The Dark Without by T.K. Toppin

Author:T.K. Toppin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: EPUB
Publisher: T.K. Toppin
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Esme Serrano.

Date Unknown.

Aakehollats — Uncharted Dimension.

“We cannot decide whether or not to trust you,” Female said. “You are hiding something from us.”

Esme smiled. In her current existence, she’d been asleep for some time, her mind full, her body rested. Like her sleep, she’d also been awake for what could’ve been forever. In this dimension, each moment stretched endlessly with no need for rest or nourishment. There was not even a sense of time moving. Just an existence of being and an experience of doing.

In her time awake, she’d done many things and learned even more than she had while sleeping. Her appearance hadn’t changed, or her age, but inside she was older, wiser, and calmer. Full. Lived. She’d done everything she needed to do, and yet hadn’t done so, even as the memory of doing it lived within. The only constant was her anger; the deep-seated, festering anger, tempered and kept in check, but growing stronger and spurring her on. Like now. Taking a pause to ruminate her response rather than simply react as she’d once done. The anger whispered to her, placating, soothing. It kept her composed, focused. The moment to vent her fury would come soon enough.

“Of course I’m hiding something from you. It’s human nature to keep secrets,” Esme said. “Unlike your…what is it? Hive-mindedness? Collectiveness? We like our individuality. It sets us apart and makes everyone unique.”

“Yet your words stating humans must come together to fix the Earth did not work. Because of this individuality, the need to survive, the ‘every man for himself’ rule.”

“Words you told me to say. I guess they needed more humanising for people to understand. They were empty words, even to me. I didn’t believe them, so why should they?”

Female glanced down Esme’s body. “At least the wounds and malnutrition have been treated.”

“Yeah. Thanks for that. I never said we were perfect. We’re all beautifully flawed. If we were all the same, like you, it’d be dull and boring.” Esme quirked a brow. “Is that why you steal us and mess with our world and timelines? To ease the boredom?” Timelines. So many timelines. It had taken Esme a while to fully grasp the concept of multiple timelines, to make sense of the memories and images her virgin mind had witnessed and experienced—would witness and experience. To sort them into chronological order.

“We only interfere to help. We have had this conversation before, and many times in the future. You always fall back to it. Why?”

“Yet you always reply.”

“We are here to help.”

“Same answer as always.” Esme tipped up a shoulder. “Fine. I’ll play along again. I’m hoping one day you’ll tell me the truth.” They never would, but Esme could still hope. But in all honesty, she didn’t care what motivated them. Not any more. She knew what they’d done. It was unforgivable, and that was enough to despise them.

“We have no reason to lie. You have seen for yourself how you help your kind to survive. Yet at each turn you speak to us with hostility.

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