Homecoming4



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I stepped forward, stepping over the fallen rocks and blocks of concrete. The fire burned brighter. The walls were fire, the ceiling, the floor�it burned and glowed mercilessly, swirling and engulfing. As I traveled down the path, carving it anew, I saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing. Then the path opened up into a cavern, and there was cold- a musty, damp cold. It was the cold of wind off icy water. I shuddered, blinking, as though receiving a jolt back into reality. What am I doing here? How did I get here? I felt dizzy. My legs collapsed and I fell to the cold stone floor, fighting back wave after wave of nausea. I shut my eyes and took deep steadying breaths. Then- a knife. A knife in my brain. Sharp, stabbing, bright blue pain. Roughly hewn shapes emerged from the blue light, growing clearer and clearer. The beast stood before the frightened group, growling. Its long, fiery-red hair swept down its back, all the way down to the precariously bent knees of its bird-like legs. Its large outspread wings beat slowly and patiently. The pale light glistened on its scaly skin. A member of the quivering group standing in front of it let out a frightened whimper. The creature let out a snarl of shock- it had been offended. It went mad with anger- anger it released upon the pitiful humans before it. In a flash of claws, the creature lunged at them, vanquishing every eye that cowered in horror before it. It then pulled back as the bodies crumpled to the floor. The scaly beast�s black forked tongue protruded from its lips, past graying fangs, to taste the blood upon its yellow talons. It paused, sniffing. It turned toward me, looked at me, saw me. I looked back, looked into its green eyes. Those eyes�burning, glowing- familiar? The creature�s eyes- they were my eyes. The scene vanished. The cavern reappeared around me. I could still feel the cold breeze. As I pulled myself shakily to my feet, a voice echoed in my head (was it in my head?), �You know what you have to do.� �I know what I have to do,� I said, as though in response. I walked forward now, past towering stalagmites rising like spires from the cavern floor. Before me stretched a vast pool of water. I peered into the pool. The water was crystal clear, but there was no bottom in sight. The water was beautiful. In fact, the dim light in the cavern seemed to come from it; the water appeared to be glowing, as though a light beneath its surface illuminated it- but there was no light. I crouched down beside the pool. It seemed to draw me in. I placed my hand in the water. It was frigidly cold. As I wondered in awe how the water wasn�t frozen, I felt myself slipping into darkness, slipping until I could no longer hold myself up. I fell forward into the pool, slipping, slipping, slipping away�the world was vanishing�my thoughts were vanishing�I was vanishing�until there was nothing left but a bluish glow all around. Time passed. Seconds, minutes, days, years- who knows? I opened my eyes and looked at the water that surrounded me. I realized I was at the bottom of the pool. Oh, great, I thought. What am I doing back here? I thought I was done with this place. I stood up on the floor of the pool, and then kicked off hard, swimming back up to the surface. I broke through, and then landed on the dry ground, poised to strike. Looking around me, I saw that I was alone in the cavern. Strange, I thought, I smell something- something human. There should be no humans here; they could not reach this place. I gave a snort of anger and suspicion and stood up fully. I pulled my soaking wet mop of red hair off of my face, brushed the beads of water from my skin, beat my wings rapidly to dry them. Slowly I came to the grim realization that I would have to start all over again- again. After all, it wasn�t the first time this had happened- I leave here, go out to wreak my own personal brand of havoc on the world, striking fear in the hearts of miserable humans, and then something happens and it�s like I cease to exist. Then, some time later, I wake up here and it begins again. How can I get anything accomplished at this rate? Well, there�s no use hanging around here complaining anymore. I have business to attend to. The world needs me, I thought with a sadistic chuckle, flashing my talons in the dim light. Then, I took flight, speeding toward the roof of the cavern. It opened before me, and I blasted into the dark blue sky, stretching endlessly in all direction, full of possibilities, of hope for the future. I looked down at the world beneath me as I flew overhead. This time I would do it right; they would all know my power, the world would be mine! I let out a high, shrieking cackle of a laugh to announce my arrival. Now I was truly home- and I would get my warm welcome.



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