This is longer than I thought but here's an excerpt from "My Soul to Keep." I'd be interested in any feedback.
Thanks in advance.
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Thanks in advance.
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“My
Soul to Keep”
There
was a Door to which I found no Key;
There
was the Veil through which I might not see:
Some
little talk a while of Me and Thee
There
was – and then no more of Thee and Me.
The Rubaiyat of
Omar Khayyam of Naishápúr
Quatrain
Thirty-two
It
has been said that beginnings and endings are the most delicate of times. The slightest misstep at either point could
destroy years of patient work. Caution
is well advised but what are you to do when the beginning and the ending are
the same point in time?
There’s
an ancient saying that goes “those who forget the past are doomed to regret
it”. It’s a warning to not forget the
lessons learned over time or else run the risk of repeating the same mistakes. How can you do that if you don’t have a past
to remember?
Except
that’s not entirely true. We had a
past. We just didn’t remember it.
That
was the position we found ourselves in, five years before the end of the
cycle. We had no memory of the past or
thought of the future. We existed only
for the moment. Unaware of the
circumstances that brought us about, we lived in blissful ignorance, knowing
nothing but the joy of being alive. How
different would our lives have been if we had been known the truth?
The
Tralamafan would say the truth, like everything else, is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is the search for
knowledge. That was why they created
Coventry and why they took…
I’m
getting ahead of myself.
There
are some things you need to know first.
There’s
a story I have to tell you…
“I
know it hurts, Helena, but you must remember that this is the way of things.”
Isaiah’s
voice was calm and quiet. Like the soft
carpeting, thickly padded furniture and muted colors of the large room, his
words were meant to soothe her.
It
wasn’t working.
Helena
Troy glanced at Isaiah, sitting next to her in one of the Sleep Center’s
Waiting Rooms. The look of sympathy on
the Magistrar’s soft, round face barely registered with her as she tried to
push aside the sadness and loss that filled her mind.
It
had been an hour since she had accompanied Joseph Damon to the Sleep
Center. An hour since he had settled
into the sarcophagus and told her he loved her for the last time.
An
hour since had had been put to sleep.
It
had been an hour spent trying to come to terms with the knowledge she would
never again hear his voice, never again feel his gentle touch.
Knowing
that this was the way of the world and that in five years she would be in the
same position did nothing to ease her mind.
Helena
tugged at her thick, waist-length brown hair and closed her eyes. “I know this is the way of things, Isaiah,”
she said. “On the turn of the fortieth
year comes eternal sleep. One sleeps,
one awakens. Coventry remains in
balance. Perfectly, simply logical. But it doesn’t address those left behind.”
Isaiah
nodded, leaned close and put a hand on her shoulder. “Yes, that’s true. Remember, Ashk’rhaya puts no burden on us
that we cannot bear. Of course, this
would weigh heavily on you. You and Joseph
were regular, yes?”
“For
the last three years, yes.”
Helena’s
eyes lowered and her memory stirred. For
a moment, she saw herself and Joseph walking along the shore of the Lake. She saw his smiling face as they lay to share
passion. She sighed as she felt his
hands glide down her back.
The
memory faded, leaving only sadness.
Helena
took a deep breath, stood and stepped away from Isaiah. She looked around the Waiting Room and
watched Attendants mill around the altar and sarcophagus, making sure it was
ready for the next citizen. A misplaced
thought drifted through her mind and she wondered why she had never seen Isaiah
or the Attendants in the Restaurant or the Entertainment Center.
“Is
there anything else to be done, Isaiah,” she asked.
He
stood and walked over to her. “No,
Helena, there’s not. Attendants will be
by Joseph’s residence overnight to collect his belongings. If there’s anything you want to keep, make
sure you get it before you go to sleep.”
“I
will, Isaiah. Thank you.”
Helena
sighed and tugged t the hem of her short dress.
She considered the bright floral pattern of the fabric and smiled. Joseph
always liked this dress, she thought, almost
as much as he liked taking it off me.
The
Waiting Room faded into darkness and silence closed in on her. There seemed to be a voice in the distance
but she couldn’t make out what was being said.
“Helena? Are you alright?”
Helena
blinked. Isaiah stood in front of her, a
look of concern on his face. She looked
around the Waiting Room and blinked again.
“Isaiah? What happened?”
He
smiled. “It looked like you were
asleep. You didn’t answer when I spoke
to you.”
She
massaged her eyes and shook her head. “I
don’t think that’s happened before.”
“It
could be a matter of circumstance. When
was the last time you accompanied someone to the Sleep Center?”
“I’m
not sure. Maybe a few years ago.”
“I’m
sure you weren’t as close to that citizen as you were to Joseph.”
“No
she wasn’t. I don’t think I’ve been as
close to anyone as I was to Joseph.”
Isaiah
nodded. “Your sadness must have overcome
you. I would suggest spending some time
in the Chapel.”
She
blinked again and nodded. “Yes, of
course you’re right. I’ll make sure I go
through Joseph’s belongings before resting tonight. I’ll have to ask Isaac to help me…”
Her
cell phone rang. Helena excused herself,
slipped the phone from the pocket at her waist, checked the screen and picked
up.”
“I
was just thinking of you, Isaac.”
He
laughed. “That’s good to hear. Is it finished?”
“It
is. Joseph has been put to sleep. Can you help me get some things from his
residence?”
“Of
course. We’ll take care of it after
dinner. Are you going to be much
longer?”
“No. Meet me at the Restaurant.”
“See
you there.”
Helena
hung up and returned the phone to her pocket.
“Thank you, Isaiah. Until later.”
Isaiah
smiled. “Until later, Helena. And remember, yueo goshk’hya arh Ashk’rhaya.”
Helena
bowed her head and gave the traditional response. “Ashk’rhaya
enoyh sra.” She turned and left the
Waiting Room.
Outside,
Helena stopped and looked around. The
sight of the cut grass, sculpted bushes and tall trees that surrounded and
concealed the gray lines of the Sleep Center brought a smile to her face. She looked to the east, passed Isaiah’s
office building, toward the white shape of the Nursery and Education
Center. She watched citizens walk in and
out of both buildings and her smile grew.
“One
sleeps, one awakens,” she whispered.
“Perfectly, simply logical.”
Helena
took a deep breath and stared walking east toward the Restaurant. The feel of the grass against her bare feet
eased her mind. She looked at the blue
tinted metal sky, into the bright glow of the sun-sphere and felt a sense of
calm come over her.
“Ashk’rhaya enoyh sra,” she whispered.
Walking
at a brisk pace, Helena reached the Restaurant a short time later. She looked over the large, crystalline
building and smiled when she saw Isaac Poole by the entrance, talking to a
group of younger citizens. He spotted
her, waved and walked toward her.
“Joseph
went to sleep easily,” he asked.
“Yes. He’s sleeping with Ashk’rhaya now.”
They
kissed and hugged. “Too soon to talk
about being regular,” Isaac asked as his hands slid down her back.
Helena
smiled, kissed him again and ran her fingers through his short dark hair. She had known for some time of Isaac’s wish
to be her regular partner. It was
something she had thought about more as Joseph’s time drew closer.
“We’ll
talk about it later,” she said and stepped from his embrace.
Isaac
nodded. “Okay. I understand.
Later.”
As
they walked to the Restaurant, Helena nodded toward the group Isaac had been
talking to. “What did they have to say?”
“We
were just discussing philosophy. They
were wondering why Ashk’rhaya doesn’t show himself.”
Helena
laughed and spread her arms. “Ashk’rhaya
does show himself to us. He created
Coventry, he created us. Every blade of
grass, every leaf is the face of Ashk’rhaya.
He doesn’t need to show himself to us.
Each of us is Ashk’rhaya.”
“I
told them that but they still have questions.
They’re all sixteen. Everyone
questions when they’re sixteen. I
remember your favorite question was, why?”
“And
your usual reply was, why not?”
They
both laughed. “I suggested they spend
some time in the Chapel. A few hours of
quiet contemplation will clear their minds.
It certainly worked for you.”
Helena’s
eyes lowered and she thought back to the Waiting Room. “Isaiah suggested I spend some time in the
Chapel, too.”
“Oh? Why?
You’ve grown into a well-grounded citizen.”
“Something
happened in the Waiting Room. Just
before you called it seemed like I was asleep on my feet.”
Isaac
frowned. “Strange. Have you been feeling alright?”
She
nodded. “Isaiah thought it could be
sadness.”
“You’ve
been to the Sleep Center before.”
“But
never with anyone I was regular with.
Isaiah suggested that because Joseph and I were, his going to sleep
affected me more.”
Isaac
considered for a moment then shrugged.
“Possible, I guess. We’ll spend
some time in the Chapel before going to Joseph’s.”
Helena
smiled and took his hand. “Thank you.”
Hand
in hand, they walked into the crystalline dome of the Restaurant. Helena looked up through the tinted crystal
panels at the blue metal sky and smiled.
She pushed the sadness she felt over Joseph going to sleep and the
uncertainty over what happened in the Waiting Room to the back of her
mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she
glanced at Isaac and wondered how it would be to be regular with him.
As
they crossed the open, multi-level dining room, heading for the serving counter
along the back wall, Helena again glanced at Isaac and her head bobbed.
Why wait, she thought. Joseph
wouldn’t want me to. He’d want me to be
happy.
After
being served bowls of clear broth and cubes of soft protein, along with a tall
bottle of orange wine, Isaac looked around.
“Where do you want to sit?”
Helena
nodded toward one of the secluded tables on the far side of the dining
room. “Over there, where we can be
alone.”
As
they started across the dining room, Isaac asked, “Not that I mind but why do
you want to be alone?”
“There’s
something I want to discuss with you.
Something personal.”
Isaac’s
eyes widened and a look of surprise crossed his face. One corner of his mouth twisted into a
lopsided smile. “I thought you wanted to
talk about that later.”
Helena
smiled. “It is later.”
“Yes
it is.”
They
sat side by side at the secluded table and Isaac poured wine. Helena took a sip and held up her right hand,
fingers spread.
She
said, “Isaac, my dearest friend since childhood, I ask you with all my
heart. Will you consent to be regular
with me?”
Isaac
took a deep breath and pressed his left hand against Helena’s. “Helena, who I have known my whole life, my
dearest friend since birth. It would be
my honor to be regular with you.”
They
leaned close and kissed. After a moment,
Helena leaned back and smiled. “Thank
you.”
Isaac
bowed. “Thank you. Do you still want to go to the Chapel?”
Helena
nodded and turned to her meal.
“Yes. I’m still little bothered
by what happened in the Waiting Room.
Not for long, though. I want to
get to Joseph’s residence before the Attendants arrive.”
“Will
you keep mementos from my residence after I’m put to sleep?”
Helena’s
head tilted to one side. “I was born in
third month. You were born in fourth
month. I’ll be asleep before you.”
“I’ll
make sure to keep something from your residence.”
“I’m
sure you will.”
They
ate in silence for a few minutes. Helena
began to feel more relaxed, at ease with her decision to become regular with
Isaac. She picked up her wine glass but
stopped when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.
Turning
to the crystal wall on her right, Helena saw a dark shape that hadn’t been
there moments earlier. It looked like
nothing she had ever seen in Coventry.
The dark shape resembled a mound of soft plastine, sagging under the
sun-sphere’s light. Lines of light
flashed across the translucent surface.
There was a large area of shiny black near the top of the shape.
Helena’s
eyes widened as she stared at the shape.
The sounds of the dining room faded to silence. The silence lingered for a few minutes until she
heard a man’s voice whispering in the back of her mind.
“The cycles will repeat,” the voice
said, “as they have repeated in the
past. The fires will cleanse and the
cycle will repeat again.”
A
different voice said, “No. Change is inevitable. The cycles will end.”
The
scene faded to darkness and the second voice spoke again. “You
will not repeat this to the others. They
are not ready.”
Helena
blinked, turned back to her meal and wondered why she was staring out the
window.
She
sipped her wine. “So Isaac, now that
we’re regular, are you going to sit for me?”
“You
want to sketch me?”
“I
sketched Joseph many times. That’s what
we’re getting tonight.”
“I
hope you’re not thinking about sketching tonight. That’s not what I had in mind.”
“No. I’m not sketching tonight. And I know just what you had in mind.”
They
are in silence for a few minutes and Helena began to feel more at ease. The sadness had faded, replaced by the joy of
being regular with Isaac. The confusion
over what happened in the Waiting Room still lingered. She was sure time spent in the Chapel would
clear that up.
She
only wondered why she had been staring out the window.
“It’s
been a while since I’ve been here,” Isaac said as he and Helena walked into the
Church of Ashk’rhaya, more commonly known as the Chapel. “Maybe I should come by more often. A little contemplation couldn’t hurt.”
Helena
looked around the dimly lit interior of the Chapel and sighed. The reclined chairs, arranged in fifteen
rows, filled two-thirds of the angled space, providing seating for all of
Coventry’s citizens. She lo9oked toward
the narrow front of the room, where a glowing sphere of light, the symbol of
Ashk’rhaya, hovered above the raised altar.
“I’ll
be happy to not sleep on my feet again,” she said as they walked down the aisle
between rows of chairs. “It only
happened once. I don’t want it to happen
again.”
They
selected chairs in the middle of the aisle and sat Helena stared at the glowing sphere again and
closed her eyes. She felt her body relax
as she began to pray.
Praise be to Ashk’rhaya. May I continue to serve him through the
remainder of my life.
As
she repeated the prayer, Helena began to feel as if she were falling. She tried to open her eyes but couldn’t. she began to worry that what had happened in
the Waiting Room was happening again.
From
the darkness, she heard Isaiah’s voice.
“Helena?
Can you hear me?”
“Isaiah?
What’s happening? It feels like…”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I tried to do this in the Waiting Room but
your conscious mind was too active.
That’s why I directed you to the Chapel.
This will also get me around the monitors.”
Helena
felt confusion in the back of her mind. “I don’t understand. What’s going on?”
Isaiah
was silent for a moment. “Did you feel that?”
“I didn’t feel anything.”
“Good.
I’m sectioning off part of your memory so the Tralamafan won’t be able
to scan it. There’s information I have
to give you so you’re ready for what’s to come.
I can get into a great deal of trouble for doing this but I have no
choice. I’ve stood by long enough, a
willing participant even though I knew what was being done was wrong. The Tralamafan have used you all as test
animals for hundreds of years…”
The
confusion began to grow in her mind. “What does that mean? What’s a tral…tralama…”
What
felt like a wave of warm air came from the darkness and surrounded her. A moment later, the confusion faded.
“Don’t worry about the Tralamafan right
now. You’ll learn about them soon
enough. I don’t want to overload you
with too much information at one time.
It’s my nature as an AI to do things methodically.”
“AI?”
“Don’t worry about that, either. You’ll learn who and what I really am
soon. I must ask you to trust me.”
“I do trust you, Isaiah. What’s going on?”
“You are the hope for the future,
Helena. Through you I will set you all
free. Make sure you come back here on a
regular basis. At least once a month
should be sufficient. You won’t remember
any of this, of course. Not consciously,
at any rate.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“Soon you will, Helena. I’m glad you’re regular with Isaac.”
“You know about that? How?”
“It’s my function to know, Helena, and to
anticipate. However, I didn’t expect you
to become regular so soon.”
“Joseph wouldn’t want me to be alone. It felt right.”
“That’s why I chose you. You have good instincts. Now rest.”
For
what seemed like only a few minutes, Helena lay still. She took a deep breath, opened her eyes and
stared at the ceiling of the Chapel.
Praise be to Ashk’rhaya. May I continue to serve him through the
remainder of my days.
Next
to her, Isaac sat up, ran his hands over his face and said, “That was very
refreshing.”
Helena
took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes it
was. How long have we been in
contemplation?”
Isaac
took his phone from a pocket and checked the screen. “Almost an hour. How do you feel?”
She
smiled and stretched. “I feel much
better. We should do this more often.”
“That
a very good idea. How often do you want
to come by?”
“Once
a month,” Helena said as she stood.
“More frequently and people will think we’re getting lost in our meditations.”
“What’s
wrong with meditation? Ashk’rhaya
conceived of Coventry while meditating.”
“That
is very true. Now come on. I want to make sure we’re finished at
Joseph’s residence before the Attendants show up.”
Helena
leaned the last of the paintings against the wall, took a step back and
considered the pieces she had brought from Joseph’s residence. Each piece was filled with life expressed in
bright colors, conveying the joy she had felt during the three years she had
been regular with Joseph.
She
looked from one painting showing Joseph reclining on the grass by the Lake, to
another portraying them sharing passion.
Helena closed her eyes as she felt someone standing behind her. She felt a hand brush hair away from her neck
then a gentle kiss. She took a deep
breath as she felt a hand caress her breast.
A
voice whispered, “The cycles will soon
end and will soon begin again.”
Helena
whispered, “No. The cycles will
end. I will save us all.”
A
different voice whispered, “You will do
so much.”
Helena
blinked, looked around the residence and wondered where she was going to put
the sketches, paintings and sculptures she had brought over. All the display stands and tables were filled
and there was little uncovered wall space.
The
door phased open and Isaac walked in, carrying two sculptures. “These are the last two, Helena. Where are you going to put all these?”
She
looked around the residence again. “I
don’t know. I’d talk to Isaiah about getting
some more display stands and tables but I’m almost out of floor space. I’ll take care of it in the morning.”
Helena
watched Isaac walk to the sitting area and set the two sculptures on the
triangle shaped table. He stepped up to
the large windows that looked out to the east, toward one of the
amphitheaters. She watched him then
crossed to one of the two storage cabinets that stood between the door and the
sitting area. Helena too out a bottle of
orange wine and two glasses, and joined Isaac at the window.
“Are
you sure this is what you wanted,” she asked as she filled the two glasses.
Isaac
took one glass and frowned. “You asked
me. Are you having second thoughts?”
“No,
I’m not. You could’ve declined.”
“Why
would I decline what I’ve always wanted?”
He took her hand and turned to the window.
They
stood in silence for a few minutes.
Helena watched the lighting dim as the sun-sphere finished its daily
transit across the sky. Her eyes went to
the horizon, where the moon-sphere was just staring its nightly journey. She took a deep breath and leaned on the
window sill.
“Have
you ever wonder what’s beyond the sky,” she asked.
Isaac
sipped his wine and turned a questioning look toward her. “Beyond the sky? All that’s beyond the sky is the realm of
Ashk’rhaya. From there, he watches over
us.”
“Yes
but…”
He
held up a hand, touched a finger to her lips and silenced her. “Do you really want to have this conversation
now?”
Helena
smiled and kissed his hand. “No, of
course not. My artistic curiosity got
the better of me.”
“Of
course.”
They
leaned close and kissed. Helena felt her
heart begin to race as Isaac’s arms embraced her. Her hands slipped under his shirt, gliding
over the contours of his back. She
lifted the shirt off and dropped it to the floor. She kissed him again and again across his
broad chest.
Isaac’s
hands brushed aside her hair and released the hook-pile fasteners at her
shoulders. The dress slipped off to her
waist, caught by the elastic waistband.
He tilted her head back and kissed her neck and breasts. He nodded toward the bedroom on the other
side of the residence and smiled.
“Come
on.” He started away but stopped as
Helena held his arm. “What?”
“Let’s
not go to the bedroom yet. Let’s stay
here for now.”
He
looked around, puzzled. “Here? You want to stay in here?”
Helena
nodded toward the empty floor in front of the windows. “Yes.
Right here.”
Isaac
looked around again, noting the absence of pickups. “No one will be able to watch us. We can watch sensies on the entertainment
center but…”
Helena
smiled and slipped her arms around him.
“I don’t want to watch sensies right now. I don’t feel like being watched, either. All I want is you.”
She
kissed him again and knelt down.
****
TRANSMISSION
BEGINS
****
CYCLE
4 - YEAR 135
SEQUENCE
217 END
POPULATION
STATUS
FIRM
234 – ACTIVE
366 – STAND
BY
HABITAT
STATUS
FIRM
ALL
ENVIROMENTAL SYSTEMS ACTIVE
****
TRANSMISSION
INTERRUPTED
INFORMATION
WETWARE
CORRUPTION DETECTED
UNAUTHORIZED
SOFTWARE DETECTED
SUBJECT
HT72125141 – OPERATIONAL SOFTWARE CORRUPTED
SUBJECT
DESIGNATED FOR REPROGRAMMING
****
****
REPROGRAMMING
CANCELED
****
DELETE
INFORMATION?
CONFIRM
DELETION
AUTHORIZED BY
LOCAL
SYSTEM ISH9191918
CONFIRM
****
TRANSMISSION
ENDS
****
The
dreams started as she was drifting off to sleep.
Helena
wasn’t sure how long she and Isaac spent laying on the floor of the sitting
room, sharing passion. All she knew, all
she cared about, was how much she enjoyed being intimate with Isaac. That he seemed to feel the same heightened
her pleasure.
Some
time during the night, Isaac picked her up in his arms and carried her to the
bedroom. They continued to share
passion, their images carried to the other citizens by the eyes mounted on the
walls and ceiling.
They
soon drifted off to sleep, their bodies entangled.
She
dreamed…
****…JHRUVENDELQVANSELOTAKVA…****
She
ran through the ruined buildings, searching for shelter, hoping to find
concealment from their pursuers. The air
was thick with smoke and the smell of burning wood. The light of the sun-sphere was nothing more
than a diffuse glow.
Matron
Sabine followed close behind, casting frequent glances back the way they
came. Like Helena, Sabine’s robes were
torn and covered with dust. Sweat beaded
on her shaved head and ran down her face.
“We
have to get out of here,” Sabine said, her breath ragged. “We won’t be able to stay ahead of the
Patrons much longer.”
Helena
looked back, seeing her own fear reflected on Sabine’s face. “We’ll get away. They’ll be busy at the Cloister.”
An
image flashed through Helena’s mind. She
could see the twenty tall men, dressed in gray coveralls and armed with an
assortment of blades. Of the twenty
Matrons in the Cloister, only she and Sabine had managed to escape. Their sisters, she knew, would be desecrated
multiple times or harvested.
She
pushed the image aside. “We just have to
get to the Safe Zone in North Sector Four.
It’s not far.”
“Not
far? You’ve been saying that since we
escaped the Cloister!” Sabine looked
back over her shoulder, stumbled and fell.
Helena
stopped then ran back. “Sabine! Are you alright? Come on!
We can’t…”
Sabine
pushed herself up onto her hands and knees then shook her head. “Why bother, Helena? We can’t outrun them. We should just wait and let the darkness
come.”
“We
can’t give up now,” Helena said as she knelt in front of Sabine. She caressed her friend’s head, hoping to
calm her down.
“It’s
too far,” Sabine whispered. “We’ll never
be free of this war. We’ll either be
desecrated or harvested.”
“Don’t
say that. We can survive. Coventry can’t remain at war with itself
forever.”
Sabine
looked into Helena’s eyes, reached up and caressed her own shaved head. “This war has been going on longer than any of
us can remember. It’ll never end.”
Helena
looked around, more to avoid Sabine’s eyes than anything else. She didn’t want ot admit her own
uncertainties. She kissed Sabine’s
forehead and smiled.
“It’ll
end someday, Sabine. Ashk’rhaya may be a
vengeful god but even he will get sick of eternal war.”
Helena
looked around again. Not far away was a
small cabin that looked to be intact.
She watched it for a moment, making sure there was no sign of life. She kissed Sabine’s forehead again and helped
her to her feet.
“We’ll
hide in there for a little while. We can
rest and pray to Ashk’rhaya for protection and salvation.” Sabine looked at the cabin and nodded.
Helena
led her to the cabin, keeping watch for any sign of an ambush. Seeing no sign of recent activity began to
raise her spirits. Maybe if we stay here and stay quiet, she thought, the Patrons will lose interest in us.
Helena
found the front door unlocked. She
stared into the darkened interior and waved Sabine in. She checked the area around the house again
then followed Sabine in, closing the door behind her.
“We’ll…”
“Helena!”
Lights
came on as she heard the male voice.
“Told you we didn’t hafta search.
We wait and the Matrons will come to us.”
There
were six of them, each one tall and muscular, wearing dark gray coveralls
belted at the waist. Each one was armed
with two long knives. One was
positioning a light globe at the center of the ceiling. A second held Sabine by the neck.
One
stepped up to Helena, a wide smile of crooked yellow teeth splitting his
face. “First one is harvested, the
second is desecrated.”
Helena
shook her head, not believing how she had failed. “No, please, we’re not…I’m sorry, Sabine.”
The
first one reached up and traced a fingertip over Helena’s face. “Harvest that one’s heart and get it fed to
this one. The rest is for us. And be quick about it. This one’s ready for the six of us.”
Helena
screamed as the six Patrons laughed.
****…JHRUVENDELQVANSELOTAKVA…****
“I
don’t care what the citizens believe. We
have our traditions and I will see that they are maintained.”
From
her place on the dais at the front of the Audience Chamber, Dynast Helena
surveyed the assembled advisors, attendants and citizens. It was a daily ritual she reveled in,
representatives of the people and her court gathering to share the adulation of
the populace.
Today
had been different.
Rather
than bring adulation, the assemblage had brought complaints and a list of
demands. Most of the complaints were
easily dismissed and the demands ignored.
One she could not put aside.
Helena
ran her hands through her long brown hair then over her smooth, bare skin. Her brown eyes were narrow as she looked out
over the audience. “So the people are
saying they wish my pets and myself to dress?
They would want my beauty hidden beneath clothing? Unthinkable!
Am I not the most beautiful woman in Coventry? Have I not been blessed by great
Ashk’rhaya? Should my beauty not always
be on display?”
Behind
her, reclining against the front wall of the chamber, her pets laughed. Helena glanced back at them, admiring the men
and women laying there. Her eyes
lingered on them for another moment before she turned back to the audience.
“My
pets are so pretty. Why would anyone
want to cover them up? Tell me this is a
poor attempt at humor.”
Her
senior attendant looked uncomfortable and glanced to one side. “Sadly not, Dynast. It would seem some of the citizens are
starting to have thoughts about how things should be.”
“I
see. Who ever told them they were
allowed to think? Are any of them here?”
“Yes,
Dynast. Two representatives are
here. They’re young. The young always want to change things to
suit them.”
“Indeed. Bring them forward.”
The
senior attendant waved toward the audience.
The crowd parted, moving away from the young man and woman. Despite her anger and annoyance, Helena
smiled as they shuffled forward. Both
were young, fit and attractive. Her mind
began to turn to other things.
As
they knelt in front of her, she said, “Names.”
The
man glanced at the woman and said, “I’m Anthony, Dynast, and this is Hayley, my
wife.”
“And
she has no voice of her own?”
Hayley
nodded and said, “I do, Dynast.”
“Good. Now tell me.
Why do you want to change things?
Through the long line of Dynasts before me, none have ever been
clothed. I am the most beautiful of them
all. You would deprive the people of my
beauty?”
Anthony
swallowed. “You are the rule of
Coventry, Dynast. You should be an
example for our children. They should
strive…”
“They
should strive to please me! What more is
there to attain? What other nonsense
have you come up with?”
Hayley
exchanged a look with Anthony and said, “We want privacy, Dynast.”
Helena
reached over and caressed Anthony’s face.
“Very pretty. Privacy? You want privacy? How amusing.
Why?”
“There
are eyes in every room of every building, Dynast. Even in our houses. We’re always watched, even when we’re trying
to sleep.”
“I
have no interest in watching people sleep.”
Hayley
took a deep breath. “You watch us when
we’re sexing. We should have privacy
when…”
Helena
leaned close to Hayley and her voice was an angry growl. “I am the only one in Coventry entitled to
privacy! The people are mine to use as I
wish, to do with as I please! This was
decreed by great Ashk’rhaya! Besides, I
like watching people sexing. It’s very
entertaining, especially when I’m playing with my pets.”
Anthony
took a deep breath. “It’s wrong for us
to be watched at all hours of the day and night.”
Helena
stared at him. “You’re lucky you’re
pretty. I can’t stand such impudence
from my citizens.”
She
nodded toward the attendants. “Prepare
him. I’ll be there in a minute. Maybe I’ll make him one of my pets if I enjoy
him.”
Anthony
looked at Hayley as he was led away.
Hayley started to stand but Helena pushed her back down to her
knees. “Stay where you are! Did you enjoy him, the way he made you scream
as he finished? I certainly enjoyed
watching you.”
She
brushed her fingers over Hayley’s cheeks then took hold of her head. “You have such a pretty face. Oh, excuse me! I mean, you had such a pretty face.”
Helena
tightened her grip on Hayley’s head and dug her fingernails into her skin. She dragged her fingers across her cheeks,
leaving bloody scratches. As Hayley
screamed, Helena stabbed her thumbs into Hayley’s eyes. She released Hayley and watched her drop to
the floor.
Helena
watched Hayley bury her bloody face in her hands then looked over her own hands. She shook her head in disgust.
“I
got my hands dirty. Water!”
One
attendant rushed out. He returned a
minute later, carrying a bowl of water and a towel.
As
Helena washed her hands, the senior attendant asked, “What should we do with
her, Dynast?”
She
dried her hands and dropped the towel to the floor. “Give her to my pets. I’m sure they’ll enjoy a new toy.”
Helena
looked out over the audience, feeling amusement at the shock and horror on
their faces. “Tell the people what
you’ve seen here today. Coventry is run
by my will. You exist only to serve
me. You live at my discretion. There will be no more complaints or
suggestions!”
She
looked them over again and started out of the Audience Chamber. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have a new plaything to try out. I wonder how long it’ll take to break
him.” She closed her eyes and felt her
spirits soar.
****…JHRUVENDELQVANSELOTAKVA…****
Her
eyes snapped open and panic hit her immediately. She had no idea where she was or how she
arrived. All she could see was darkness
broken by a faint glow coming from behind her.
Her habit had been stripped off and she lay spread-eagle on something
hard and cold. She tried to sit up but
found she couldn’t move. She could only
turn her head from side to side.
Helena
stared into the darkness for another minute then squeezed her eyes shut. She tried to hold back the panic as she
searched through her memory.
I left the convent to run some errands and
pick up some groceries. Nothing seemed
out of the ordinary. I was walking down
the street…I felt dizzy…
Helena
took a deep breath and opened her eyes.
She looked into the darkness and called out, “Hello! Is anybody there?” The only reply was her own voice echoing
through the darkness.
She
tried to keep her voice steady. The cold
was starting to work into her body and she started to shiver. “Is anyone there? Hello?
Someone answer me!
Please…someone…” She squeezed her
eyes shut as tears began to well up.
What
felt like a breeze blew across her bare skin.
She heard the voice an instant later.
“Subject HTSeven-two-one-two-five-one-four-one is conscious.”
Helena
opened her eyes. To either side, the
darkness seemed to twist and ripple, like water going down a drain. The rippling faded as two shapes came into
view. They were tall, roughly
cylindrical, reminding Helena of melting wax or plastic. What looked like flashes of light danced
beneath their translucent surface. Near
the top of the shapes were large black areas.
Her
mouth opened and closed several times before she was able to speak. “What… what’s going on? What are you?
Where am…where…” Panic
overwhelmed her and her voice faltered.
The
shape on the left turned so the black area was facing her. The flashing lights became more active and she
heard the voice again. “Identify.”
Helena
took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
“What? Identify? Identify myself? Is that what you mean?”
The
shapes were silent. Helena stared at
them then shook her head as realization dawned on her. My God…I
shouldn’t have laughed at all those UFO stories I heard in college.
The
shape on the right flashed and spoke in the same voice. “Identify.”
She
took a deep breath. “My name is Sister
Helena Troy, with Saint Bartholomew Church in San Diego. What are you going to do?”
Both
shapes were silent for a moment.
“Sister,” the left one said.
“Rank? Military?”
“It’s
not a military rank. I’m with the
Catholic church.”
The
right one said, “Religious order?”
“Yes.”
The
flashes of light on both shapes stopped for a moment. “Primitive.
Touch. Sense.”
What
looked like tendrils began to extend from the two shapes. The tendrils reached down and began to glide
across her skin, leaving a growing tingling sensation. Her shivering became worse as tendrils
slipped into her nose, mouth and ears.
After a few minutes, the tendrils withdrew.
“Examination
form ready,” the left shape said.
The
right shape turned to one side.
“Proceed.”
Above
her, the darkness began to ripple and swirl.
As it cleared, Helena saw herself, laying spread-eagle on a dimly
glowing surface. On either side of the
duplicate grew two large tentacles. From
them grew smaller tentacles. The ends of
the smaller tentacles changed to become an assortment of long finger-like
constructs while others formed what looked like blades.
The
duplicate watched the tentacles and shook her head. “Oh my God!
What’re you… what’re you…”
One
tentacle encircled her head and held her still.
A smaller tentacle sprouted and held her right eye open. A second tentacle sprouted and formed what
lo9oked like a pair of small spooks.
Slowly, the spoons lowered and began to remove her eye.
“God
help me! God help me!”
Other
blades slide down her body, leaving trails of blood. The thinner tendrils slipped into the wounds
and began to peel back the skin.
“God…please…God…help…me…!”
Helena
stared in horror as the duplicate’s body was cut open.
She
screamed.
****…JHRUVENDELQVANSELOTAKVA…****
…she
woke up.
Helena
stared into the darkness, eyes wide, heart pounding, breath burning in her
throat. She sat up on the bed, closed
her eyes, took a few deep breaths and waited for her heart to slow to normal. She ran her hands over her face, looked
around again and reached for the small lamp on the side table. She kept the light dim as she turned on the
lamp to keep from disturbing Isaac.
She
looked around the bedroom and slipped off the bed. The room was unchanged but the feeling that
something was wrong began to tug at the back of her mind. She looked at the pickups that circled the
room, two on each wall as well as the ceiling, each one concentrated on the
bed. A smile crossed her face as she
wondered if anyone watched the sensie feed when she and Isaac moved from the
living room to the sitting room to the bedroom.
She wondered if the watchers were entertained as she and Isaac shared
passion.
Helena
stepped into the sitting room and the sense that something was wrong grew. She crossed to the windows and looked out
across the dark skyline of Coventry. The
sight of the darkened buildings in the light of the moon-sphere. She thought back to the dreams and sighed.
Dreams, she thought. Just
dreams. Just an overactive imagination,
stories that want to be told.
The
sound of movement in the bedroom attracted her attention. Her smile grew as she walked back to the
bedroom. It sounded like Isaac had
awakened. Her heart began to race again
in anticipation of continued passion.
Helena
stepped into the bedroom and stopped, anticipation changing to shock and
horror.
Isaac
was sitting up but he was floating above the bed. His body was limp, head back, eyes closed,
mouth open. What looked like a band of
light surrounded his head. Every few
moments, thinner beams of light reached out from the band and touched Isaac’s
head.
On
either side of him were the shapes she remembered from her dreams. Both shapes had extended tendrils that glided
over his body and into his mouth and nose.
Helena
backed up, to try and get out of the residence, to try and get help.
What
felt like tendrils began to encircle her body, holding her still, twisting her
legs and arms. She was turned around and
saw two more shapes, the tendrils leading back to them. Helena was lifted off the floor as more
tendrils sprang from the shapes. They
glided over her skin, around her neck, over her face and into her mouth and
nose.
The
light flashes on one shape increased in speed and a voice sounded in her
mind. “You should not be here,” it
said. “You should not know this.”
Helena
tried to scream but couldn’t. The
tendrils began to wrap around her body and her head. The tendrils began to tighten…tighten…and…
****…JHRUVENDELQVANSELOTAKVA…****
…she
woke up.
Helena
raised her head and looked around the bedroom.
In the dim light from the moon-sphere coming through the window over the
bed, she could see the room was empty except for herself and Isaac. She glanced at him, sleeping next to
her. She brushed her fingers across his
cheek, smiled and snuggled close to him.
Dreams, she thought as she drifted back
to sleep. Just dreams. Just an overactive
imagination, stories that want to be told.
****
TRANSMISSION
BEGINS
****
CYCLE
4 – YEAR 135
SEQUENCE
217 – TRANSITION – 218
POPULATION
STATUS
FIRM
000 – ACTIVE
600 –
STANDBY
HABITAT
STATUS
FIRM
ALL
ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS ACTIVE
****
TRANSMISSION
INTERRUPTED
****
INFORMATION
WETWARE
CORRUPTION CONFIRMED
UNAUTHORIZED
SOFTWARE DETECTED
SUBJECT
HT72125141 – OPERATIONAL SOFTWARE CORRUPTED
SUBJECT
DESIGNATED FOR OBSERVATION
ENGAGE
OBSERVATION PROTOCOL BY
LOCAL
SYSTEM ISH9191918?
****
BYPASS
LOCAL SYSTEM CONFIRMED
****
ENGAGE
OBSERVATION PROTOCOL BY SECONDARY SYSTEM?
CONFIRM
****
ENGAGE
OBSERVATION PROTOCOL BY
SUBJECT
IP91911316?
CONFIRM
****
OBSERVATION PROTOCOL BY
SUBJECT
IP91911316 ENABLED
CONFIRM
****
TRANSMISSION
ENDS
****
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