Smith returned grumbling to the Midwest. He had located the problem and
reported it, and the mainframe could not resolve it, how could he?
Aggravated he marched toward lake Michigan, always feeling the drain of the
power both pulling him toward it and driving him away. He began to believe
perhaps this power was even greater than the mainframe, but then again,
nothing was greater than the mainframe.
His every step became measured as he struggled with the battle growing within. Was he perhaps greater than the mainframe? Banish such thoughts, he rebuked himself, but he couldn't put the thought out of his mind. If the mainframe could not resolve the problem, the problem was greater. If the mainframe sent him to resolve it, he was greater than both the mainframe and the problem. He stepped up his walk with renewed energy and confidence.
***********************
Legolas stared at the pavement with dismay. "Even the earth is hard and empty here."
"No Legolas, I do believe it is simply covered up. Look over there, I see grass and trees beyond those, those strange machines." Gandalf pointed past the cars in the parking lot and toward the small park in the center of the apartment complex.
The unlikely threesome walked carefully across the lot and around the cars toward the small grassy area. There they found cement park benches and a few trees, but were surrounded by buildings that all looked eerily similar to them.
"Each building looks the same. How will we find our way back to the correct one?" Legolas wondered out loud.
"Yes, but the machines are all different. We will simply find our way back as we would in our own forests. Remember each one, the color and shape, and map it in your mind, just as you would the trees. You should have no difficulty doing this." Elrond directed Legolas, who quickly agreed.
They carefully worked their way through the cars on the other side of the lot, Legolas committing the placement of each one to memory so he could guide them back when they were ready to return.
Gandalf heard it first. The unmistakable call of Sauron. He could feel the coolness in the air, the sky darkened and then returned to normal. "Sauron is here, very near, and he is calling the ring. His power seems to be even greater in this world than ours. We must act quickly."
*******************************************
The One Ring made a slight movement on the chain, the fake started to fade in color as the One ring grew brighter. Jess could hear it again, calling her, encouraging her to wear it. She touched it carefully, slowly, and with great reverence, staring at it, listening to it, and wanting it. A feeling she had never experienced before was growing in her, a lustful desire to do this, even though she knew it was wrong, and she began to slide her finger into the ring.
"Stop!" Kat shouted.
Startled and confused Jess looked up at her mom. "What mom?" she muttered, clearly dazed.
"You must not listen to the ring Jess!"
She glanced down at her finger, so close to sliding through the ring. "I, I, I didn't mean to do it mom, really. It's just so, oh, I don't know how to describe it, so strong an urge, so powerful. I don't even know what I'm doing." Clearly shaken Kat gave her a hug and then got up.
"We may not know what to do, but we have company that I bet will."
They both headed out of the bedroom and down the hall. Jess was the first to notice the open door. "Oh shit."
"What?"
"Look, I think they left. I told them not to leave mom, but I think they left."
"Dammit Jess!" Kat started then seeing the fear in her daughters eyes she reeled her frustration in. "I'm sorry honey, but we've gotta go find them, quick! Who knows what kind of trouble they'll get in if we don't. C'mon, get dressed, and hurry up!"
Kat bolted to her room while Jess found some clothes in her own clutter. They nearly collided in the hallway as they headed out the door. "Hurry up Jess!" Kat shouted as Jess stopped at the mirror to check her makeup. "You don't need to be beautiful, you need to move it girl!"
***********************************
Smith picked up his pace moving more quickly than ever toward the lake. He was sure he would be able to defeat this entity that had invaded his simulated world. Then he would indeed be more powerful than even the mainframe.
He felt the power drain but it wasn't affecting him as it had before. He seemed to have overcome some of it already. He began to believe he could defeat it, and then, well then, he would deal with that when the time came.
************************************
"We need to split up mom."
"Jess, can you handle the ring? Can you resist it?"
"Yes mom, I can, I'm sure. I'll go this way," she pointed toward the park, "and you go that way. Don't worry mom, we'll find them."
Kat eyed her daughter cautiously but conceded the need to find the odd trio quickly so she agreed. Kat decided she'd take her car and go east, toward Lake Michigan. Jess made her way across the parking lot, waving to her mom, and into the small park at the center of the complex.
It was midday and the sun high and hot. Kat found her sunglasses and drove slowly searching for Elrond, Legolas and Gandalf in every possible spot. Passing through Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Des Plaines she began to grow weary of the search and was just turning around to head back when the sun dimmed and the air turned cold. A low deep moaning sound echoed around her before everything returned to normal. She watched as the dark cloud that had covered her only moments before moved swiftly back towards the lake as if it was being sucked in by a vacuum. She floored it following the cloud.
His every step became measured as he struggled with the battle growing within. Was he perhaps greater than the mainframe? Banish such thoughts, he rebuked himself, but he couldn't put the thought out of his mind. If the mainframe could not resolve the problem, the problem was greater. If the mainframe sent him to resolve it, he was greater than both the mainframe and the problem. He stepped up his walk with renewed energy and confidence.
***********************
Legolas stared at the pavement with dismay. "Even the earth is hard and empty here."
"No Legolas, I do believe it is simply covered up. Look over there, I see grass and trees beyond those, those strange machines." Gandalf pointed past the cars in the parking lot and toward the small park in the center of the apartment complex.
The unlikely threesome walked carefully across the lot and around the cars toward the small grassy area. There they found cement park benches and a few trees, but were surrounded by buildings that all looked eerily similar to them.
"Each building looks the same. How will we find our way back to the correct one?" Legolas wondered out loud.
"Yes, but the machines are all different. We will simply find our way back as we would in our own forests. Remember each one, the color and shape, and map it in your mind, just as you would the trees. You should have no difficulty doing this." Elrond directed Legolas, who quickly agreed.
They carefully worked their way through the cars on the other side of the lot, Legolas committing the placement of each one to memory so he could guide them back when they were ready to return.
Gandalf heard it first. The unmistakable call of Sauron. He could feel the coolness in the air, the sky darkened and then returned to normal. "Sauron is here, very near, and he is calling the ring. His power seems to be even greater in this world than ours. We must act quickly."
*******************************************
The One Ring made a slight movement on the chain, the fake started to fade in color as the One ring grew brighter. Jess could hear it again, calling her, encouraging her to wear it. She touched it carefully, slowly, and with great reverence, staring at it, listening to it, and wanting it. A feeling she had never experienced before was growing in her, a lustful desire to do this, even though she knew it was wrong, and she began to slide her finger into the ring.
"Stop!" Kat shouted.
Startled and confused Jess looked up at her mom. "What mom?" she muttered, clearly dazed.
"You must not listen to the ring Jess!"
She glanced down at her finger, so close to sliding through the ring. "I, I, I didn't mean to do it mom, really. It's just so, oh, I don't know how to describe it, so strong an urge, so powerful. I don't even know what I'm doing." Clearly shaken Kat gave her a hug and then got up.
"We may not know what to do, but we have company that I bet will."
They both headed out of the bedroom and down the hall. Jess was the first to notice the open door. "Oh shit."
"What?"
"Look, I think they left. I told them not to leave mom, but I think they left."
"Dammit Jess!" Kat started then seeing the fear in her daughters eyes she reeled her frustration in. "I'm sorry honey, but we've gotta go find them, quick! Who knows what kind of trouble they'll get in if we don't. C'mon, get dressed, and hurry up!"
Kat bolted to her room while Jess found some clothes in her own clutter. They nearly collided in the hallway as they headed out the door. "Hurry up Jess!" Kat shouted as Jess stopped at the mirror to check her makeup. "You don't need to be beautiful, you need to move it girl!"
***********************************
Smith picked up his pace moving more quickly than ever toward the lake. He was sure he would be able to defeat this entity that had invaded his simulated world. Then he would indeed be more powerful than even the mainframe.
He felt the power drain but it wasn't affecting him as it had before. He seemed to have overcome some of it already. He began to believe he could defeat it, and then, well then, he would deal with that when the time came.
************************************
"We need to split up mom."
"Jess, can you handle the ring? Can you resist it?"
"Yes mom, I can, I'm sure. I'll go this way," she pointed toward the park, "and you go that way. Don't worry mom, we'll find them."
Kat eyed her daughter cautiously but conceded the need to find the odd trio quickly so she agreed. Kat decided she'd take her car and go east, toward Lake Michigan. Jess made her way across the parking lot, waving to her mom, and into the small park at the center of the complex.
It was midday and the sun high and hot. Kat found her sunglasses and drove slowly searching for Elrond, Legolas and Gandalf in every possible spot. Passing through Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Des Plaines she began to grow weary of the search and was just turning around to head back when the sun dimmed and the air turned cold. A low deep moaning sound echoed around her before everything returned to normal. She watched as the dark cloud that had covered her only moments before moved swiftly back towards the lake as if it was being sucked in by a vacuum. She floored it following the cloud.