For my loyal, book-buying readers, this is not Ninon’s first speaking role. We’ve seen her twice in two other books but she has a role to play in my novella. She is a Machine very interesting in finding more of her own kind in the stars; but, every now and then, a human’s plight seems to tug something of the the fourth law in her.

After my blitz on Sunday, I’ve enough for posts this week. I saw an odd image yesterday and it is compelling me to write a story around it. A story about a world already over.

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Eloise abruptly sat up.  From the reddish dirt.  Only a few bushes; no little garden.  Directly in front of her was what looked like a six-meter diameter natural hot spring.  Tendrils of steam rose from its surface.  Off-white and brown minerals were encrusted about its edge.  That explains the smell, but where am I?

She glanced up at the sky.  Bright, washed out ocher, but no sun.  Or clouds.  She lowered her gaze…

A short figure, no more than one hundred and thirty-five cm, she thought.  Covered in veils, Eloise first guessed Muslim.  But they don’t go in for those fiery reds, oranges, or yellows.  Like the one over its face, the same color as the sky… yikes!

Where eyes should be behind the veil were two black holes, seeming to suck light in from around them.  Eloise glanced away.

“That will avail you not,” came a light, woman’s voice.

Still wearing her suit from the morning, Eloise stood and brushed the dirt off.

“I am Eloise Patel, a lieutenant of the Canadian Army,” she began, trying to be polite, but avoiding direct eye contact.  “May I ask who I am speaking with?”

The short woman seemed to slowly pivot left then right, looking about.

“You address me.”

No help at all.  Is she another of these demis?  But I’ve never seen a place like this.  It cannot be a dream; it’s too realistic.

“Be still and silent, young one,” the other began, still with no introduction.  “The river of time shall carry you to a place you want; do not want.  You will be in passages you want; do not want.”

“What?” Eloise couldn’t help ask.

“Light shall fade.  You will be in darkness.  Yet you shall not be dark.”

Did Aurelia slip a psychoactive into my food?

The small figure crouched down and extended a hand out of the veils.  Eloise saw a thin, boney finger, barely enfleshed, make several circles in the warm water.

“The things you know lean on are things which shall not last.  You know what you must do.  You know who you must trust.”

The instant image in her mind was Bob, smiling.  That frank, open face for someone who was a Crown Prince but whose father died before he was born.  Eloise suppressed a sob.

“I know,” she admitted in a tiny voice.

“Good.” The figure stood, withdrawing her hand.

“You will hear voices.  Echoes of voices.  Turning your head this way and that.  You must be older.”

“Be older.” That’s one of the phrases I’ve heard Aurelia use.  What does it mean?

“This is a tremendous game.  You must play well.”

“A game?” Now she was angry.  “I could be shot at the end of thi – ”

In her emotion, Eloise stared right into the other’s eyes.  And was lost.

It’s dark here.  I feel as if I’m floating.  A little cold.  Pain started at the base of the back of her head and began to spread up.  What a nice smell!  Mom made fresh beignets for breakfast before school!  But my head hurts, Mom.  I can’t go today…  Hurts.  Hurts.

Let her go, Ninon, another said.