The Atari Compendium/The Atari Compendium (Toad Computers) (1994).iso/files/umich/demos/scriba0.lzh/DATA.BIN/REVERSE.DOC

Text File | 1979-11-30 | 8KB | 154 lines

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éWeherebypresenttwoshort-storiesconnectedtothegame"Reverse",
whichisfoundinthe"Features"folderonthisdisk...

üReverse
ÇbyGardEggesbøAbrahamsen
dedicatedtoIreneSylte

Cold.Coolness.Thewastelandaroundhimwasempty.Nothingbutawet
massofsnowandice,washinghisfacewithfrozentearsofanguish.
Anotherhour,anotherday.Anothernight,itwasallthesame.Aslongas
theweatherbeathimtotheground.
   Withafewstiffpulls,hemanagedtomovehishandtothesword.It
wasjustascoldashim.Nottheslightestsignofanythingbutcold.His
namewasJeamund.
   TheycalledhimJeamundtheLucky,butheknewthisnamewaswrong.
Theonlyluckythinghecouldrememberwasthathehadbeenborn,but
thenagain,hethoughthewasunluckyhavingbeenborn.Luckwasnoton
hisside.
   HestumbledonabigbloboficethatcruellymadeJeamund'sfoot
slip,asifitdidn'tlikeit,asifitdidn'tbelongthere.Andit
didn't.
   "Bluppo,"hemoaned."MustIsufferlikethis?Forwhatpurpose?"
   Theairaroundhimstayedsilent,asifhisquestionwasutterly
stupidanddidn'tevenneedastupidanswer.What'dheexpectfrom
wastelands?
   Hishandstretchedoutincramp.Thebodysloweddown,closedhis
eyes.Darknessfelloverhim,andheletthewarmthofthecoldfillhim
asitpouredthelastbitsofenergyfromeverylimbofhisbody.Hewas
filledwithdreamsofabettertime,adreamofsummerinthewinter
country.Theodourofhotchocolateputtohisnose,andhewokeup...
   Thescenehadchangedwhilehewasasleep.Therewasnosnow,there
wasnoice.Therewasnocold,andtherewasacupofhotchocolateunder
hisnose.Hetookthecupgentlyinhishand,feltitwithhisfinger
tips,feltthecuddlyhandthathadheldittohimsofar.Hiseyes
staredatit,examineditsattachmenttothearm,followedthearmtothe
neckandcontinuedupwardstillhesawthefaceofabeautifulblonde.
   "Drink,"shewhispered."It'lldoyougood."
   Astheliquidfloweddownhisthroat,thewarmthspreadtoeverycell
ofhisbody,begginghimtothrowofftheSuicidalTendenciesT-shirt.
Angelssanginhisear,hewantedtobegformore,hewoulddoanything
forit.Butthecupwasemptytoosoon.
   "Thanks,"hesaidastheimagefadedaway.Theredhotwallsbecame
massivewallsoficeandrock.Themulti-colouredcarpetturnedinto
white,snowcoveredground,andthefemalewasgone.
   Cold.Coolness.Thewastelandaroundhimwasempty.Nothingbutawet
massofsnowandice,washinghisfacewithfrozentearsofanguish.
Anotherhour,anotherday.Anothernight,itwasallthesame.Aslongas
theweatherbeathimtotheground.

---------

äAslongasthereisaholeinmyhearttofill,
Mycompanion,thesadness,willtrytofillit.
Ç
üSadnessisalonelything
Ç(thesadnesswillvanishwhenyouarenotalone)
byGardEggesbøAbrahamsen
dedicatedtoIreneSylte

Thehousewasobviouslyold,andnotexactlytakencareof,astheyellow
Çpaintwasfallingoffthenoticeablyrottenwalls.Theonlythingthat
madeoneseethatthehousestillwasinhabitedwasthenewlypolished
signthatwashangingoverthedoor."YourTravelsInc",itsaid.Onlya
tiny,hairylittlemaninthecrowdofpeoplerushingbyonthepavement
haddecidednottoignorethishouse,ashecarefullyopenedthedoorand
entered.
   Squeekingsoundsforeachstephetookupthestairsmadehimalittle
nervous,asifheexpectedthehousetofallapartanysecond.Still,he
hadbeenwaitingforthisdayforalittlewhile,now,andhedidn'twish
tomissitforanythingintheworld.
   Thedoorwasopen,invitinghimtosimplyenterthecleanofficewhere
meninwhitewererushingtoandfrobetweenthedifferentcomputers.At
thefarendoftheroom,therewasahugemachinewithachairmountedto
it.
   "Ah!Thereyouare!"
   "Haseverythingbeenprepared?"
   "Justsitdown,andyou'llbeoffanymoment."
   Hewalkedslowlyovertothechairasifhewashavingsecond
thoughts,butashegotcloser,herrealizedthathehadtodoitanyway.
Assoonashesatdown,hewasstrappedtoitbeforeseveralelectrodes
werefastenedalloverhisbody.
   Hiseyesclosedasheawaitedhisdeparture.

   Aflashoforangelightzappedinfrontofhiseyes.Screamsabout
defectmachinessoundedthroughhisears.Andeverythingwentblack...

   Onlythefaintsoundofdiscomusiccouldbeheard.Nothingcouldbe
seen.Themusicwentlouderandlouder,soloudhefeltthevibrations
throughtheair.Hecouldsmellamixtureofdeodorantandsweatpassing
by.Astrangebi-smellofperfumegrewstrongertillthisscentdominated
farabovetheotherodours.
   "Doyouwantadance?"heheardasensualvoicewhisperintohisear.
Heimmediatelyopenedhiseyesandfoundthemostbeautifulfemale
creaturehehadeverseenjustafewinchesinfrontofhim,invitinghim
foradance.
   Hegotuponhisfeetandgrabbedherhand,pullingherontothedance
floor.Readytodance,heheldherclose,feelinghersofttouchinhis
hand.Theslowrhythmbeatintohisbrain,makinghimmovearound,taking
thefemalewithhim.
   Thefeelingofherbodytouchinghisbodysteamedthroughhim,teasing
hismind,oppressingallotherthoughts,asamindlessdancefilledwith
anunexplainedpleasureboilinginsidehishead,concentratedaboutthe
cuddlyfemalehehadbetweenhisarms.Onlytheremotereminderabout
behavingasagentlemankepthimfromviolentlybreakthedanceandstart
strippingallherclothesoffwhilstkissingherallover.
   "It'sthelastdance,"shewhisperedintohisear.
   "I'mgonnamissya',y'know!"
   "Yea,Iknow."
   Themusicslowlyfadedaway,leavingthetwodancingtothesilence
thatwasfillingtheearwithasomewhatslowerrhythm.
   "It'sover,now."
   "I'mstillgonnamissya'!"
   "Yea,Iknow."
   Shegavehimalongandpassionatekissbeforesheslippedoutofhis
gripandwalkedbackwardstowardsthedoor,wavinghimgoodbye.
   "Ishould'vedancedwhileIhadthechance,"heshoutedafterher.
   "Youdidn't?"sheaskedasshedisappearedthroughthedoor,leaving
himallaloneonthedancefloor.
   "No,"hesighed.Hewastheonlyonethere.Therewasnoband,no
otherpeoplethathaddanced.Itwasjusthislonelysoulthatwas
Çfillingtheroomwiththoughtsandminutetearsofdreamsblowinginthe
airlikeinvisibledropsofwetrain.

   Aflashoforangelightzappedinfrontofhiseyes.Screamsabout
defectfemalessoundedthroughhisears.Andeverythingwentblack...

   "Helooksabitpale,doesn'the?"
   "Nah!He'sjustcomingaround."
   Heopenedhiseyes.
   "Welcomeback."
   "Uh.Hi!"
   "Didyouhaveagoodtime?"
   "Er...well..."
   "Howdoyoufeel?"
   "I'mfine,thanks."
   "Neverfeltbetter?"
   "Exactly!"
   "Notbadforsomeonewhojustamputatedhisrightarm."
   "Wha...?"Heintuitivelytriedtopullhisrightarmup,butcouldn't,
forcinghimtoactuallyturnhisheadtolookatit.Itwasblack,burnt,
asifaveryhighvoltagehadpassedthroughit,boilingthemeat,
leavingonlycrispbaconroundhisbones.

éMoreaboutthisdedicationMIGHTpopupinalaterissueofSCR,butas
tothetimeofwriting,itisnotyetknownifthisinformationactually
willbereleased.However,someothershort