There's something about an eye the size of the whole sky looking right at you that robs you of your ability to move. And come on, really, movement would have been useless. Where would you go?
It's only a dream, Dabbler (or Dave, or whatever his name was now) told himself. Only a dream, only a dream. In a moment we could be bigger than it, right? But it didn't happen.
Instead, the eye continued to open, and open...
It was taking a long time. But when you consider that it must have been light-years across, maybe that wasn't so strange. It appeared to be looking right at him. But how could he know? The focus of that pupil must be taking in a lot more than just them.
I hope, Dabbler thought, that Zorlond doesn't know we were talking to his Original before coming here. In light of his current feelings we'd be toast for sure.
Well, as to that, the voice of Zorlond's Original sounded in his head, I've got good news and bad news.
Aaaah! Dabbler thought. You're still here! Are you crazy? I thought you said being in his mind right now would be a bad idea. Hell, it is a bad idea! What if he--
Oh shut up, you insignificant little Avatar. You're quite right, it would be. But I'm not in his mind, am I? I'm in yours, and those of your companions. And I'm not really there, either.
To which Dabbler could only respond Huh?
It's like this, the Original told him, as if explaining things to a small child. I only really interact with you Characters when I'm in the person of my Avatar, which is out of the question, right now, or when I'm writing, which, as you may or may not have noticed, I'm not doing right now. Those are the interfaces. But I figured you might need my insight in this dream of yours if you're to have any chance of helping him, so I downloaded a bit of data, a virtual Zorlond, if you will, for you to access as needed. In effect, I'm a simulation right now. You want advice, I'm here for you. But I'm not here for him, don't worry. In fact, he won't be able to detect me at all.
Are you sure about that?
Well, pretty sure. But really, how could he? Because this isn't really me, you know. I'm not even here.
"Aaaaaaaaaaa!" Dabbler cried, aloud this time, and around him everyon else was screaming as well. The grating beneath them had disappeared, and they were all falling -- falling towards that immense eye.
On the bright side, it looked very far away. Interstellar distances away. On the other hand, that meant they might very well die of old age on the way.
On the other other hand, that wasn't very heartening.
It's a bit hard to remember this is all a dream, isn't it? We tend to treat these things like they're really happening. Suddenly, the eye was a mouth (just as big), and they were falling in. And it didn't take very long at all.
Of course, just because it isn't really happening doesn't mean it can't kill you. Dabbler screamed as he shot down Zorlond's cavernous throat (which wasn't, after all, as big as it had seemed). He wondered where the others were -- they didn't seem to be with him any more. Were they perhaps shooting down other versions of his throat, as oblivious to his plight as he was to theirs? No way of knowing....
Then he wasn't falling any more.
Nor were his surroundings what one might expect in a stomach.
Um, Mr. Virtual Z? he ventured, looking around apprehensively. A little advice right now would be very welcome.
Oh dear, was the virtual Original's only response.
Go back - Go to the parent episode.
Sat Sep 11 12:15:42 2004
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