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Sniper lay on the medic table, that Grix lay on oh so long ago... just before they all entered his mind, and entered a world of the west, fought like cowboys and swore like Scotsmen.
Sniper, was in what seemed a coma... mind you, he didn't actually have a mind, as it had been removed...
Oh right, you don't know about any of this crap... better update you then.
A week ago, Sniper's and Bill Gate's mind were both put onto a megadrive cartridge after they failed to save him. Soon after that, Grix died, so they put his mind on it too. So he's kinda alive, but not.
Hmmm.
Let's start again.
Sniper's mind is now on the megadrive cartridge along with Bill Gate's mind and Grix's. We don't know why.
But, Sniper's mind for some reason has taken control, and now has created a world for which the minds to live in. A bit like the Matrix, but not.
For you see, it's Sniper's mind that creates the world... much like Grix's mind made the western world, that they all got stuck in.
Hmmm...
Did you ever see that episode of Red Dwarf when Kryten got that bug, and in order to fight it, he made a computer program that he fought in with his mind? Gunmen of the Apocolypse, right?
Well, it's like that.
-------------
"Would anyone be utterly shocked if we entered this thing and it was just a barren wasteland?" Pb asked.
"Now now, they'll be room for plenty of empty minded Sniper jokes later. Let's not ruin them all now." FM replied.
They had chosen the original four to go back inside the Megadrive cartridge, for obvious reasons. Being "more deserving to be wrote about" seemed to be top reason.
So Venombyte, Pb, Meka and FantasyMeister all decided that they would enter, Goatboy then managed to convince them that he should go too. Rock and roll, apparently.
So it was decided. The rest just lay around, and waited. And so they entered Sniper's mind.
----------------
Tuesday. Just a name for another day.
Sniper doodled a naked woman in his diary... completely out of proportion, dreamy.
He had been stuck inside all day, waiting... just like any other damn day. He wore a black and white suit, and waited in his black and white room... he looked out into the white sky, with black clouds and black rain. It was if the whole damn world was black and white.
He dreamed of a rainbow, but he couldn't remember what it looked like.
Hell, he couldn't even remember what his face looked like. He got up from his desk, and walked to the mirror.
A damn handsome man starred back at him... just as he thought, he was beautiful. How could he forget.
He went back to his desk, and began to clear away his things. Pointless staying in the office all day... damn, he needed to get out... and of course, his award ceremony tonight, dedicated to him... was supposed to be a surprise, but how do you hide something from Sniper?
He smiled to himself. He rocked.
A knock came at the black and white door of his colourless room... as it opened, the name of the occupant and his job description flew also, along with a beautiful woman in a red dress.
"Detective Sniper? Is that you?"
Sniper turned fully around, and brushed his hair back with his fingers.
"Hi there sugarcake. What can I do for you?"
The woman seemed flustered, embarressed.
"To be honest, I'm... I didn't expect you to look... so..."
"Handsome? Don't worry darling, the words will come, but let us forget communication for the time being, and let's get down to business..."
"No... I... but..." The woman resisted, still clinging to the handle of the door. "I need your help, I'm worried... I think there is someone trying to kill me."
Sniper took the words like the smoke from his cigarette, calmly destroying his insides while seeming so good. "I'm intrigued, why would anyone want to kill you?"
"I don't know..." The woman obviously lied. "I just... you have to protect me. It's Grix Thraves, I think he's stalking me."
Grix... the name made his tongue sting every time he uttered the word... speaking out to him like a lemon juice without any added sugar.
"Grix..." He said, wiping his tongue with his teeth. "Him."
"Yeah... he's after me Sniper, I feel him everywhere I go..."
Sniper's thoughts disgusted him. "Damn him. Don't worry darling, I'll get him, don't you worry about it."
"Thank you, please, I have something to tell you..." The woman left the door, and approuched Sniper... she leaned in towards him...
Sniper smiled and looked deep into her eyes...
"You can find him usually in the arms of a lady in the Queen's Arms at 9:00PM every night."
"The Queen's Arms? But that's a gay bar." Sniper said, thoughtful.
"How do you know that?"
Sniper looked around. "I'm a private detective sugarcup, I have to know these things." Sniper smoothed back his hair again.
"Please, Sniper, make love to me, now, please!" The woman fell to her knees.
"Not now darling, my clan awaits me... tonight we're playing Unreal Tournament." He paused. "It's been a while. A long while." Sniper left the room, and the woman cried in her arms.
Sniper, was in what seemed a coma... mind you, he didn't actually have a mind, as it had been removed...
Oh right, you don't know about any of this crap... better update you then.
A week ago, Sniper's and Bill Gate's mind were both put onto a megadrive cartridge after they failed to save him. Soon after that, Grix died, so they put his mind on it too. So he's kinda alive, but not.
Hmmm.
Let's start again.
Sniper's mind is now on the megadrive cartridge along with Bill Gate's mind and Grix's. We don't know why.
But, Sniper's mind for some reason has taken control, and now has created a world for which the minds to live in. A bit like the Matrix, but not.
For you see, it's Sniper's mind that creates the world... much like Grix's mind made the western world, that they all got stuck in.
Hmmm...
Did you ever see that episode of Red Dwarf when Kryten got that bug, and in order to fight it, he made a computer program that he fought in with his mind? Gunmen of the Apocolypse, right?
Well, it's like that.
-------------
"Would anyone be utterly shocked if we entered this thing and it was just a barren wasteland?" Pb asked.
"Now now, they'll be room for plenty of empty minded Sniper jokes later. Let's not ruin them all now." FM replied.
They had chosen the original four to go back inside the Megadrive cartridge, for obvious reasons. Being "more deserving to be wrote about" seemed to be top reason.
So Venombyte, Pb, Meka and FantasyMeister all decided that they would enter, Goatboy then managed to convince them that he should go too. Rock and roll, apparently.
So it was decided. The rest just lay around, and waited. And so they entered Sniper's mind.
----------------
Tuesday. Just a name for another day.
Sniper doodled a naked woman in his diary... completely out of proportion, dreamy.
He had been stuck inside all day, waiting... just like any other damn day. He wore a black and white suit, and waited in his black and white room... he looked out into the white sky, with black clouds and black rain. It was if the whole damn world was black and white.
He dreamed of a rainbow, but he couldn't remember what it looked like.
Hell, he couldn't even remember what his face looked like. He got up from his desk, and walked to the mirror.
A damn handsome man starred back at him... just as he thought, he was beautiful. How could he forget.
He went back to his desk, and began to clear away his things. Pointless staying in the office all day... damn, he needed to get out... and of course, his award ceremony tonight, dedicated to him... was supposed to be a surprise, but how do you hide something from Sniper?
He smiled to himself. He rocked.
A knock came at the black and white door of his colourless room... as it opened, the name of the occupant and his job description flew also, along with a beautiful woman in a red dress.
"Detective Sniper? Is that you?"
Sniper turned fully around, and brushed his hair back with his fingers.
"Hi there sugarcake. What can I do for you?"
The woman seemed flustered, embarressed.
"To be honest, I'm... I didn't expect you to look... so..."
"Handsome? Don't worry darling, the words will come, but let us forget communication for the time being, and let's get down to business..."
"No... I... but..." The woman resisted, still clinging to the handle of the door. "I need your help, I'm worried... I think there is someone trying to kill me."
Sniper took the words like the smoke from his cigarette, calmly destroying his insides while seeming so good. "I'm intrigued, why would anyone want to kill you?"
"I don't know..." The woman obviously lied. "I just... you have to protect me. It's Grix Thraves, I think he's stalking me."
Grix... the name made his tongue sting every time he uttered the word... speaking out to him like a lemon juice without any added sugar.
"Grix..." He said, wiping his tongue with his teeth. "Him."
"Yeah... he's after me Sniper, I feel him everywhere I go..."
Sniper's thoughts disgusted him. "Damn him. Don't worry darling, I'll get him, don't you worry about it."
"Thank you, please, I have something to tell you..." The woman left the door, and approuched Sniper... she leaned in towards him...
Sniper smiled and looked deep into her eyes...
"You can find him usually in the arms of a lady in the Queen's Arms at 9:00PM every night."
"The Queen's Arms? But that's a gay bar." Sniper said, thoughtful.
"How do you know that?"
Sniper looked around. "I'm a private detective sugarcup, I have to know these things." Sniper smoothed back his hair again.
"Please, Sniper, make love to me, now, please!" The woman fell to her knees.
"Not now darling, my clan awaits me... tonight we're playing Unreal Tournament." He paused. "It's been a while. A long while." Sniper left the room, and the woman cried in her arms.
Page:
Strafex froze. Footsteps!
Delta and Ant were back already?
He dived into the bed and under the covers and pretended to be asleep.
The door opened.
"There he is! Good, he's asleep. It'll make the operation that little bit easier!"
That wasn't Ant or Delta!
Before Strafex could react, he felt a needle in his arm and he lost consiousness.
The strangers wrapped him up in the bed sheets and carried him away.
******************
Sheepy went into the room breathless.
"They, they, they're remembering!"
He gasped to YH.
Your Honour put on a grim look.
"I'll report back then. I'm not sure if here's anything we can do. We have Strafex in our grasp now so it may not matter anymore."
"What about Delta and Ant?"
"They'll never get it fixed on time and when they do, they won't have the neccessary skills and resources to stop us either."
YH grimmaced. HE was sure that it wouldn't matter but whether his superiors agreed was a completely different matter...
Delta and Ant were back already?
He dived into the bed and under the covers and pretended to be asleep.
The door opened.
"There he is! Good, he's asleep. It'll make the operation that little bit easier!"
That wasn't Ant or Delta!
Before Strafex could react, he felt a needle in his arm and he lost consiousness.
The strangers wrapped him up in the bed sheets and carried him away.
******************
Sheepy went into the room breathless.
"They, they, they're remembering!"
He gasped to YH.
Your Honour put on a grim look.
"I'll report back then. I'm not sure if here's anything we can do. We have Strafex in our grasp now so it may not matter anymore."
"What about Delta and Ant?"
"They'll never get it fixed on time and when they do, they won't have the neccessary skills and resources to stop us either."
YH grimmaced. HE was sure that it wouldn't matter but whether his superiors agreed was a completely different matter...
"Okay, we need to find out who is stopping us from re-wiring this system." Ant said to a tired, but interested DeltaJava.
"Damn right. All we've done is make stupid jokes and failed to improve the system at all. Apart from once, and then you ruined it."
"Well, what do you expect, look at the person who's been writing about us all the time! No one else is, so it's obviously his fault." Ant said.
"Yes, that's true. Well, it appears as though we still have the same author, but maybe he's willing to do something for once."
"I think we need some friends to help us. Surely with lots of people we can get they system back online, at least get a few screens working?" Ant suggested.
"Yeah, but who?"
"Well, I'll go get Shocktrooper and RastaBillySkank, and you go and find er-no. I'm sure they can help us. And Strafex should be better soon, go check on him."
____________________________
Strafex was playing an air guitar as he heard this, so he quickly ran back into bed and pretended to be asleep.
DJ opened the door, and whispered out to Ant,
"Awww, he's sleeping like a little baby."
"Well, give him a day or so."
DJ shut the door, and asked, "So, we gonna go get these guys?"
"Yes." Ant replied.
He then quickly sat down and turned the TV on, "But first I'm watching Hot Shots."
"Damn right. All we've done is make stupid jokes and failed to improve the system at all. Apart from once, and then you ruined it."
"Well, what do you expect, look at the person who's been writing about us all the time! No one else is, so it's obviously his fault." Ant said.
"Yes, that's true. Well, it appears as though we still have the same author, but maybe he's willing to do something for once."
"I think we need some friends to help us. Surely with lots of people we can get they system back online, at least get a few screens working?" Ant suggested.
"Yeah, but who?"
"Well, I'll go get Shocktrooper and RastaBillySkank, and you go and find er-no. I'm sure they can help us. And Strafex should be better soon, go check on him."
____________________________
Strafex was playing an air guitar as he heard this, so he quickly ran back into bed and pretended to be asleep.
DJ opened the door, and whispered out to Ant,
"Awww, he's sleeping like a little baby."
"Well, give him a day or so."
DJ shut the door, and asked, "So, we gonna go get these guys?"
"Yes." Ant replied.
He then quickly sat down and turned the TV on, "But first I'm watching Hot Shots."
"I thought we were going to the train station anyway?" Grix asked, sipping on his pint.
"Crap." The man got up, downed his pint, and run back to the car. Grix followed for some reason, and got in quickly.
"Why am I following you?"
"You're a fool, Grix." The man said.
"Why do you look so much like me anyway? Are you my twin brother or something?"
"Err... yeah. That's right. I've been away for a while, sorry about that."
"Wow... I never knew I had a brother."
"Yeah lovely. Why isn't the train station open?"
Grix looked around... the whole place was a mess. No trains were coming in, or going out... just people everywhere... jobless and homeless people...
"What the hell?" Grix said, getting out of the car, looking around.
Grix's apparent twin left the car...
The train station symbolises something. Something important. And it's dead.
This really isn't looking good.
----------------
Grix slept in the back of the car. His brain slept in the front.
Grix's body, it seemed, was dead. Grix and he were transported into Sniper as a last ditch attempt to save them.
Of course, the possiblity that Grix survived is there... but what if he didn't? They would both be stuck in Sniper's mind for the rest of eternity.
Not a nice thought.
He would tell Grix that he would easily travel in any body available... but truthfully, he did enjoy Grix's company, no matter how many times he would tell him otherwise. Yeah, they were both still alive... if you call this alive... but something needed to be done.
If only there was a way of contacting the outside world... surely they would be watching in...
So stupid. Of course they could contact them... it was getting a reply that was the problem. They probably already knew what was going on.
-----------------
Ant was watching WWF on the storeroom video. He had given up on re-wiring the systems, because he basically didn't have a clue.
Never mind though. They were probably doing alright... they had already rescued Grix from his mind... I mean... they knew what they were doing...
It did take five years though.
Ant looked at the systems.
And went back to watching WWF.
--------------------
Sniper screamed for help as several large half naked baby oiled men were pretending to hit him while sitting on him.
"Crap." The man got up, downed his pint, and run back to the car. Grix followed for some reason, and got in quickly.
"Why am I following you?"
"You're a fool, Grix." The man said.
"Why do you look so much like me anyway? Are you my twin brother or something?"
"Err... yeah. That's right. I've been away for a while, sorry about that."
"Wow... I never knew I had a brother."
"Yeah lovely. Why isn't the train station open?"
Grix looked around... the whole place was a mess. No trains were coming in, or going out... just people everywhere... jobless and homeless people...
"What the hell?" Grix said, getting out of the car, looking around.
Grix's apparent twin left the car...
The train station symbolises something. Something important. And it's dead.
This really isn't looking good.
----------------
Grix slept in the back of the car. His brain slept in the front.
Grix's body, it seemed, was dead. Grix and he were transported into Sniper as a last ditch attempt to save them.
Of course, the possiblity that Grix survived is there... but what if he didn't? They would both be stuck in Sniper's mind for the rest of eternity.
Not a nice thought.
He would tell Grix that he would easily travel in any body available... but truthfully, he did enjoy Grix's company, no matter how many times he would tell him otherwise. Yeah, they were both still alive... if you call this alive... but something needed to be done.
If only there was a way of contacting the outside world... surely they would be watching in...
So stupid. Of course they could contact them... it was getting a reply that was the problem. They probably already knew what was going on.
-----------------
Ant was watching WWF on the storeroom video. He had given up on re-wiring the systems, because he basically didn't have a clue.
Never mind though. They were probably doing alright... they had already rescued Grix from his mind... I mean... they knew what they were doing...
It did take five years though.
Ant looked at the systems.
And went back to watching WWF.
--------------------
Sniper screamed for help as several large half naked baby oiled men were pretending to hit him while sitting on him.
Grix and the mystery man were in the car, driving to the station. 5 o'clock in the sodding morning, Grix thought, and I'm here, in a car, with some freak on the way to God knows where...
"2 years late already?" Asked Grix.
"Yup."
"Damn, I didn't realise I overslept that much."
"Not funny. This is serious."
"Ok, so what do we have to do?"
"I can't tell you. If I speak it aloud, they over hear, and then were stuffed. You know, deep down. You have to remember by yourself. I'm taking you to some people that might be able to help. We're going to the pub."
Pub? Thought Grix, at 5 am? Still, if pb could do it, he could do it as well....
- - - - - - - - - - - -
pb watched the three figures get closer. His heart started pounding, he knew they were trouble. Andernalin started flowing, his pulse hammering in his ears.
What could he do? 3 against 1? Hardly fair odds! Well, he'd have to even those odds. It was still relatively dark, false dawn was just starting to lighten the horizon. Pb hid behind some old crates that were strewn about the road. He looked about him, trying to find a weapon. There was a piece of wood lying on the floor, must be left over from the previous days market.
The three men where getting closer, pb crouched down even further, becoming one with the shadows - quite easy really as everything was in black and white.
He could just make out the three men talking quietly, as the got steadily nearer. pb's heart was hammering so hard against his chest he thought it might burst out.
The voices had stopped, but the footsteps continued, pb tried to judge the distance, when he thought it was time, he rose upwards and out, swinging the length of wood as hard as he could, he felt the resistance of the mans stomach, then a sickening rip as skin broke, and a few seconds later, a soft splattering as blood landed on the road around him.
pb was aghast, he looked at the piece of wood to see a 6 inch nail sticking out of the end.
Before he had chance to react, two other men appeared behind him, one of them he recgnised as Grix - the other he was unsure about.
He looked back to the body on the ground, but it wasn't there. Neither were the other attackers, or any blood. He looked at his hands, he was holding an umbrella.
"You see? You see the pwoer we have, if we put out minds to it? We can rule this world - we just have to know the rules." Said the strange figure.
"2 years late already?" Asked Grix.
"Yup."
"Damn, I didn't realise I overslept that much."
"Not funny. This is serious."
"Ok, so what do we have to do?"
"I can't tell you. If I speak it aloud, they over hear, and then were stuffed. You know, deep down. You have to remember by yourself. I'm taking you to some people that might be able to help. We're going to the pub."
Pub? Thought Grix, at 5 am? Still, if pb could do it, he could do it as well....
- - - - - - - - - - - -
pb watched the three figures get closer. His heart started pounding, he knew they were trouble. Andernalin started flowing, his pulse hammering in his ears.
What could he do? 3 against 1? Hardly fair odds! Well, he'd have to even those odds. It was still relatively dark, false dawn was just starting to lighten the horizon. Pb hid behind some old crates that were strewn about the road. He looked about him, trying to find a weapon. There was a piece of wood lying on the floor, must be left over from the previous days market.
The three men where getting closer, pb crouched down even further, becoming one with the shadows - quite easy really as everything was in black and white.
He could just make out the three men talking quietly, as the got steadily nearer. pb's heart was hammering so hard against his chest he thought it might burst out.
The voices had stopped, but the footsteps continued, pb tried to judge the distance, when he thought it was time, he rose upwards and out, swinging the length of wood as hard as he could, he felt the resistance of the mans stomach, then a sickening rip as skin broke, and a few seconds later, a soft splattering as blood landed on the road around him.
pb was aghast, he looked at the piece of wood to see a 6 inch nail sticking out of the end.
Before he had chance to react, two other men appeared behind him, one of them he recgnised as Grix - the other he was unsure about.
He looked back to the body on the ground, but it wasn't there. Neither were the other attackers, or any blood. He looked at his hands, he was holding an umbrella.
"You see? You see the pwoer we have, if we put out minds to it? We can rule this world - we just have to know the rules." Said the strange figure.
Fantasymeister sat back down at his computer.
And stared at the screen.
It started to load... the Windows screen piped up, and he loaded Legend of Mir, and logged in.
His hands stopped shaking.
-----------
Sniper sat in the cell. Water dripped down from the ceiling, light shining through it, past the segregated cracks in the walls...
And before it seemed too long at all, the door was opened.
"Ok Sniper. You're free to go."
Sniper walked out. He didn't really expect to be in there too long. He thought he would be able to just walk away from it...
He looked at his watch... 5:00AM in the morning. Odd. Very odd.
------------
5:01AM
Grix got up... a knock on his door, this hour of the morning?
He opened it... and it was kicked down, smacking him in the face...
He crouched down, blood streaming from his face. When suddenly, it stopped.
He looked up. A familiar face was pointing a gun at him.
"You. You're coming with me. I'm not letting you **** this up again."
"You... Who are you?" Grix asked, looking up at the dark face.
"Stop with the crap Grix, we've got a train to catch, and we're two years late already."
The man looked down on Grix.
"Ah sodding hell, you still think you're just living your life. Look, trust me, you're all messed up, come with me."
The man walked in, and started searching the drawers...
"Jese Grix, you live life to the full don't you..." He said, throwing porn magazines out onto his bed...
"Oi! Stop!"
A man came to the door.
"OI! What's going on here!"
The dark faced man stopped searching the drawers, pulled out a gun, and shot the man at the door. He collapsed to the floor, clutching his chest.
"What... What the hell are you doing!"
"Shut up. Haven't you got anything useful in this place?"
"That was my landlord!"
"Yeah well you won't be paying him much anymore anyway. Haven't you got a map or something? Money?"
Grix stood up, unsure why he was helping this man... fear probably taking control of his body...
"Here, a map of the city... I've got all my money in my wallet in my coat, you can have it all."
"No, not me, us, we've got to go, we're wasting time." The man looked in the mirror. Grix looked in the mirror too, and realised where he had seen the face before.
"Yeah, pretty bunch aren't we. Shame we're in black and white and all, really can't see the colour in my cheeks... or yours, for that matter." The man looked at his watch. "We're still late, you got a car?"
"No... I..."
"Never mind, we'll steal one. I'm glad this isn't your head, I'd get a bit worried if I kept killing people like that. Probably representations of brain cells or something."
"Err... yeah." Grix said, still looking at the man's face.
"Jese man... can't you remember who you are yet?" The man asked him... "We better have a good long talk in the car."
The man stepped over the dead landlord, Grix made sure not to touch him...
They left the block of flats. "There, that looks nice enough."
They both walked over.
"Ever hotwired a car Grix?"
"No... I've seen one in a film once though..."
The car started.
"Yeah, me too." The man got in the drivers seat, Grix got in the passengers...
And they skidded off towards the train station.
----------
Pb waited in the Queen's Arms. He just hoped that Goatboy, Meka and Venom would show... this is a dangerous place to be.
Pb looked around. He was in Sniper's mind. It was a lot more complex than he thought it would be...
Pb's trick worked though. As long as Sniper utterly believes that something is right, then in this world, it is. It was easy to use that to his advantage, considering how gullible Sniper was.
Three men walked through the door.
And stared at the screen.
It started to load... the Windows screen piped up, and he loaded Legend of Mir, and logged in.
His hands stopped shaking.
-----------
Sniper sat in the cell. Water dripped down from the ceiling, light shining through it, past the segregated cracks in the walls...
And before it seemed too long at all, the door was opened.
"Ok Sniper. You're free to go."
Sniper walked out. He didn't really expect to be in there too long. He thought he would be able to just walk away from it...
He looked at his watch... 5:00AM in the morning. Odd. Very odd.
------------
5:01AM
Grix got up... a knock on his door, this hour of the morning?
He opened it... and it was kicked down, smacking him in the face...
He crouched down, blood streaming from his face. When suddenly, it stopped.
He looked up. A familiar face was pointing a gun at him.
"You. You're coming with me. I'm not letting you **** this up again."
"You... Who are you?" Grix asked, looking up at the dark face.
"Stop with the crap Grix, we've got a train to catch, and we're two years late already."
The man looked down on Grix.
"Ah sodding hell, you still think you're just living your life. Look, trust me, you're all messed up, come with me."
The man walked in, and started searching the drawers...
"Jese Grix, you live life to the full don't you..." He said, throwing porn magazines out onto his bed...
"Oi! Stop!"
A man came to the door.
"OI! What's going on here!"
The dark faced man stopped searching the drawers, pulled out a gun, and shot the man at the door. He collapsed to the floor, clutching his chest.
"What... What the hell are you doing!"
"Shut up. Haven't you got anything useful in this place?"
"That was my landlord!"
"Yeah well you won't be paying him much anymore anyway. Haven't you got a map or something? Money?"
Grix stood up, unsure why he was helping this man... fear probably taking control of his body...
"Here, a map of the city... I've got all my money in my wallet in my coat, you can have it all."
"No, not me, us, we've got to go, we're wasting time." The man looked in the mirror. Grix looked in the mirror too, and realised where he had seen the face before.
"Yeah, pretty bunch aren't we. Shame we're in black and white and all, really can't see the colour in my cheeks... or yours, for that matter." The man looked at his watch. "We're still late, you got a car?"
"No... I..."
"Never mind, we'll steal one. I'm glad this isn't your head, I'd get a bit worried if I kept killing people like that. Probably representations of brain cells or something."
"Err... yeah." Grix said, still looking at the man's face.
"Jese man... can't you remember who you are yet?" The man asked him... "We better have a good long talk in the car."
The man stepped over the dead landlord, Grix made sure not to touch him...
They left the block of flats. "There, that looks nice enough."
They both walked over.
"Ever hotwired a car Grix?"
"No... I've seen one in a film once though..."
The car started.
"Yeah, me too." The man got in the drivers seat, Grix got in the passengers...
And they skidded off towards the train station.
----------
Pb waited in the Queen's Arms. He just hoped that Goatboy, Meka and Venom would show... this is a dangerous place to be.
Pb looked around. He was in Sniper's mind. It was a lot more complex than he thought it would be...
Pb's trick worked though. As long as Sniper utterly believes that something is right, then in this world, it is. It was easy to use that to his advantage, considering how gullible Sniper was.
Three men walked through the door.
Pb walked into the bar... it was smack on 8:00pm...
Sniper looked up...
Pb looked around. Venombyte wasn't in there...
Sniper got up and walked towards the door...
Pb turned around and walked out...
Sniper got to the door, and stood at the entrance.
"I guess you're here to see me."
Pb turned and looked at the name of the bar... The Queen's Arms... not that one then.
"Yeah." Fantasymeister said back to Sniper.
They both sat down... Pb walked through the doors of the bar... Venombyte was sat in the corner.
He went down and sat by him.
"So." Sniper said. "Who."
"Why are you here." Venombyte said... not looking up...
"Grix Thraves. He's the first one."
"You know why. Deep down, you know."
Sniper and Fantasymeister ordered drinks... the waiter walked to Pb's table... Pb refused a drink... Sniper saw him out of the corner of his eye.
"What's Grix done... why should I be afraid of him?"
"He's not who you think he is... or who he thinks he is... he's dangerous, and you should be careful."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Venombyte said...
"You don't belong here... we're stuck in Sniper's mind, nothing is real. We're all just playing along in a soap opera inside his head... can't you remember being stuck in Grix's mind?"
"Why should I trust you? Grix is a good friend." Sniper asked, sipping his whiskey...
"Because I know more than you could possibly imagine. The whole force is against you. They don't think you're giving the right answers, making the right judgements... watch your back. If you go, we all go."
"Sorry, but I can't take this all in..." Venombyte said... "What the hell are you going on about? Are you alright?"
"Have you met Meka Dragon? Goatboy?"
"Who was the masked man... the man that saved me?" Sniper asked...
Fantasymeister stood up. "You will find out soon enough... but I must leave you now. I'm sorry."
Sniper watched as Fantasymeister walked away... he couldn't help but notice how his hands shaked so much...
"Yes, why? What have they done?"
"Them too, we're all stuck in Sniper's mind... you've got to bring me to them."
Sniper stood up, and walked over to Pb's table.
"Look, in the Queen's Arms at 7:00AM tommorrow morning with Meka and Goatboy..."
"But why? Why should I trust you?"
Sniper sat down at the table. "Pb. Can I ask why you've left the house?"
"Because I didn't like this prisoner business. You at least should know that's illegal."
"Illegal?" Sniper said... "No it isn't."
"Yes it is. You could be arrested for it."
Could he?... Sniper thought for a moment... my God... he's broken the law...
Two policemen ran through the door, and another detective, Detective Edgy, came in...
"Detective Sniper, you're under arrest for illegally keeping a man trapped in your home with no consent to his own will. Please come with me."
Sniper stood up, shocked, looking down at Pb... and was led away by Edgy.
Pb stood up from the table. "That's why you should trust me."
Sniper looked up...
Pb looked around. Venombyte wasn't in there...
Sniper got up and walked towards the door...
Pb turned around and walked out...
Sniper got to the door, and stood at the entrance.
"I guess you're here to see me."
Pb turned and looked at the name of the bar... The Queen's Arms... not that one then.
"Yeah." Fantasymeister said back to Sniper.
They both sat down... Pb walked through the doors of the bar... Venombyte was sat in the corner.
He went down and sat by him.
"So." Sniper said. "Who."
"Why are you here." Venombyte said... not looking up...
"Grix Thraves. He's the first one."
"You know why. Deep down, you know."
Sniper and Fantasymeister ordered drinks... the waiter walked to Pb's table... Pb refused a drink... Sniper saw him out of the corner of his eye.
"What's Grix done... why should I be afraid of him?"
"He's not who you think he is... or who he thinks he is... he's dangerous, and you should be careful."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Venombyte said...
"You don't belong here... we're stuck in Sniper's mind, nothing is real. We're all just playing along in a soap opera inside his head... can't you remember being stuck in Grix's mind?"
"Why should I trust you? Grix is a good friend." Sniper asked, sipping his whiskey...
"Because I know more than you could possibly imagine. The whole force is against you. They don't think you're giving the right answers, making the right judgements... watch your back. If you go, we all go."
"Sorry, but I can't take this all in..." Venombyte said... "What the hell are you going on about? Are you alright?"
"Have you met Meka Dragon? Goatboy?"
"Who was the masked man... the man that saved me?" Sniper asked...
Fantasymeister stood up. "You will find out soon enough... but I must leave you now. I'm sorry."
Sniper watched as Fantasymeister walked away... he couldn't help but notice how his hands shaked so much...
"Yes, why? What have they done?"
"Them too, we're all stuck in Sniper's mind... you've got to bring me to them."
Sniper stood up, and walked over to Pb's table.
"Look, in the Queen's Arms at 7:00AM tommorrow morning with Meka and Goatboy..."
"But why? Why should I trust you?"
Sniper sat down at the table. "Pb. Can I ask why you've left the house?"
"Because I didn't like this prisoner business. You at least should know that's illegal."
"Illegal?" Sniper said... "No it isn't."
"Yes it is. You could be arrested for it."
Could he?... Sniper thought for a moment... my God... he's broken the law...
Two policemen ran through the door, and another detective, Detective Edgy, came in...
"Detective Sniper, you're under arrest for illegally keeping a man trapped in your home with no consent to his own will. Please come with me."
Sniper stood up, shocked, looking down at Pb... and was led away by Edgy.
Pb stood up from the table. "That's why you should trust me."
7:30pm. Sniper arrived back home. He'd solved another case, broken another heart, and his working day was over. It was time for some relaxation.
Sniper cranked up UT, and logged on to join his clan. When he got in, a vaguely familiar name was there.
Hawkwynde: Hello there
[UK]$n][per: hey, didnt u join ages ago? i kicked u out 4 not being active
Hawkwynde: Sorry, was busy. Will play now though
[UK]$n][per: wtf have u been doing for the last 6 months? nobody has heard a thing from u!
Hawkwynde: Oh, I had a go on Legend of Mir
[UK]$n][per: u want to try out 4 my clan now then?
Hawkwynde: You've had suspicions. They're against you.
[UK]$n][per: w00t? my clan?
Hawkwynde: No.
[UK]$n][per: who?
Hawkwynde: Meet me at 8pm, at the bar. I'll tell you then.
Hawkwynde has disconnected.
---------------------------------
Meka sat in front of the telly with a bag of crisps. It all seemed so pointless. Worse still, he couln't change it.
Every day he went to work at the local shoe factory. Just enough to pay his rent. Every day, nothing happened, because he didn't expect it to. Every day, the bus would be ten miniutes late, and it would rain at the bus stop, because that was normal.
But it wasn't. And it was depressing. There MUST be a way out. If there still is an 'out'. He didn't even know where he was.
In someone's mind, no doubt. Grix's last time. Was it this time? He couldn't be sure. His memories of this place seemed so real... yet his memories of what he knew to be real were more like faded dreams.
What is a memory?
How was what Meka could remember any different to what he could imagine? There was no way to tell. If he had some false memories, how did he know what to trust anymore? He couldn't trust his senses. He couldn't trust his memories.
There was another question which seemed to be on his mind recently, too.
What would happen if he killed himself in this reality?
-----------------------
8pm.
VenomByte stood by the darts board in the Bull Inn, waiting for his mystery caller to turn up.
Sniper sat at a table in the 'no-smoking' area, an unlit cigar in one hand. He waited for 'hawkwynde' to show.
The doors opened. Sniper and VenomByte both looked in the direction of the door...
Sniper cranked up UT, and logged on to join his clan. When he got in, a vaguely familiar name was there.
Hawkwynde: Hello there
[UK]$n][per: hey, didnt u join ages ago? i kicked u out 4 not being active
Hawkwynde: Sorry, was busy. Will play now though
[UK]$n][per: wtf have u been doing for the last 6 months? nobody has heard a thing from u!
Hawkwynde: Oh, I had a go on Legend of Mir
[UK]$n][per: u want to try out 4 my clan now then?
Hawkwynde: You've had suspicions. They're against you.
[UK]$n][per: w00t? my clan?
Hawkwynde: No.
[UK]$n][per: who?
Hawkwynde: Meet me at 8pm, at the bar. I'll tell you then.
Hawkwynde has disconnected.
---------------------------------
Meka sat in front of the telly with a bag of crisps. It all seemed so pointless. Worse still, he couln't change it.
Every day he went to work at the local shoe factory. Just enough to pay his rent. Every day, nothing happened, because he didn't expect it to. Every day, the bus would be ten miniutes late, and it would rain at the bus stop, because that was normal.
But it wasn't. And it was depressing. There MUST be a way out. If there still is an 'out'. He didn't even know where he was.
In someone's mind, no doubt. Grix's last time. Was it this time? He couldn't be sure. His memories of this place seemed so real... yet his memories of what he knew to be real were more like faded dreams.
What is a memory?
How was what Meka could remember any different to what he could imagine? There was no way to tell. If he had some false memories, how did he know what to trust anymore? He couldn't trust his senses. He couldn't trust his memories.
There was another question which seemed to be on his mind recently, too.
What would happen if he killed himself in this reality?
-----------------------
8pm.
VenomByte stood by the darts board in the Bull Inn, waiting for his mystery caller to turn up.
Sniper sat at a table in the 'no-smoking' area, an unlit cigar in one hand. He waited for 'hawkwynde' to show.
The doors opened. Sniper and VenomByte both looked in the direction of the door...
A long time passed...
Meka and Goatboy doubted everything they encountered... it was like living in a fairytale, bitterly sweet, everything seeming so normal... They confided their knowledge in Venombyte, still in a state after his failed marriage...
And they lived their lives. Why shouldn't they...? It wasn't as if they could just stop what they were doing and escape from where ever the hell they were anyway...
Meka seemed to doubt everything even more so than Goatboy... he felt awkward talking to his wife... his children weren't real... his children weren't real?
He had dedicated his life to one woman... he had created life, perhaps the greatest achievement of man... and what? They aren't real? It didn't happen?
But it did happen. You couldn't take the memories away from him... and surely that's all that ever matters anyway...
He couldn't write anymore... he couldn't even eat.
And one day, he just walked away. He left his house. He collected some clothes and money, and turned away. His family only a memory, just like everything else.
He lived on the streets for a long time, he then found a small flat... it wasn't much, but it kept him dry.
Sniper fought several battles with Pb... locking him in the house, not allowing him to even see the outside world...
The last straw came for Pb... he hadn't touched drink in days... and he attacked Sniper with a knife... Sniper disarmed Pb... and for some reason...
----------
Sniper woke up on the sofa... he had piled the thing up with cushions since the first time he slept on it... the tv was still on, silently teaching him the news of the day... Bonus and The Game had finally got their act together, and were beginning to run some decent television... having a film everynight, running comedy shows, dramas... they even had phone ins so you could suggest a programme. And the tv station controllers had left, it seemed... Just Bonus and Game now.
*BANG*
Pb was up, it seemed. Sniper's door was locked.
*BANG BANG BANG*
"Hang on..." Sniper got up, and unlocked the door.
Pb fell through it, and landed on the floor.
Sniper fell to his knees, and made sure Pb was ok.
"Pb? Pb, are you ok?"
"I've got a hangover. Where are we?"
"You're in my house, I'm Sniper."
"I know who you are. This isn't your house."
Sniper looked around.
"Err... it is, really."
Pb clutched his head with his hands and screamed...
Sniper picked him up, and put him on the sofa.
"Look, I've got to go to work. Just lie on the sofa and don't do anything. See you later."
Sniper left the house, and locked the door.
"SNIPER! SNIPER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" He shouted... "WHY'VE YOU LOCKED THE DOOR?"
Pb shook his head... he couldn't remember anything... all he could remember was who Sniper was, and that this wasn't Pembrokeshire.
He got up, and tried to clear his head... why had he drunk so much last night?... he couldn't even remember what had happened... wow... and now he's here...
Pb climbed the stairs of Sniper's apparant home... where the hell was he?
He reached the top, and looked out over the entire town... it seemed...
And then he noticed it. All that time, and only now he noticed it.
He was in black and white. The whole damn world was in black and white.
And then it all came rushing back to him...
Sniper's mind... he was in Sniper's mind... Bill Gates was in it too... just like Grix's mind all over again...
But in Grix's mind, he found out pretty soon that he was in his mind... how long had he been playing out his role normally? It could had been years...
And Grix... oh God, he's dead... his mind is on here too...
Pb wondered about all the people outside Sniper's mind, watching in... wondering what to do... all the mindless bodies stored in freezers...
For all he knew, they could all be dead. Even his body could be dead. He would be trapped in here forever... maybe like Grix could be...
But what would happen if he just told Sniper that he wasn't actually... whatever the hell he was here... with Grix it was a very slow process... could Sniper take such a blow?
He needed to find the others... and fast.
Pb walked down the stairs again... he picked up a chair, and threw it through the window... it smashed satisfingly, as always, and he jumped out and ran up the street...
He followed the road for a long time... and reached a phonebooth.
He dialed a number.
"Hello, directory enquirys, how can I help you?"
"I'm looking for a person, last name Dragon, first name Meka."
Pb memorized the phone number.
He hung up, and rang that number instead.
A female voice answered it. "Hello?"
"Hi... who is this?"
"This is Jenny Dragon... who is this?"
"A friend of Meka's... is he there?"
"No... I'm... I'm sorry, Meka doesn't live here anymore."
He must already know.
"Oh... I'm... sorry... bye." Pb hung up.
---------------
Venombyte was trying to fill in a crossword while he waited for a phonecall...
He didn't have to wait long.
"Goatboy?" Venombyte asked...
"No... an old friend. We need to meet."
"What... who? Who are you?"
"I said, an old friend. I need to meet with you."
"What's your name?"
Pb thought to himself... what if Venombyte still thought this was all real, and Pb had been... not nice, to Venombyte?
"I can't tell you at the moment. Please meet me..."
Damn. How on earth can you meet someone when you don't know anything about the place?
"Meet me at the bar at 8 o'clock tonight."
Pb hung up. Surely there can't be THAT many bars in Sniper's head...
Meka and Goatboy doubted everything they encountered... it was like living in a fairytale, bitterly sweet, everything seeming so normal... They confided their knowledge in Venombyte, still in a state after his failed marriage...
And they lived their lives. Why shouldn't they...? It wasn't as if they could just stop what they were doing and escape from where ever the hell they were anyway...
Meka seemed to doubt everything even more so than Goatboy... he felt awkward talking to his wife... his children weren't real... his children weren't real?
He had dedicated his life to one woman... he had created life, perhaps the greatest achievement of man... and what? They aren't real? It didn't happen?
But it did happen. You couldn't take the memories away from him... and surely that's all that ever matters anyway...
He couldn't write anymore... he couldn't even eat.
And one day, he just walked away. He left his house. He collected some clothes and money, and turned away. His family only a memory, just like everything else.
He lived on the streets for a long time, he then found a small flat... it wasn't much, but it kept him dry.
Sniper fought several battles with Pb... locking him in the house, not allowing him to even see the outside world...
The last straw came for Pb... he hadn't touched drink in days... and he attacked Sniper with a knife... Sniper disarmed Pb... and for some reason...
----------
Sniper woke up on the sofa... he had piled the thing up with cushions since the first time he slept on it... the tv was still on, silently teaching him the news of the day... Bonus and The Game had finally got their act together, and were beginning to run some decent television... having a film everynight, running comedy shows, dramas... they even had phone ins so you could suggest a programme. And the tv station controllers had left, it seemed... Just Bonus and Game now.
*BANG*
Pb was up, it seemed. Sniper's door was locked.
*BANG BANG BANG*
"Hang on..." Sniper got up, and unlocked the door.
Pb fell through it, and landed on the floor.
Sniper fell to his knees, and made sure Pb was ok.
"Pb? Pb, are you ok?"
"I've got a hangover. Where are we?"
"You're in my house, I'm Sniper."
"I know who you are. This isn't your house."
Sniper looked around.
"Err... it is, really."
Pb clutched his head with his hands and screamed...
Sniper picked him up, and put him on the sofa.
"Look, I've got to go to work. Just lie on the sofa and don't do anything. See you later."
Sniper left the house, and locked the door.
"SNIPER! SNIPER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" He shouted... "WHY'VE YOU LOCKED THE DOOR?"
Pb shook his head... he couldn't remember anything... all he could remember was who Sniper was, and that this wasn't Pembrokeshire.
He got up, and tried to clear his head... why had he drunk so much last night?... he couldn't even remember what had happened... wow... and now he's here...
Pb climbed the stairs of Sniper's apparant home... where the hell was he?
He reached the top, and looked out over the entire town... it seemed...
And then he noticed it. All that time, and only now he noticed it.
He was in black and white. The whole damn world was in black and white.
And then it all came rushing back to him...
Sniper's mind... he was in Sniper's mind... Bill Gates was in it too... just like Grix's mind all over again...
But in Grix's mind, he found out pretty soon that he was in his mind... how long had he been playing out his role normally? It could had been years...
And Grix... oh God, he's dead... his mind is on here too...
Pb wondered about all the people outside Sniper's mind, watching in... wondering what to do... all the mindless bodies stored in freezers...
For all he knew, they could all be dead. Even his body could be dead. He would be trapped in here forever... maybe like Grix could be...
But what would happen if he just told Sniper that he wasn't actually... whatever the hell he was here... with Grix it was a very slow process... could Sniper take such a blow?
He needed to find the others... and fast.
Pb walked down the stairs again... he picked up a chair, and threw it through the window... it smashed satisfingly, as always, and he jumped out and ran up the street...
He followed the road for a long time... and reached a phonebooth.
He dialed a number.
"Hello, directory enquirys, how can I help you?"
"I'm looking for a person, last name Dragon, first name Meka."
Pb memorized the phone number.
He hung up, and rang that number instead.
A female voice answered it. "Hello?"
"Hi... who is this?"
"This is Jenny Dragon... who is this?"
"A friend of Meka's... is he there?"
"No... I'm... I'm sorry, Meka doesn't live here anymore."
He must already know.
"Oh... I'm... sorry... bye." Pb hung up.
---------------
Venombyte was trying to fill in a crossword while he waited for a phonecall...
He didn't have to wait long.
"Goatboy?" Venombyte asked...
"No... an old friend. We need to meet."
"What... who? Who are you?"
"I said, an old friend. I need to meet with you."
"What's your name?"
Pb thought to himself... what if Venombyte still thought this was all real, and Pb had been... not nice, to Venombyte?
"I can't tell you at the moment. Please meet me..."
Damn. How on earth can you meet someone when you don't know anything about the place?
"Meet me at the bar at 8 o'clock tonight."
Pb hung up. Surely there can't be THAT many bars in Sniper's head...
DJ went back to work on the system, but Ant stopped him with the offer of coffee.
"Ta."
Ant took a seat next to the fizzling network, and looked around, seemingly confused. "Where's Strafex?"
DJ took a sip from his steaming mug, and replied, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, he's ill."
"Ahhhh, right." Ant replied, looking a little sceptical.
"Fancy a bourbon?" DJ asked, opening a small tin.
"No thanks."
"Go on," DJ pressed.
"Nah."
"Go on."
"Nope."
"Go on, go on!"
"NO!" Ant screamed.
DJ looked a little hurt, so in the end Ant took one with a nod of thanks.
Ant took a bite, and then asked another question, "Is someone missing?"
"Yeees, Strafex." DJ said a matter-of-factly.
"No, someone else..."
DJ suddenly remembered when he'd seen Sheepy on the monitor...should he tell Ant? Should he pretend to know nothing? What should he do!?
"Erm...well...um, he's ill too!" DJ cursed under his breath.
"Really? I take it he caught what Strafex had."
"Yeah, that's right."
"Which was?"
DJ struggled to think of anything, "Tonsilitus." As the words came out of his mouth, DJ knew he'd buggered up.
Just as he was panicking, he noticed the small sheet of paper under the table he'd seen a few days back...he knelt down, picked it up and had a look.
"What is it?" Ant asked, standing up and joining him.
"I saw it the other day..."
On the sheet it said, "This is a confirmation form of Strafex's order for:
"XXX Magazine: Hot Stuff"
Thank-you for ordering from XXX Magazine."
Ant began to laugh heartily, "What a dirty gimp!"
DJ sighed, Ant appeared to have forgotten their conversation earlier.
"Ta."
Ant took a seat next to the fizzling network, and looked around, seemingly confused. "Where's Strafex?"
DJ took a sip from his steaming mug, and replied, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, he's ill."
"Ahhhh, right." Ant replied, looking a little sceptical.
"Fancy a bourbon?" DJ asked, opening a small tin.
"No thanks."
"Go on," DJ pressed.
"Nah."
"Go on."
"Nope."
"Go on, go on!"
"NO!" Ant screamed.
DJ looked a little hurt, so in the end Ant took one with a nod of thanks.
Ant took a bite, and then asked another question, "Is someone missing?"
"Yeees, Strafex." DJ said a matter-of-factly.
"No, someone else..."
DJ suddenly remembered when he'd seen Sheepy on the monitor...should he tell Ant? Should he pretend to know nothing? What should he do!?
"Erm...well...um, he's ill too!" DJ cursed under his breath.
"Really? I take it he caught what Strafex had."
"Yeah, that's right."
"Which was?"
DJ struggled to think of anything, "Tonsilitus." As the words came out of his mouth, DJ knew he'd buggered up.
Just as he was panicking, he noticed the small sheet of paper under the table he'd seen a few days back...he knelt down, picked it up and had a look.
"What is it?" Ant asked, standing up and joining him.
"I saw it the other day..."
On the sheet it said, "This is a confirmation form of Strafex's order for:
"XXX Magazine: Hot Stuff"
Thank-you for ordering from XXX Magazine."
Ant began to laugh heartily, "What a dirty gimp!"
DJ sighed, Ant appeared to have forgotten their conversation earlier.
"Stick with me!" Sniper shouted, wearing a bad jacket, scarf and hat combination. "Stay close!"
Sniper and the woman ran through the streets...
Two men without eyes were walking very slowly up the street. The entire army was at the other end of the road.
"Hold you fire until I give the signal men!" The commander said...
The two eyeless men walked on.
"Hold!..."
A bit further again.
"Hold it...!"
The two eyeless men reached the army, and before they had the chance to do anything, cameras zoomed in on their faces as they screamed and quite obviously died...
Sniper and the woman had escaped around the corner. They stopped running for some reason. Probably because the camera man was tired, or it was easier to hear their voices.
"Oh Sniper... I was so scared..."
"Yes... me too..."
Sniper looked down the road. The tardis was there... he grabbed the womans hand, and ran towards it.
He got to it, and opened the door.
And Grix stepped out.
"A jigsaw without a picture can never be completed." Grix said. He then pulled out a gun, and shot Sniper in the head.
----------
Sniper sat in his tv sofa, sipping whisky and watching tv... not really concentrating on it...
His mind was on what Grix had said in his dream. God knows what the rest of it was about... but that line... it was almost as if he was speaking to him through his dreams...
Sniper downed the drink...
---------
Not long later, Sniper found himself walking along the cliffs again... the painless thought of his bones being crushed appealling more like curiosity than fear... Sniper threw his glass off the cliff...
It smashed a few seconds later, the sound hardly reaching him over the noise of the stormy weather... it was cold.
Was he drunk?... No... Not drunk... just... of a strange mind...
"Sniper? Is that you there Sniper?"
Sniper turned. Pb was walking towards him.
"Oh... hi... what do you want?" Sniper shouted over the weather...
"Was that drink full?"
"What?"
"Was that drink full?" Pb shouted again, almost threatening.
Sniper remembered the glass. "Oh, right. No, it was empty."
"Ok..." Pb said, watching Sniper. He looked away and around.
"Tell me. Pb." Sniper kept watching him. "Why do you drink?"
Pb looked at Sniper. "I don't know." He shouted. "It seems the right thing to do."
"Ok, how about a question for you then?" Pb stammered as he yelled...
"Ok, what?"
"Would you care if I jumped off that cliff? Truthfully." This time he shouted clearly.
Sniper cleared his head...
He looked over the side of the cliff. "Yeah. I think it's terrible that someone could want to end their life." He shouted back.
"But you see it everyday, don't you?" Pb shouted... the rain had soaked Pb through... Sniper had only just noticed it, and then noticed it on himself.
"You're wet. Let me make you a coffee." Sniper said, walking towards Pb.
----------------
Sniper got a towel for Pb. He rubbed his hair a bit with it, and then fell on the floor.
Sniper came back out with a cup of coffee... and picked Pb off the floor.
"Listen, mate, really... you've got to pull yourself together. You can't go on living like this."
Pb looked at his feet... it was like talking to a child. "I know... I know... I will get better, really..."
"Drink this." Sniper said, placing the cup in Pb's hands.
Pb did.
"You can sleep in my bed tonight. I'll sleep on the sofa." Sniper said.
Pb sat and smiled to himself. He drank more coffee... and then spilt it on the floor. Sniper wasn't looking.
He got down on his knees, and tried to rub away the coffee with the towel.
Sniper turned around and figured out what he was doing... "Look... don't worry about it. Really."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Tell me why I shouldn't." Sniper said. "I'll show you to bed."
Sniper picked up Pb, and led him to the bed. He let him in, and closed the door.
Sniper returned to his sofa... Bonus and The Game were still in control of tv land. They were re-running clips of people trying to get in and take the station back... with Game beating them back with microphone stands, whacking them in the knees.
Sniper had never been a huge fan of broadcasting on tv anyway... it made a refreshing change for something like this to happen.
Sniper then thought about Pb.
He had just taken a drunken fool off the doorstep of his house, and offered him a bed.
Perhaps it was a way of opening his soul... answering questions that he didn't know even existed. It was probably the first time Pb had slept in a bed in a long time.
Sniper got up to get another whisky... and stopped halfway. He got the whisky, and any other drink he could find, and poured it all away. He gathered up his money, and put it in his pocket.
If he was going to help, then he better make an effort.
Sniper and the woman ran through the streets...
Two men without eyes were walking very slowly up the street. The entire army was at the other end of the road.
"Hold you fire until I give the signal men!" The commander said...
The two eyeless men walked on.
"Hold!..."
A bit further again.
"Hold it...!"
The two eyeless men reached the army, and before they had the chance to do anything, cameras zoomed in on their faces as they screamed and quite obviously died...
Sniper and the woman had escaped around the corner. They stopped running for some reason. Probably because the camera man was tired, or it was easier to hear their voices.
"Oh Sniper... I was so scared..."
"Yes... me too..."
Sniper looked down the road. The tardis was there... he grabbed the womans hand, and ran towards it.
He got to it, and opened the door.
And Grix stepped out.
"A jigsaw without a picture can never be completed." Grix said. He then pulled out a gun, and shot Sniper in the head.
----------
Sniper sat in his tv sofa, sipping whisky and watching tv... not really concentrating on it...
His mind was on what Grix had said in his dream. God knows what the rest of it was about... but that line... it was almost as if he was speaking to him through his dreams...
Sniper downed the drink...
---------
Not long later, Sniper found himself walking along the cliffs again... the painless thought of his bones being crushed appealling more like curiosity than fear... Sniper threw his glass off the cliff...
It smashed a few seconds later, the sound hardly reaching him over the noise of the stormy weather... it was cold.
Was he drunk?... No... Not drunk... just... of a strange mind...
"Sniper? Is that you there Sniper?"
Sniper turned. Pb was walking towards him.
"Oh... hi... what do you want?" Sniper shouted over the weather...
"Was that drink full?"
"What?"
"Was that drink full?" Pb shouted again, almost threatening.
Sniper remembered the glass. "Oh, right. No, it was empty."
"Ok..." Pb said, watching Sniper. He looked away and around.
"Tell me. Pb." Sniper kept watching him. "Why do you drink?"
Pb looked at Sniper. "I don't know." He shouted. "It seems the right thing to do."
"Ok, how about a question for you then?" Pb stammered as he yelled...
"Ok, what?"
"Would you care if I jumped off that cliff? Truthfully." This time he shouted clearly.
Sniper cleared his head...
He looked over the side of the cliff. "Yeah. I think it's terrible that someone could want to end their life." He shouted back.
"But you see it everyday, don't you?" Pb shouted... the rain had soaked Pb through... Sniper had only just noticed it, and then noticed it on himself.
"You're wet. Let me make you a coffee." Sniper said, walking towards Pb.
----------------
Sniper got a towel for Pb. He rubbed his hair a bit with it, and then fell on the floor.
Sniper came back out with a cup of coffee... and picked Pb off the floor.
"Listen, mate, really... you've got to pull yourself together. You can't go on living like this."
Pb looked at his feet... it was like talking to a child. "I know... I know... I will get better, really..."
"Drink this." Sniper said, placing the cup in Pb's hands.
Pb did.
"You can sleep in my bed tonight. I'll sleep on the sofa." Sniper said.
Pb sat and smiled to himself. He drank more coffee... and then spilt it on the floor. Sniper wasn't looking.
He got down on his knees, and tried to rub away the coffee with the towel.
Sniper turned around and figured out what he was doing... "Look... don't worry about it. Really."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Tell me why I shouldn't." Sniper said. "I'll show you to bed."
Sniper picked up Pb, and led him to the bed. He let him in, and closed the door.
Sniper returned to his sofa... Bonus and The Game were still in control of tv land. They were re-running clips of people trying to get in and take the station back... with Game beating them back with microphone stands, whacking them in the knees.
Sniper had never been a huge fan of broadcasting on tv anyway... it made a refreshing change for something like this to happen.
Sniper then thought about Pb.
He had just taken a drunken fool off the doorstep of his house, and offered him a bed.
Perhaps it was a way of opening his soul... answering questions that he didn't know even existed. It was probably the first time Pb had slept in a bed in a long time.
Sniper got up to get another whisky... and stopped halfway. He got the whisky, and any other drink he could find, and poured it all away. He gathered up his money, and put it in his pocket.
If he was going to help, then he better make an effort.
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