Tetrominon !qIDtlWKoxU 2008/12/15 (Mon) 07:46 No. 71633 In one hand, the receiver, in the other, your knife, both grips tightening until the knuckles turn white. Your teeth grind together so loudly, it must sound like you're milling flour in here. "Paradise"? Who the fuck does she think she's kidding? You were taken, taken by force, away from what little Paradise you'd managed to carve out for yourself, and this stupid cunt makes it sound like she's done you a favor. They have no idea...
That's right. They don't. They can't have. Think, girl. Slow down, calm down, and think. Listen. This isn't so bad as you're making it out to be. It might even be the best thing that's happened to you, if you play it right. Don't you see? They've taken you away. You're back to zero. Square one. This could be a fresh start for you, a clean slate. Sure, it isn't Paradise yet, but, with a little work... perhaps someday, it could be. You see, now?
Your muscles relax and a smile creeps onto your face. Yes... of course. It could be. You let go of the phone and flex the stiffness out of your fingers. A fresh start has to start somewhere... and this Keine, she seems to be expecting you. The smile turns into a familiar, predatory grin. It will be.
But you're not going unarmed. You're nobody's fool. You glance down at your clothing and frown; you dressed expecting warm weather, so there's not a lot of room for concealing something like this knife. Well, why bother to conceal it, then? Still need something to carry it in, you might need that hand free. You get lucky checking the drawer again: this knife and the two (smaller) ones in there have loose plastic sheaths to keep one from carelessly cutting a finger rummaging around like you were earlier. Not the best design, though, yours just slipped off when you grabbed the handle, and looks ready to do the same thing now. But it does suit your needs for the moment. The sheath goes in one back pocket, and the knife goes in with it. You make a couple of experimental draws, and find the setup to be acceptable.
Ready. You open the front door and step outside, taking in your environs for a moment. Wherever you are, it's... actually a lot nicer than you expected. The house where you found yourself sits near the top of a hill with a narrow road winding down, bungalow houses set up at seemingly random points all along it. Beyond is a clean, fair-sized town... but there, smack in the middle of it all, a high green copper dome. Keine was right about one thing, it's hard to miss. Other details can wait, you have a mission, now. Ready. You take a breath instinctively and start down the hill towards the green dome.
Once you hit the town, the going gets slower. Roads curve and intersect and just generally meander, without much in the way of apparent planning. The whole thing reminds you of an old European city, actually, built up in the days before automobiles. The dome still presents a visible landmark, only very rarely out of sight, and you work your way gradually closer. It's a nice day out, and still fairly early, as the town's inhabitants rouse themselves around you, doing gymnastics by radio in their yards or setting up their shops for a day's business. A couple of them offer you salutations as you pass by, which you do not return.
At last, you find yourself at the far end of a large, rectangular commons, a cobbled walk surrounding a white stone fountain that takes up most of the commons' center. On the other end, another, smaller hill with a similarly winding staircase, and at the top, a large, official-looking building of the same white stone as the fountain, capped by the ubiquitous green dome. Your destination. You cross the commons, continuing to ignore any passers-by, and climb the stairs to the door. A rope, gold entwined with red, hangs to one side, its function intuitive, so you pull it and wait.
Three seconds later - exactly, you were counting - the door opens. A man, quite tall, with short whitish hair and wearing a strange blue and black uniform, stares down at you through a small pair of glasses. You wait another two seconds for some further action, but nothing happens. He just stares at you, silent and unmoving. It would seem to be your turn to provoke a reaction.
[ ] ?
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Sorry for the delay. On top of my habitual laziness, I lost this update to sudden computer restarts four times, and having to rewrite what I've already written once doesn't come easily to me.
