And Then What Happened?

[phee]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade.

[odims_sphere]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

[jadnifer]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

[phee]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandras eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror.

[odims_sphere]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandras eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror. The bags under her eyes didn't seem as bad as yesterday but they were certainly too noticeable to leave the house looking like that.

[odims_sphere]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandra's eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror. The bags under her eyes didn't seem as bad as yesterday but they were certainly too noticeable to leave the house looking like that. She sighed as she opened the medicine cabinet, "Where is it?" she muttered to herself.

[Kit Kat P]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandra's eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror. The bags under her eyes didn't seem as bad as yesterday but they were certainly too noticeable to leave the house looking like that. She sighed as she opened the medicine cabinet, "Where is it?" she muttered to herself. She finally found the hemroid cream and dabbed a little under her eyes.

[Fierce Critter]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandra's eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror. The bags under her eyes didn't seem as bad as yesterday but they were certainly too noticeable to leave the house looking like that. She sighed as she opened the medicine cabinet, "Where is it?" she muttered to herself. She finally found the hemroid cream and dabbed a little under her eyes.

******************

It was then that she reached into her pocket to retrieve her contact lens case - and stood puzzled as she withdrew a small, silver disk. She immediately reached her opposite hand into her other pocket - but withdrew only her contact lens case. What was it she thought she would find? Her memory briefly flashed behind her eyes, a red flash as if the sun was being viewed from ruby-colored glasses.

[phee]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandra's eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror. The bags under her eyes didn't seem as bad as yesterday but they were certainly too noticeable to leave the house looking like that. She sighed as she opened the medicine cabinet, "Where is it?" she muttered to herself. She finally found the hemroid cream and dabbed a little under her eyes.

******************

It was then that she reached into her pocket to retrieve her contact lens case - and stood puzzled as she withdrew a small, silver disk. She immediately reached her opposite hand into her other pocket - but withdrew only her contact lens case. What was it she thought she would find? Her memory briefly flashed behind her eyes, a red flash as if the sun was being viewed from ruby-colored glasses.

As her mind was adrift in the sense of deje vu... a familiar voice came from the next room, "Alex... are you still here? I have to go to work..."

[odims_sphere]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandra's eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror. The bags under her eyes didn't seem as bad as yesterday but they were certainly too noticeable to leave the house looking like that. She sighed as she opened the medicine cabinet, "Where is it?" she muttered to herself. She finally found the hemroid cream and dabbed a little under her eyes.

******************

It was then that she reached into her pocket to retrieve her contact lens case - and stood puzzled as she withdrew a small, silver disk. She immediately reached her opposite hand into her other pocket - but withdrew only her contact lens case. What was it she thought she would find? Her memory briefly flashed behind her eyes, a red flash as if the sun was being viewed from ruby-colored glasses.

As her mind was adrift in the sense of deje vu... a familiar voice came from the next room, "Alex... are you still here? I have to go to work..."

She sighed, it seemed every time she got close to figuring it all out something distracted her.

[GothicRavenGoddess (3)]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandra's eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror. The bags under her eyes didn't seem as bad as yesterday but they were certainly too noticeable to leave the house looking like that. She sighed as she opened the medicine cabinet, "Where is it?" she muttered to herself. She finally found the hemroid cream and dabbed a little under her eyes.

******************

It was then that she reached into her pocket to retrieve her contact lens case - and stood puzzled as she withdrew a small, silver disk. She immediately reached her opposite hand into her other pocket - but withdrew only her contact lens case. What was it she thought she would find? Her memory briefly flashed behind her eyes, a red flash as if the sun was being viewed from ruby-colored glasses.

As her mind was adrift in the sense of deje vu... a familiar voice came from the next room, "Alex... are you still here? I have to go to work..."

She sighed, it seemed every time she got close to figuring it all out something distracted her. Her soul longed to escape this modern world, but she could never graps what life she was meant to live, and how to get back to... where, she didn't know.

[Rev.Reverence]

The air was stagnant, infested even, with the stale stench of old beer and cigarettes. They stared at her from across the room, their faces melted with desire and regret. Had it really been that long? Then she looked up at the clock and a flash of reason crossed her face. They were coming for her, that much she knew, but why now? Was it because of her time in the temple? Or had someone actually recognized her on the street? They moved closer, she could see the anticipation growing on their faces as she again glanced up at the clock.

"Excuse me" said a voice from across the room... "Do you have the time?" and the room burst into laughter.

Once the laughter subsided the time keeper looked across the room to the veiled customer and asked him, "are you serious?"

He looked sternly and said... "I am as serious as Schindler's list"

The woman stood up, again impatiently glancing at the clock, then the time keeper and finally allowing her eyes to come to rest on the veiled man across the room. He sat and sipped his wine, it seemed he was the very essence of calmness. She took one step toward him but was immediately surrounded by the hooded men, their faces aglow with excitement, there was no question anymore, she knew what she had to do. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a small silver disk with intricate designs carved around a ruby safely secured in the center. She took the ruby from the center and held it high above her head.

When she looked up at it she was temporarily blinded by a ray of light from above and the gem slipped from her grasp. As the hooded men rushed forward to catch it, the room shuddered.

She quickly regained her vision and caught the gem. It was that instant the clock she had been so impatiently watching struck midnight, "Finally", she muttered under her breath.

The world froze as she wove her way out of the crowd, all of their assorted violent movements suspended in time.

"That's a pretty neat trick", said the veiled man in the corner, "but I'm sure every sorcerer within a hundred leagues heard it, and are on their way... we should go." He finished his drink and left some money on the table and stood up to leave, offering his arm to her as he approached. A slight smile flashed across her face as she graciously took his arm then quietly put the sparkling ruby in one pocket and the silver disk in another.

In the parking lot as they walked she paused.

"Interesting..." She said "Even though the ruin worked, I can still hear the wind."

He stopped suddenly, "Shit... Shit, you're right!"

Even though in the movies the scene will fade to black in most circumstances, from her point of view it seemed to just fade. Her memories started flooding her brain, all mixed one on top of another with no sense of time or space or reality, just images compiled together in an amalgamation of her entire life.

The flooding of the memories of her life were so horrifying that she was violently jerked awake by a flash of a bright white light.

----

Alexandra's eyes opened again as her reflection stared back at her in the bathroom mirror. The bags under her eyes didn't seem as bad as yesterday but they were certainly too noticeable to leave the house looking like that. She sighed as she opened the medicine cabinet, "Where is it?" she muttered to herself. She finally found the hemroid cream and dabbed a little under her eyes.

******************

It was then that she reached into her pocket to retrieve her contact lens case - and stood puzzled as she withdrew a small, silver disk. She immediately reached her opposite hand into her other pocket - but withdrew only her contact lens case. What was it she thought she would find? Her memory briefly flashed behind her eyes, a red flash as if the sun was being viewed from ruby-colored glasses.

As her mind was adrift in the sense of deja vu... a familiar voice came from the next room, "Alex... are you still here? I have to go to work..."

She sighed, it seemed every time she got close to figuring it all out something distracted her. Her soul longed to escape this modern world, but she could never grasps what life she was meant to live, and how to get back to... where, she didn't know. What does this mean; any of it, really?

[GothicRavenGoddess (3)]

(bump)