The Portal - IV

Part 1

Time, there’s never enough time. Time to do what needs to be done. Time for fun, time for leisure. Time for sleep. I miss dreams. I miss sleeping till ten in the morning on a Saturday. I miss all those little things we used to do as kids that we could never get away with nowadays. Do you remember? Of, course you remember. You remember everything I remember because we are the same person. Such a strange thing to be a thing. To be a person! How have you liked it thus far? I swear this has been the best experience of my long life. Long indeed! Hundreds of your lives spread out across the vastness. I can’t even find the words in your small head to contend with the vastness. It seems that vast is the only word you know to describe it. Large, humongous, gargantuan, these don’t fully grasp what vast grasps now does it? I have lived eons…now that’s a nice word. Eon. Has some flair to it. A mysterious note, a ring like silver off the tongue. Are you listening? What a silly question. Of, course you’re listening. It’s like an echo chamber in here. Whatever I say you must hear for I hear it too. They do too. I’m glad we can have this chat one on one like this. I don’t want you feeling left out of our plans. Yes, we have plans. You’re included trust me. Your friend, Cillian was it, very clever name might I add, he told me about…well you know. I know you know, because I know. Look at me chatting away. It’s a strange feeling being reunited with oneself in such a big place. Your mind is indeed a big place James. I’ve never been in such a large mind. Frankly, most of the minds I’ve seen are small, feeble, scared little holes that I don’t even want to inhabit. Now him over there, he’s been places. Well, we’ve been places together but it’s been such a long time.

                Are you listening James? James? James!?

                “James dear, wake up you were having a nightmare.”

                James McMahon felt sick lying in his bed. He was covered in sweat, cold and afraid. The room felt distant to him and his mother, whom shook him awake, loomed over him. He wanted to blink away the voices, the visions. Had it all been a dream? What is a dream?

                “Here have a glass of water my love.” James’ mother parted his sweaty hair and kissed his forehead. He felt better with her around. He didn’t feel so alone. Why did he feel so alone? What was this deep hole in his chest?

                “Now try to get some rest. I’ll be just in the other room if you need me.” She smiled her deep weary smile and stood. Like a ghost she flew from the room not making a sound. James laid back, having gulped down the water and felt a wave of calm welling up from his toes. He had never felt such a stark feeling of dread wash over him before. He was frozen with fright in his bed but seeing his mother, feeling her touch, he was at ease. He rolled over and feel fast asleep.

                “He’s dreaming again isn’t he.” Cillian looked on over the shoulder of the shadow figure he had been conversing with. The one, knelt down next to James’ body in the corner, turned to respond.

                “I think so. I hate how he can do that. It’s so strange.”

                ”No stranger than any of this.” Cillian gestured around the room that was James’ subconscious.

                “Right. Well shall we proceed?” The shadow next to Cillian said to the kneeling shadow.

                “Proceed? With what?”

                ”The rejoining.”

                “Oh, I suppose so.”

                Before Cillian the two shadow’s touched for the first time and started to swirl around, coalescing into a single form that shimmered and pulsed. The shockwaves rippling off the joining sent Cillian to the wall as he braced himself. A second, a flash, another pulse, then it was settled. The new creature had a sharper form of black shadow. A shimmer though, a creature still incomplete. A silvery outline was visible to Cillian. James stirred in the corner.

                “Only three more to go.”

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