Friday, October 12
I don't know where I'm going with this.
rise comes soon the fall leaves wot light's turned rise let me die RISE The voice seemed distant at first, coming from a place he'd almost forgotten he was. He had a brief impression of falling, a dark animal moving swiftly through the space he occupied, and the return of pain. It was his sister, taller now, her hair longer than he had remembered, her face more sharply defined. Beautiful, he was startled to realize. There was tension in her voice, and something else. Brother. Come. There is need. He opened his eyes. Light transfixed him sound returned like surfacing from a pool the warm sure knowledge of sun striking outstretched leaves roots gnarling deep into earth passed from him cold autumn air exploded through his burning lungs the scent of leaves spiked sharp into his nose a faint echo of some unnameable sense. If he had been able, he would have screamed. He whispered. "How long?" "Three years. It is October." He closed his eyes again for a moment, felt himself reeling in some unknown direction, and stood. The agony was as waking too early from death. She opened a water bag slung on her shoulder, took a swallow, and offered him the rest. He drained it, in between deep, gulping breaths. Then they began walking. Somehow, his own power carried him a hundred meters or more before he was forced to lean on her arm, stronger now than his own. He could feel the earth beneath his feet pulling at him, hear the quiet acceptance that waited in the leaves, and more than anything he simply wanted to sleep, to stop walking and lay back down and die again to the world. He shuddered, and did not succumb. And walked. His mother was waiting in the ancient church that stood in the edges of the grove, standing just inside the door. She looked unchanged, but she had seemed worn and time-beaten from his earliest memories. She hugged him in silence, stepped back and did not quite smile. Her voice in his mind was the same pale echo of speech. They're coming. I'm sorry. I waited until there could be no doubt.
Fri Oct 12 16:10:48 EDT 2001
Looks like webmages is moving the server today or tomorrow, so p1k3'll likely be down for a bit. Especially if I need to do something to get it to resolve to a new IP, which I probably do.
Meanwhile, if anyone needs to reach me I'll be on ICQ (1408149) as usual; and on the off chance that mail to this addy bounces, my hardlink.com account is still open for a few more days.