Old World Magic Ch. 11

Thats when the screaming started. A hellacious high pitched keening that brought me to my knees. It was the sound of metal rending and glass breaking. Then after several agonizing seconds it was gone. I looked up and Solaris was still standing there, slack jawed, he hadn't heard it. Then the sounds of lions roaring, or some other great beast. Again no reaction from Solaris and I knew... this was feedback. This was the price I was paying for tampering with reality itself. The physical injuries, the bleeding scalp, the fingernails... they were physical, but these auditory hallucinations were going to be so much worse.

I stood and didn't bother to say goodbye to Solaris. My buisness with him was done. I stumbled into the hall, angry at how gravity had ceased to work properly. Several people passed me in business suits, but they all were 'wrong' somehow. They had the heads of great stags, or rabbits, or chattering skulls that oozed maggots.

I made it to the elevator before color left the world. It drained away from everything like melting wax running down a page. The elevator itself was a living breathing thing, it's walls slick with some sort of thick clear slime, and it spoke to me. I didn't understand the language, it was one not meant to be known by men.

Then I was outside in the fresh air, and the sky looked fairly normal thank God. Black and white still, but at least there were five moons shining down the way they were supposed too. I slipped and realized that I'd let my tongue fall out of my mouth.... How careless of me, I thought. I tried to pick it up, but my hands were gone replaced by two white mittens. No, not mittens, rabbits paws. How strange, should I be a rabbit now?

"Buddy, buddy, you ok buddy?" I looked up and saw a six foot tall talking snake wearing a button down and jeans. He had arms, that was odd, I thought.

"I think I need...." I started to say, Then I was taken by the name tag on the snake's shirt, "Raul Jiminez," I slurred, "I had a cab driver with that name not too long ago." I slurred.

"Oi, lets get you to a hospital vato" The snake hissed at me. I smiled and passed out. It seemed like the thing to do at the time.

To be continued.