<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yiv2813334954"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1434418296065_3517"><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1434418296065_3516"><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101"><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style="">AN: I am horribly depressed but I'm trying to send this out. I'd love to speak to anyone out there.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><br></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style="">A Day in the Life</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style="">"I hate this place." The male said. I heard him and could see him from my place in the crowd.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A falconry glove? I frowned. Why would a lizard need that? Scales on his face said he'd be a lizard and his common gold eyes proved it. Mine were a vibrant blue. That's the advantage of being a Sailfin Lizard; you have beautiful sapphire eyes.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My name is Janelle. I am a corporal in the Metamor Keep Watch, one with unique gifts and decent observation skills. And this was the first time I saw James, when he was James.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>But that's not the story I want to tell. Instead let's talk about the second time and the day it happened. This story is a single day in my life, one I hope you will find entertaining my dear listener.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I ask before we proceed to pass no judgement. Our lives in Metamor Keep are hard enough even without the judgement of others. Just remember, everyone I tell you about is real. Their lives, their hopes and their fears are real, but I only get to see brief glimpses of it.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We must remain unbiased when we approach an event. That is the nature of justice and of the Watch.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><br class="" style=""></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style="">***</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><br></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This place again.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I stood up. It was dark. I could see.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The edges of the walls glowed a dull white. There seemed to be nothing above me, just an eternal void. Looking up at it, I felt my feet begin to lift up. "No! No! NO! I'm not floating! I'm on the ground!" I closed my eyes. "This is the ground and I am not floating." I opened my eyes.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Still on the ground. I let out a sigh of relief. "This is where I'm in control. I have control here."</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Do you?" A chill ran through me. I forced myself to walk down the hall. The air stuck to my scales and pulled each one upward. It stuck in my nose, my lungs burned when trying to breathe.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Is anyone here?" The words fell to the ground like stones in water. The air thickened, but I pushed myself forward. The walls were formless, endless. Where did the floor meet them?</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I could feel the floor under my feet but my tail wasn't dragging on anything. My tail is the size of a log. Why isn't it dragging? I looked up again. The eternity had grown a little closer</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The air needed to be forced apart now by my body. But I could see something. A dull glow that was gaining brightness; a light in the distance. Every time I had this dream the light appeared now. "I need to get to that. Got to get there."</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My mind returned to my early days in the Watch when I was still on my feet after twelve hours. Little water, lots of running and burning muscles. But the end was in sight then.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The only thing in sight for me was the light. It winked in and out, the air wanted to choke it. My muscles screamed for me to start. I never got to where I was by being sensible.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Stop Janelle." I froze. "You can't undo this if you make it."</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"What are you talking about?"</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Turn around Janelle. Go home." The voice came from where I stood. Not under me but almost echoing from the same space.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"I have to move." I growled. "I've got to reach the light."</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Do you know what you're doing? You have to stop." I started walking again. Like I was up to my waste in water with rocks around my ankles. I stopped again, coughing out thick air.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"This isn't right. This isn't-</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"No it's not." The voice returned. "Go home." I looked around. </div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"That's not it either. The problem is what is holding me?" It yanked on my scales, each one individually. "It's the air...but not the air? Something...it can't..." I could see it now.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hands, hands made out of air and darkness were gripping me. Thousands of inhuman hands trying to hold me in place. I screamed; it didn't pierce the wall.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"You can't escape us all Janelle."</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"You couldn't save us." Another voice.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"You can save yourself."</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Let go of me!" I took off into a run. Now they pulled harder on me but my blood rushed through me. I felt them pulling on my scales, my fin, my nostrils and my jaw. I swung my arms in a futile attempt to pull free.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Stop yourself Janelle!" The three became one, joined by thousands of others in a damned chorus. "Turn around."</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"I can't!" The pain was overwhelming. I pushed foreword. "I have to know what's in there. What is past the light." They gripped harder but it didn't matter. I was going foreword.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Left. Thud. Right. Thud. I couldn't breathe. Could barely see. I kept going anyway though.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"We will stop you." The dammed chorus shouted. "We will turn you back."</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"No you...won't." I grit my teeth and pushed. "I have to save them!"</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Why Janelle?" I fell into a pant. "You couldn't save us. You can't save everyone." They were right. I knew it of course.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"But that doesn't mean I can't try." I said. "I can fix everything. I can change this! I swear to Eli I can change this." Change what? What am I doing here?</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The hands fell away. The voices went silent. And again I was alone. I crossed my arms around me, trying to hold on to any heat I still had.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"I don't want to be here." I looked foreword. The light glared at me, begging me to move. "I...have to do this." the light shone brighter. "I have to." I took off running into it.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"I have too." It consumed me. "I have to save-</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><br class="" style=""></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style="">****</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><br></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-I...I..." I pulled myself up onto my knees. "I'm...alive." I lay on my bed, as I always do, on my side. It's the only way to sleep with a massive sail fin tail. My only bed sheet was kicked off as always.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The room was silent except for the sounds of gentle snoring. My son Kaysar, never disturbed by the nightmares of his mother.</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>"Same nightmare." I swallowed. "Why don't I remember?" I whispered to myself, mindful of the other sleeper. "Why don't I remember?"</div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The stone floor is always cold but when you are a reptile it hits you like an arrow. I brushed it off. The tiny window (the only one in my dwelling) showed the sun beginning to rise. </div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" dir="ltr" class="" style=""><span class="" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" dir="ltr" class="" style="">Time to get ready.</div></div><div id="yiv2813334954yui_3_16_0_1_1434416569846_9101" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""><br class="" style=""></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>