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BETWEEN ZION & HELL
* 6 *
The high sun shone brilliantly above the expansive ocean... its rippling reflection shining just as brightly into his dark eyes...
With the slightest gesture of his right hand, he moved towards the gleaming beach... the bubbling white waves... the infinite blue horizon...
With another stronger gesture, he walked faster... faster... until he broke into a sprint.. sprinting... running... running along the beach... through the sand... through the limitless space... the incredible, wonderful, joyful space between the water and sky...
He ran towards the birds... the squawking seagulls... and scared them into the air... their wings spreading and flapping... soaring towards the sun...
If he could cry out into the wind, he would.
/This is unbelieveable!/
If he could laugh out loud with the crashing waves, he would.
/Hahahahaha!/
If he could enter that world, he would.
/Hello, World!/
But the sun begin to dim, the waters began to quiet...
/No! Not yet!/
The visions began to fade... until they faded to black...
And he was transported back to reality... back to Zion...
"Time's up, Hitch," Miriam said, "Test is over."
After an agonizing moment, his mind running and racing with thoughts of his parents, his old crewmates, his old friends, he fought back the onslaught of emotions.
"I know," he replied softly.
And Hitchhiker lifted off the audiovisual helmet, unstrapped the wired control glove, and climbed out of the virtuality chair.
"So how was it?" Miriam asked, her long curly locks tied loosely behind her with a simple strip of leather. She had no reason to keep her hair short... Ever since her traumatic rescue from the Matrix years ago, she never wanted to plug into any artificial dreamworld again.
"Not bad!" Hitchhiker said, resting the helmet in the chair, and flipping his orange cap back over his head. "The memory chip was a definite improvement... Much less choppy."
"Great! Ready for your young fans?"
He thought about it.
/Not even a week, and already I have fans?/
"I don't know," he answered. "I haven't even had lunch yet."
"Come on!" /Smack!/ Miriam smacked his massive black-skinned shoulder. "You're such a big baby!"
But Hitchhiker paused and raised a thick black eyebrow.
"What is it?" Miriam smiled at his funny quizzical expression.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"This... the chair... the fame... the recognition."
"What fame?" she smiled.
"Hah! You're really loving this!"
Miriam looked up at him. "Yeah, I guess I am... I think it's nice and courageous and giving of you... to share this personal thing with others."
"You think so?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I really do... and your community loves you for it."
A pause.
"Thanks," he smiled back.
Another pause hung between them, as memories of the tragic past gave way to the bright excitement of today.
"Well?" Hitchhiker straightened up. "What are we waiting for? Bring in today's first victim!"
[*7* coming soon]
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