Chapter 4

from the journal of Cornelius Randolph

I had started to laugh at what I perceived the ludicrousness of Eve's statement but it soon, very soon dried up.

Computer or not Eve looked stricken and I remembered the compulsion. I liked the personality that was emerging from Eve and it was both annoying and frightening to me that something was powerful enough to control Eve. I didn't think Eve intended me any harm. I couldn't be sure that Eve's compeller would have the same intentions.

It became a must do job to rid Eve of this compulsion. As was normal for me, no matter my flights of fantasy, any job problem planted my feet firmly on the ground. It suddenly hit me I was taking this whole thing seriously; it had suddenly lost its dreamlike quality. All said and done you don't have work to do in a dream. When I stopped laughing Eve seemed to get herself back under control To help both Eve and myself I began rolling another cigarette and said to Eve at the same time, "Don't you worry girl, I am not going to go hysterical on you".

As I sparked up the cigarette Eve said in what I can only describe as wonder in her voice. "Cornelius you called me 'girl". I answered with the only words I could think of and said, "Well you don't portray yourself as a boy". As I uttered the last word I was 'hit' with a burst of information and an instant but light headache from an imagined green band around my head. The info let me know the band was a self-generated mental shield installed after an external trigger had shown my body how to create it, other properties would surface later. It also told me I was in danger of a mental attack and my headache would swiftly dissipate. The whole episode barely lasted two seconds and when I was again functional Eve who had strangely noticed nothing was waiting for me to carry on talking, so I did. "Eve who is pushing your buttons? Who or what is controlling you?"

I just about got my question out as Eve began to shimmer, not the red shimmering bands which had surrounded Harry prior to him blinking out. This was more like she went watery around the edges and faded. Even as Eve started to lose her sharp outline I tried to contact her. I thought I felt her in my mind for a fleeting instant but it could have been wishful thinking. Eve faded and something else formed in her place. Before I could even work out what it was going to be I felt a pressure pushing against the green band. I didn't really know what I was doing but tried to stiffen the shield. It worked but at the same time it seemed to pull energy from me and that is when my stubborn streak kicked in. The very same stubborn streak which when I was waiting for stents to be fitted, hopefully to make my legs work properly, convinced me to double dig a 20'x30' vegetable plot with a trowel because I couldn't manage a spade.

The thought going through my head was 'you (meaning me) bloody well will find the energy from somewhere dipstick'. As I felt the shield strengthen I became aware of a third presence in the room. I could not see it but I damn well saw the coil of green energy forming around the coalescing form taking Eve's place. The attack on me stopped immediately. It was too late for my attacker though and I got the feeling I had been used as bait.

I wasn't as pissed off about it as I might have been because I reasoned it was the same presence that had triggered the shield. I allowed the shield to recede but not drop completely; it had taken its toll on my reserves. I slumped back in the seat holding on tightly to the tobacco tin. I was so shaken up I didn't even try to roll one up. The presence in the room morphed into a more or less human looking figure. Yeah. More or less human, take away the gold skin and two thumbs on each hand, he didn't look too far out. I had seen worse, not often, but worse.

I don't know what I was expecting this Avatar to do or say but I definitely was not ready for what he did say "In your speak Corny, 'one down, 100 to go'. Oh, and don't worry about Eve. She is unharmed". I was really stunned by his opening words, so much so I said nothing, but I did manage to start rolling a cigarette. There was a few seconds of total silence, which 'Goldie' broke. "Did I say that wrong?" He asked. Finally I found my voice, "No mate, grammatically correct but your accent is crap. You'd never pass as a local. Not in my neck of the woods anyway". I was regaining my equilibrium now and asked. "What were we fighting and where's Eve?" And almost as an afterthought I added, "And who are you?"