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--|Home of the Longing|--

Marilyn Horta

The silent wind murmured to a weeping soul in the distance. In the hours of darkness, high above, stars held for dear life unto the night. This place is Midnight Dwelling, Home Of the Longing. Not many beings live here, but there is one that is destined for a wish she cherishes...

Her name is Marilyn. Known as Mari to a few. She parted her hair and wept; she had lost a loved one. At this moment, she longs for a shoulder to cry on more than ever.

"I can�t stand this; I need to leave this place."

Weary from sobbing, she fell into sleep: the only peace she knew for now. As she lay on these rain-bled stepping-stones in front of the large black tower, the rain trickled down her face. When morning came, she gathered her belongings - not much to gather, but enough. She looked back on her life in the Home of the Longing.

"No good has come of living here. All that this entire place has brought me is pain. Sayonara. I wont be back."

She asked the wind where she should go. It blew a breeze south.

"Neopolis? Alright."

She smiled and headed to Neopolis, leaving Midnight Dwelling forever. But then, something was pulling her back from walking. Someone was hurt ...

"Something�s wrong."

She spread her wings to twice her size and headed to the mountain where the wind had tried to pull her back. This mountain was the tallest one in all of Midnight. When she set herself to the ground, she observed the disasterous sight around her. Five beings were badly injured.

"Oh God, poor souls. I can�t leave them now."

Her heart ached as she walked toward them. Beyond her was a completely destroyed vehicle. She examined the wounds of each creature. Whenever she touched a gash or bruise, she envisioned a glimpse of what had happened before.

"I need to get them back home." Mari thought. One by one, she took them to the tower of the inhabitants of Midnight Dwelling. "I hope they don�t die. I can�t stand to see another death around this place."

She knelt beside a cat-like like creature and one with a vivid hat and observed their wounds once again. Mari then sauntered to a huge bowl of water and dipped cloth into it. Suddenly, a figure appeared. The figure loomed behind her, and poked her with a cane.

"I don�t have time for you, old man." Mari said with her eyes closed, still washing the cloth.

"Eeh hee hee why, don�t you have time for your old grandpappy? Eeh hee hee ho."

"For the last time, you're not my grandfather, you old coot. Quit living in some fairyland! Why can�t ghosts like you just evaporate in the damn desert?"

"Well, I�ll tell you what: you have some pretty funny lookin� fairies here." The old ghost then went near a winged hedgehog and started pulling on his wings.

"Yep. This be one funny lookin� fairy. Eeh hee ho."

The Story Continues in Dark Matter ...