Chapter 10 - Carl

Style: Fantasy Author: Very fineWords: 9007Update Time: 24/01/18 19:52:07
"Portman, I found someone. Matthew Westin, his friend who plays basketball with him. He has a beat-up white pickup truck at home."

"Did you find the address?"

"Mom doesn't know. Maybe it's the school?"

"They don't disclose this information directly. Have you checked the vehicle database?"

"system".

"Of course... okay. I'll go get it from school. I have a friend in the government."

"What if the Stockson kids come back?"

"I can't be everywhere. You have to come over and cover it."

"Damn, I hate surveillance."

"Just don't be too obvious."

Website: Dragon Kingdom - Fantasy Discussion Board: Off Topic Chat Topic: Real Life Fantasy Post #27742: fa

tasya

o

9(Novice)[09/12/04]

Friends, I am a changed person. I have been to the other side and seen the world we all long for. this is true. Elves and wizards, dragons and castles. I stumbled upon a well high in the mountains, and when I dived into its depths, I discovered a world adjacent to ours, full of wonder and mystery. Come, sit by the fire and ask me anything you want to know about this strange new world. I just came back and I really want to chat with netizens.

Topic:Re:Real Life Fantasy Post #27746: Eld

azo

(Master of Heaven)[09/12/04]

@fa

tasya

o

9:Hi, welcome to the forum. You mean you actually went to a fantasy world? Prove it ;P

Topic: Real Life Fantasy Post #27747: fa

tasya

o

9(Novice)[09/12/04]

How dare you laugh at my adventures and bring you these adventure stories?

Topic:Re:Real Life Fantasy Post #27749: Eld

azo

(Master of Heaven)[09/12/04]

@fa

tasya

o

9What can I say, I'm a skeptic Wi

k

Topic:Re: Fa

Tasy i

Real Life Post #27751: ca

tstopdabeat (Membe

) [09/12/04]

Eldrazo don't feed the trolls

Topic:Re:Real Life Fantasy Post #27850: Eld

azo

(Master of Heaven)[09/15/04]

I think I scared him away.

Topic:Re:Real Life FantasyPost #125614: Rey

i

_Cellma

(Newbie)[10/02/10]

I trust you. PM me.

I went back to the house.

I no longer consider it my home. Of course I didn't. It was a place to sleep and keep my stuff, but it couldn't be my home. That's a trap. There is no place in this world that can be my home.

I left Jane. I couldn't bear to think about her new impression of me. I also participated, albeit reluctantly, in the torture and execution of an elf. Also a friend of hers, judging by her horrific reaction. Jane will never look at me the same way again, and that breaks my heart more than anything nasty in the world. I loved her and she couldn't bear to see me in that moment. She is so kind and noble.

Not like me. I am a traitor. I am worthless. When the time came, Rainier asked me for help, and I led my men out of the city. We didn't fight. We did nothing. We just walked away, leaving Rainier to face the wrath of the revolutionary movement.

They were my closest friends and I felt like I was betraying them both. First Rainier, now Black. I want to do something to avenge him. I can not. There is nothing to do.

Nothing, nothing. I am a person who is drifting in time and lost in space. I don't belong to this world.

I walked in. No one seemed to be home. very good. I can't cope with my parents right now. If they see me, they will pierce the shell I created. I'm vulnerable. I feel empty inside. A gust of wind can carry me to the ends of the earth.

I'm so... cold.

Website: Egg-

o-

mBoard: Off-topic topics: Looking for writers to help develop ideas CyclicalDest

uctio

[09/02/08]

I had an idea for a fantasy story. Alternate world style, ordinary high school students are pulled into a fantasy world and must figure out where to go and what to do. However, I don’t want to overplay this fish-out-of-water comedy. This will be legal stuff.

Rough idea: One night, the kids go to the forest and end up being sucked into a new world. The kids will be separated in no time. Not supporting each other. With warring factions and all that, they're going to have to fight each other eventually. Two of them are even relatives and still end up on opposite sides of the war. It's going to be dramatic.

Yeah, no, not quite there yet, but I'm working on it. I just want someone to give me some advice. Anyone interested?

Private message topic: The fantasy world you posted comes from: Cy

aveil to:CyclicalDest

uctio

If you don't mind me asking (I know you gave up long ago), where did you get the inspiration for this story?

Private message subject:Re:Fantasy World You posted about From:CyclicalDest

uctio

To:Cy

aveil

Damn, that’s the past. I haven't thought about that in a long time. I don’t know, I thought of it one day. Why do you ask?

Private message subject:Re:Fantasy World you posted about from:Cy

aveil to:CyclicalDest

uctio

Really? Your imagination?

Private message subject:Re:Fantasy World You posted about From:CyclicalDest

uctio

To:Cy

aveil

Aha, really?

I feel adrift. Even my anchor, the mighty internet and its endless capacity to engage and entertain, makes me more depressed. No one can answer me. The few people I found who claimed to have had similar experiences had either long since disappeared from Bulletin Board's archives or outright admitted that they were lying.

That's all lies. Except mine.

Why should the Internet trust me? The Internet doesn't trust anyone openly. All the stories are lies, all the people are fake, all the women and children are desperate men and undercover FBI. How can an unimportant person like me get access to the indifferent internet?

I felt myself sinking further and further as the sheer futility of it all washed over me. I was disconnected from the world. I turned around in my chair and saw an object come into focus. A thick, black rope lay in the corner, beckoning. The rest of the room became a blur. My eyes narrowed to the rope and I saw the detail clearly. Every inch of detail: the effect of light on texture, the extension of white stripes, fading and cracking from use. Shiny tip at the end.

Exhaustion defines me. The world is no longer worth your efforts.

My eyes followed the coil around and around. Then, from the end of the rope to the wall, I found another line that I could trace. Frame around wardrobe door. White wood, elegant shape, perfect as always. clean. Look, that's it, no scratches at all. Up, up, higher and higher. There, as it crosses to meet the other end.

There, behind the frame. A sturdy metal pole built into the wall. It contains clothes. beautiful clothes. Clothes for special occasions, for my father to dress me up and show me around like he was his son, his former boss. Someone he wanted to be proud of.

I wondered, what would he think of me if I stopped? How would my perfect father react if I suddenly disappeared—for real this time? What would my mother think? How many people would join?

I didn't care about clothes then and I don't care now. I stared at the pole intently.

I stood up and felt like the world was on my shoulders. It's heavy and I'm tired. I reached out, my arms struggling in the thick air. I'm not tall enough. I looked around and found an empty computer case that I could stand on.

I pulled the pole. It's very sturdy. I pulled harder and it wouldn't budge.

That'll be fine.

I looked back at the rope coiled in the corner. Is it strong enough?

Website: Anonymous Forum for Writers: Reading → Fantasy → General Topics: Has anyone had an out-of-body experience? WikiWa

io

(Advanced User)[04/02/07]

I was almost scared. I don't know if I'm dreaming.

Well, let me explain. I don’t remember falling asleep, but I felt like I was in a whole new world. It's like a crazy fantasy world. I met a group of elves who spoke a language I didn't understand. They repulsed the invading army, surrounded their forest, and launched an attack. I want to help, but I'm only human, even in my dreams. Poor ami

it?

Anyway, after they fought off the humans, they took me to...

. ..

Then I came back to the real world and I woke up in bed with a huge headache. I know, it's probably just a dream, but seriously, this feels so crazy, I have to post something. Does anyone else have similar ones?



Topic:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Has anyone had an out-of-body experience? Bottlemu

de

(Elite) [04/07/07]

@OP Too detailed for a dream. Are you sure you're not on drugs or something?

Topic:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Has anyone had an out-of-body experience? WikiWa

io

(Advanced User)[04/07/07]

@Bottlemu

de

Like I said in my previous post, never do drugs. I think this might be legal.

Topic: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Has anyone had an out-of-body experience? Rispetto (newbie) [04/08/07]

fuki

fraud. Might have been stolen from another website.

[The user of this post has been banned: Repeat Burn~mod]

Topic:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Has anyone had an out-of-body experience? Rolli

ikB

TheMuffi

s(newbie)[04/08/07]

I know he's been suspended, but I still want to refute Rispetto's statement. @WikiWa

io

is legal. I've been through the same thing. Even went to the same place. Can you PM me? I'd like to talk more about this.



Topic:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Has anyone had an out-of-body experience?SylfSympathize

(Newbie)[10/02/10]

Sorry about that undead, but I've probably been through the same thing. @WikiWa

io

@Rolli

gi

theMuffi

s, can you add me to PM?

Topic:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Has anyone had an out-of-body experience? Bottlemu

de

(Elite)[10/02/10]

@SylfSympathize

This post disappeared a few years ago and neither of them hang out here anymore. Someone must have admitted on IRC that it was fake. It's archived because it's so fun to watch them in action before they "disappear".

Topic:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Has anyone had an out-of-body experience?SylfSympathize

(Newbie)[10/02/10]

@Bottlemu

de

, you don’t happen to have their email address, do you? Or is there any way to contact them?

Topic:Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Has anyone had an out-of-body experience? Bottlemu

de

(Elite)[10/02/10]

@SylfSympathize

Sorry, I can't help. Forum rules: Personal information is prohibited. I didn’t either, anyway. Try PM?

No.

The word buzzed in my head.

No.

I froze in place, the rope only half way to my head.

No.

I'm not going to give up. not yet. There must be a way.

I let go of the bar. I didn't feel any better; I could still feel the weight on me. I sat down and restarted my computer. I need to do something. Anything to distract me.

I almost succeeded...

Oh, God.

I tried to get rid of the thought but it still lingered in my mind. My desktop booted up and I went straight to the Internet again. I keep each post in a neat folder, with tags scattered across my screen with a click. To my dismay, there wasn't a single new reply. Nothing at all.

No.

It's time to get back to work. Anyway, I'm going back to Sierraville. I realized what I did wrong. So far, I've taken the polite approach in every attempt to get information. I nodded and smiled, I followed the rules. I think like a normal internet citizen, follow etiquette and know my place.

I took another look at the coil and felt a shiver run through my body.

I narrowed my eyes. I don't belong to this world. Why should I follow its rules? My world, my laws and my life are back in Sierraville. This is my mission. I will go back and take revenge on everyone in the Selman family. No one survives. Once the entire corrupt bloodline is purged from the kingdom, I can rest easy.

Fucking Earth. I have a real life to live.

Website:Wa

ez Hut Board: Lists → Entertainment → Fantasy Theme: Looking for Series #5542561 cy

ic_veil (F

esh) [01/06/09]

Find a book series about escaping into a fantasy world. One of them is that they have elves but insist on calling them something else just to be different. Teen, kind of like a teen series, but not quite. Sy

a-somethi

g. I don’t know, it just feels super good. Hope this happens to me too.

Topic: Re: Looking for Series #5542580 Iceman (Super Host) [01/06/09]

wrong part. This is for posting downloads, not requests. This is your third violation and you are suspended.

~Thread lock~

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FROM: [email p

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noticed] RE: Fa

Tasy Wo

lds. Saw you online

What if they are real? Tell me, do you know anything about Silvers? Or Cellma

s?

FROM: maile

-daemo

@qmail.com

TO:fa

tasty.th

owaway.add

@qmail.com

RE: Deliver

y Status Notification

(Failu

e)

Messages sent to the following recipients fail permanently:

cy

ic.godslaye

@coldmail.com

SMTP: 553 5.1.8: The domain of the sender address (coldmail.com) does not exist. Maybe not register anymore?

Having a solid goal keeps me focused and takes my mind off the pain. I don't have a solid path forward, but that's not a problem for me. I can do abstract as long as my end goal is clear. In this case, it's the most direct way to measure success. I could either go back to Sierraville or die on the road. The rest of the universe is nothing. There is no earth.

But the earth will never make it easy for me. Even when I started digging deeper—breaking more rules, scanning the site for security vulnerabilities, looking for ways to contact users more directly—the results always seemed beyond my grasp.

I can't stop. I will never stop.

I wish my informant was still here. At Kandel, I had a network and it was much more than that. Lower class people, criminals, everyone who helped me get to the top. Even when Rey and I

i

After becoming friends and being given titles and lands, I still maintained that connection. The pickpockets and thieves who trained me to be one of their own, they became part of my personal army. They may not stand up and fight directly like well-trained soldiers, but they can fight with the best - and more importantly, each of them knows how to operate on the streets.

They know what to listen to, who to follow, and how to keep up with the city's ever-changing politics. I know every power play and I take advantage of it whenever I get the chance. I often work on both sides of every agreement, every alliance formed, every contract broken. Whenever a noble wanted to improve their status in the city, their first call was to meet me in an alley.

I laughed at them all behind their backs. They trust me even more than their companions, because I am a foreigner. I was an outsider with no apparent connections or motivations and seemed eager to help my fellow citizens. I preyed on their insecurities, their racism, their disdain for the poor, even as I exploited those poor people to undermine their strategy. They underestimate the true value of the loyalty of the beggar on the street corner, often leading to their downfall.

In the same way I wish I could use the internet now. Somewhere in this virtual city of cities, I would find that lonely street corner where another person who knew true magic was waiting. They would allow me to take the next step in my return. In those posts that most people would overlook or ignore, there will eventually be someone who proves to be the real deal and holds it close to their chest like I do.

It's just a matter of time and persistence.

Location: Dark Alley Board: Conspiracy and Mystery Theme: Parallel Dimensions and Modern Applications

Error: You do not have permission to view this board. (Moderator’s message: Sorry, this forum requires membership to view posts.)

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Location: Dark Alley Username: Lighthouse Password: g0

489fjglz2 Topic: Parallel Dimensions and Their Modern Applications

This was recently published. I posted it under this bulletin board because this is a paid magazine and I don't want it to be taken down.

If you just look at the abstract, it seems to indicate that they may have discovered a parallel dimension while doing teleportation experiments. However, since this is quantum teleportation, which only involves the transfer of information and not any form of physical mass, the theory of parallel dimensions goes out the window. Therefore, this thread is purely speculation on the ideas raised by the possibility of parallel dimensions, and what we might need to prepare for in the event that such travel becomes a reality, as our governments will undoubtedly take full advantage of it.

A war between worlds will undoubtedly...

I delved into the more restrictive bars, the smoking-only members-only pubs that didn't notice me slipping in through the back door. Yet, inside, I found only the paranoia of a paranoid conspiracy maniac. I started spending real money on these surveys and got nothing in return. What else can I do? There's still a lot of stuff to browse online, and I don't seem to have anything else to spend my money on. It’s an investment and I’m willing to make it.

I was so focused that I didn't hear the garage door open or the heavy footsteps on the stairs.

"Karl?"

I looked up. Why is it already morning? The sun has not risen yet. I checked the time. It was still early, but I stayed too late.

"…Hi Dad."

By all accounts, my father was a pretty intimidating man. He is tall and strong. He works out every morning before going to work. There was no way I could take on him in my current situation.

But he didn't seem to be there to face me. He closed the door gently and sat on my bed. It felt like the beginning of a lecture. I turned around in my chair and returned to the screen, fully prepared to ignore him and face the consequences. They don't mean much in the long run.

The monitor went blank. I turned back to my father, anger heating my skin like the first signs of wildfire. He flipped a switch on the power strip on my desk. The computer itself was plugged into another TV, so it wasn't affected, but I couldn't see anything.

I guess he was trying to make me talk. so be it.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice hard. I'm not in the mood for diplomacy.

"Carl, I'm not here to fight," he said calmly. I was stunned. My dad is usually the one who overreacts. Sometimes, I'm not sure he knows how to speak at a lower volume than yelling. I was ready to get back to work when he was done eating, but this left me speechless.

"I know you skipped class. Is everything okay?"

I took a few seconds to compose myself. I'm not sure how this conversation should proceed. If he could be that calm, maybe I could try to play along with him. There are some puzzles I don't know yet, so I need to proceed with caution.

"Everything is fine, Dad. Why?"

"Your grades are great. If you feel like school is too slow or too boring for you, I understand. But you still have to attend." He spoke calmly, with just a hint of anxiety. Is he really worried about me?

"There are...other things on my mind." I paused and emphasized.

"Do you need to talk to someone?"

"Like what, a consultant?" I was actually hostile to the idea. I've never been a fan of lying on the couch telling a complete stranger how I'm feeling. They weren't supposed to know what I was thinking.

"Not necessarily. Your mother and I are willing to listen, if you want. Or find a professional who won't tell us anything, if you want. Whatever you need."

"Thanks, but I don't need it. Can you turn it on?" I nodded toward the power strip at his feet.

He frowned. "Carl, the police are here today."

If he had pulled out a gun and started shooting, I don't think I would be so shocked. It's like jumping into an ice bath. Everything is frozen. My nerves were on edge with fear. I was ready to run at a moment's notice. I think my dad saw it too.

He narrowed his eyes. "what have you done?"

"Nothing. I didn't do anything." That's technically correct in a case the police may be investigating. I have nothing to do with Blake.

"Carl, they want to talk. I told them I would call if you came back, but I wanted to hear your side of the story first. Your friend is gone."

There, he confirmed it. Police discovered Black's disappearance. We now have a timer. They ask questions that we can't answer. We either confess what we did, or we become pariahs for unsubstantiated accusations - blamed for disappearances but never convicted. The only real way out is to disappear from this world again.

The fuse has been lit. I could run away, or I could jump on top and protect my friends from the explosion.

Or, a third option. I could cut the fuse and let the bomb explode at any time, waiting for us to be far, far away. I'll leave it where it is, unmoving. It would be easier to convince Matt if the threat and solution were right in front of us.

"I haven't heard from him yet," I replied nonchalantly, hoping I hadn't hesitated for too long. "I've actually been trying to contact him."

The look of suspicion did not go away. Even though I had long since given up on the idea that he had any authority over me, I still cringed under his gaze. He had a piercing eye—something I had inherited and which I had put to good use many times over the years, both with servants and with prisoners.

But I'm not going to back down. Not this time. "Well, can I go on? We're wasting our time here." "

There, his eyes widened. I allowed him to react authentically and return to the father I knew. "You have to respect me, young man."

"If you say so," I said gently. I reached forward and turned the power strip back on. The monitors came on one after another, each one lighting up the room a little more as they warmed up.

"This is serious, Carl. Your friend is missing. If you know anything, you have to tell me. I'm trying to help you."

"I don't. Sorry." I didn't look at him twice. I'm trying to set up automation for a scanner that I've been using all morning to check websites for security vulnerabilities, anything that can give me more information.

He sighed. "If you want to protect someone, I understand. But your loyalties are misplaced. If you don't step up now, things will be worse."

Loyal? That gives me some hesitation. Does he want to mention loyalty? Loyalty is the purpose of my life now. I have an obligation to avenge my friend. I am loyal to my comrades, my guild, and the people of my city. I know the true meaning of loyalty.

Lack of loyalty is the cause of all this chaos. betray.

That's the word. betray. Matt's betrayal.

I've got the wrong person. My father is not important. Matt is the key to everything. Matt deliberately sent Blake to die. He lied to us and the people closest to him in the world.

Matt and I had to do a reckoning. today.

I accessed my remote server and set it up to run the automation script I just wrote. It was in the clouds and far away from my home, so neither the police nor my father could get close to it. Once the cloud computing machine was up and running, I loaded a script I wrote a long time ago on my desktop, just in case. I never thought about using it.

In a few minutes, my hard drive will be wiped. My machine is a total wreck.

There is no turning back now.

I grabbed my laptop and stuffed it into my bag.

"What are you doing?"

To be honest, I almost forgot my father was still in the room.

"I have to go." I hung my schoolbag on my shoulder. The car was already loaded with a change of clothes and other basic necessities. Once we got back I packed it up thinking I could take it over. Nothing traveled through the first time, but who knows what we might find now?

"Carl, sit back. We're not done yet." Dad stood up, but I was already out, speeding up as I walked. I wasn't sure if he was going to try to physically restrain me, so I wasn't going to give him a chance. I ran away.

He followed me downstairs, thumping with every step. I was about to open the front door when it occurred to me.

The police have already arrived. What if they were spying on the house?

I need another outlet. I turned and ran for the back door and into the garden.

"Carl, if you leave, I can't protect you anymore! Please!" He sounded desperate, but I was already rushing through the door. It landed behind me with a thud as I rushed across the lawn. I Can I still climb the fence?

I'm about to find out.

I jump. My hands grabbed the top of the solid wood and slammed it against the wall. Can I still move? Yes, I can still move. The bag doesn't seem as heavy as it did two days ago. Maybe I'm stronger now, maybe it's just the adrenaline. Anyway, I managed to crawl into my neighbor's yard.

I climbed over the top and rolled into the bushes on the opposite side. I fell to the lawn with a heavy gasp.

The back door of my house opened. I heard the shout, but it passed over my head like the wind. In that glorious, beautiful moment, I felt free again. There was another lawn, another fence, and I was back on the street where I wandered all day yesterday.

Only this time, I have a mission.