Phillipe?s eyes fluttered briefly, then opened. He shook his head a little, trying to clear his mind of the cloudy feeling that followed unconsciousness. His first realization was that he wasn?t dead. He couldn?t be. He was hurting too much for that. His leg ached horribly, but what bothered him more was that he couldn?t move it.
His hands rested on what appeared to be a smooth, dark surface that surrounded the entire lower half of his body. He could tell that he was actually sitting with his legs out in front of him and his back against the wall, but from his waist down, he was immobilized in the rock-like material.
He looked around dimly. He seemed to be in a cave that was dimly lit by a faint luminescence. Looking closer, he figured it to be a form of phosphorescent algae that was growing on the cave?s surfaces. He did not see the creature anywhere, and figured it must be outside, meaning that it must be nighttime.
Struggling, he tried to pull free for a few moments, but gave up when it became apparent that the effort was pointless.
That was when Phillipe heard what sounded like a faint windy sound. Assuming that it was the creature returning, he quickly dropped his hands at his side and closed his eyes, feigning unconsciousness. The sound grew slightly louder and eventually stopped in front of him several feet away. He was afraid that the creature had come to finish him off, but kept his eyes shut, knowing that a fight was pointless and the ruse may be his only advantage.
?It knows he is awake.?
The voice was gentle and calm. It startled Phillipe so much to hear a voice at all, let alone one that sounded so non-threatening, that he would have opened his eyes from the shock anyways. It also tended to ease his fear somewhat. ?You can speak!? he said. The creature didn?t answer.
?Who or what are you?? Phillipe asked, his voice rising.
?It knows itself as It? the creature responded.
?It?? Phillipe asked. ?You want to be called It??
No answer.
?Well, can I call you something else more descriptive than a simple pronoun??
The creature pulsed, as if considering. ?It may be called?Dark?Massive.?
Phillipe cocked his head. ?Those are adjectives, not names.? It just hovered and didn?t respond. ?How about just DarkMass? It sortof fits you.?
?It will allow him to call it that.? DarkMass replied.
Phillipe actually became annoyed. ?My name is Phillipe, not him, or he.?
?It knows him as Mouse.?
Phillipe was now angry. ?My friends and loved ones call me Mouse,? He snarled. ?And you?re neither!?
DarkMass didn?t answer, but just floated for a moment. Then, as quickly as it came, it moved off and vanished, presumably out of the cave and into the night.
Phillipe breathed a sigh of relief, then gasped when he heard another noise. Looking around, there was a small rock outcropping high up on the wall of the cave. Phillipe looked closer and saw a white shape there. It moved. Then he saw the shape of an owl swoop down. It landed in front of him and hooted softly. He stared at it, recognizing it.
?I?ve seen you before. You belong to Beowulf.?
The owl hung it?s head.
?Did that thing get Beowulf?? It bobbed.
?I?m sorry.? The owl hoted softly.
?Listen, can you find Aj?? Phillipe asked. The owl cocked his head. ?She a pretty girl that rides a bike. She?s staying in the inn right now!? The owl bobbed happily.
?Great! Go get her!?
The owl took off and flew out.
Phillipe sat alone again, and as he did, he began to wonder if he had just done the right thing.
His hands rested on what appeared to be a smooth, dark surface that surrounded the entire lower half of his body. He could tell that he was actually sitting with his legs out in front of him and his back against the wall, but from his waist down, he was immobilized in the rock-like material.
He looked around dimly. He seemed to be in a cave that was dimly lit by a faint luminescence. Looking closer, he figured it to be a form of phosphorescent algae that was growing on the cave?s surfaces. He did not see the creature anywhere, and figured it must be outside, meaning that it must be nighttime.
Struggling, he tried to pull free for a few moments, but gave up when it became apparent that the effort was pointless.
That was when Phillipe heard what sounded like a faint windy sound. Assuming that it was the creature returning, he quickly dropped his hands at his side and closed his eyes, feigning unconsciousness. The sound grew slightly louder and eventually stopped in front of him several feet away. He was afraid that the creature had come to finish him off, but kept his eyes shut, knowing that a fight was pointless and the ruse may be his only advantage.
?It knows he is awake.?
The voice was gentle and calm. It startled Phillipe so much to hear a voice at all, let alone one that sounded so non-threatening, that he would have opened his eyes from the shock anyways. It also tended to ease his fear somewhat. ?You can speak!? he said. The creature didn?t answer.
?Who or what are you?? Phillipe asked, his voice rising.
?It knows itself as It? the creature responded.
?It?? Phillipe asked. ?You want to be called It??
No answer.
?Well, can I call you something else more descriptive than a simple pronoun??
The creature pulsed, as if considering. ?It may be called?Dark?Massive.?
Phillipe cocked his head. ?Those are adjectives, not names.? It just hovered and didn?t respond. ?How about just DarkMass? It sortof fits you.?
?It will allow him to call it that.? DarkMass replied.
Phillipe actually became annoyed. ?My name is Phillipe, not him, or he.?
?It knows him as Mouse.?
Phillipe was now angry. ?My friends and loved ones call me Mouse,? He snarled. ?And you?re neither!?
DarkMass didn?t answer, but just floated for a moment. Then, as quickly as it came, it moved off and vanished, presumably out of the cave and into the night.
Phillipe breathed a sigh of relief, then gasped when he heard another noise. Looking around, there was a small rock outcropping high up on the wall of the cave. Phillipe looked closer and saw a white shape there. It moved. Then he saw the shape of an owl swoop down. It landed in front of him and hooted softly. He stared at it, recognizing it.
?I?ve seen you before. You belong to Beowulf.?
The owl hung it?s head.
?Did that thing get Beowulf?? It bobbed.
?I?m sorry.? The owl hoted softly.
?Listen, can you find Aj?? Phillipe asked. The owl cocked his head. ?She a pretty girl that rides a bike. She?s staying in the inn right now!? The owl bobbed happily.
?Great! Go get her!?
The owl took off and flew out.
Phillipe sat alone again, and as he did, he began to wonder if he had just done the right thing.