Mary took Robert by the hand, walked a few steps, and knocked on the air.
"Here's the wall, Robert. Didn't you clean your glasses?" Mary laughed.
The girl perceived Soi as reality. Looking around, Robert noticed that the red spots on the inky matter had grown larger.
"Will you buy me more candy?"
"I will if you help me."
"Help? How?"
"Tell me more about yourself."
"Well... I'm Mary, I like sweets, and I play the violin."
"Do you know a woman named Anna?"
"Anna? Who's that?"
Robert didn't respond, feeling disappointed.
"Okay, do you know what Soi is?"
Mary thought for a bit, then finally answered, "No, I don't."
"I see."
"So will you buy me candy? Let's go right now! I want candy!" Mary started begging, sometimes hopping up and down.
"I'll buy it, but later. We're not going anywhere right now."
"When will we go?"
"When I wake up."
Mary didn't understand his answer but calmed down anyway.
"Do you want to hear me play the violin?"
Robert agreed immediately. For the first time, he would see something besides people and cigarettes in this strange place. Before the girl, the space distorted so much that she walked behind the "background," disappearing for a few seconds, then reappeared with a violin in her hands.
"What should I play?" Mary asked cheerfully.
Robert didn't even have time to be surprised by the strange behavior of the already bizarre space, but to keep the conversation going, he acted as if everything were normal.
"Whatever you like."
Mary began to play. It was quite hard to listen to: the strings screeched, almost every note was out of tune, but Robert managed to catch the melody. He heard it for the first time, but it evoked a strange feeling in him, as if the melody was connected to something important in his life. Suddenly, the young violinist stopped and stared at something behind Robert.
"What is it, Mary?"
The girl didn't answer, continuing to look at one point with a frightened expression. Robert felt a chill down his spine, sensing someone standing behind him. He turned around, but he was already in his room. The clock read 12:59. After some time, Robert regained his composure and nervously sat down in the chair.
"Why do I wake up at the most important moments?" he asked himself. "Why do I always follow them? What will happen if I run away in the opposite direction? Will I be able to come back? And who are they? Mary, older Mary, and Anna. They perceive space and time differently: little Mary doesn't notice anything, older Mary seems to live there, and Anna seems to be more like me in this regard. Though, to be sure of that, I need to meet her again... If I go to a psychologist or psychiatrist, they'll just lock me in a clinic."
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Fortress
Ciencia Ficción«Fortress» is a series of stories about characters whose lives and decisions affect both each other and the world around them. It all takes place at the ends of XXI century, mostly in the megacity Fortress. Here's its history: In the year 2038, a ci...
