"Hm?"
I turn over, and the same feeling of discomfort is still there.
Eyes closed, I feel out my surroundings a bit, expecting to feel the soft couch, a bed, anything. But it feels coarse and unfamiliar.
I groan and force my eyes open to see the matted brown floor of the dorm hallway.
"What..."
Sitting upright, with my back now against the wall, my pillow clutched as a weapon and my black blanket curled around me, I try to recall what led to this... rude awakening.
Moria kicking me out, me knocking on Rio and Napoleon's door...
Good grief.
I must've laughed.
Slowly rising to my feet and grabbing my things, I stumble toward the door. Leaning on it for support, I fumble through my pockets, searching for my key lanyard.
My drowsiness dies, killed by fear.
"My keys must've slipped." I look around, scanning for my fallen buddy, hoping the sun has shown itself to help me find them. But there is no such free help.
But then I hear it. The jingle of mercy.
I drop my pillow and reach for my neck, or rather, what I hope is attached to it.
I grin, feeling the knot untie itself inside me.
And slowly, as if it would melt at a touch, I unhook the lanyard with my one free hand. Guiding it to the door, it smoothly goes in, and with a single turn, my door swings open and grants entry to a weary traveler.
From the doorway, I can barely see our bunk bed, with Moria still asleep on the bottom. The corner of mine is visible as well. Nobody has been on it, as far as I can tell. I bet it's cool and soft now. Nobody would mind if I got a couple more winks, I bet. It's a... a victimless crime.
I shuffle toward the door, wanting... no, needing its cool embrace. My hand reaches out, just about to pass the threshold of the doorway. The second it does, however, it bounces back, almost like it hit some sort of soft barrier.
"Huh. Seems like he roped in Sala. Moria really doesn't want me to ruin his sleep this time, it seems."
I look at the pillow that dropped to the floor and kick it at the door. It goes through as if the barrier doesn't exist.
"Huh."
I spin around, looking for something. Until I see it, right where the bland white hallway wall meets the bland white ceiling. A quilt of web and felled bugs.
Yawning and taking off my black shirt, I walk toward his domain. Once I'm close enough to know I'm in his sightline, I mutter, "Black Skinhead."
My third eye, on my solar plexus, opens, and from the shadows, I feel something respond to my call to arms. The shuffling of eight legs slowly comes down the wall, until it is within my reach.
Once it is, I make it climb onto my hand and take a look at it. It is a common brown house spider, harmless and apparently eager to serve its master.
I slowly take him to the barrier, and before I give him marching orders, grimacing at the thought, I order him to take a bite of my skin.
He looks at me with all eight of his eyes, almost reluctant.
"It's okay. I'll be fine."
He needs no further prodding.
A couple seconds of groaning later, I am finally ready to send my brave soldier over the breach. I put Anansi the spider down just in front of the doorway.
Anansi marches toward the door, goes into the breach, and through!
Alright, it seems like there's a choice to be made. How much do I want to sleep in my bed tonight?
I look at my pillow, alone on the other side, needing company.
And I know what has to be done.
Taking the blanket I still have, I wrap myself in it, take a second to mentally prepare for the leap of faith I'm about to go on...
And leap at the barrier.
The second I do, Black Skinhead terminates the connection, and the spider returns to normal.
I tuck my feet in and close my eyes. I can feel the moment the barrier activates, searching the interloper for suspicious cargo. Fortunately, the user of the ability is asleep on my bed, so the barrier itself isn't too smart. It knows what things look like, but not what is inside them. That's why I couldn't pass, but the spider with my DNA can.
And as if I pass through air, I thump safely on the ground.
"Hah... hah..."
I breathe, letting my fatigue take over.
I quickly glance around, checking for more traps. Looking at Moria's pale white face with a single large black star over his left eye, I grin. Slowly crawling my way up to my bed, I grab the lump nested under my covers that looks like Sala, lightly push him out of the way, and yank the blanket I used as a shield over me.
Sleep crashes into me like a cold bucket of water.
And down I go, back into the depths.
In my dreams, the same thoughts repeat endlessly.
I wonder...
Why was I cursed to live while they were blessed with death? Why must I carry on? I'm so tired of it all. It feels like I'm dragging them all behind me, their hopes and dreams, while I'm sinking.
Their faces flash in my mind as I drown, all of them dragging me down into the abyss.
Deeper and deeper...
"AHHHH!"
I jolt awake, panting and in a cold sweat. The nightmare slowly fades away as I turn over. And freeze.
I hear breathing.
Not normal breathing, deep and heavy breathing.
Plus, it's almost like it's at eye level...
I quickly snap my eyes open and see...
Three people and one giant staring down at me. Rio, Sala, and Moria sit on one of Sala's floating barriers. Napoleon stands through the barrier, arms crossed.
"Damn," Sala says, adjusting the thing he calls a keffiyeh. "It's really that bad, huh? Laughing in your sleep one night, screaming the next. No matter what you say, it must still hurt. We're here if you want to talk."
"I'm fine," I mutter, sitting up.
He sighs, and his thobe ripples. "Then tell me... how'd you get past Random Access Memories?"
I yawn. "Industry secret."
Sala grins. "RAM starts recording the moment someone activates it. We had a great time replaying that high jump of yours."
I groan. "Don't tell me you saw…"
"We did," Rio says, eyes bright. "It was something out of a museum! That look of horror as you jumped thro..."
"Thanks, Rio."
"Anyway," Napoleon cuts in, voice calm, "we were heading out for food. There's a good spot nearby. Want to come?"
I look at them... this strange little group that keeps dragging me back into the world whether I want it or not.
That wouldn't let me drown.
Something small and tired inside me softens.
"Yeah," I say. "Let me get dressed."
-- -- --
"It's just over here."
Rio, our self designated tour guide, leads us in the bursting heart of Herculaneum, the city the Academy was just outside of.
He hangs a left, and we follow him into a street lined with food shops. All of the captivating smell and sights made me feel a little overwhelmed, so I kept my head down and focused on my breathing and my steps.
Eventually Rio says "We're hanging a right right here."
I quickly glance up, and see two shops separated by a dark alley.
"Huh? But all the food's over..."
Napoleon looks down at me with a sly smile.
"Trust us. This is much better."
We step into the darkness.
It consumes me whole, almost making me panic.
For a moment, just a moment...
The depths consume me.
I flail a bit before bumping into Sala, who holds me up.
And then my eyes adjust.
Just a couple steps in the alley there sits a man next to a food stall.
Clearly his business wasn't doing well, with the only customers he looks to be getting being the trash and the flies.
The food cart was old and seemed to be a relic, just like it's owner.
He seemed unkempt and feral, almost beast like. Hair was everywhere, and he seemed plump off his own supply.
When he looks up at us however, the brightest smile I've ever seen shines back.
I can't help it.
A grin slowly forms on my face too.
"Rio! Napoleon! Your back already?"
Rio grins "Romulus, you know I gotta give back to the community!"
"Your patronage is deeply welcome. Ah!" He notices me for the first time. "I see you brought friends!" He stands and rushes towards Sala and me. "It's truly a pleasure! What are your names?"
"I'm Sala and this is Weisel. That emo looking one over there is Moria."
"Hey." Moria says. "What food do you serve?"
"Today it's rice with lamb meat with a side of sambusa." Romulus proclaims proudly.
"What's a sambusa?" I quietly ask Napoleon.
"Think of it like deep-fried bread stuffed with meat." He says back.
"Huh. Alright then. Gimme one order of that." I say turning back to Romulus.
"Alright!"
And just as he turned back to the food stall...
A mass of something tangled in cloth fell from the sky right on the food stall, destroying it.
"..."
I stare at it.
The food, spilled on the ground like blood.
The only thing eating now would be the flies.
I took a step to comfort the shopkeeper, but stopped just in time to see Romulus's grin transform into a wolfy one.
Even now, he smiles.
I let out a sigh.
"Sala."
"On it."
Around the moving cloth a spherical barrier appears.
"Rio steps forward, voice steady. "You in the blanket. You have three seconds to show yourself."
The bundle goes still.
"One!"
A strange, dangerous feeling crawls up my spine.
"Two!"
"Sala, how strong is the barrier?"
He turned his head to me, and his eyes softened.
"Dont worry, it'll hold."
"Three—"
The blanket shifts. I swear I can feel a grin underneath it.
He yells "The World's Continuation!"
And everything freezes.
The flies stop moving.
Sala's face is frozen in confusion.
I try to shout, to move, but nothing comes out.
"How is he..." I think.
"Bang!"
The barrier shifts a bit, taking the hit.
"He's trying to break the barrier!"
Over and over again he hits the barrier.
The banging slowly grows in volume
"BANG!"
The barrier shatters into a million pieces, fading into nothing.
He slowly stands, beaming from ear to ear.
His hair's golden yellow, and even through the messy clothes he wore, he gave off the aura of a noble.
"Hahaha! That measly barrier could never hold me, Culs-"
That's when he froze.
And slowly turned towards me.
"The way your looking at me. Do you...
No. I've taken the time away. It's impossible."
He took time?
Who is this guy?
Culs- walks towards me still talking to whoever he thinks will listen.
"It doesn't matter, I can't take the risk. Nobody can feast their eyes on this power and live."
He casually puts his arm on my frozen shoulder, and continues his... villain soliloquy.
"Don't worry, I'll make it quick. I'm taking too much time from you already.
He laughs and moves to pats my stomach, and I pray inwardly.
"Please god..."
He pats it.
And immediately stops.
"Well well well! Seems like you haven't been completely honest, have you? Tsk tsk tsk!"
Just as he moves to lift my shirt up...
He freezes.
And Rio moves.