Writing The Reanimatrix [M]

[James]

[font=Georgia][size=2][b]Last Thursday Session[/b][/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Thank you, Mr. Turner. We will be fine now," said Dr. Stevenson.[/size][/font]
[size=2][font=Georgia]Mr. Turner leaned over his daughter, who was sitting in the middle of the nearby two-seater sofa, and whispered in her ear [i]"We love you, no matter what. You can tell Dr. Stevenson anything you like. You don't have to be afraid."

[/i][/font][/size][font=Georgia][size=2]He smiled. It was a thin smile; a smile that barely masked his sense of despair.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine didn't even see her mother. Mrs. Turner had cried enough during the past hour. She had embraced Sabine briefly and swept out of the room, handkerchief in hand.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Dr. Stevenson remained still for a moment, after Mr. and Mrs. Turner had gone. Her gaze was fixed on Sabine, who didn't feel at all uncomfortable. She trusted the doctor, perhaps moreso than her own parents. Dr. Stevenson had never produced a single notepad during all of their sessions, much to Sabine's surprise (and occasional amusement).[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Today, however, Dr. Stevenson produced a small diary, which she began flipping through. "Today is the...eighteenth, isn't it?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"I think so," said Sabine quietly. [/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Eighteenth of [i]October,[/i]" muttered Dr. Stevenson as she penned an entry into the little diary.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine's eyes wandered around the small office, as she waited for the doctor. It wasn't much like any office she had seen before; it was more akin to a cosy little study, or even a small lounge room. There was a certain charm to Dr. Stevenson, which was reflected in the warmth of her office. The walls were not plastered with various certificates, as Sabine had first expected they would be. Instead, the walls were dotted with small Beatrix Potter renderings. Each sat within a neat little frame and each seemed to feature Peter Rabbit in one way or another. In one picture, he was chasing his friends through a sunny English countryside and in another, he was peering out of the frame into the room. Sabine couldn't decide whether or not she found the picture endearing or frightening; on some days, when the light was a certain way, it looked as though Peter was smiling and satisfied. But on other days, particularly when the weather was overcast and grey, Peter's face looked entirely different; as though his stare were empty and hollow, with no consciousness behind those black eyes.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Dr. Stevenson finally looked up from her diary, over the rims of her glasses. "Sorry about that," she said, "I bought this diary to remind me of things that I am always forgetting." She closed the diary and placed it on a small end table beside her chair. "But I tend to forget to enter the things I'm always forgetting into the diary."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"So you forget to remind yourself not to forget what you're always forgetting?" said Sabine, with a faint smile.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Dr. Stevenson chuckled to herself and sighed. "Exactly."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]For another moment, silence fell upon the room. Dr. Stevenson's smile slowly faded and she assumed an expression that Sabine had seen many times before. Sabine had mentally noted it as the "doctor is about to ask a serious question" expression.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Sabine, I would like to continue our discussion from last time," said Dr. Stevenson. "I want to ask you about your family. We haven't had a great deal of time to discuss them lately."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine shifted in her chair. "My family are okay."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Dr. Stevenson sat further back in her chair, but did not respond.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"They are supportive, they do what they can," Sabine added.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Would you say that your parents are strict? Do they have solid rules around the house?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine paused before responding. "They're not strict, they...my mom is usually the one to get angry with us if we do something wrong. Dad is always the good cop."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Do you think that puts a strain on your mother, always having to be the bad guy?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine nodded. "I guess it does. But at the same time, she's always the one we go to if we need advice. It's not that dad doesn't give good advice, but..."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"But?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"But he doesn't seem to care as much."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Dr. Stevenson's eyes remained focused on Sabine. "When was the last time your parents punished you, Sabine?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Just after my birthday, last year," said Sabine immediately. The immediacy of her reply seemed to surprise her, as she then paused as if she had said something wrong.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"What happened?" asked Dr. Stevenson.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"They punished me for having an argument with my brother over the dinner table. I swore at him and that's something I never do at home."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Dr. Stevenson cocked her head slightly. "What did they do as punishment?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Can I lay down?" asked Sabine.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Yes, go ahead," said Dr. Stevenson. Sabine took the cushions from behind her and lay them at one end of the sofa. She lay back, with her arms folded over her stomach.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"They confiscated my computer for two weeks."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"How did that make you feel?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Alone," she said.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Alone? Because you weren't able to chat to your online friends?" asked Dr. Stevenson.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine nodded slowly. "I don't think they understood how much that hurt me."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Was it easier for you to relate to your online friends, rather than your family, or friends at school?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"I love my family, but sometimes I don't feel like I'm living with them. Sometimes I don't feel like we are ...together. We might share the same room, but I don't feel like we are really together."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Do you feel like you're alone?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine looked up at the ceiling, as tears began to well in her eyes. "I don't know," she said, as her voice trembled ever so slightly, "but when they took my computer away, I felt alone. It didn't matter that I was living in a house full of people...I was [i]alone[/i]."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Dr. Stevenson spoke softly, "Being alone...does that frighten you?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine brushed the cuff of her shirt over her eyes once more. "I don't want to be alone," she said.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]For another moment, there was silence. And then...[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Do you still dream?" asked Dr. Stevenson.[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"All the time," said Sabine. "I dream when I'm awake, too."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"When you're awake? Can you tell me what it's like to dream when you're awake?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine smiled to herself. "There are times where my computer talks to me, even when it's switched off. Sometimes I can sit in my room and talk to it."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Oh? What does your computer tell you?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"Lots of things," said Sabine slowly. "It tells me that nothing is real. I'm not real, you're not real, my parents aren't real..."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Dr. Stevenson leant forward in her chair. "Do you believe that nothing is real?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine laughed. "No, that doesn't make sense. If nothing was real, then we wouldn't be having this conversation."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"What else does your computer tell you?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"It tells me that it's a messenger. That it's here to save me."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]"A messenger? From God?"[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine closed her eyes once more and smiled to herself. "I don't know," she said. "But it's my only friend now, so I feel like I should trust it."[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia][size=2]The grandfather clock in the nearby hallway chimed. Sabine sat up and ran a hand through her hair. This was to be her final session with Dr. Stevenson and she felt relieved, though slightly worried. The pills she'd been taking for her daylight hallucinations weren't working. If anything, the visions had been getting steadily worse.[/size][/font]
[font=Georgia][size=2][/size][/font]
[font=Georgia][size=2]Just as Sabine went to leave, Dr. Stevenson put a hand on her shoulder.[/size][/font]
[font=Georgia][size=2][/size][/font]
[font=Georgia][size=2]"Sabine," she said softly, "I want you to know that those pills you were prescribed...they were placebos. Just water."[/size][/font]
[font=Georgia][size=2][/size][/font]
[font=Georgia][size=2]Sabine didn't turn around. "Thank you, doctor," she said, as she made her way out of Dr. Stevenson's office.[/size][/font]

[JJ]

[Color=DarkBlue][size=1]The shadow suddenly stirred, showing itself to be a man. As he removed the headphones from his ears, he hit stop. The past two hours, he had been going through tape one of JJ?s confession. What was he talking about when he said that James had said ?Welcome to the Real World.?? Wasn?t this the real world?

He wrapped the cord around the set, and opened a drawer to his desk. He set the tape player down on an empty bag of Kit Kats. As he shut the drawer, he let his mind wander for a second.

If these three ?kids? really did leave whatever this was, and then return, what happened in between? Did they go comatose, and then wake up? Maybe they just lied. He didn?t know, but no one would anyway. There had been a second tape to JJ?s confession, although it disappeared on the same night that he escaped, killing the only man that knew his story.

As his thoughts drifted even further, he began to imagine what had driven JJ to kill in the first place. There may have been many holes in the design, but enough was there to derive a conclusion. Where did they go? If he could put that piece of the picture where it need to go, he would have this all solved.

He slowly reeled his mind back to reality, his body stiff. As he glanced at his watch, he noticed that twenty minutes had gone by. He silently scolded himself for not keeping track of time. As he went to pick up the file he had, he knocked it on the floor.

He bent down, cursing quietly, and tried to put the papers back in order. As he sifted through the papers, he came across a lump. As he scattered the papers above it, his eyes grew wide. As the final paper vanished, a small, black tape sat there. He picked it up and looked at the label. Just like he had predicted, it said ?JJ Confession Part 2?.

He allowed his jaw to go slack for a minute, and then he brought it back up. As he slowly stood up, he immediately turned towards his desk. As he sat down, his hand shot out and opened the drawer he had just closed. His hands closed around the tape player, and he hit the eject button. Tape One fell forgotten to the floor as he slipped the second one into the slot. He closed the little door, and hit play. As he lay back, the voice of the interviewer came into focus.

?So, JJ, you say you took the pill, and then what happened?? he said, obviously having a smile on his face.

?Yep, and then??

The last words I ever heard were ?Welcome to the Real World.? When I awoke from whatever state I was in, I wasn?t where I was supposed to be. I woke up butt naked in some kind of pod, and I had these freaky looking wires coming out from my back. As I turned around, I came face to face with a giant mechanical octopus.

It blinked, and then I felt the wires leave my back. It was like having your spinal cord ripped from you back. I almost fainted, but I was suddenly rushed along some kind of tube, keeping me from falling under its spell.

I was rushed down a tube of darkness, my head swimming. I faintly heard the sound of rushing water, and then light hit my eyes. I tried to squint, but I found myself airborne. I flew for what seemed an hour, and then landed in a shallow pool of liquid. I quickly tried out all my limbs at once.

All this result in, was pain shooting from all sides. I stopped moving, and then tried to only move what I needed to. As my arms helped lift my upper half, my legs helped my lower half get coordinated. I stood up finally, my legs still wobbly.

Suddenly, a giant shadow came over me. As I looked up, the freakiest ship I had ever seen lowered itself about five feet from me. I tried to find a place to hide, but the hatch opened, revealing a figure. My jaw dropped, as James popped up.

He had a towel in his hand, and I grabbed it. I wrapped it around my middle, and grabbed his hand, lifting me into the ship.

The lights at first blinded me. As he hauled me through, I threw my hands over my face. I let James guide me, and when I opened my eyes, I only saw a person standing in front of me. He was tall, and had a brown skin tone. His eyes were a deep black, almost like a vortex. He stood erect, giving him even more height. As he stared at me for a second, I glanced away.

His eyes felt like coals, searing themselves into every inch of my bare skin. I flinched, and then nudged James, who still had not let go of my hand.

?Ok, Kiliji, that?s enough.? James said, leading me towards a door.

?James, what are you doing?? the man said, net letting emotion show on his face.

?Did the people that picked you up make you go through thirty question is a towel?? James asked, looking pissed.

?Why, you little? Look, I want him back here in twenty minutes. Got that?? he said turning his back.

?Three hours, he needs food and rest. I don?t know what?s crawled up your ass and died, but whatever it was, pull it out.? James said closing the door.

I look around the room. It was regular enough. The entire room was about the size of a regular bedroom. If I took about twenty footsteps in either direction, I would hit the next wall. For some, it would only feel like a prison, but for me it was a haven.

?Here, put these on.? James said, handing me a pair of pants and a shirt.

I slowly let the towel drop, my fear of anyone seeing me naked still lingering. As I lifted my leg to slip into the pants, James turned around.

?I wanted to apologize for what happened in the Matrix. I shouldn?t have shot the good doctor. When he ran off, I thought he was a program too, so I shot. If you want to talk or kill me, now is the time.? James said, letting the last part trail off.

?I only have one question. Where?s Mimmi?? I asked, pulling the shirt over my head.

?We sent another crew after her. We?ll see her in Xion.? James said, biting at his lip.

?Xion? What?s that?? I asked.

?It?s the great city of humans. We all live in peace? James said.

?Sounds much better.? I said.

?It?s not. I don?t like it. Everything is too good. I think something is going to happen.? James said, his continence getting wrinkled.

?I don?t think anything is gonna happen. It?s like the Beatles said. We all live in a yellow submarine.? I said, smiling.

It had seemed like forever since I heard that song. I missed the colors, almost as if they were a part of me.

James looked at me, his face looking puzzled. ?What does that have to do with anything??

?Well, it just means, that I?ve finally gone crazy. None of this is real, is it?? I asked standing up.

?It is. You?ll get used to it.? James said, his whole body shaking slightly.

?What?s up with that guy?? I asked.

?Kiliji?? James asked, smiling.

?Yeah.? I said, feeling a smile creep over my face.

?He just doesn?t like the new people. He?s really not such a bad guy.? James said, turning his head towards the door. ?Are you tired? You could sleep here.?

?Thanks, I think I will.? I said, slipping my shirt off again.

I lay down, listening to the door close. I grouped the wall for a light switch, but the lights turned off. I lay my head down and tried to sort out what had happened. Had I really been living in a reality where computers were using me? This question, along with others flooded my mind as I drifted off to sleep.[/size][/color]

[Guest Sean]

[SIZE=1][B][Verse 1][/B]
Plug out, plug me in
I can?t take this anymore
No more mind control
So plug me in again

[B][Chorus][/B]
Make the pact,
Jump the distance,
Life?s? to short to waste in here,
I need plugged in again
[B]
[Verse 2][/B]
Self inflicted wounds,
Alive, Dead, Alive, Dying,
What to do in life anymore,
We?ll all end up as batteries

[B][Chorus][/B]
Make the pact,
Jump the distance,
Life?s? to short to waste in here,
I need plugged in again
[B]
[Verse 3][/B]
I can?t jump that far,
Free your mind,
Just a rule in life,
Gravity no more
[B]
[Chorus][/B]
Make the pact,
Jump the distance,
Life?s? to short to waste in here,
I need plugged in again[/SIZE]

[Mimmsicle]

[COLOR=DimGray][CENTER][I]With a twist and a sickening crunch
my life is crumbling in your hands
I had been dormant for too long
for you to wake me peacefully

Swallowed by hollow laughter
my shadows blind our path
This quest so unavoidable
will lead us there again

Why do I chase after
aware of the effect your cause?
The only thought ringing in my mind
is that you are the [B]one[/B].[/I][/CENTER]


It was a scorching hot day in a bustling Australian city and the suns beams reflected itself in her topaz necklace, blinding those whose eyes were drawn to the girl wearing it. As she walked past a block of abandoned houses, dragging her hand along the rickety fences, she swore she could hear someone sing. Rather poorly at that. It sounded like the summer hit "[I]Seduce me, mate[/I]" (a song she loathed passionately and that every radio station plagued their listeners with). The poor singing, however, wasn't nearly as horrid as the original singers voice. Twirling the topaz necklace in her sweaty palm, a compulsary thing she always did when her mind strayed, she was reminded of something her dad once said when the dogs were especially rowdy:

"[i]I swear, if you recorded the yaps coming out of those little rats you could make a fortune of it. It's certainly better than anything playing on the radio these days....
But at least you can turn the radio off.[/i]"

At the time her dad's disgruntled remarks had annoyed her but now it made her smirk as the singing hit an all-time worse, trying to reach a high octave. Realising the sound would peel away her sanity unless she got away from it, her feet prepared to stomp off. But just as she was about to leave it stopped. In fact, it seemed as though any and all sound pertruding her ears had vanished. Startled by the sudden silence she froze in mid take-off, grippling the fence tightly with her hand and listened intently for any sound that would affirm she hadn't suddenly gone deaf or died. A faint tune began to weave its way through the dilapidated buildings. Despite not being able to make out the words the tune soothed her more than alarmed her further. Like a lullaby beckoning a child to sleep it seemed to call for her to deviate from her path and follow.

Shielding her eyes with her hand she squinted up towards the sun. She figured that she'd only be able to last 5 more minutes in the blazing sun, tops, and the shade beyond the fence looked inviting. Ignoring all the warnings her mothered had once imprinted on her about entering building and destruction sites, she carefully climbed over the fence. Once over on the other side the tune seemed to grow in sound for a moment only to grow more distant as she strained to make out any distinction in it. Not really knowing exactly where it originated from and not wanting to get lost in the labyrinth of abandoned apartment complexes, she took a glance around. A sign reading "[i]Orion Avenue[/i]" made her wonder if the houses were named after the heavens as well. Architecths had an affinity for consistency, after all.

The walls all looked like mould had settled in after the tennants had moved out and pools of mud had replaced what was once, presumably, green patches of grass. Back in the day it had might've been a cosy neighbourhood, set in stark contrast to the more run down parts of the block, but now it only made the impression of being a ghetto more firm in her mind. She kicked herself mentally for even thinking the word 'ghetto'. It was something her mom would say and anything her mom said wasn't something she wanted to stick with her. Imagining the look of contempt in her mothers eyes and that sharp voice speaking condescendingly made her shiver in disgust. Eager to erase the mental chill she looked around again, her mind beginning to visualize housewives hanging out the windows, yelling at their kids to get in and eat their supper. Where she stood would be a field for children to kick a ball. Over there would be a hammock for the older residents to lounge around in, either snorting distastefully at the young ones and their rowdy games or smiling nostalgically as they thought back to their own youth. Maybe a wannabe singer would stand at that corner and practice their newly composed song...

Wait a minute. Someone [i]was[/i] standing there singing. A guy, her age she guessed, with his back turned to her and completely unaware of anyone's existence it seemed. He was singing that tune she'd heard, only now it wasn't a faint whisper on a dying gustle of wind but instead it was loud and clear. The boy sang with such softness that when the words echoed between the walls it felt like a warm blanket enveloped her. She realised that not only had every single muscle in her body tensed to make her stand absolutely still but she was also holding her breath. As he carried on singing it became harder and harder to stay still. Her lungs were bursting to breathe and her legs ached to move closer. Somehow it felt like a crime to disrupt so she remained perfectly still, focusing every fiber in her body solely on him.

At least until a little orange cat brushed by her leg and caused her to shriek, which in turn made the cat shriek and flinch back, blinking at her with bewilderment. Feeling blood rush to her cheeks she quickly covered her mouth with her hands, forgetting that she was still holding the necklace and accidentally stabbed her lower lip with it. Yelping quietly at the pain she closed her eyes shut and hoped that by the time she opened them again her face would have returned to a normal color. Or be pale enough to make her blend into thin air. The latter would've been interesting, though seemed less likely to happen, so she tried to calm herself down enough to make the blood flow normally again. Her embarrassement only rose further as she opened her eyes and saw him walking over. The cat turned its head to him, letting out a confused mew.

"Silly kitty, scaring her like that" he laughed softly and leaned down to pick it up. "Your inquisitive nature reminds me very much of hers. Though I doubt you could rival my lovely when it comes to curiosity. She is the law among the curious kitties, mhm."

While he continued to coo at the cat her color vanished from her face as she got a good look at him. Her heart didn't know whether to beat out of her chest or die completely. The etch of his face she'd tried so hard to vanquished from her heart was now standing before her, sharper than ever. It wasn't an etch even .... it [b]was[/b] him. How many times had she played out this scene in her head now? Meeting him by chance somewhere, not realising it was him and just as they were happily reunited .. she'd wake up. [i]That's right. I must've blacked out back there ...[/i] Smiling through the tears that fell down her cheeks she closed her eyes again and prepared for reality to come crashing down again. He wasn't really there but she had jumped at the chance to believe it like so many times before. As if her heart had grown fond of imposing his face on every man she met and hang on to the hope of finding him. Or maybe it was Craig playing another foul trick on her. It had happened often enough for her to grow somewhat used to it. This was taking it too far though and she would make sure to give him several degrees of hell before she even considered forgiving him for this one.

"Come now, honey. No more tears. Your smile used to shine brighter than the sun and it kills me to see you like this. Everything's alright now. I promise."

Gentle hands began stroking her hair and the voice speaking to her had a hint of pain to it. She hadn't even registered that he had moved and now she could feel his breath on her face, hushing and comforting. Struggling to gain control of herself she shut her eyes tighter and began to back away. But his hands trailed down her arms and wrapped around her waist tightly, holding her close. The sensation of physical touch thwarted her mind and caused her to waver. It was the same fit body that took pride in being a left winger in an amateure soccer team, the same comforting embrace that would calm her after the terrible nightmares. He began to quietly sing again.

"Shine for me. Somebody has to shine for me, it's difficult not to shine for me..."

Liquorice. The smell of liquorice hit her as she automatically burried her nose into his chest. She remembered how that scent travelled from his wet body to hers after the extended showers and that he would joke that as long as he used that soap she would stay with him forever because of her weakness for the candy. She had never told him she'd thought that if there was a candy that smelled like [b]him[/b] she would've passed up all the liquorice in the world for just one bite of it....

A persistant beep from a cellphone cut off her train of thought. Mustering what strength was left in her from the tidalwave of emotions and memories, she wriggled out of his embrace. Keeping her eyes closed, scared to meet the [B]ones [/B]that threatened to destroy the little sanity still left, her hands dug in the pockets of the coat. Just as she pulled it out he grabbed her arm and slid a finger under her chin, coaxing her to look up. There was no way she could face that innocent expression that reminded her of month old pups tumbling around. The thought of finally getting to see his sly grin again and wiping it away with her lips was painfully tempting. But it couldn't rival the fact that it would break her spirit to find that it wasn't him. She shook her head and broke away forcefully.

"[b]I have to get this ... [SIZE=1][i]I'm sorry[/i][/SIZE][/b]". Turning and walking a few steps away she answered the phone and was greeted with a familiar voice.

"[i]Yo, Craig here. Whassup?[/i]"

"[b]Your impending doom, bastard. I can't believe you pulled this crap on me and I swear if it's the last thing I do I will hand you your pathetic ass on a silverplate as an offering to the vultures shitting on your grave[/b]."

"[i].... Oooook, you know there's stuff you can take for PMS, right? Anyway---[/i]"

"[b]Don't even try to weasle yourself out of this, buddy. You owe me a bloody good reason for this twisted little game you're playing on me[/b]."

"[i]It would be nice to know what you're harping on about, so how about talking in a language I'll understand. Like, oh I don't know, English?[/i]"

"[b]Stop playing dumb. After having been tossed together with the ghost of my lost love I'm not in the mood to.... I mean what is this about anyway? The fact that I turned down your drunken invitation for some celebratory nookie? I realise you're pretty desperate seeing as no one will touch you without a five-foot pole and some heavy sanitary equipment, or that you don't have the capital to get yourself some, but I honestly didn't think you'd sink this low to get back at me[/b]---"

"[i]Har har. You know--- Whoa. Hang on a second. Wait, wait. Are you .... are you saying he's there? With you?[/i]"

She was close to murder the phone with the growing migraine in her head but something in the tone of his voice made her hold back. Swallowing hard she took a deep breath and exhaled sharply.

"[b]I'm not exactly willing to stare someone who looks like the love of my life up and down, so don't make me turn around and do it. Just admit it and let's end this. Please[/b]."

"[i]Ok, stay calm and listen to me carefully. I've been completely knocked out the past 3 days so there's no way I could've organized anything like this. David and Stuart are completely out of the question as well. No one else that has a clue about you, which granted isn't that many, have been here either and it doesn't make any sense looking at the... Gah! Look, I woke up like 2 minutes ago and have a killer hangover so maybe my head's not the most sharpest tool in the box at this moment but something is seriously wrong here. I mean, are you absolutely sure it's --- Hey, what are you doing at [b]Orion Avenue?[/b][/i]"

She didn't want to hear this, didn't want this to be happening, didn't want to be standing in an abandoned apartment complex and see him through a wall of tears, standing no more than 15 steps away from her. Any other moment she wouldn't have thought twice about throwing herself repeatedly against crags, be they emotional of physical, to just be able to say goodbye and now that he was [i]here[/i] she was hesitating to return to his arms? She could have it all back and [i]now[/i] she was afraid to take that leap of faith? He was smiling sadly at her and stretched out a hand as he began to walk towards her.

"[i]Uh-oh... I'm gonna hafta pull you out. Agents are gonna be crawling all over you in a minute.[/i]"

"[b]What?! Wait[/b]--"

Her voice was cut off by an explosion of sound from heavy traffic, squawking birds, and a heavy bassline from a stereo blasting at full volume. The noise from the city attacked her from every angle. Shrieking car wheels could be heard in the distance and as she turned around two black vans come charging around a corner at the other side of the rickety fence. She was transferred out of the Matrix just as he reached out for her.[/COLOR]

[JJ]

[Color=DarkBlue][Size=1]Dreaming is always something I have enjoyed. I guess I?ve found it my sanctuary. Like all sanctuaries, you would think that no one could come and mess with you. For once, this wasn?t the case.

A bright light splashed at my face, I turned over into the pillow. ?Five more minutes Mom.? I said with a groan.

It wasn?t Mom that was bothering, and I wasn?t at home. As I sat up, I realized where I was. It was some weird flying thing, probably a ship. James, a person from my ?Help Circle? turned out to be working for someone else, who claimed that the world that we lived in wasn?t real. I never got details, but by the look of things, it looked like it was time.

I groggily swung my legs over the edge of the bed and brought my body up. Pain seemed to suddenly surge through my body, causing me to twitch. I let out a small groan, and then fell back on the bed. It felt like ?today? was going to be a long ?day?. I tried again to get up, slower this time. I seemed to be OK for the moment, so I grabbed my shirt and threw it over my head. I then walked up the door.

As I stood there, I tried to figure out a way to open it. There was no handle, or a button for me to push. As I stared at the door, then the wall, I thought about what I could do to open the door. One idea hit me, so I tried it. ?Open sesame?

The door suddenly ?swooshed? up, and James?s smiling face greeted me. ?Morning. Maybe I should say Night. Anyways, Kiliji wants you on the deck. It?s time for his edition of ?50 Questions?. You?ll ask a question, and have to answer fifty of his. It?s more than it sounds, I swear.? He said, holding one hand up.

It seemed like he was a different person when he wasn?t playing a part. I guess that?s kind of a dumb observation though, because aren?t you normally a different person when play a part? Hell, I don?t know if I would ever know the ?real? James, but I thought that I liked that one the best.

I followed James through the door, and got a good look at the deck of the ship. At the very front was a large viewing glass, which right now didn?t show anything but tunnel. In front of that sat the pilot who had a nice chair and the steering sticks. Across from him was the navigator who was always checking the maps and radars for Sentinels and short cuts.

James led me towards the long strip of metal that seemed to hover above the pilot and as we climbed the ladder, Kiliji came into view. Looking at him now, he seemed even taller than last time. As his ominous form came into view, my body shivered. For whatever reason, a sense of dread and fear had overcome me as I climbed those last rings.

Kiliji suddenly whipped around, his sunglasses not hiding his piercing glance settling upon my body. ?So, I assume you know why you?re here, and why we?re standing here, right??

?Actually, no, I have no idea what you want me for, or why I?m here. If I knew that, would I be standing here?? I asked, seeing if he had nerves that could be tweaked. That was a bad decision on my part.

Kiliji?s meaty hand swung around and attached itself to my neck. As its grip became tighter, Kiliji?s voice didn?t change at all. ?I am in charge, you piss me off, or bad mouth me, you?re a dead goner. Do what I say and act like the piece of shit that you are, and I?ll let you live.? He said, letting go.

I touched my neck, and sucked in a couple of deep breathes. This guy had serious control issues. ?Well, if I?m a piece of shit, why did you have to make a big scene in the other place?? I asked, showing him I wasn?t afraid.

?I can answer that.? James said wanting to stop a fight before it happened. ?You and Mimmi were in danger from the Agents. They?re like a protection type program that is known to go rouge. They had been watching you both, and they felt like we needed to do something about it. Ergo, inserting myself into the Matrix to try to find an outlet in which we could easily pull you out. When I made the split decision to pull you both out, I didn?t think about the consequences of it.? He said, allowing his head to drop for a second.

?Look, I don?t want to be trouble here, but I will not be treated like the bitch of everyone. I may be new, but don?t think I?ll take orders and follow everyone like a lamb. I?ll do what I need or want to, nothing more or less.? I said, starting to climb back down the ladder.

?Fine, go, but don?t you get any hair brain ideas about getting back on this ship after we get to Xion. Your ass will never set foot on here again, unless it?s to clean it. Got that?? Kiliji said, staring at me again.

?Yes sir.? I sneered, jumping down the rest of the ladder. I walked back to my room and opened the door by pushing the button next to it. Before it shut, I made sure that there was a button of some sorts, so I wouldn?t be stuck. As I sat down on my cot once again, thoughts flooded over me. ?Matrix program, agents, they, outlets, James, Mimmi, where is the link?? I said aloud.

?Well, The Matrix and agents go together, they and outlets and James all go together, Mimmi is left alone.? Someone or something said aloud. I turned around, and there stood James.

?Holy shit, you scared me.? I said, grabbing at my chest.

?Heh, sorry about that. I just thought I come and check on you after your scuttle with Kiliji. Jesus, half the crew is impressed with what you did, because no one has ever stood up against him and come out with all his bones and body parts.? James said, a smile coming over his face.

?You want to sit? All I can offer is part of the cot, but I figure it?s better than standing.? I said, a little tremble creeping into my voice. In my head, I thought, ?Why do I feel so giddy around him? I feel like a schoolgirl.?

?That sounds cool.? He said as he walked over to my cot.

By this time, I seemed to be getting hot in the collar. I couldn?t believe that I was getting flustered and bothered by all this. When he sat down, I felt like my chest was about to explode. I tried to take a breath, but it seemed like it wouldn?t come. I shot a quick look at the mirror and saw that I wasn?t red in the face, which in my opinion was a good thing.

I tried to think of something to say. But I couldn?t so the two of us sat in silence for a few minutes. My every nerve seemed to scream, ?Say something!? but I just couldn?t because anything I would say would come out stuttered or just stupid sounding. Luckily, James broke the silence in more than one way.

?Is it just me, or is it hot in here?? he asked, looking around.

?Oh, uhm, yeah, it is kinda hot in here.? I said, trying to meet his gaze, and not at the same time.

?I?ve always found when it gets hot in here, to take off the sleeves of your shirt.? He said, reaching his. Suddenly, they seemed to fall off as James gave a little tug at them.

I stared in utter amazement and a small spurt of shock. That was, until James reached over and tugged off mine as well. I wasn?t ready for that, and when he tugged on my left sleeve, I fell over into his lap.

At that point, I knew that my face would turn red if it wasn?t already. As I began to sit up, my head seemed to get closer to James?s and before I knew it, we were face and face. From there, I looked into his eyes for a second, and then the two of us leaned in and kissed.

At first, I felt worried, and tried to pull away, but James gently placed his hand on the back of my head, and kept it up. Slowly, things escalated, and the two of us were in the bed, together. The night flowed on as the two of us loved.

I sat up from my bed, looking around. ?What a vivid dream.? I thought as I scooted my body over to the edge of the cot.

I hit something as I scooted, and looked down. There, lay the slumbering form of James. I gasped quietly, and then relaxed. I then went back to sleep in his arms, and awaited the coming of the morning or whatever time of day came next. Maybe, I could live in this world.[/size][/color]

[Mimmsicle]

Dejectedly she sunk back into a cold metal chair, feeling as if the blood rushing from her head vanished into the shadows of the room. Low murmurs bled into the sound coming from a beat-up old fan, presumably left there to keep the room cold. But she was already frozen and it only made that feeling of her blood leaving her body grow stronger. As if warmth ... as if [I]life[/I], would never return to her again after this. The low hum was lulling her thoughts, all jumbled up in a mess not too unlike the one she was herself. Craig was leaning in the doorway, gaze firmly locked to the ground, not moving a muscle. Asshole or no, he realized how delicate the situation was, what a false move would jeopardize. Everyone's hard work could be for nothing if he said one word wrong. Everything they'd all busted their asses for was embodied in the girl sitting limp in a chair across the room from him. Now was not the time to falter and yet he felt courage slipping away in each passing spin of the fan, time wasted in every blink of his eyes. Why did they have to assign him, of all people, to deal with her? He'd never done anything right when it came to that girl and somehow it didn't feel like today would be any different. But everything depended on it to be. The sound of a chair grating against the cement floor made him look over to her. She was pushing herself away from the steely chunk of metal they called table and rose slowly. Her auburn hair shielded most of her face that sometimes would gently, almost carefully, radiate after a successful mission. He felt a tinge of pain in his chest at the thought of the picture perfect face of bravery she put on that peeled away so fast when she thought no-one saw her. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear she inhaled heavily before opening her eyes. - [I].... I'm sorry.[/I] It was said so meekly, so ... open. She'd never spoken to him in a tone that left her vulnerable and it managed to be more powerful than all the times he'd gotten an earful of verbal (sometimes physical) abuse slung his way during the time they'd worked together. The clumsy attempts that he and others had made at reaching out to her, to include her ... had just made her more distant. No matter how much he searched her face from a distance for clues on how to help her, nothing ever came to him. Now it was staring right at him. - [I]I'm really sorry, Craig.[/I] The tears began to run down her face. He gave her a sad smile and wondered how many days and nights she had spent crying to herself in the dark. Shifting his weight to spin around he took a deep breath and waved his hand dismissively while straightening himself out. This time it was his turn to put on a brave face. Thinking about it made him chuckle, however strained. - [B]Heh, I'd love to stay and chat about whatever you think is requiring you to apologize to me but I've got a date with a bottle of beer and a deck of cards. Take a rain-check?[/B] - [I].... Ok. Rain-check.[/I] Shuffling down the hallway he shouted over his shoulder to her. - [B]I'll be thinking of you when I put my hands on that sweet Queen of Hearts![/B] The elevator was humming pleasantly as it rose up the many flights to the top. A loud ping signalled that it had reached its destination and the doors whooshed open. Walking out of it she found herself outside the only apartment on that floor. An elaborate drawing, done completely in vibrantly colored markers, decorated the door and as she fleetingly ran her hand over it she spotted two names over the figures embracing in the middle of it. The memory of their landlords flustered face upon discovering their "masterpiece" on the ivory finished door, "[I]made of exclusive mahogany[/I]" as he'd pointed out, calmed her racing heart somewhat. Opening and closing the large wooden frame behind her she could see him sitting in the living room with the cat in his lap. They both looked up as the lock clicked shut and he gave her his most loving of smiles. - How did you get here? - [I].... I pulled a royal straight flush....[/I] - Hm? I hope it didn't have anything to do with sewage. He wrinkled his nose and seemed to seriously ponder what that would entail. It warmed her inside to see that, despite what had been going on, he was still the same. Time seemed to have come to a halt after she left. She walked over to the window and looked out at a beautiful sunset covering the sky with its multitude of colors. Cars bustled on a busy road far down below. The radio played old love songs on low volume. - [I]It's like nothing's changed.[/I] Putting the cat down on the floor, much to its chagrin, he began moving towards her tentatively. - You could stay here and it would be like it used to be. The two of us. We could put on one of our Greek dramas for the cat. He's a great audience--- - [I]How can I go back? How? What would it take for me to get over knowing everything, that sunset, these streets, this world... you... oh God, [B]you[/B]... It's all short of nothing but a bunch of numbers and back in the real world the sky, the land, is covered in... infested with... Tell me how. Please.[/I] She turned around to face him, pleading silently that he would reach out to her and erase the sensation of slimy liquid creeping up her body, tubes snaking around her neck, the dull aching pulsating through her spine at the thought of metal snapping sharply as it detached itself from another reject. If he could just make her believe. She needed ... no, she [B]wanted [/B]to believe. - I love you. - [I].... You're not real...[/I] - Neither of us are really part of this world in a sense and at the same time we're what defines it. What's real or not is all in the boundaries in our minds. [B]You [/B]decide what's real and not. Can you honestly tell me that, even with what you know, our time together was 'just a bunch of code'? Are the memories and what we shared suddenly any different because of that? Does it make your feelings, [B]my [/B]feelings, any less true? - .... No. [B]No[/B], it doesn't. - See? I'm as real as you want me to be, as real as you'll [I]let [/I]me be.... Craig snapped his head around when a sudden burst of commotion broke out at the far end of the room. The commanding officer had just come bulldozing through the door, his entrance so explosive that the people in the small control nearly had a collective heart attack and feared for the safety of not only their precious equipment but their own well being. It was bad enough having to worry about sentient machines coming after them, they didn't need the wrath of their fellow [I]human [/I]commander on their backs too. A dull echo bounced back and forth, cutting through the tense atmosphere. Craig returned his focus to the keyboard while the rampant outburst continued. - What is she thinking? Can any of you tell me what is going through that woman's head that makes her pull such a bloody stupid stunt? Can you? She's risking everything and for what?! A fucking program! Streams of code, yeah, that's it! Oh, but he's not just any piece of program, nooo. He just so happens to be the mega fucking dies irae of those bastard machines' army, that are hell bent on erasing our existence from this planet! But, hey, I guess all that information in the debriefing went in one ear and out the other when she thought about the possibility of getting back with lover boy, right? I'm telling ya?ll, he must've been a fucking royally good screw for her to stab us in the back like this, hah! Craig?s finger hovered over the last key he needed to enter. - [B]Well, it wouldn't be a royal straight flush with the Queen and not the King.[/B] The commander halted himself in the middle of his grand finale of gall spewing and hissed at Craig for interrupting with what he could only make out as nonsensical slurring. - Shut your trap soldier Lands. This isn't one of your drunken card games where you can fuck off and be a retard. You're on a mission and nothing less than an ace recovery of that bitch is going to win you any chips in my book. You got that? (- [I]I'm really sorry, Craig.[/I]) - [B].... Me too.[/B] He pressed the key, shut down his terminal and pushed himself away from the station. - What did you just do? Now you listen to me, Lands, and I mean listen good. Insubordinance is not tolerated on my ship and there's no way in hell I'll allow a fuckwit like you to ruin this mission, do you hear me? So get back to your station and open up that line. - [B]I folded my hand, sir. Once you fold you're out of the game.[/B] - You ... hah, you '[I]folded your hand[/I]', haha? What is [B]wrong [/B]with this crew?!! Humanity is at stake and everyone's acting like annoying little brats on some bloody temper tantrum! You over there, get your fat ass out of that chair and get me an open line. Move it! Lands is [I]excused [/I]from his duties and can rest assured he will be dealt with [I]thoroughly [/I]later. Ok, let's see what we can salvage here people. Craig scrambled slowly to his feet and walked over to the chair she lay in. He leant down and stroked her warm cheek, whispering softly. - [B]I [I]did [/I]promise to deal you a sweet card. It was a fair beat down you handed my ass back there after all. I just hope you got the hand you wanted... [/B]

[Guest Sean]

[CENTER][IMG]http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/5549/dissolvedgirl6ej.png[/IMG] [b]Part 1[/b] The computer rattled away, the keyboard?s buttons being brushed over, so quickly that the computer couldn?t keep up. The word?s 2 or 3 seconds behind the typing. So many lines of coding, so many lines, and what was it all for. For him?. Yes, it was, it was all for him, but he didn?t deserve it. She melted in her chair as she pressed the last ?Enter? key for the day. Drifting into a deep slumber, with the low numbing sound of the computer pushing her further into unconsciousness. Finally she reached the point where nothing could wake her, the numbing sound still throbbing in her mind, still drifting into Never-land. ?Beep, Beep, Beep? went the computer, and still she slumbered on. A gun shot came from the speakers? finally she woke. Pasting the moment in her time where nothing could wake her, she looked up to see a black screen in front of her. Her precious coding, disappeared, so much work, and then words appeared on the screen. [I] [[Now that I have gotten your attention]][/I] She attempted the ?Alt+F4? command, but to no prevail, she glanced at the screen again, to see the words being typed up once more. [I][[You have been chosen by us]][/I] She looked at the screen again. For several minutes she just sat there, glaring at the green letters. Finally she typed again?.?Who are us?? [I][[We are everything, we are anything you want us to be]][/I] She glared at the words which were still on the screen, taunting her to type, pushing her to press the key?s, forcing her hand. ?What do you want with me?? [[We will tell you, if you wish to follow]] She typed back??Where do I have to go?? [I][[You?ll know where]][/I] And that was it. The words disappeared, an the coding was once again on the computer. She remembered her dream. ?It feels like I?ve been?? she shook her head ?I?ve been here before?. She picked up her coat, saved the coding, and left the house, grabbing nothing else for her journey. She made her way through the slums of the city, past the druggies and the scum of her city. And to the docks, well what was left of them, nothing with her apart from her coat. She laughed at her insanity, and continued on through the low-lives and to her destination. ?Trinity?what the hell are you doing?? she said to herself [b]End of Part 1[/b] [b]Part 2[/b] Trinity stood by the docks for several minutes, waiting patiently, the smell of dead fish was horribly intoxicating. You couldn?t breathe without smelling it or tasting it in the air, horrible. ?Why in this god-forsaken place?? she muttered to herself. ?Because it is time for you to witness what will really happen when the time comes? a voice dull voice came from behind a crane. And an un-recognizable man walked out from behind it. His suit so clean compared to the environment. The white shirt gleaming through the night fog. The black suit in comparison to the shirt, his shoes aswell, so clean. ?We?re happy you realised where we were talking about?Trinity is it? She gave the man the slightest of nods. He came out from the darkness and shadows of the crane, his smile also a gleaming white. He wore sunglasses ?At night?? she said to him. He smiled again. ?For decoration mam?. She paced a few metres along the deck, thinking to herself, not knowing why she had came, but she had came anyway. ?I?m guessing you?re wondering why I asked you here?? the man said. Trinity gave another nod, followed by ?Yes I am, why in the middle of the night aswell, it makes no sense, and you make no sense?. She paced again, thinking again, the thoughts swirling through her head like a tornado trapped in a building. Bursting to get out. ?Well my name is?Smith, Agent Smith. And you are most likely to be contacted next by a known terrorist, we want justice, and we wish to have you on our side bringing him down?. Agent Smith took of his shades, cleaned them, and then put them back on. ?So, Miss Trinity?? ?And what am I getting out of this?? she asked. Almost enthralled by what they will come up with. ?Huh, is there anything you can give me for such a big thing like this?? Smith laughed cynically, and smiled at Trinity. ?How about Freedom?? This got Trinity?s attention. ?Freedom from what? I?m not going anywhere, I?m my own person who is free in a world where no-one can catch her? Smith laughed cynically again. ?Your not free, you were never free, but I think we should give you time to think about this. Freedom. Freedom from a world of injustice, and into a world that you will not be a slave under? ?Slave??No-one control?s me. I do what I want to do? Trinity spat back. ?No this is not your normal slavery and imprisonment?this cage, is for your mind, for your soul, you never knew real, you were born into a dream, into fantasy, into?a programme called Life? Smith smiled at the expression which was now appearing on Trinity?s expression-less face. ?Yes Trinity, you know what I?m talking about. You were born into?this world, a dream of reality. The Matrix has you Trinity. And we can get you out, with your help, you can be free? Smith said. More laughs appeared from the shadows, and more ?Agents? appeared. ?I think we?ll give you time to consider our option Trinity, we hope you make the right choice, or maybe our next target will be you?? and with that Agent Smith along with several others walked back into the shadows, leaving the life-less figure of Trinity shocked beyond belief. ?Morpheus?I know you?re out there, and you better get here soon?? [b]End of Part 2[/b] [b]Part 3[/b] ?Trinity! Wake up!? Trinity heard a distant voice, and a cynical laugh disappearing into nothingness, and the bright shining screen of her computer staring her in the face. ?Are you ok dear? I came in for the rent and seen you here, you didn?t look to good?. Trinity stood up and smiled. ?Yeah, I?m fine, just over-dose of work?. The land-lady smiled ?Oh ok, well it?s 10AM, and you never answered the door so I got worried?. Trinity smiled again ?It?s fine, just a deep sleeper, that?s all? ?Ok, I?ll collect the rent from you tonight dear? the land-lady said waving her goodbyes. ?God, what a fucked up dream that was?? she said to herself. She got changed into something more appropriate for ?him? coming over. The coding was done, she just didn?t like the look of him, it was those round sun-glasses. White over-all type thing, she didn?t know, he just wore it, but he never told her his name. ?Knock, Knock, Knock? came from the door. ?Who is it?? she asked as she got up. ?It?s me? came the voice from behind the door, she recognised the oriental accent located in there as ?him?. She opened the door, and he walked straight in. He sat down, then she sat down. ?My supervisor wishes to see you, my supervisor is very wise, she will know what to do with you in your present situation? ?Situation??? Trinity spoke. ?Yes, you have been approached by powerful, very powerful men that have chased me for countless amount of years?. ?Agents??? Trinity asked again. ?Yes, Agents, they are hacker?s, that slip in and out of this world, they have probably told you about The Matrix, but it doesn?t matter. What does is that you come now? he insisted, standing up doing so. ?But why? You can?t make me go, what if I want to stay here?. Then they shall get you? he said, simple as that. ?I?m leaving now, you can follow or stay, your choice, but I wish you to come with me.? ?Then I will? she said. Walking out of the messed up apartment, leaving her rent for the month on the table by the door. ?My supervisor is very interested to see you, she has said that you can help us a great deal?. Trinity though for a second ?What do you want from me, are you doing a big cyber hack, because I?ve quit from that, never going back? she said. ?Oh no-no-no, not your hacking skills, but yourself, be prepared, for there are things you will see, that you don?t want to?. They both walked into a black car which drove off as soon as the man shut the door. ?So I got contacted by these?Agents needing help, now you need my help. What do you expect me to do?? she asked with desperation licking from her mouth. ?Whatever you want to do? he replied simply. They swerved around several different corner?s, and Trinity began to feel sick from the different swerves, but they soon slowed down in front of a flat. ?This is where my supervisor lives? the man said. Leading her up the staircase and past locked doors. All of them tattered and growing black from the dampness around it. Again she felt it, ?It feels like I?ve been?.I?ve been here before? she said. The man turned around ?What was that? He asked. She shook her head and urged him to go on. They finally reached the door they were looking for. He opened it. Then stopped her. She looked stern, ?I thought she wanted to see me? ?Yes, but a word of advice, keep clean, don?t try and lie, she?ll know. She knows everything. And another thing for you to know. My name is Seraph? [b]End of Part 3[/b] [b]Part 4[/b] Trinity sat down, in what looked like a Lounge Area mixed with the essence of a waiting room, this freaked Trinity out just a little. She sat down on one of the battered looking couches, looking around the battered up room. It had a nice coffee table in the middle, with a type of bar looking thing near the back wall. There was a door just along from the couch. And suddenly it opened. And a woman walked out, she looked quite old, but also you could see child like attributes about her. She sat across from Trinity, opening a little red sweet, she lifted her head and offered one to Trinity who politely shook her head. It was quiet for several minutes after this as the woman twisted the wrapper into a small cube. Finally she laid down the small cube and put her hands on her lap. ?I?m guessing you?re wondering why I asked Seraph to bring you here, Trinity?? ?Yes?but wait, how do you know my name. And what?s all this coding been for, and yes, why am I here, it?s all coming on to fast? Trinity replied, now burying her head into her lap. ?Dear, I know you have a lot of questions, but I know one thing that comes first before everything else in this world, and that would be your safety? ?Why am I not safe, I?ve not been dealing anything to any gangs around town or anything?? ?It isn?t the gangs?.it?s the Agents. They?re coming for you, they want you to infiltrate Xion, to become one of them on the inside? ?But does it mean by becoming ?one-of-them?? Who are they?? The older woman sighed and walked over to the bar-like thing grabbing two glasses from behind the bar. She motioned to what looked like Pepsi, and Trinity nodded her head, she was really needing a drink. After the drinks were poured, and the woman was sitting back down, she sighed, a deep long sigh. Something of a worried sigh, but the woman was worried. If Trinity didn?t take her path then Xion could be taken over in matter of hours. ?Trinity, I know you?re a bright girl. But you have to stay here, we can?t let the Agents? have you, we?ll wait until Morpheus arri-? ?Morpheus is real? God I?ve dreamt for so long?? she interrupted. ?Yes he is, and he?ll be arriving for to unplug you tomorrow. I hope you?ll be ready for it. He isn?t one for impatience.? Trinity stood up this time and walked over to the window, the cold hard wind mixed with rain hit the window. It was Trinity?s turn to sigh now, a deep long one. She finally sat down after a few good minutes. She looked up to see the smiling face of the woman. Trinity asked ?I know this sounds? crazy, and I know it?s sounds strange that I don?t know?but? Trinity sighed again. And looked out the window once more. She then looked at the face of the woman in front of her. ?What is The Matrix?? [b]End of Part 4[/b] [/CENTER]

[size=1]I just thought I would revive this with the first Chapter of Dissolved Girl. ^_^.[/size]

[Epitome]

[size=1][color=#003399]Been a while since I even posted but I had an idea for a story so I thoughtd I share it with you.

[b]Everyone Falls the First Time[/b]

[i]I sat in the chair as requested and heard on of my fellow shipmates say "This will only hurt for a moment," followed by a sharp pain to the back of my head. I then found myself in a "room" surrounded by nothing but white and the man they called Silence, the captain of the ship. He explained to me what this so called room was, and then began speaking as if talking to someone outside of the "construct."

We then were immediatley transfered to what look liked a workout room, except it wasnt filled with normal weights or tredmills. This had machines with fully loaded guns, and I was supposed to destroy them with my bare hands. As I began the attemp Silence laughed at me and said "You are not nearly ready for this training yet, this is just the tour. Your training begins *snaps his fingers* here."

At the snap of his fingers we were in what looked to be a large city, standing on top of a very large building. Silence stepped up to me and asked "Do you think you can do it?"

"Do what?" I replied.

"This..." Silence began running and right before the edge of the building lifted off of the building only to reach another building across the street. I looked on in amazement. I thought to myself "Is this really possible? Did he just jump from one building to next 20 stories high?"

I didnt know what to do. I didnt want to die but I thought to myself "If he could do it, so could I."

Back in reality on the ship, the other crew members had been discussing whether I would be able to do it. A fellow crew member, Krin, asked the others if they thought I would make it. From what I hear, Loak responded saying "Everyone falls the first time."

But I was a different story. I started to run and when I got to the ledge, closed my eyes, felt the hard concrete of the next building hit my feet, and looked up to the amazement on Silence's face.[/i][/color][/size]

[Guest deepblue]

[B]Invulnerable.[/B]
(a matrix story)

This happened six years ago.

My husband was driving the white Sentra that afternoon. It was a Saturday; clear and undisturbed. The sky was the color of faded turquoise, and the crispness of the air bit into the paralleled gray stretch of the South expressway. There was nothing on the road to slow us down. We were over speeding; staying exclusively on the left lane and making every second pay. We were trying to shorten the gap between us and our destination, because a wedding was about to take place in Lucena, and we were running late ?my husband was supposed to be the best man. I remember feeling a little accessorized by the occasion, brought along but flung on the side for I hardly knew the couple. And I also remember feeling the odd vibrations coming from the wobbling wheels of the white Nissan.

I told my husband that we had better stop somewhere; maybe check the bearings on all the wheels to see if they?re tight and ok. I did not know very well about cars then, and I think my suggestion just made him aggravated and more aware of the time. He shifted to a higher gear and told me, simply, not to worry for we will soon be there. This friend of his -the groom, his father actually owns a small vulcanizing shop in Lucena; surely he will know what?s wrong with the car. I sat there in the passenger seat feeling falsely reassured, hearing the vibrations increase in intensity, every second hearing it louder; thump, grind, thump, grind, thump, grind. A couple of seconds more and it became obvious that one of the wheels was about to pop off, I held my husband?s arm tightly and said, [I]O Lord.[/I] And then we felt the jolt.

The left front wheel disengaged from the main axel, I even saw it roll innocently ahead. The car tilted to its side at more than 90 kilometers an hour; sending us instantly into a rolling flight. We were screaming, loudly, watching the interchange of ground and sky through our windshield. The Nissan jumped and crossed-over a low concrete barrier, landing upside down on the opposite lane. My husband was still alive at this point, I know because I heard him breathing. What I did not know is that moments later, a truck would hit us from the side, and it would be fast, and it would smash us through and through. I remember asking myself, is this it? [I]Is this how a fish feels when it is being gutted alive?[/I]

The afternoon was clear; there was a vivid trace of blood and oil on the road. I realized that a whole cross-section of the car had been ripped apart, and that it was no longer possible to distinguish the interior from the exterior. I could smell the air, and the grass from a nearby field, and the blood. I turned to see my husband, but his face was already gone. There was shattered glass and steel and blood and pieces of torn flesh, in every possible place where it could settle.

The emergency team arrived 15 minutes later. They found my husband dead and eviscerated. And they found me there too, in tears, without even a single scratch on my body.

The wedding was called off. The couple never married. That was six years ago.