The Void - Wrath & Ruin

I float in ethereal madness. Bodiless and battered by raw needs. It’s pretty interesting.

What do they want?

Let’s see, this one’s pretty mad. And this sucker’s real scared. Oh hey! You paired them up!

What do they want?

Are we pairing up needs? That’s cool. I’ll play. Let’s make some connections.

I hear voices and label emotions. Sometimes they pair up and sometimes they stick. Is that good? It’s probably good.

Some emotions stick better than others. Horny likes horny. Sad wants to be alone. Fear makes more fear. Anger sticks to everything. Is this how I win? Making fear then turning it to anger? From anger to ashes - a deep despair, that won’t do anything. Just flaming through needs until they’re broken.

I’m good at it. Maybe. Maybe it’s just easy.

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I’ve made large patches of nothing. If I keep at it, I can probably burn it all down.

Is this what I’m trying to do?

What do they want… want… want…

My eyes snap open. I’m in a sleep tube. Jesus, these things are weird.

It creaks open. Bear’s worried face peers in. “What are you doing?”

I shrug. “Having a nap?”

“It’s crazy out there.”

“It’s crazy everywhere, man.”

“What the fuck does that mean? The city’s on fire. Everyone’s killing each other. Unless they’re drying out in a sleep pod. Two days till they’re all dead. Which is monstrous, though at this point, waking them to get shot isn’t great either. You’re in charge of all this. Or Volt is. But she won’t talk to me - says she’s too busy - and all you do is drugs and sleep. Why did you even take over the city? What the fuck is going on?! What the fuck are we gonna do!?!”

Bear’s all worked up. Staring at me with crazy eyes.

“Uh. There’s a plan. More of a process. Step one is, uh, I gotta go back to sleep…”

I slowly reach out to grasp the door to the sleep pod. Bear watches me with manic intensity. The pod door closes. Whew. Glad that’s over. Sleep has never seemed like a better idea. Better tell Volt to keep an eye on Bear. If she ever talks to me again.

I’m so tired.