Dogfights

Dogfights - Take (Prelude)

The metronome sung softly as the promise of death dominated the small room that sat within the confines of the city. With each swing of the machinery a chime sounded once, producing a mesmerizing rhythm which drifted effortlessly across the pit of despair. The swirling chaos outside shouted in pain, monstrous but ultimately unable to penetrate these dying walls. It is here that the everlasting battle of fate and chaos was at its most dramatic, its most pure. It is here that the end times begin.

Ellis Forgane sat alone in the darkness. He was a small man, skinny and unkept, layered in decaying clothes which hung loosely on his stringy frame. Dark, sunken eyes betrayed the fight within, of the pain and sorrow against the tide of unholy progression which had succumbed him. The future should have been his, but man and machine did not care about the wishes of one dying man.

Ellis sat quiet and still as the darkness clung mercilessly around him. Beads of sweat went down his back and face as the blood within ran and his various senses fluctuated. The long war in Ellis' mind was reaching a great climax now, soon to be followed by a thunderous end. Only one thing was true in this room full of decay: Ellis Forgane, prodigy and preacher, was losing his war. It would not be long now.

Suddenly there was a great swelling of anticipation, a promise of great upheaval. It took all of Ellis' willpower to remain silent as he continued to watch the metronome swing back and forth, again and again, as the world around him moved and twisted in agony.

A single window sat on the other side of the apartment. Upon gazing out the dirty glass one saw the city, in all its glory. High towers and distant lights cast themselves effortlessly across the glow of the moon which sat transfixed, hovering just above the orgy of technology below it.

Suddenly the great anticipation withdrew, followed by the stillness of dread. Ellis closed his eyes, hoping that he could avoid that which would swallow him whole. Death was a better outcome than being fed back into the machine.

Ellis breathed in air filled with dust, and then all came tumbling down.

Three men burst into the apartment room. They were clothed in black trenchcoats and their mouths were hidden behind black masks. Their eyes reflected unflinching intensity. One of the intruders went over to the window and clenched the dirty window frame as he scanned the horizon. The second intruder went over to the camera hidden in the shadows at the right corner of the room and began to carefully tamper with the wiring. He performed his work mechanically, as if he had done such a thing many times before. The third intruder went to Ellis. This one was particularly like a phantom, for what skin could be seen was pale and was stretched over like parchment paper.

The intruder drew forward and pulled out a flashlight from within the folds of his coat. He gripped Ellis' shoulder and then gripped Ellis' face and pulled back the man's skin. The intruder used his flashlight to search within the iris of Ellis' eyes. Ellis emitted a pathetic sigh but did not struggle. After finding nothing the intruder dispatched the flashlight and withdrew.

"Ellis Forgane," the intruder said.

Ellis said nothing in reply. He remained immobile, fixated on some ethereal thing in front of him, an unknown shadow.

The intruder working on the camera completed his task and withdrew from the corner to join his companion.

"Ellis Forgane," the intruder repeated. "My name is Kane Lauro."

Ellis remained still. The phantom named Kane placed his right index finger on the back of Ellis' neck and then turned to his accomplice.

"We're wasting time," said the other.