I'm Back

[Teebs]

My first attempt at writing anything, I thought I might as well post it here.

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I leaned back in the boat as I stared up at the clouds. A warm breeze and the gentle sound of water lapping against the wooden sides rounded off an idyllic day. Of course, like so many other idylls, it wasn't quite what it seemed. They were watching. Maybe not right this moment, but in general, most definitely.

When I felt rather than heard my boat's soft impact with the bank I heaved myself up and climbed out. There was no need to tie it up, it wouldn't be going anywhere. Behind me the wall loomed in the distance, a constant reminder and a constant threat. The illusion of freedom might be granted to those of us that behaved, but we were never allowed to forget. With a sigh I headed up the bank, to where I hoped my friend would be waiting.

Everyone who ends up in this place has a choice. They can behave, act like good little drones and in return live out a pleasant life, albeit shortened, life. Alternatively they can fight. Struggle against the inevitable and live a miserable life inside the bleak stone cells behind that wall. They might survive longer, but living on gruel, sleeping on cold rock and receiving beatings for just thinking the wrong thing is just that. Survival, not living. I has plenty of time to find that out. Eventually you learn that fighting against the inevitable, howling into the storm, just doesn't work. Since earning my own 'freedom' I've seen a lot of people come and go. Staggering out into the sun, the pain etched into their faces. Dragged back in again when they break one of the rules. Growing old and dying peacefully. Sometimes I despise them, sometimes I envy them, but most of all I pity them.

Maybe they don't want to keep on fighting or maybe they simply can't. In the end it doesn't matter. Over the years I've felt this place draining my life away too, the odd grey hair has started to appear. The difference between me and them is, I never stopped fighting.

With a wave I greeted my friend, shaking hands and exchanging nervous smiles with him.

“So, this is it.” He smiled wistfully.

I gave him a curt nod and looked up at the 'sky'. The time was right and I was about to begin. I would make history, or I'd be back in an empty stone cell, and this time they wouldn't be letting me out again.

“Let's do this.” Getting to work, I traced a circle in the dirt around us.

He grinned. “I'll see you on the far side!”

There was a brief pause, the tension growing until, with a shrug of my shoulders, I truly opened my mind for the first time since I was released from behind that wall. At my side my friend did the same. It came suddenly, one second I was staring fixedly up at a blue sky, the next all I saw was... Well 'saw' isn't even the right word. I saw it, felt it - knew it. Energy flowed across the sky, multi-coloured waves of it. Here sharp streaks of white slashing through the rest, there a veritable mountain of black. I had to keep my mind on the goal, by my reckoning I had three minutes at best before the guards arrived.

I could feel the moment he opened his mouth to begin his own part of the spell. As he breathed in, preparing to speak the first syllable, I slammed a small piece of metal into his throat and began my own chant. Ancient, twisted syllables tore themselves from my throat. As I hurled my power and defiance out he sank to the ground, blood flying from his throat and merging into the circle around us. With an effort of will I ignored the betrayed look in my friend's eyes and focussed on the power roaring through me.

It had been years, I was completely overwhelmed, but also feeling more alive than I had since entering this accursed place. I could feel the warnings going out to the guards, and the slow rearranging of the prison's defences around me. It was incredibly tempting to just lose myself, sink into the blissful power and let it flow through me. Sadly that wasn't the plan. With an effort of will I yanked myself back to my goal.

Anyone without the talent would have seen an odd and disturbing sight. Me, apparently standing in the middle of a circle drawn in some dirt, chanting frantically at a sunny sky as a blood from a man's body formed odd patterns in the air. To the rest, the storm of energy surrounding me would have been both terrifying and exhilarating.

Through a combination of brute force and some extremely detailed patterning I succeeded in slowly forcing a hole in the inner layer of defences. Around me shadows began to lengthen as the guards' manifestations began while above me a black tear ripped through the sky.

The inevitable response followed. The outer defences had been built specifically to deal with anyone who could brute force their way through the inner layers. Power screamed from the sky, slamming into my circle. I could never have fought it, that way lay annihilation, but I didn't need to. A slight twist and it slammed straight into the bloody soaked circle, channelling into the dying body by my side. With a hint of regret I stepped forward and sideways at the same time and just like that it was all gone.

There was no warning, in the blink of an eye the raging torrents of energy were replaced by a faint drizzle on a crowded city street. Free once again, all I could do was stare at the strange clothes, people hurrying past me speaking into little boxes, the oddly shaped cars and wonder how long I'd been gone.

[Caiaphas]

There's a few quirks in your writing that irk me a little bit, such as

Over the years I've felt this place draining my life away too, the odd grey hair has started to appear.

with that comma in the middle, but otherwise, I find it fairly intriguing, with lots of potential story-wise. Do continue.

[Teebs]

Thanks for the feedback. I may write more but I'm not sure at the moment.