| ����������� A room of void.� Only a chair and a spotlight, seemingly from nowhere.� Quivering blue eyes peer out at the darkness, but see only the emptiness. ����������� "Did you enjoy it?"� A subconscious voice from the unknown passes the thought to the blue-eyed one. � ���������� "Where am I?" Hesitation. She doesn't want to talk to them. ����������� "Doesn't matter.� Did you enjoy it?" ��A smile wavers on the air, heard and not seen. ����������� "Am I dead? Where am I? Who are you?" More questions. They will not answer, only smile. 'What are you?' hangs in her mind, unspoken. ����������� "We'll ask the questions, thank you. Did you enjoy it?" They aren't playing now, just straight to the point. ����������� "What?" A simple reply and a complete avoidance of the question. She knows what they want. ����������� "Did you enjoy it? Every fucking minute of your damned life, did you enjoy them?� Did you enjoy the men, the booze, the drugs, the parties?" �No one . . . anywhere . . . just the voice. . .just the damned voice. ����������� "No." Jet-black hair fans around her pale face with the shake of her head.� She winces as the crack of fingers connects with her cheek.� The acidic smell of blood seeps into her nostrils . . . a ring. ����������� "Don't lie to us!" ����������� "I didn't . . . I . . . I didn't." �Confirmation and strength begin their attack on the void. ����������� "You know you loved every minute of it, because they loved you.� They LOVED you." ����������� "They didn't.� I didn't.� Oh, what the hell do you care?" Perfectly lacquered nails are swept through her onyx hair, pushing it off her face. "You didn't live it." ����������� "I said, we'll ask the questions." Almost a snicker.�"They did love you." ����������� "You don't know.� They only loved the me they saw.� They didn't love me.� They didn't know ME." Her icy eyes pierce the darkness looking for her accuser. ����������� "Bullshit.� They loved everything you showed them. They loved the you - you gave them."� Disbelief radiates from the one in the chair. ����������� "I gave them what they wanted.� All they wanted was the face and the music. They didn't want the thoughts . . . the dreams . . . They didn't want me."� She's near tears now. Crystalline and salt starts to smear the black mascara into her pursed lips.� She catches the bottom between her teeth trying to stop the flood. ����������� "That doesn't matter.� They loved you." Raccoon eyes blink in disbelief.� She doesn't want to believe.� She does anyway. ����������� "I don't care.� I don't.� Just send me home . . . I don't have anything for you." ����������� "Au contrair, your personality is just enough.� You don't want to go home." ����������� She stops sniffling and chokes on one last sob.� "I . . . You don't know!� I want to go home!" ����������� "Why?" They're curious now.� "If your life holds nothing for you, why go back?� Remember, they didn't love you." ����������� "That doesn't matter.� I loved them."� She's tapping the chair and holding back the venom in her voice. ����������� "You're not angry, so it's no use pretending.� You're scared.� If you want it that bad, I'll send you back . . . back to their world." ����������� "Yes."� She can't say more.� There are no other words to say.� Her sobs come freely now as her body wracks with convulsions.� Her shudders send her sprawling toward the floor, but the thump doesn't come.� She opens her eyes to more white floor and grit in her teeth.� It's not tile.� "Phtt . . . Sand."� Soreness seeps into her tired bones as Lilyan Star, teen idol, forces herself off her face.� Warmth and light surround her, with a shiver to be out of the darkness and into the sunrise . . . and love.� She IS loved. |
| "AWAKENING" |
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