The Dreamweb - my first attempt at fiction in English

[Necromagus]

Ehrm... am I missing something?

[dragoncmd]

yes

[Necromagus]

:?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What then?

[dru89]

I'm saying that your writing is so so so so so good... that my writing looks horrible compared to it... and if you keep writing.. everyone will like your stories but not mine :-P

[Necromagus]

Thanks, I guess :)

[VIrus]

noooooooo

 

 

 

dont stop......... i hate unfinished stories :(

 

 

 

especially when they are so good :D

 

 

 

*starts to chant* we want more....we want more....we want more....we want more...

[dragoncmd]

^ what he said ^

[Necromagus]

Meh, school and all that. Maybe before the end of the year, no promises though.

[Necromagus]

Part 14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything was going so well, yet so wrong at the same time. Pentos was still performing up to expectations, and it seemed that the plans he had for the Doctor would work out. Still, the Supervisor was not a happy man. There was a thorn in his side, a thorn that proved to be too smart to simply be picked up and pulled out. The cleaners had found no trace of Tetra, even though they had checked all places she could logically have gone. The Supervisor grimaced. The simplest solution would be to send Pentos in to sweep the city district by district, but the grafts he needed to leave the Facility without causing a panicked riot were still under construction. All the money in the world couldnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t cure the incompetence he had to endure. He simply couldnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t move forward until he was sure Tetra was removed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there was the matter of Thomas Gaelen, the man who simply knew too much. Luckily that matter would be resolved soon enough. Although he didnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t want to draw manpower away from the hunt for Tetra, the Supervisor had given one team of cleaners instructions to visit the manÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s apartment and get rid of him. Conveniently enough, the building stood in one of the poorest districts of the city, which meant that it would be easy enough to eliminate any unforeseen witnesses without too many awkward questions being raised. A message popped up on his screen, a new voicemail message. With a short vocal command the computer was instructed to play it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬ÅWeÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢re in position. The target left his apartment.ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[yang_x_ying]

True to your word :D Keep up the good work.

[____]

Still powering away I see ;) Get it published :P

[ForsakenMage]

Someone find a publisher for him. :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The suspense is killing, you know that, Necro? :P

[Necromagus]

Hehe, I'm afraid there aren't that many publishers for this genre on this side of the atlantic...

[____]

So go to the other side ;)

[Necromagus]

Part 15 introduces a new location and two new characters, although one hasn't even been named yet. You can trust them to get more involved in later parts. Also, finally passed the 25K (and 26K) word mark :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas sighed as he made his way up the stairs. The wound in his leg still ached, but alcohol numbed it for the moment. His hands were trembling slightly, an indication of the fact that his body needed something stronger than alcohol. With Tetra tied up in his apartment for the past few days, he hadnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t had much time for Dreaming and it was beginning to affect his body and his mind, warping his perception in very inconvenient ways and causing random lapses in his concentration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally Thomas reached his floor. He couldnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t help but let out a groan when he saw that the door to his apartment was open again. Had Tetra somehow managed to break free and get out? He wouldnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t really mind, considering all the trouble she had caused him over the past few days. Still, if the security patrols somehow traced her back to himÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâæ With a weary sigh Thomas stepped inside, only to trip and stumble over a corpse. He went down with a scream. When he looked up he was stunned to find three more corpses littering his living room, along with several expensive automatic weapons. Pale as a ghost he crept further into his apartment, his mind trying to comprehend the situation. Then he heard the sobbing. The sobbing he would recognize anywhere by now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tetra was huddled up in the closet again, sobbing quietly. Her arms, face and clothes were covered in a mix of blood and tears. The ropes around her wrists were torn to shreds, although the ones binding her ankles together were still intact. The skin around them was red with friction. It didnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t take Thomas too much effort to put two and two together. It looked like Tetra was right, someone had come for them. Someone with enough firepower to wipe out the entire building it seemed. Finally he knelt down besides Tetra, carefully tapping her on the shoulder, ready to defend himself should she choose to attack. She didnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t. She just remained there, sobbing, completely oblivious to ThomasÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s attempts to communicate with her. He shrugged. She could sit there if she wanted, he was getting out of here before anyone else came looking for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First he headed over to the secret compartment in the wall, pulling out his Dream machine. He couldnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t tow the entire contraption along, but he detached the ichor tank and stuffed it into a worn courier bag along with his laptop. He thought for a moment before picking up one of the weapons as well. He couldnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t carry it past the security stations at the edges of the district but while there was still the possibility that he was chased by anonymous bad guys wielding the same rifles he didnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t want to be caught off guard. He pulled a fresh clip from one of the menÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s belts and replaced the spent one with a dry click. At the sound of the click Tetra snapped from her trance, trembling as she looked at Thomas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬ÅYouÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâæ youÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢re leaving ClaudiaÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâæÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[dragoncmd]

Very cool idea, and I especially like the name of the city.

[Necromagus]

Thanks, one of the advantages of education in classical languages is that it's never too hard to find a name for something. Muri = Latin for rats, polis = Greek for city :P

[Necromagus]

I can't believe how long it's been... part 17 should be up a bit sooner :|

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Supervisor regarded the sterile thing in the middle of the room quietly. He couldnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t help but feel proud of his new creation, the first computer built from a human body, powered by a human mind. The possibilities seemed nearly limitless. In a sense he had invented artificial intelligence, although the word ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¹ÃâartificialÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ didnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t seem entirely appropriate in this case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sitting in the centre of the room was a metal cocoon. A glass panel in the door revealed that it was filled with an opaque crimson fluid. Suspended in the middle of it, just barely visible, was what was left of the Doctor, now striped of every inch of tissue not needed to breathe or think. If someone would drain the fluid, all that would be visible was a human torso and head, stripped of all skin and muscle. Simple machines kept the organs stable and active, pumping oxygen and nutrients into the body as needed. The head was relatively untouched, although the nerves leading to the eyes, ears and nose had been severed and a series of sockets had been placed in the back of the head. The surgery needed to put them in place had been so delicate that the Supervisor had decided to place them himself. The Chirurgeon could probably have done it as well, but her attitude towards her work had been less than perfect for the past few days, and denying her this assignment had sent a clear message.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In his mind the Supervisor had playfully codenamed Project #A4120 the Sarcophagus, although he was quite aware of the fact that that name was inaccurate. It was time to see if the thoroughly stripped body and mind of the Doctor would function as they were expected to. If they did, the Supervisor had managed to preserve one of the most brilliant minds in the history of the Facility without having to worry about thoughts of treachery. If they didnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t, he would have wasted a marginal amount of time and resources on an educative experiment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the point where the DoctorÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s spine joined his skull several cables exited the body in a bundle as thick as a human wrist. The cables ran directly into the wall of the Sarcophagus, connecting the DoctorÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s brain to a more mundane piece of equipment. Two cables emerged from the back end of the Sarcophagus, snaking across the ceramic tiles and up to a small metallic desk where one disappeared into a monitor and another into a keyboard, both made of the same matte black metal as the sarcophagus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Supervisor slowly let his body sink into the chair behind the desk, relishing the moment. He was an inventor at heart, and the feeling of standing on the threshold of a new breakthrough always thrilled him. Slowly, he brought his fingers up to the keyboard. ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬ÅInitialise Doctor_01ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[dragoncmd]

Wonderful. I love how even the people who seem like the creulest characters actually have some humanity and guilt (I'm still wondering about the supervisior though)

[Necromagus]

 

Official website coming soon :)

[Necromagus]

http://dreamweb.codingo.org/ - It's aliiiiiiiiive O.O

[____]

Q. I've found an error in the spelling/grammar of your story.

 

 

 

A. That's entirely possible, as English isn't my first language. Mail me the details and you'll get a cookie.

Haha - nice one.

[dragoncmd]

I'm just wondering, are you going to continue posting here or should I primarily be visiting your site?

[Necromagus]

Considering how randomly I'm updating, I'll post a warning here that the story is updated.

[Necromagus]

Part 17

 

 

 

Thomas and Tetra walked quickly, trying to ignore the beady eyes that stared at them from all directions. The rats were a curious lot, but also fiercely protective of their territory. It had taken them years to accept Thomas, and now he was bringing in a stranger. Nearly everyone in the city had witnessed Tetra jumping down the fifteen foot drop with seemingly no trouble at all.

 

 

 

The tension Tetra had caused was palpable, but Thomas tried to look as calm as possible. He knew full well that if they chose to, the children could rip them to shreds. Between Tetra and the machine gun they could probably put up quite a fight, but the rats were fully aware of the fact that they had the advantage of sheer numbers. Thomas could only hope that their respect for him and uncertainty about TetraÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s power would keep them at bay, at least until he had spoken to their leader.

 

 

 

Finally they reached their destination, the only building in Muripolis made entirely of bricks. It was larger than the other hovels, although any attempt not to make it look like it was constructed of garbage and rubble like the rest of the buildings had failed miserably. Thomas and Tetra had to stoop low as they entered the child-sized palace, closely followed by the ever vigilant Scipula.

 

 

 

The inside of the building consisted of a single room, about nine feet wide and ten feet across. The room was lit by a few oil lamps and candles that cast flickering shadows on the irregular walls. Mismatched wooden planks were laid out across the floor. One side of the room was covered with a pile of blankets that seemed to be arranged in a crude nest. A low table standing near the far wall was arranged as a desk, complete with several pencil stubs and a stack of papers that contained the rudimentary administration system the rats used to keep track of resources.

 

 

 

Sitting behind the desk was the leader of the rats, a boy only a few years older than most of the children that called him their leader. Still, by their standards he was ancient, as the dangerous and violent lives the children led rarely lasted past the first few years of puberty. A long puckered scar run across the side of his face and all the way down his neck, just one of the many signs that his life hadnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t been every bit as violent as that of the other children.

 

 

 

Nobody knew the name his parents gave him. He had been called Reston by the other rats for as long as he could remember. More than anyone else in the gang he was a survivor, and it was only natural that he succeeded the previous leader when she mysteriously disappeared two years ago. Under his reign Muripolis had thrived. Outside of their territory, the gang had become less violent and more reliant on scavenging for their survival. Their territory itself was fiercely defended however, and any trespassers were usually attacked without warning. By choosing to be aggressive only when their territory was invaded, Reston had ensured that the rats were left mostly alone by the other inhabitants of the poverty-stricken city districts where they made their home.

 

 

 

Thomas had been one of the few strangers he had grudgingly allowed to travel through the ratsÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ territory. Tetra however was new, and newcomers were usually ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¹ÃâencouragedÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ to leave at their earliest convenience. It was only because of ThomasÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ company that she hadnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t already been attacked. Still, unless something was negotiated now the peace wouldnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t last long.

 

 

 

Thomas stepped forward, signalling for Tetra to remain quiet. Just as he was about to speak Reston stood up, his beady eyes regarding him sharply. ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬ÅSheÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s an outsider, and youÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ve brought her into our city. Give me a good reason not to kill her now, or you for that matter.ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ