Unison (The Spheral) (57 page)

“That’s why I never told you. Your act of kindness turned Lidian’s life around. You saved him—and by saving him, you saved his victims.”

“It’s not enough. The scale between my good and evil actions remains unbalanced. The Corporate Hierarchy subjugated the Unitians with my help…and yours. Perhaps if I had your training as a psychological engineer, I’d handle all of this as well as you.”

“Training has nothing to do with it. I listened to your advice and helped with Freedomline. I’d ask you to stay and help me continue, but my iniquity can only be paid by my service alone.”

“I understand.” He stared reflectively out the window. “That mountain reminds me of the home I made with Payma. She was good to me—the perfect counter to my morose personality. When I’d wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, she’d sit in silence and listen to my jabbering and self-blame until I calmed.” He touched the window with the palm of his hand. “I found salvation in her silence.” He turned to face me. “What if it never ends?”

I didn’t answer him in this incarnation, but Tyrus picked up on my irresolution, identified by my thumb and pointer cradling my chin.

“What a slocking mess we’re in,” Tyrus said.

One certainty I started to count on throughout my incarnations: I could never hide anything from Tyrus. I was counting on Flora being equally readable. I met her on the ridge, and struck her with my plazer. I would’ve rather let her walk down with me, but I didn’t want to risk her recognizing me.

I looked down at Shisa. “Think she’ll thank me for preventing her nasty fall?”

Shisa panted and whimpered.

“You’re probably right.” I scooped Flora in my arms and carried her to my cabin for the sixth time. She seemed to get heavier with each haul.

DAMON’S DUNGEON

F
lora awoke bound to the chair. Seeing her reignited the torment I went through on the night she was taken from me. As painful as it was to be forgotten, I was grateful she had no memory of the savagery that befell her.

“Sorry I had to knock you out.” I picked up the remote controller and lowered the shades. “I didn’t want you to see me.”

The only light now came from two lanterns on a table I positioned behind Flora.

“I wasn’t alone,"  she said. “There are other guards on their way.”

I grabbed an apple from the table, flipped it in the air and caught it. “Then we’ll start now.” I stood behind Flora and spoke softly. “Every time we meet I’m reminded of the
Allegory of the Cave
. It was written during the forgotten times, and I’m going to present to you my version. Before we begin, I’d like to ask if you’re comfortable?”

Flora thrust herself forward. “Untie me now!”

“Whatever you’re feeling—hold on to it. Comfort equals surrender, and I don’t want you to surrender.”

“Why am I tied up then?”

“Imagine you lived your whole life strapped to that chair, facing only the shadow in front of you.” I swayed side to side with my arms extended outward.

“Are you Damon 1300-333-1M?” Flora turned her head to identify the possessor of the shadow.

I stepped out of the light beam’s path. “Imagine you can’t move your head and can only observe what’s in front of you.”

“Why should I do anything you ask?”

“Imagine, and you’ll answer your own question. After I’m finished, you’ll be free to leave…if that’s your decision.”

“I already decided.” Flora turned her head back towards the shadow. “Let’s get this over with so I can leave.”

I reentered the light. “You see the illumination in front of you, but you’re unaware the lanterns are producing the glow because you can’t see what’s behind you. You accept the light as a naturally occurring part of your reality.” I rested the apple on the palm of my hand and placed it beneath Flora’s nose. “The shadow brings you sustenance, but you can’t detect the actual hand that feeds you. Your head can’t move, and neither can your eyes. You only recognize your food by smell and—”

“This is an impossible—and ridiculous scenario. What are you trying to prove with it? That I’m your prisoner, and you’re in control? I already get that. What do you want from—”

I clutched Flora’s shoulder, and she gasped.

“Just imagine.” I leaned down and whispered in her ear. “And then you’ll realize you can never comprehend the apple’s shape and color.” Maintaining focus was difficult. The scent of sandalwood on Flora’s hair reminded me of the night we spent in the trainlet, when I unraveled one of her braids. “You can only know it by its taste,” I bit the apple, “and smell.” Another waft of sandalwood blew up my nostrils and scrambled all the incarnations in my brain.

Flora turned her head to the side. “I’m not hungry.”

I took another bite of the apple and chewed slowly, allowing myself time to reconnect to my current timeline.

“If you let me go, I won’t tell anyone about this cabin.”

“My secret is safe with you. It’s impossible to know where you are because you have no comprehension that anything exists beyond this space, and you have no desire to even consider the possibility of leaving. The shadow shows you interesting visual displays, accompanied by entertaining stories that don’t contradict your reality.” I made flapping motions with my arms. “You live for these moments. It’s the only time you’re happy.” I stroked Flora’s cheek. “The shadow also gives you sensations of pleasure. These times are your favorite because they take away your loneliness, and you can’t understand why you feel this way. You have everything you desire…but something is missing, and you don’t know what it is.”

Warm tears trickled down Flora’s face. The impulse to take her in my arms was strong, and I had to remind myself I was a stranger to her.

“And you’re so lonely.” I retracted my hand. “So lonely. What are you missing?”

“Freedom. I can’t go anywhere.”

“If you never experienced motion, how would you know you could leave?”

“There must be a somewhere else.”

“Why?”

“There must be more than what’s here.”

“Would you believe anything else existed if all you’ve ever understood was the shadow in front of you?”

She hesitated and then cried softly. “No.”

“Would you think you had everything you needed because it was brought to you—before you even asked for it?”

Flora tilted her head downward. “I would.”

“If you have all you need, why would you think there’s something missing?”

“I’m…not sure. I just know that there is.” Flora’s words became choppy as she tried to stop herself from crying. “There has to be something more than this, something more than being forced to do the same thing every—”

I stepped back and said nothing else.

“Is that it?” She sniffled loudly. “I remain tied up forever?”

“Until you free yourself…yes.”

I walked to the table and picked up a knife.

“Are you Damon 1300-333-1M?” Flora asked.

“Shadows remain unnamed…until you’re willing to see who casts them.”

As I exited the back of the cabin, I shielded my eyes from the sun and turned to face Flora. I knew this day was coming, and I groomed myself so she’d take me seriously. When Flora’s eyes adjusted to the brightness, she looked at me as though I wasn’t what she expected. I liked that—her not looking down at me as some wild uncivilized apeman.

“When I first stepped outside, the sunlight was unbearable and painful.” I led Flora past the vegetable garden and towards the pond. “After the blinding effect of the sun wore off, I started to distinguish other colors and shapes.” I stopped to gaze at the mountain. “Seduced by the sights and sounds of the outside world, I wanted to learn more.”

I continued my walk towards the mountain. “I was moved by the amazing things I’d seen here and on the other side of the old tunnel. World philosophies, cultures, and art flooded my brain, which became part of my new understanding. I tried to tell a woman about my experiences, but she failed to understand me because she was still bound by chains. To her, nothing existed beyond the shadows.”

“You could help free her.”

“The previous owner of this cabin showed me the truth, but I refused to acknowledge it because all I recognized were the shadows. It wasn’t until I left Unity that I realized how much I was missing.” I recalled the vision I had of Flora in my last incarnation, when I pushed her in Sephroy’s cart. “No one else sees through your eyes but you. Only you can decide whether you want to limit your vision to the shadows or step outside and see what’s real.”

“Did you kill the Overseer?”

“What do you think would be my motivation?”

“You want to be Overseer.”

“Who would induct me to such a high honor? I haven’t been to Unity in years.”

“Kai discovered your loyalists inside the dome.”

“I have no
loyalists,
and I’ll leave you to ponder what I’ve said. It’s up to you whether you want to free yourself from your chains. These are my final words on the subject. Time is a luxury I can’t afford now, and I have a few tasks to take care of before I leave.”

Flora followed me back into the cabin without saying a word. She explored the various items on the shelf and picked up the Ganesha.

“The eight lives of Ganesha: jealousy, arrogance, confusion, greed, anger, lust, possessiveness, and pride. I’ve managed to experience all of them—in each of my incarnations.”

“You can be helped. This confusion is caused by the scourge.”

I couldn’t help but smile at Flora. “You know I’m not sick.”

“Your answer confirms you are.”

“Nothing you say can ruin my mood because I know you understand.”

“I’m here to help you, not ruin you.”

“I know that now. Your intentions were always transparent.” I tossed my hands in the air. “I’m not the great psychological engineer I once believed myself to be because I couldn’t see it.”

“So you’ll go with me?”

“No.”

“You said you agreed with me.”

“I understand your motivation now. You act out from compassion, which you view as a burden. It’s not, Flora. What you have is a gift. Tyrus agrees, and that’s why he called you a rare gem.”

“How did you know about that?”

“I know many things about you.”

“Like what?” she asked.

“You like to hear the truth.”

“Then start speaking it.”

I pointed to my eyes. “This time, you must observe for yourself.”

SIREN SONG

I
sat on the front porch chair pondering what my confrontation with Kai would bring, what story he’d tell me, and what insult he’d throw my way to get a reaction.

Flora stood near the edge of the porch, gazing at the waterfall. She hadn’t said a word since we came outside.

“He’ll be here soon,” I said.

“Who?”

“There’s a listening device in the cabin. It’s on the table. Go get it, and leave from the path behind the vegetable garden. I’ll begin transmitting when Kai arrives. You’ll be able to hear everything he says, and when you do, you’ll be angry. Resist your desire for vengeance; it never turns out well.”

Shisa came running from the base of the ridge. I got up and located Kai with my binoculars. I handed them to Flora.