Dropped Stitch

The Idiot's Lantern

I watch as {she} goes over to Taris. I've never trusted {her}. It's in the eyes, I remember suddenly. Eyes. Some are full of pain. Others, joy. Never really liked joy. Never really experienced it though.

Turn away. Not polite to stare. At least that's what they're told. What who's told? I can't remember. Maybe it was the Earthlings. Maybe it was the Earthlings from Taris's world.  Maybe it was...

Visions.  Visions. Holyalphaitshappeningagain.............

I feel as though I'm sinking into a dark whirlpool. I struggle to get out. Normally the current is weak enough for me to claw my way to the surface. Not this time. The current pulls me under, above, in.

I see a girl. She walks with confidence through halls. Sobs echo in the air around her, but nobody hears. The colors swim and fade, and I am standing in a thick mist. {She} stands there too, looking angrily at an unseen foe. Not foe. Foes. She whirls around, trying to see, but they are obscured. The mist folds over her.

A scream. Such a strong scream. The scream of discord itself, and it's not enough. Something rolls out of the mist. Head. It stops at my feet. {Her} face. Distorted features. Terror. All encompassing terror is what is there. What would scare {her}? The strongest of the Ancients. One of them, at least.

The fog swirls uneasily. I must leave. I turn. Bad move. I hear something fly out of the fog. Pain in the form of gashes across my back. Hurts. Hurts. Red fog. Ancients are impervious to pain. So how?

How?

How, indeed, I think, and fall into void.

I'm standing in the room. Stares pierce me like arrows. Ow. Ow.

Human sarcasm. I'm getting better at it. I look across the room. Glare until they return to lead dust and absurd formalities.

Taris comes over from her talk.

You had a vision, didn't you.

Later, I promise. It was bad.

They're always bad, she reminds me.

Not like this one. I take a glance at {her}. Taris follows my gaze.

It's about Chordis, she guesses.

I pause. Later, I insist. Somewhere secure.

Taris nods. She knows what I mean. I walk over to an unoccupied bowl of lead dust and scoop up some for a midnight snack. Human term. They like to eat. But such strange things. Other creatures. Flesh and bark and blood.

Heathens, I think as I step into the transporter. Imbecilic. I like that word.

Portalize into my room and flop on the bed. I'm... tired. Yes. I'm not supposed to be tired. I am a machine. Elders would be suspicious.

I head over to the viewing crystals. Look in. I don't want to see my planets this time. I look into the game.

The girl in my vision is the Harp one. I thought so. I gaze at her. Laughing, laughing. Wasn't she the cheerful one? But she looks scared. I'm supposed to like that. I don't want to.  I zoom in and turn up the volume. Maybe her troubles will drown out the Ancients' rules.