Leigh tossed and turned in bed. Ever since Ardeth had left her tent, she'd been shaky and uneven. Even her dreams centered on him. Vivid images of her and him naked and entwined in the dance of lovers, bathing each other in a spring-fed pool, the touch of his fingers on her skin. Eventually they subsided in the deepest part of the morning, a few hours before dawn. Leigh settled down too, into a deeper sleep. Her tossing and turning stilled as she began to dream.
She was in the black void of nothingness again, but she was wide-awake and she could see everything around her.
"Right. Here I am... again. What's it going to be this time, hmm? More bright lights and video screens?"
Leigh looked around at the still void. "I'm not impressed with this you know. I'd rather be back home."
Still no reply came to her. But she could see the blackness fade into shades of gray that seemed to swirl and seethe. "Impressive." was all she said. Leigh decided to stand her ground and wait. She shifted her posture and crossed her arms over her chest. She was dressed again, this time in a pair of black cargo pants and another black tank top. Her guns were missing this time and her boots were ankle boots this time.
"You know, I'm dying to find out why the hell I look, dress and act like Lara fucking Croft. I mean, it's nice and all, to have a set of balls and take on the world. But I rather like NOT being shot at from time to time..."
"You must make a choice..." the voice finally whispered. The whisper echoed all around her, making it seem like a million voices were speaking instead of one.
"Ohhh we're back to making a choice are we? Well then, what is the choice? I mean, come on. I can't make a choice if I don't know the options."
"A choice... Between here and there..."
"Oooooooooookay... now we're getting somewhere. But that begs the question - WHERE is here, and WHERE is there?" She sat down on a chair that popped up out of nowhere. Not once did she blink over it or even wonder where it came from. It was just there.
"Here... and there. I cannot lead you to your choice. You must make it."
"You're giving me a headache, you know that? Will I at least know when I have my options to choose?"
"You already have them. You just don't know what you want. When you know, the choice will be made without thinking."
"Hold your horses Bubba! What the hell do you mean? When I know, the choice will be made? You know, this is going on being asinine. I kinda like to weigh my options, think things out."
"Don't think, just feel. Follow your instincts."
"Right. Follow my instincts." Leigh curled up in the chair. "Do I at least get to know who you are? I mean, you're giving me a choice that's going to determine how my life turns out then at least give me the courtesy of knowing who the hell is fucking with my life as I know it."
Stillness answered her request.
"Great... just great. Way to go Leigh, piss off the being in charge. EEEEP!!" Leigh shrieked and tossed whatever it was that landed on her lap off of her lap and jumped up. For a minute or two she tried to regain her breath and get her heart beating again. A soft rumbling purr at her feet finally drew her attention and she looked down.
"Nicodemus?"
Nicodemus looked up at her as he sat back on his haunches. "You were expecting The Wizard Of Oz maybe?"
****
She was in the black void of nothingness again, but she was wide-awake and she could see everything around her.
"Right. Here I am... again. What's it going to be this time, hmm? More bright lights and video screens?"
Leigh looked around at the still void. "I'm not impressed with this you know. I'd rather be back home."
Still no reply came to her. But she could see the blackness fade into shades of gray that seemed to swirl and seethe. "Impressive." was all she said. Leigh decided to stand her ground and wait. She shifted her posture and crossed her arms over her chest. She was dressed again, this time in a pair of black cargo pants and another black tank top. Her guns were missing this time and her boots were ankle boots this time.
"You know, I'm dying to find out why the hell I look, dress and act like Lara fucking Croft. I mean, it's nice and all, to have a set of balls and take on the world. But I rather like NOT being shot at from time to time..."
"You must make a choice..." the voice finally whispered. The whisper echoed all around her, making it seem like a million voices were speaking instead of one.
"Ohhh we're back to making a choice are we? Well then, what is the choice? I mean, come on. I can't make a choice if I don't know the options."
"A choice... Between here and there..."
"Oooooooooookay... now we're getting somewhere. But that begs the question - WHERE is here, and WHERE is there?" She sat down on a chair that popped up out of nowhere. Not once did she blink over it or even wonder where it came from. It was just there.
"Here... and there. I cannot lead you to your choice. You must make it."
"You're giving me a headache, you know that? Will I at least know when I have my options to choose?"
"You already have them. You just don't know what you want. When you know, the choice will be made without thinking."
"Hold your horses Bubba! What the hell do you mean? When I know, the choice will be made? You know, this is going on being asinine. I kinda like to weigh my options, think things out."
"Don't think, just feel. Follow your instincts."
"Right. Follow my instincts." Leigh curled up in the chair. "Do I at least get to know who you are? I mean, you're giving me a choice that's going to determine how my life turns out then at least give me the courtesy of knowing who the hell is fucking with my life as I know it."
Stillness answered her request.
"Great... just great. Way to go Leigh, piss off the being in charge. EEEEP!!" Leigh shrieked and tossed whatever it was that landed on her lap off of her lap and jumped up. For a minute or two she tried to regain her breath and get her heart beating again. A soft rumbling purr at her feet finally drew her attention and she looked down.
"Nicodemus?"
Nicodemus looked up at her as he sat back on his haunches. "You were expecting The Wizard Of Oz maybe?"
****