Elian Cykes's Story

Elian blinked, unsure of the events that had taken place. One moment, he was asleep, curled on his bed, the next, he and his bed were in some strange room. That was not what frightened him, although being away from home was something he was quite terrified of; his parents made life outside his bedroom seem terrible and unfit for a child such as himself, so he chose to stay inside where it was safe. What terrified Elian most was the sight. He could see the definition of the room, every detail. Climbing from the bed, he wandered to the closest wall where a lone picture hang. His bare feet shuffled against the cold floor, sending shivers up and down his spine. Elian could think of nothing else but to reach out and touch the picture. It was a simple picture of a willow tree in a meadow. The grass seemed to be alive, seemingly swaying against an unknown breeze. It looked so pretty, so serene. His fingers first found purchase against the frame, feeling the pattern against his small fingers. His head told him not to touch the painting, but he couldn't help himself and reached out to stroke it.

His eyes widened and he took a step back. "My eyes are playing tricks on me." He gasped, tears streaking down his face. He'd not had eyesight for more than ten minutes and already, he had witnessed an impossible sight. Had his fingers truly gone through the painting? His mind told them they hadn't but his heart swore they did. It was at that moment when he realized that he was not at home. He had known this fact before, but the reality of it had not set in until just now. He couldn't run to his mother for help as he had always done before. There were no maids to clean up after him, no butlers to do what he commanded. But also, there were no rules; none that he was aware of, and now that he could see, he could do as he pleased with no help from others.

Looking around the room again, Elian saw the door. It was small, maybe half of his height, but he opened it and crawled through. On the other side of the door was a hallway. It wasn't too horribly long, but it was longer than he'd expected, which brought the question; where was he? Something told Elian that it was not a question that could be so easily answered, but he still wondered. He started to walk though he had no particular destination in mind. He gazed longingly at the pictures, wondering if one of them led to his home. Knowing none of them did, he shoved his hands in his pocket, finding the piece of chalk that sat inside. With it in hand, he ran back to the door and drew a giant "X" on it so that he may find it again later. Elian began walking again, slightly afraid of touching the pictures, afraid of whatever might lie inside them.

Eden looked up from where she was sitting and blinked. She could swear she heard other footsteps. She got up and set off down the hall again. "H-Hello?" Her voice sounded strange to her ears. Like it wasn't meant for her. Yet there it was coming out of her mouth belonging to her. How and why she would never understand but...Wait was that a boy. "H-Hello???" Down the hallway from her was a young boy maybe 10. She moved closer to the boy carefully not entirely sure what to think. "Do you know whats going on here?" She moved closer a little faster light shimmering off of her skin and bright golden sunny hair. She stopped in front of the boy and looked at him intently.

Elian blinked. He'd been ignorant to the fact that what had happened to him, whatever it was, could have happened to other people too. He was still getting used to his eyesight, but he could see the girl clearly. She didn't look very old, but because she was the first person he'd ever been able to see, he couldn't picture how old she might be. "I don't know. I've been wandering around for what seems like forever." He exaggerated the word forever, but as he did so, he looked around. "Do you know anything about the pictures?"

Kree woke with a gasp. She felt as if air had been forced from her lungs and she'd not had the privilege of breathing for quite some time. Her short brown hair was tangled and matted to her face. She could feel the stickiness of it; a repulsive thought of it being slime crawled into her head. Pushing herself to a sitting position, she leaned against the wall and at that moment, she realized she didn't have her wheelchair and felt a pang of fright work its way through her. She felt it tingle up her arms from her fingertips, down her torso, and when she thought it would end at her waist as it always did when she was afraid, the tingle carried itself down her legs and made her toes numb. What was going on? She looked around, then realizing she was not in her soft, fluffy mattress, but on a cold, hard ground, she began to panic. She was now leaning against a wall in a long corridor, filled with what seemed to be ordinary paintings. Hundreds lined the surface of every shape and size, pattern and theme. They all had their own beauty about them, but she was drawn to one in particular that hung not too far up across from her. In the scene, a family was contently busying themselves while outside the window, it rained. A young girl and someone who may have been her brother played a board game on the floor, the mother sat in a chair and knit, and the father was leaning over the fire, poking it. It reminded her of her own family, before the crash ruined her dreams, before it ruined her family. With a sigh, she slumped over, hanging her head shamefully. Kree blamed herself entirely for the accident that cost her brother his life and her her legs.

The tingle in her legs had returned, but it was more urgent this time. Kree took a deep breath, placing her hands on either side of her waist to steady herself as she slowly attempted moving her legs. At first nothing happened. She'd been so used to not having them that she just got used to it, but she willed herself to stand and finally, her right foot pulled in underneath her, followed slowly by the left until she managed a squatting position. Pain tore through her legs, almost enough to make her want to stop. Almost. Pushing her feet firmly against the ground, Kree began to rise. It was a slow, painful process but she got herself to a standing position. Walking was worse, but she managed to take a few meager steps down the hall, then a few more going a bit faster, until she could walk without wanting to sit and cry.

She kept one hand against a wall at all times, flat against it, bobbing around the beautiful pictures, but slightly grazing the frames with her fingertips. Kree paused in front of a slightly smaller picture. The canvas was splattered with brilliant color, but the theme was the ocean. She reached out and touched the picture, but when her hand went through the surface, Kree couldn't help but let a shrill scream escape her terrified lips. Her first thought was that she'd ripped the painting, but when she could feel a gentle ocean breeze against her palm she immediately withdrew it and screamed once more.

Eden walked over to the boy. "Not really... All I know is well... the paintings don't seem to mind allowing and hand or foot to pass through them." She looked around a little before she looked back at the boy. "Umm... My name is Eden... May I know yours???" She felt so awkward talking to this young man but then again he seemed just as lost and confused as she was so maybe that truly meant they were in the same boat.

~ . ~

Jack was sitting in a quaint kitchen like room. He had been in Here longer then he cared to guess or imagine and so he had grown accustomed to the various places and paintings. He knew this place like the back of his hand and so he had found the paintings that resembled more down to earth things like a kitchen. Despite the fact that in the Here one did not need food. Jack did enjoy a cup of tea from time to time. And tea could only be found by going through the right picture into the right kitchen. The picture itself was not very fancy it was but of a simple little kitchen with a counter and in the cupboards there were things that never ran out or never became bad. It was in this kitchen he found his fancy of earl gray tea. He sipped his tea and looked out the window at the seemingly painted scenery of a little garden with bright pink and white flowers. He smiled to himself closed his eyes and sipped his tea. Then a scream shattered into his silent world. His eyes went wide and the urge to vomit came over him. He shoved the though aside stood up and ran out of the painting. Running from a painting back into here was sometimes still shoking the change in lighting temperature and feel just... Sent chills.

Just down the hall from him was a girl. A girl... A person. Was Here playing its little games again. He looked at the fear and terror in her face and moved to her as calm and cool as ever. He leaned down (He's quite tall) until he was eye level with the girl and smiled. "Calm down... Or you will scare Phillip and George... there the seagulls in the painting." He smiled and kept calming talking about the painting until the girl was calm then he stood again. "My name is Jack and you must be new to all this... Would you like help adjusting to walking again? Normally Here takes care of the pain but if there's allot of new people it could be lagging... So just calm down and soon the pain will end before long you will be walking like it were no problem."

Kree jumped, putting her hands over her mouth in order to muffle the scream that fought to surface. This person, Jack, seemed to know a lot about Here. Taking a few short breaths until she no longer felt the need to scream, she looked up at him. "My name is Kree." Her words were no louder than a whisper, but her gaze never moved from his face. It was so strange for her to find someone else. She'd never guessed other people were Here as well. It made sense. Kree sucked in another huge breath before speaking. "Where exactly is Here? Why am I here?" Many more questions filled her head, but they left just as fast as they'd come.

The pain in her legs was subsiding, but she could still feel it in her knees. "Thank you. I feel much better now. Could you maybe show me around?" She asked, feeling well enough to walk for a while.

~.~.~.~

"My name is Elian." He responded, looking around. "I marked where I came in with the chalk," He mumbled, pulling the small piece of chalk from his pocket. "Every now and then I draw a little on the walls, mark where I've been." He ran his finders over the surface of the object, leaving them dusty and covered with its residue. Holding the chalk made him remember his past, what few nice memories he could muster, and he gave a toothy grin. He felt so out of place here. Where ever Here was. A thought crossed his mind briefly. Here is everywhere and no where. It is all and is nothing. Here is here. Elian's smile faded, but he let a curious look take its place as he looked up at a painting overhead. It looked to be the same painting from the room he'd entered Here from; a lone willow tree in a field of swaying grass. He felt connected to it somehow, but he couldn't place how or why.

Jack smiled. "Kree? Lovely name for a young lady." He got her steady and helped her walk down the hall aways. "Kree this place is called Here. Allong time ago I woke up here and well... Ive been here ever sense... Watching people come and go... But no one has shown up in awhile until today." He brought her along the hall. "There's probably others... But who knows where they are... You think we should go take a look???" He looked around the marble walls and halls ahead of him. This place he called home. It was beautiful but in a way not many people saw. The downside was the lonely-ness. Not many people came here and they always left after a time until he was left alone. Realizing he was distracted he turned his attention back to the girl. "So what species are you???"

~ . ~

Eden blinked at Elian, the boy was not like her. He wasn't... A plant. She was not sure what really gave it off maybe it was the fact he simply felt... Different. "What... What kind of flower are you?" She backed up a little. She wasn't one to judge quickly but under the circumstance and the fact that on her planet everyone was a flower... But this boy he was not a plant and he wasn't well he just wasn't a flower. She did not know what else there was. She scrunched her eye brows. If he wasn't a flower... What could he be? Were there things out there they never told her about? The though made her mind race. Realizing the boy wasn't paying attention she followed his gaze to a painting. It looked like long grass and a tree. A very strange tree. On her planet they had trees similar to that but the leaves were darker and pink flowers would grow wildly. But the painting was in fact very beautiful. She blinked back at the boy. "Hey Elian? If you like the picture so much... Why not just go inside?"

Kree was surprised still at her ability to walk. It had been so long since she'd felt anything beneath her feet, or anything at all in her feet for that matter. "It sounds so sad, to be here alone." She said, looking up at Jack. He seemed friendly enough, but she was still unsure. Something about Here felt odd, unnatural. She realized he'd asked another question while she'd been lost in thought. "Oh, sure, let's go!" The thought of more people shocked her, but still, she was happy to be with other people instead of by herself, even if they were strangers. She took a few steps on her own, thankful Jack had helped her walk the distance. She was starting to get used to walking; the pain in her legs had faded to a dull, inconsistent throb, slowly disappearing altogether. She returned her gaze from her legs to Jack. "I'm human, what else is there?" She'd never thought of any other species, other than animals perhaps. On Earth, she was just one of many, insignificant but necessary, in Here, she felt important, not necessary but needed.

~.~.~

Elian tilted his head slightly to the left, still staring dreamily at the painting. At the sound of her voice, he glanced at Eden. "I'm no flower silly. I'm a . . . a . . ." He tried to think of the word his parents had used, "Humanoid." That wasn't it, but it rolled off of his tongue with great ease. "I'm part robot." Elian finally decided, though he wasn't sure where the word had truly come from. He was positive it wasn't his own. He returned to the picture, studying it slightly. "Will you come with me?" He was still a child, frightened in an unfamiliar place. He found comfort in Eden's presence, as if she were a security blanket. It was as nice to have her around as it was to see. Something about her made things seem easier, possible. "Eden, where do you come from?" His voice seemed small, but he looked at her with a curious eye, knowing she was not like him.

Jack raised an eye brow. "There are many other things... I for instance am not human... But there will be time for that another time." He walked along until they reached a part where the hall grew into a large round room with many other halls. He paused here and turned to Kree. "Everyone should find this spot sooner or later... I think..." He smiled nervously. "So would you prefer waiting or shall we go hunting for our guests?"

~ . ~

Eden blinked. "Ro-bot?" What was a robot? At his question she frowned. "I'm from my home... We call in Aspirality... It's super green and stuff there and all the people are flowers." She beamed light beaming off her skin her hair her eyes. Like she was a human sun burst. "I'm a sunflower... My parents were a Lily and a Rose." She tilted her head. "But you say your a... R-O-BOT... What is a Robot where are they from??? Are they all like you???" She stared at the Elian fascinated and spun around the boy. "You look like me... But your no flower..." She moved closer and poked him before dodging away. "Woahhhh Your skin feels weirddddd~" Wide eyed she moved closer again and poked him once more.

Kree was amazed. It reminded her of the fairy tales her parents had told her growing up of werewolves and vampires. The thought made her question their existence. Were they real? She examined Jack. He looked human, acted human, talked human. How was she to know the difference? "We can seek them out if you'd like." She gave a sweet smile and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She wondered who else might be located in Here and with a yawn, began walking.

~.~.~

Elian giggled when Eden poked him, and again the second time. He was extremely ticklish. "Robots are machines," he started, "we carry out just about every function there is, from flying spaceships to washing your clothes." He smiled, "I have no memory of my planet to describe it to you. I just know it was always very hot. I spent most days inside. I've never seen my planet," He sighed, slightly sad, but perked up as he continued to speak. "My mother worked as an engine repairer, my father ran a car wash. They didn't pay much attention to me. They were always busy, I don't know." He tilted his head to the side again, giving her an odd look before squinting. Finally, he looked away. "You're so bright!" He laughed, looking back at her and shielding his eyes from her light.

Truly, he'd been unaware of his skin. It was morphed over metal, oil flowing between the two much like blood, but keeping his joints from going stiff more so than keeping him alive. The layer of skin was somewhat thin, although it was thick enough to resemble flesh and have a slightly fleshy feel to it before touching metal. It was rather surprising that he even look human, though most people from his planet are born fully human and slowly adapt into the environment. He knew he was, as was his mother, but his father was built using the genes of a deceased member of society. At this stage in his life, he had already gone through the surgery of having all of the metal replace most of his bones, leaving only his legs and skull bone and blood. All primary organs still remained, still functioned, but were less necessary to sustain life. It was more of a decoration now.

"Where should we go now, Eden?" Elian asked, looking around. He was beginning to grow bored of standing.

Jack nodded and lead the way. He weaved through hallways easily making sure Kree kept up. "Yes I look rather human don't I... But I am not... he looked at the girl his red orange eyes locking onto hers. "I was expecting the eyes to give away my non-humanity. But I would rather not talk about what I am exactly..." He looked away. Jack never spoke of his past to anyone... He did not talk about himself much at all people had to work to figure out who he was and what he liked... He jsut did not like giving things like that away so easily.

~ . ~

Eden poked and prodded Elian more. "That sounds pretty cool... Wish I could visit but I don't do well under too much heat I wither... and sorry about the glowing... I reflect light the happier I am the brighter I am neeto hun?" She felt a pang of sadness when he mentioned never seeing his own planet. "So... You were blind hun?" She smiled. "I could not speak... People on my planet said I was just stupid..." Her face flicked to sadness but soon a smile flashed on her face. "Why don't we see if we can't find any others." She had no shoes on and wiggled her toes on the cold marble floor. "Soooo lets goooo~" She ran down the hall giving time for Elian to keep up. She led the robot bow down hall after hall nothing certain pictures for backtracking reference. She kept running until she ran to a dead stop in front of picture.

Kree nodded, "Oh yes, I understand." She let her eyes wander about the hallway, taking in the pictures all at once and also breaking eye contact with Jack. She was in awe by the pureness of Here. It was nice to find something so untouched by the hustle and bustle of her everyday life. Kree smiled, happy to be away from that. She was happy to walk. Mostly, she was happy to for once, be happy. Her family still mourned for the death of her eldest brother, though it had been five years prior to now, and blamed her for the accident. "How long have you been here, Jack?" She looked at him, her green eyes reflected the dim light and seemed to have a small twinkle in them. She kept walking at the pace he'd set, finally comfortable with walking. Her fingers trailed lazily over the smooth surface of the wall, bobbing and weaving over the smaller paintings that hung at her level. Every now and again, they would dance their way into a painting and hang there for a moment before resurfacing and continuing its path along the wall.

~.~.~

"I remember the sand very clearly," Elian whispered, almost quiet enough to have been talking to himself. "on the few occasions Mother and Father allowed me to escape the confines of my room and play outside, I could feel sand everywhere. It stung my skin and made me itchy. I didn't go outside much." His shaggy brown hair fell into his face and he shook it out, giggling as she continued to poke him. "You are pretty neeto. I'm glad you can speak now. I would be so horribly lonely if you couldn't." He smiled at her and when she began to run, he sprinted to catch up with her, but slowed to a fast jog and stayed slightly behind her. He enjoyed the freedom of running, being able to see everything as he passed was so exciting. Elian was euphoric about being in Here. Everything was so wonderful. He couldn't place it, but there was something about his surroundings that made him unusually happy. Elian hadn't noticed Eden had stopped and kept running but when he finally did realize it, tried to stop and ran into her back before collapsing on the ground. "Ow." He groaned, rubbing his head. "That kind of hurt." Though he claimed of being injured, he still showed a look of happiness.

Jack blinked. "I've been here long enough too see 5 groups come an go..." He frowned a little. "I... I don't know why I stayed here or why but I did... I don't ever feel tired or pain or hunger... But I can get injured and sleep and eat... It's strange really." He moved along the path. "It seems that when people find there way Here there always... Broken in a way missing a part of themselves... They stay for 30 days and then leave... By what I can tell I'm the only one who's stayed longer then the normal welcome. And I don't think I could leave... Because I'm not sure there's anything too return too." The though saddened him yet he was content staying in the Here it was a peaceful place.

~ . ~

Eden frowned. "Oh sorry." She helped the robot up. After dusting him off she looked around. "Elian... Whats that?" She pointed to a small square image in the middle of the wall and blinked. The painting hung on the wall it was a dark blue sky with sparkling bright stars. But there were other stars among them that looked burst in the sky with pink and blue and green. There was also a strange city like place full of lights and a large wheel with chairs. "It looks so weird... But really pretty... What is it???" She squinted at the picture and huffed. ((Woot amusement park))

A young man sat on the ledge atop a massive skyscraper made of brass gears and gyros, the air filled with the ticking of hundred of clocks in unison. There was nothing but massive clock towers for miles and miles, all varying in detail and height but sharing the same rhythm like the heartbeat of passing time as the the bright orange sun set slowly behind them. Despite the awe the view might bring to some there was an air of sadness to it as well as the empty city of time had no citizens aside from the boy in black and the further one looked to the horizon, they more run down and ragged the towers started to look. Even here there was obvious patches of rust staining the shining metal, looking like scratches and wounds on the skin of the old buildings. Still, it was peaceful and peace was all Nathan could ask for in the senseless world he'd found himself in.

He closed his eyes and sighed as the sound bore into his mind. It had done it's job of clearing his mind but now he was left with the cold, harsh reality that he still didn't understand this place nor the place that had led him here. It was all a mystery and one that had been unsolved for the last seven days. This strange paradox of a place, Here, screamed of dreamers and idealists, a place where the blind could see, the deaf could hear and the mute could speak. A place where the dying could live. Yet Nathan knew it couldn't last despite nor was he sure whether or not he wanted it to. He mind wandered as he pushed himself up, taking a careful step away from the ledge before turning and making his way back. He weaved through the innards of the clockwork mechanics as he jumped between slow moving pistons and avoided whirling gears until he found the heart of the machine and there, pinned up on a stationary column, was a painting of a long white hallway with dozens of other works of art hanging from the walls. Without hesitating, he walked towards the painting and slide through it as thought it was nothing more than a window.

In the blink of an eye the world changed as the painting became the new reality while the old turned to paper and paint yet again. As he straightened himself up and brushed off dust from his long black coat, a feeling on the back of Nathan's neck began to tingle as he realized the hallway was not empty. Two others stood just next to him, gazing at another picture just three frames away. This would have worried the overly cautious Nathan on his first or second day here but he had quickly learned that the only dangers that existed were the ones that you were willing to let assist. Still, he avoided the other citizens of Here the best he could though he did his best to not come off as rude. He didn't have any problems with the people that found themselves here as well. In fact some of them fascinated him. He was simply not very good with interacting with people, especially some of the odd... things that he'd seen. He tried to quietly turn and walk away from the two without a single word.

Eden blinked and watched Nathan walk for awhile. He was certainly an interesting character... Definitely nothing like herself but she did not mind. She turned to her earlier companion Elian and grabbed picked him up before running to catch up with Nathan. Once she was caught up she set Elian down so he could walk along with the two of them. (( Eden... The only person who would nonchalantly pick someone up like a sack of flour. )) "So Mr.Nathan... Where are you from?" She asked curiously looking around the hallways as they passed various portraits. Each one was beautiful in its own way... Except the one earlier with that... BUG! She shuddered at the thought and frowned before continuing on her train of thought. To be honest Eden was kinda bothered by negative people. Not because they brought her down but simply because they themselves were down and sad. Nathan seemed like a wall of thought but not really negative... Perhaps he was simply more down to earth then she was. It was possible...

Daniel walked slowly trying to observer as much as he could from his surroundings. He had to jot this information down so he would remember and could perhaps help the new people that came here with it. "Hey you guys I feel a bit tired I think somethings wrong with me. I'll just lay down in one of the paintings, you guys go on ahead. " Daniel then went into a painting depicting a clearing with only trees and grass swaying. He laid down and tried to gather his thoughts
1. He came into a world or hub, more like awakened here.
2. In here you are able to go through paintings depicting a piece of land and time.
3. I have no idea how long the stay here is or even if there is a limit.
4. It seems people here have a different physiology.
5. People don't seem to like me talking, so I'll stick to writing on paper to limit the rambling I do, it will be much more time effecient.
6. No one seems to know what is happening here.
Daniel got his most important notes into that list. "Finally some peace and quiet no one to bother me, or threaten to kill me. I might actually enjoy this place, it seems nice and peaceful. No worrying about anything. " Daniel got up and expected there to be a fridge next to him. " Crap, I think I won't ever fully enjoy this place. " Daniel laid on the ground not worrying about anything just looking up thinking about what to next. "There's nothing to do now, besides wait for someone to pass by. Heck I might even get to try my experiment. " Daniel laughed, who was he kidding he was no scientist he didn't know how to build a energy generating machine. "It would be really wonderful if someone who knew about machinery appeared here. " Daniel decided not to worry about anything and just lay down and relax, he's had enough action for one day, if time even meant anything here. Daniel quickly returned to the group.

Nathan looked over his shoulder at the bright haired girl and her companion with another dull look of annoyance in his steely blue eyes. "Don't call me mister," he said plainly before turning his head to face forward, giving no explanation to the sudden rule he was nailing down. He began messing with his gas mask again as he decided to answer her question after a few second of complete silence. "Doubt you would have ever heard of it even if you were human. A village called Kurn in... the countryside." He paused partway into his sentence as he quickly remembered that she wouldn't know the name of an Earth country. Or the remains of one at this point. " His fingers stopped fiddling with his mask and hug loosely by his sides, swinging in rhythm with his footsteps. "It's small, dirty, lifeless besides the people in it. If you want to call what the people are doing 'living'." He turned his head slightly as he directed his words towards the girl again. "You wouldn't like it," he stated quietly in a tone that bordered apologetic, a glint of... something in his eye for a split second that died just as fast as it appeared.

It was only a few more steps down the hall before Nathan stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face another piece on the wall: a plain wooden frame holding an oil painting of a section of door with a sloppily added knob. "While you're here, you might as get use to getting between places," he said, tilting his head towards her as he reached out towards the painting. Unsurprisingly the canvas gave no resistance as his fingers slipped into the world of the picture and gripping the door handle and giving it a sharp turn before he slammed his shoulder into the wooden frame. While the brittle looking wood stayed intact, the entire section of wall surrounding the painting broke away and swung open as if on some invisible hinge to reveal another hall full of pictures, identical to the one they were in aside from the pieces on the walls themselves. Nathan stepped back, tugging his arm before he waved the two in. "Come on. This door closes itself and I'm not sure if it cares if people are passing or not."