I don’t care what happens to me after that. The world can rot, for all I care.
The world is rotting. And I don’t care.
At last tally, the Gamers movement continues to grow. It’s at about 70 million people around the world. It can’t be stopped; it’s now a major religion and in no danger of fading. There are hundreds of leaders, many incredible people all working to keep things moving forward. They all look to me for leadership. I’ve exhausted my hunt for Carl on my own; perhaps it’s time to step up and take the stage. An extra 70 million people helping me look for him would be useful. Yes, I think that’s the next step. I need to keep busy so I don’t think of Trew. I miss talking to him, but he’s not viewing me now and he never will. Now I just talk to myself, pitiful creature that I am.
“ Here they come,” Stephanie says without opening her eyes. I wonder if her hearing is that sharp, or if the Eternals share some sort of psychic link. I’m not in the mood to ask. I start to scan the horizon for them.
Slowly a car appears in the distance. It gets closer and I see that it’s a rental. The car stops not far from us, and Raphael gets out of the passenger seat, opening the back door for the two occupants inside.
A girl gets out first; she looks to be in her late 20’s. Then a man about the same age exits the car. He looks relaxed, but the girl looks very nervous. Raph says something to them, and the girl looks over at me. Her face lights up into a smile and she raises her hand to wave at me. I smile and wave back. I might be sad and bitter inside, but I still love people, especially young ones who are happy to be alive. Gotta love their innocence.
They walk towards me and we do the same. We meet in the middle of the field. Stephanie puts herself between me and the two
as we walk ; I hiss at her and she gets out of the way. When will these two ever give me credit for being able to protect myself? I suppose the answer is ‘likely never.’ I may think I’m old enough to look after myself, but to them I’ll always be a baby.
As we get within a few feet from each other, the girl raises her hand and continues to walk towards me. “No, you’re going to have to stop right there, young lady,” Raphael says pleasantly. The girl stops immediately. Raphael has likely given them clear instructions at least twice on how the meeting will go. He never leaves anything unsaid.
“Hello,” I say with a smile. “I’m Danielle. Who are you two and why are we meeting out in the middle of a secluded field?”
“ Hi, Danielle. My name is Melissa. It’s so good to finally meet you,” the girl says. She’s a pretty thing, with brown, shoulder length hair, blue eyes, about 5 foot 6 and 125 pounds. She’s
wearing jeans and running shoes, and a light windbreaker. She looks relieved to be here. I can see built up worry and stress in her body; her energy is tense, but not dangerous. “You’re a very difficult woman to get in front of,” she says.
“ Hi, Melissa. I know it can be tough to get together with me. Nature of the beast, sorry.”
“That’s okay, now that I’m here, anyway. I really need your help, Danielle.”
“ Well, you’re direct, I like that. What is it I can help you with?”
“ I need your protection.”
“ From whom?” I ask.
She looks nervously at her friend. He shrugs and nods. Melissa takes a deep breath and turns back to face me. “I think from pretty much everyone on the planet.”
“ Wow,” I say. “You must be quite the special person to be afraid of that many people.” I look at Raph and Stephanie. They both raise their eyebrows in agreement with me.
“ She is, Danni,” Raphael says. “Remember what I told you humans could do if they could just get over their own mental blocks?”
“You’ve said a lot of things over the years about what humans could do if they’d just get out of their own way,
The world is rotting. And I don’t care.
At last tally, the Gamers movement continues to grow. It’s at about 70 million people around the world. It can’t be stopped; it’s now a major religion and in no danger of fading. There are hundreds of leaders, many incredible people all working to keep things moving forward. They all look to me for leadership. I’ve exhausted my hunt for Carl on my own; perhaps it’s time to step up and take the stage. An extra 70 million people helping me look for him would be useful. Yes, I think that’s the next step. I need to keep busy so I don’t think of Trew. I miss talking to him, but he’s not viewing me now and he never will. Now I just talk to myself, pitiful creature that I am.
“ Here they come,” Stephanie says without opening her eyes. I wonder if her hearing is that sharp, or if the Eternals share some sort of psychic link. I’m not in the mood to ask. I start to scan the horizon for them.
Slowly a car appears in the distance. It gets closer and I see that it’s a rental. The car stops not far from us, and Raphael gets out of the passenger seat, opening the back door for the two occupants inside.
A girl gets out first; she looks to be in her late 20’s. Then a man about the same age exits the car. He looks relaxed, but the girl looks very nervous. Raph says something to them, and the girl looks over at me. Her face lights up into a smile and she raises her hand to wave at me. I smile and wave back. I might be sad and bitter inside, but I still love people, especially young ones who are happy to be alive. Gotta love their innocence.
They walk towards me and we do the same. We meet in the middle of the field. Stephanie puts herself between me and the two
as we walk ; I hiss at her and she gets out of the way. When will these two ever give me credit for being able to protect myself? I suppose the answer is ‘likely never.’ I may think I’m old enough to look after myself, but to them I’ll always be a baby.
As we get within a few feet from each other, the girl raises her hand and continues to walk towards me. “No, you’re going to have to stop right there, young lady,” Raphael says pleasantly. The girl stops immediately. Raphael has likely given them clear instructions at least twice on how the meeting will go. He never leaves anything unsaid.
“Hello,” I say with a smile. “I’m Danielle. Who are you two and why are we meeting out in the middle of a secluded field?”
“ Hi, Danielle. My name is Melissa. It’s so good to finally meet you,” the girl says. She’s a pretty thing, with brown, shoulder length hair, blue eyes, about 5 foot 6 and 125 pounds. She’s
wearing jeans and running shoes, and a light windbreaker. She looks relieved to be here. I can see built up worry and stress in her body; her energy is tense, but not dangerous. “You’re a very difficult woman to get in front of,” she says.
“ Hi, Melissa. I know it can be tough to get together with me. Nature of the beast, sorry.”
“That’s okay, now that I’m here, anyway. I really need your help, Danielle.”
“ Well, you’re direct, I like that. What is it I can help you with?”
“ I need your protection.”
“ From whom?” I ask.
She looks nervously at her friend. He shrugs and nods. Melissa takes a deep breath and turns back to face me. “I think from pretty much everyone on the planet.”
“ Wow,” I say. “You must be quite the special person to be afraid of that many people.” I look at Raph and Stephanie. They both raise their eyebrows in agreement with me.
“ She is, Danni,” Raphael says. “Remember what I told you humans could do if they could just get over their own mental blocks?”
“You’ve said a lot of things over the years about what humans could do if they’d just get out of their own way,
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