense the music to be the root of it."
"Why do you think that is?" one being asked.
"I have no idea," X replied.
to be continued...
Thursday, August 7, 2008
PART FIVE: The Reason You Can't Remember
ISABELLA WAS STILL THERE WHEN JOHN CAME BACK IN. She gave him a funny look. Mainly she stared at his head.
"Are you ok?" she asked him.
"I'm fine," John said. "Am I bleeding?"
"No."
The play was still going on. At the moment the five other people that had been in there were now sitting together in one group, drinking coffee. There were two actors on the stage. One was sitting on a chair, playing a violin strangely.
"Who are you?" the one actor asked. The other continued playing the Violin in his strange manner.
"I'm the factory man," he replied.
"Well is there any point to this?" the other actor asked.
"I'm just trying to make you forget," the violin player said and he began quickly playing some weird music that made John dizzy. "Just trying to make you forget."
"You're turning the others into zombies."
"Can I help it?" the violin player asked. "I'm just a figment of the ones who love daylight. They can't actually control me. Nor do I have full awareness."
John looked at Isabella. He realized now more than before that this whole deal was very surreal. He knew he was awake and that this was actually happening but was the universe trying to tell him something?
"Isabella," he said. She turned to him.
"Is it me? Is this a figment of my imagination?" he asked her as if she was just another character in a lucid dream.
"That depends," she said. "Do you remember me now?"
"Yes."
"Well then odds are you're more aware than you ever were before."
"But what about them?" John asked and pointed at the actors on stage.
"You have to learn to trust signs," Isabella said.
"You're saying this is a sign?"
"It could very well be," she said. "Just think hard. Focus on them but focus on your memories at the same time."
John did. It was the strangest sensation ever. It was like he was falling into a deep, dark abyss. He was losing awareness but at the same time random visions were appearing in his head. He focused hard on the music of the violin, but not the man playing. When he did a very familiar looking factory appeared in his head. The music seemed to be connected to the factory. He became aware again.
"So," she said. "I'm guessing you figured out who I am?"'
"Yes," John said and he looked to the stage. "You're my sister."
"You're absolutely right," she said and she seemed to be relieved that he remembered.
"Which means the guy on the stage is my father as well," John continued.
"We were very disappointed you hadn't come to see us in so long," Isabella said.
"Well the nights the only time I can and when I forgot about everything that included you two."
"Do you remember the car crash?" the actor on the stage asked the violin player. Isabella looked at her brother intensely when their father said that.
"I was once your son," the violin player said. "I once walked during the day."
"The violin player is me," John said. Isabella just nodded. "The violin represents my amnesia towards you two."
"So you figured it all out?" Isabella asked John.
"Not really. Is this a figment of my imagination?"
"No," she said. "It's just the way the night runs. And it will take you years to discover the secrets that hide in the alleys here. There are secrets everywhere and each one you learn makes you that much more powerfull."
The actor on stage stood up and looked at John and Isabella's dad.
"No longer, will I be confined by the daytime," he said and he smashed the violin on the ground. "I will not let them control me, even if they don't know what they're doing. I shall make them aware but it will take one from a tower and one who's lost a loved one to make it happen."
"That was a specific sign huh?" Isabella asked. John watched, mesmorized.
"What should I do next?" he asked her.
"I don't know," she replied and he laughed.
"This is just weird," he said and laughed again.
to be continued...
"Are you ok?" she asked him.
"I'm fine," John said. "Am I bleeding?"
"No."
The play was still going on. At the moment the five other people that had been in there were now sitting together in one group, drinking coffee. There were two actors on the stage. One was sitting on a chair, playing a violin strangely.
"Who are you?" the one actor asked. The other continued playing the Violin in his strange manner.
"I'm the factory man," he replied.
"Well is there any point to this?" the other actor asked.
"I'm just trying to make you forget," the violin player said and he began quickly playing some weird music that made John dizzy. "Just trying to make you forget."
"You're turning the others into zombies."
"Can I help it?" the violin player asked. "I'm just a figment of the ones who love daylight. They can't actually control me. Nor do I have full awareness."
John looked at Isabella. He realized now more than before that this whole deal was very surreal. He knew he was awake and that this was actually happening but was the universe trying to tell him something?
"Isabella," he said. She turned to him.
"Is it me? Is this a figment of my imagination?" he asked her as if she was just another character in a lucid dream.
"That depends," she said. "Do you remember me now?"
"Yes."
"Well then odds are you're more aware than you ever were before."
"But what about them?" John asked and pointed at the actors on stage.
"You have to learn to trust signs," Isabella said.
"You're saying this is a sign?"
"It could very well be," she said. "Just think hard. Focus on them but focus on your memories at the same time."
John did. It was the strangest sensation ever. It was like he was falling into a deep, dark abyss. He was losing awareness but at the same time random visions were appearing in his head. He focused hard on the music of the violin, but not the man playing. When he did a very familiar looking factory appeared in his head. The music seemed to be connected to the factory. He became aware again.
"So," she said. "I'm guessing you figured out who I am?"'
"Yes," John said and he looked to the stage. "You're my sister."
"You're absolutely right," she said and she seemed to be relieved that he remembered.
"Which means the guy on the stage is my father as well," John continued.
"We were very disappointed you hadn't come to see us in so long," Isabella said.
"Well the nights the only time I can and when I forgot about everything that included you two."
"Do you remember the car crash?" the actor on the stage asked the violin player. Isabella looked at her brother intensely when their father said that.
"I was once your son," the violin player said. "I once walked during the day."
"The violin player is me," John said. Isabella just nodded. "The violin represents my amnesia towards you two."
"So you figured it all out?" Isabella asked John.
"Not really. Is this a figment of my imagination?"
"No," she said. "It's just the way the night runs. And it will take you years to discover the secrets that hide in the alleys here. There are secrets everywhere and each one you learn makes you that much more powerfull."
The actor on stage stood up and looked at John and Isabella's dad.
"No longer, will I be confined by the daytime," he said and he smashed the violin on the ground. "I will not let them control me, even if they don't know what they're doing. I shall make them aware but it will take one from a tower and one who's lost a loved one to make it happen."
"That was a specific sign huh?" Isabella asked. John watched, mesmorized.
"What should I do next?" he asked her.
"I don't know," she replied and he laughed.
"This is just weird," he said and laughed again.
to be continued...
PART FOUR: They Hide In the Alleys
I WATCHED HIM FROM THE CORNER. This world, strange, so unlike my world during daylight. The night had never been for me. I grew up with night dwellers all around them, and I hated them. Why should I be bound to real world problems while they walk around all night and have the time of their lives. For some reason I failed to see most of the "magic" that others had described to me. Why would that be?
The old man around the corner, I couldn't see his face, but I FELT that it was him. I looked down and looked at the inside of my coat pocket. A small silver gun lay there, the power it gave off vibrating through my body.
What exactly had this man done to me? He had stolen the love of my life. My Jessica, gone forever. Stolen by this old excuse of a man. All to live as a night dweller. I cursed the man under my breath. The gun seemed to breathe in and out within my pocket, as if it had a life of it's own.
The man around the corner had never suspected anything. I came around quickly, hand in my pocket.
"Hello," I said to him darkly.
"Do I know you?" the man asked me. I laughed.
"All too well." I pulled the gun out, stuck my arm straight out so that the gun was inches from his forehead. I pulled the trigger.
I heard the gunshot, but only for a fraction of a second for a loud ringing engulfed my ears and they burned horribly, as if they were bleeding.
The old man's body shook in response to the bullet that had been fired through his skull. He fell backwards into a cloud of red blood that had come from his own skull and hit the ground. Within a second he was lieing in a puddle of his own blood. I walked down the street quickly.
There was a boy there. I worried that he had seen everything. Obviously he had for there was a terrified look across his scrawny face. I wanted to kill him but I had no right to. So I brought the pistol quickly across his face, I felt the gun shake in my hand as I smashed it into his skull like a baseball being hit by a bat. It sent the shakes throughout my whole body.
It was a real challenge to keep walking after that. I hid the gun back in the pocket of my dark coat. My head felt like it was going to explode and I'm going to sound crazy but their was something fairly ominous about the universe around me.
Building lights were flashing and going out. People were giving me strange look. This was nothing like the night paradise world others had described to me. I had been deceived.
The worse feeling was that of being loomed over by something I couldn't see. I looked at the ground only to see a shadow of what looked like something impossibly tall standing behind me. But there was nothing there. Almost like an invisible tower.
"Watch us," a voice called from the shadows.
I turned quickly, scared. I looked in every direction for the voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. There seemed to be shadows walking all around me, but no one real.
"Watch us," the voice said again and this time it seemed to be coming from above me.
A shadow ran by in the corner of my eye. I turned.
"Hello?" I called out.
"The man was innocent. The one you seek is elsewhere."
I shook my head.
"No!" I screamed. "How would you know that?"
"In our towers," the voice said. "We see all."
I ran, quickly as I could back to the body. Now the body was just lieing there, surrounded by markets and malls and restaraunts but no lights and no people. The dead man seemed to radiate death that had caused the others to leave. I flipped his body over.
"No!" I said. "NO!"
It wasn't the man. I killed an innocent person. How had he not been able to tell the difference between these two. Now, looking at the man closer, these two looked nothing a like. The lights had tricked him. THE NIGHT had tricked him.
"In our towers," the voice said again. "We see." He paused as if to emphasize the last word. "All."
The shadows of the towers disappeared but I continued to see things following me. These things weren't normal. Was the night hunting me? Was I being punished by some otherworldly force? So many questions but yet so few answers. I knew so little. I ran back to my house, blood on my hands.
to be continued...
The old man around the corner, I couldn't see his face, but I FELT that it was him. I looked down and looked at the inside of my coat pocket. A small silver gun lay there, the power it gave off vibrating through my body.
What exactly had this man done to me? He had stolen the love of my life. My Jessica, gone forever. Stolen by this old excuse of a man. All to live as a night dweller. I cursed the man under my breath. The gun seemed to breathe in and out within my pocket, as if it had a life of it's own.
The man around the corner had never suspected anything. I came around quickly, hand in my pocket.
"Hello," I said to him darkly.
"Do I know you?" the man asked me. I laughed.
"All too well." I pulled the gun out, stuck my arm straight out so that the gun was inches from his forehead. I pulled the trigger.
I heard the gunshot, but only for a fraction of a second for a loud ringing engulfed my ears and they burned horribly, as if they were bleeding.
The old man's body shook in response to the bullet that had been fired through his skull. He fell backwards into a cloud of red blood that had come from his own skull and hit the ground. Within a second he was lieing in a puddle of his own blood. I walked down the street quickly.
There was a boy there. I worried that he had seen everything. Obviously he had for there was a terrified look across his scrawny face. I wanted to kill him but I had no right to. So I brought the pistol quickly across his face, I felt the gun shake in my hand as I smashed it into his skull like a baseball being hit by a bat. It sent the shakes throughout my whole body.
It was a real challenge to keep walking after that. I hid the gun back in the pocket of my dark coat. My head felt like it was going to explode and I'm going to sound crazy but their was something fairly ominous about the universe around me.
Building lights were flashing and going out. People were giving me strange look. This was nothing like the night paradise world others had described to me. I had been deceived.
The worse feeling was that of being loomed over by something I couldn't see. I looked at the ground only to see a shadow of what looked like something impossibly tall standing behind me. But there was nothing there. Almost like an invisible tower.
"Watch us," a voice called from the shadows.
I turned quickly, scared. I looked in every direction for the voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. There seemed to be shadows walking all around me, but no one real.
"Watch us," the voice said again and this time it seemed to be coming from above me.
A shadow ran by in the corner of my eye. I turned.
"Hello?" I called out.
"The man was innocent. The one you seek is elsewhere."
I shook my head.
"No!" I screamed. "How would you know that?"
"In our towers," the voice said. "We see all."
I ran, quickly as I could back to the body. Now the body was just lieing there, surrounded by markets and malls and restaraunts but no lights and no people. The dead man seemed to radiate death that had caused the others to leave. I flipped his body over.
"No!" I said. "NO!"
It wasn't the man. I killed an innocent person. How had he not been able to tell the difference between these two. Now, looking at the man closer, these two looked nothing a like. The lights had tricked him. THE NIGHT had tricked him.
"In our towers," the voice said again. "We see." He paused as if to emphasize the last word. "All."
The shadows of the towers disappeared but I continued to see things following me. These things weren't normal. Was the night hunting me? Was I being punished by some otherworldly force? So many questions but yet so few answers. I knew so little. I ran back to my house, blood on my hands.
to be continued...
PART THREE: The Girl In the Theater
HIS NAME WAS JOHN and the girl sitting about twenty seats away from him was Isabella. He didn't know how he knew that, he just did. It was sort of like an instinct. The same way you know what to do when your life is in danger. But why couldn't he remember this girl?
The show on the stage wasn't horrible, in fact it was very good which made John wonder why only 6 other seats were filled.
"I didn't kill your father!" the man on the stage said.
"Liar!" the other screamed and pulled a sword from his side. They began sword fighting.
John yawned.
It wasn't late into the night. Why was he so tired? After all he had slept through the entire day without waking up. Maybe it was because he hadn't ate right. He had read somewhere that can affect your tiredness. He looked up through his tired eyes. The girl (Isabella) was waving at him. He pointed to himself as if asking "me?"
She said yes. He got up and slowly walked over to where she was sitting.
"Do I know you?" John asked.
"You don't remember me?" she asked.
"It's weird," he said. "It's like I do but I don't."
The whole thing was like a lucid dream to John. It seemed so surreal but yet he seemed to be controlling everything. But then again this was how night was for all night dwellers.
It was the surreal, dreamlike experience that most people cherished the most. It was something you remembered forever and never wanted to forget. John had once read that memories were like a mental time machine. That was the main purpose for memories at least and...
"How can you not remember me?" she asked, a wide grin across her face.
"HOW COULD YOU KILL HER?" the man from on stage shouted, giving his whole heart into the performance even though hardly any people were there.
The other man turned and looked at John, as if trying to make some kind of connection with him.
"I didn't remember!" he said. "I had amnesia!"
"AMNESIA? LIAR!"
Amnesia? Why was that man staring at him. John had learned long ago to trust signs like this. Was that what had happened? Had he had amnesia and forgotten about this girl, whoever she was.
"Something strange," he said, almost to himself.
"What's strange?" Isabella asked.
"Some music."
"What about music?"
"I think of amnesia, and it triggers a thought about music."
"That's strange," she said. "What could music have to do with amnesia?"
"I don't know."
She looked around as if she didn't notice the place was empty. It could have been a packed house in her mind.
"The guy on the stage," Isabella said to John. "Is my father."
FATHER. That triggered another weird thought, but this one was a brutal savage one.
"Look," John said. "I don't remember you Isabella and I'm sorry for that but I'll be right back."
He started walking off towards the exit of the theater but it seemed to stretch on forever.
"What are you sorry for?" she called to him and laughed. "It's ok if you forget to come back in here!"
That was a very strange for her to be saying such things as John knew from years of experience now there were many strange things that happened at night, not all of them great.
John stepped outside the theater and was hit by a blast of wind. Lights everywhere, John was feeling good. There were crowds of people talking but a gunshot broke their conversations. Everyone looked around, as if not understanding the sound. But john saw it. A man in a cloak shot an elderly man.
John stared at him.
"What are you looking at kid?" the man said from behind the cloak.
John thought about how he was a teen, not a kid.
The man ran towards him and hit him across the face with the pistol then ran off.
The pain was immense and John felt as if his head had tripled in size. Strangest thing was that the memories were returning. The girl. The factory. The music. Everything. He looked up and noticed something he had never before. And how could he miss them?
Strange towers that were high in the sky and gave off a pinkish glow.
John was hurting bad and he was pretty sure there was blood everywhere. To his suprise there was no blood at all, just pain. But the memories had returned. Now he wanted to go back into the theater. Quickly. Maybe there with Isabella he would be safe from the factory and it's music.
to be continued...
The show on the stage wasn't horrible, in fact it was very good which made John wonder why only 6 other seats were filled.
"I didn't kill your father!" the man on the stage said.
"Liar!" the other screamed and pulled a sword from his side. They began sword fighting.
John yawned.
It wasn't late into the night. Why was he so tired? After all he had slept through the entire day without waking up. Maybe it was because he hadn't ate right. He had read somewhere that can affect your tiredness. He looked up through his tired eyes. The girl (Isabella) was waving at him. He pointed to himself as if asking "me?"
She said yes. He got up and slowly walked over to where she was sitting.
"Do I know you?" John asked.
"You don't remember me?" she asked.
"It's weird," he said. "It's like I do but I don't."
The whole thing was like a lucid dream to John. It seemed so surreal but yet he seemed to be controlling everything. But then again this was how night was for all night dwellers.
It was the surreal, dreamlike experience that most people cherished the most. It was something you remembered forever and never wanted to forget. John had once read that memories were like a mental time machine. That was the main purpose for memories at least and...
"How can you not remember me?" she asked, a wide grin across her face.
"HOW COULD YOU KILL HER?" the man from on stage shouted, giving his whole heart into the performance even though hardly any people were there.
The other man turned and looked at John, as if trying to make some kind of connection with him.
"I didn't remember!" he said. "I had amnesia!"
"AMNESIA? LIAR!"
Amnesia? Why was that man staring at him. John had learned long ago to trust signs like this. Was that what had happened? Had he had amnesia and forgotten about this girl, whoever she was.
"Something strange," he said, almost to himself.
"What's strange?" Isabella asked.
"Some music."
"What about music?"
"I think of amnesia, and it triggers a thought about music."
"That's strange," she said. "What could music have to do with amnesia?"
"I don't know."
She looked around as if she didn't notice the place was empty. It could have been a packed house in her mind.
"The guy on the stage," Isabella said to John. "Is my father."
FATHER. That triggered another weird thought, but this one was a brutal savage one.
"Look," John said. "I don't remember you Isabella and I'm sorry for that but I'll be right back."
He started walking off towards the exit of the theater but it seemed to stretch on forever.
"What are you sorry for?" she called to him and laughed. "It's ok if you forget to come back in here!"
That was a very strange for her to be saying such things as John knew from years of experience now there were many strange things that happened at night, not all of them great.
John stepped outside the theater and was hit by a blast of wind. Lights everywhere, John was feeling good. There were crowds of people talking but a gunshot broke their conversations. Everyone looked around, as if not understanding the sound. But john saw it. A man in a cloak shot an elderly man.
John stared at him.
"What are you looking at kid?" the man said from behind the cloak.
John thought about how he was a teen, not a kid.
The man ran towards him and hit him across the face with the pistol then ran off.
The pain was immense and John felt as if his head had tripled in size. Strangest thing was that the memories were returning. The girl. The factory. The music. Everything. He looked up and noticed something he had never before. And how could he miss them?
Strange towers that were high in the sky and gave off a pinkish glow.
John was hurting bad and he was pretty sure there was blood everywhere. To his suprise there was no blood at all, just pain. But the memories had returned. Now he wanted to go back into the theater. Quickly. Maybe there with Isabella he would be safe from the factory and it's music.
to be continued...
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
PART TWO: Towers In the City
X was his name.
He resided in the towers. They stood 1000 feet above the city. A no good city full of crooks and criminal's in X's opinion. The night was the only time when things settled down, but then again that was the only time the towers could be seen.
Why was that anyways? X had heard long ago that when a group of a couple thousand people (now known as night dwellers) discovered the secrets of the night they became more intelligent and realized crime was for immature teenagers. Now at night there was no crime, and the few times there were the criminals had been attacked by something, some lower form of the beings that watched from the towers.
Yes they were beings. X had been alive for 120 years and he wasn't sure about the others. They really had no bodies, they were just a soul and a presence. For the last 40 now he had been watching the quiet night as those below lived their lives. It was relaxing to see people who understood the magic of the night.
X had a special ability. He could feel the vibes that the Earth gave off. And at this time he noticed that something went very wrong. It felt as if a knife was being cut into him.
A GUNSHOT
No! he thought
The night is ruined. The night is ruined.
X felt the vibes turn even darker. Someone was dead. He knew it. A mental sickness flowed in him.
The towers were roughly 1030 feet above the ground. For the most part they were a long thin needle and the top was shaped like a watermelong. It gave off a pinkish glow, which gave the night-time sky an even more dreamish look.
Yet this wasn't the only tower. No, at night there were about ten of them spread across the city. Some people could see them, others couldn't. X believed that the beings who sat at the top of the tower chose who was able to see them and who wasn't. Only intelligent, decent beings could.
And amongst the city few had actually been seen by the humans. Now groups of night dwellers referred to the people in the towers as the "trolls in the tower" even though the beings were not ugly or handsome. They were simply indescribable.
Now X could see what he had felt only seconds ago but it wasn't his eyesight, it was as if there was a screen in his brain, playing. His eyes closed, his third eye activated.
There was a man
an older man
he was running
someone's following him
chased him around the corner
he has a gun in his pocket
the older man's not the one he wants
he doesn't know this
the chasers wearing a coat
his hoods on
the old man stops
he can't run anylonger
the hooded man pulls the gun from a pocket
the gun goes off
now the old man is screaming
there's blood everywhere
X let out some sort of scream and fell to the floor, his mind thumping. Then his third eye reactivated. It showed him everything that was to come.
Julian
Towers
Music
Factory
death
sunlight
memories
amnesia
theaters
love
memories
And X screamed again. It was everything he had thought. Some great changes were about to take hold. He knew what it was, yet he didn't. Something having to do with this factory. And music? X wasn't sure if he knew exactly what would happen. But yet he did. The scariest part was that he didn't know enough to stop it. He didn't even have an idea about how to stop it.
This scared X the most.
There was nothing to prevent it.
And there was a teenager. He knew the girl in the theater, Isabella was her name. But why couldn't he remember if they had met before?
He knew answers would come about From the Dark City.
to be continued...
He resided in the towers. They stood 1000 feet above the city. A no good city full of crooks and criminal's in X's opinion. The night was the only time when things settled down, but then again that was the only time the towers could be seen.
Why was that anyways? X had heard long ago that when a group of a couple thousand people (now known as night dwellers) discovered the secrets of the night they became more intelligent and realized crime was for immature teenagers. Now at night there was no crime, and the few times there were the criminals had been attacked by something, some lower form of the beings that watched from the towers.
Yes they were beings. X had been alive for 120 years and he wasn't sure about the others. They really had no bodies, they were just a soul and a presence. For the last 40 now he had been watching the quiet night as those below lived their lives. It was relaxing to see people who understood the magic of the night.
X had a special ability. He could feel the vibes that the Earth gave off. And at this time he noticed that something went very wrong. It felt as if a knife was being cut into him.
A GUNSHOT
No! he thought
The night is ruined. The night is ruined.
X felt the vibes turn even darker. Someone was dead. He knew it. A mental sickness flowed in him.
The towers were roughly 1030 feet above the ground. For the most part they were a long thin needle and the top was shaped like a watermelong. It gave off a pinkish glow, which gave the night-time sky an even more dreamish look.
Yet this wasn't the only tower. No, at night there were about ten of them spread across the city. Some people could see them, others couldn't. X believed that the beings who sat at the top of the tower chose who was able to see them and who wasn't. Only intelligent, decent beings could.
And amongst the city few had actually been seen by the humans. Now groups of night dwellers referred to the people in the towers as the "trolls in the tower" even though the beings were not ugly or handsome. They were simply indescribable.
Now X could see what he had felt only seconds ago but it wasn't his eyesight, it was as if there was a screen in his brain, playing. His eyes closed, his third eye activated.
There was a man
an older man
he was running
someone's following him
chased him around the corner
he has a gun in his pocket
the older man's not the one he wants
he doesn't know this
the chasers wearing a coat
his hoods on
the old man stops
he can't run anylonger
the hooded man pulls the gun from a pocket
the gun goes off
now the old man is screaming
there's blood everywhere
X let out some sort of scream and fell to the floor, his mind thumping. Then his third eye reactivated. It showed him everything that was to come.
Julian
Towers
Music
Factory
death
sunlight
memories
amnesia
theaters
love
memories
And X screamed again. It was everything he had thought. Some great changes were about to take hold. He knew what it was, yet he didn't. Something having to do with this factory. And music? X wasn't sure if he knew exactly what would happen. But yet he did. The scariest part was that he didn't know enough to stop it. He didn't even have an idea about how to stop it.
This scared X the most.
There was nothing to prevent it.
And there was a teenager. He knew the girl in the theater, Isabella was her name. But why couldn't he remember if they had met before?
He knew answers would come about From the Dark City.
to be continued...
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