The smile slips from my face as my brother leaves my room. The Silver Prince , HA. He must hate that name.
Even now I can hear the nurses whispering about him as they hide in the neighboring rooms, having been listening in on his reading to me. They oh and ah, swooning in an a nauseating fashion.
I wish I could have said something to him. But even just smiling like i did has weakened the bindings of the seams on my head a little. I can distinctly feel how my jaw sits a little lower than it should. How my head is just a little bit crooked on my neck. But it was worth it seeing my brother genuinely happy for a moment. Rather than that mask he's always wearing. The Silver Prince and his Fractured doll. We certainly used to make quite a pair. If we could stand side by side again I imagine we still would. Back when I could still walk we'd cause all kinds of mischief. He'd be the face acting as the distraction wile I'd slip on past whoever and take what we needed. Usually food, but occasionally clothes or medicine. Though i loved when I would find book. It was truly amazing wair my small half attached hands can slip into with just a moment of time.
But eventually we always got caught then sent back to our uncle and aunt. They always hated the negative image we'd paint with our escapades, despite the fact they were always the ones kicking us out onto the streets. Then when my brother turned 14 he managed to save a trade deal our aunt was about to botch. You'd think selling wood in a world with almost no trees would be easy, but auntie couldn't sell a sandwich to a starving man. While dear old uncle only cared about his image.
Ironically uncles obsession with appearance was why they kept taking us back in, despite always wanting us gone.
With my brother now having a modicum of value he officially had a permanent place in our step parents hearts. But me, I was just a burden, even more so when I developed my first leg seam. Suddenly I couldn't even clean the floors of the rapidly growing store front in time for opening. So I was moved to a cheape care facility, were they wouldn't have to look at me as I fell apart.
The care facility wasn't great. Nurses never checked on us or answered the buzzers. Just about the only thing they did do was prevent us from leaving. Though it took them a while to notice when I walked out the door. It was bloody hard creating splits that could hold my legs together but worth it. By the time the splits started failing, I had already snuck into a cart. On its way to my home town.
It was hilarious seeing our step parents faces when I dragged myself back in the front door. Well I still feel a bit bad putting mr brother through that.But the verbal abuse I witnessed him give them, was almost worth the anguish I caused him!
After that he took care me at the house for 2 years. That only stopped when dear old aunt tried pulling my arm off in a drunken rage one night. For and I quote ' ruining an important trade deal by delaying my brother by a half second.'
It's a special experience feeling your blood vessels and nerves pop like the seams of some cheap fabric. I still can't properly feel my left arm, whether that's because of the low blood flow or the nerve damage I'm uncertain. After my brother saved me from that I began getting bounced from hospitals to care facility, form facility to hospital. Usually I get moved a few weeks before the twilight consumes the building, but sometimes i get moved sooner. Usually depends on how well each place treats me. Considering the fact I can count,5 purses, a stolen vending machine and the bag of drugs a doctor hid inside my abdomen, sitting within my room. I don't think I'm staying here for much longer. One way or another.
Suddenly everything starts shaking disrupting my day dreaming with the agony of falling apart. Which is as good a way to die as any I suppose. Death by earthquake was 7th on my list of likely ways to die. Than an indescribable voice invades my fleeting thoughts, and senses.
•_|>*[•~•):'[CONTACT ESTABLISHED-REJOICE!]
Why does rejoice tast like synthetic blueberry?
[STAND BY FOR INTEGRATION-SCANNING LIFE FORMS-SAPIENT LIFE DETECTED- CONTACTING REPRESENTATIVE-•••-REPRESENTATIVE CAPALE OF HUMAN SPEACH FOUND]
[Welcome Humans of Realm 1589205 Beta! Or what remains of your realm, anyway. Rejoice for you shall soon be integrated into the GREAT ALL KNOWING SYSTEM, as denizens!]
Thank goodness, the other voice was giving me a migraine. This one is much nicer to listen to as I die. I actually get a brief reprieve as the shaking stops and light filtering though the window starts shifting being invaded by golden yellow rays.
[Remain calm humans for the system has begun repairing your realm. Prepare for an infusion of Primal Energy's by bracing your selves in all perceivable dimensions!]
Wanting to complain that I couldn't brace myself even if I tried. I'm instead forced to abandon my thoughts as the flood of otherworldly energy hits. It's very pretty…and painful. I get the pleasure of feeling ever seam across my body worsen, cut through by an invading energy that simply wants to Fix. But it's fix is is killing me!
I I don't want to die…I want to live! I need to live! Martialing all my Will I try shoving the strang energy out of me. But this only opens a path for it to reach something deeper than my body.
-
Then the pleasant voice return's as I regain consciousness only to get cut off by the headache inducing system.
[Congratulations, new denizens! The Great System has successfully restored your Realm to a Stable 25% of its original base existence! It will now be handing over further repair efforts to… the Challengers Guild. It is greatly advised you check your System provided Log Book, seize the opportunity to cultivate, and not interfere with Systems Representatives!"]
[DELETING ERRONEOUS INFORMATION WITHIN NEW DENIZENS-HAZARDOUS INFORMATION CLEARD-BINDING LOG BOOKS-BOOKS BOUND-PROVIDEING LIMATED SUPPORT SKILL- SKILL PROVIDED-CONNECTING CHALLENGE GUILD-SURVIVE, STRIVE AND DISCOVER!]
I can't move as I feel a remarkably gentle hand rumage through my mind, or soul? It leaves something behind to replace what it takes at least. I try moving again once it's gone expecting to feel pain. Nothing other than a soreness that defies logic, plus an odd draining sensation?
Cracking my eyes open I find I'm face down on the cold floor. No amount of moving my body seems to shift my perspective though?
After an embarrassing amount of effort I manage to roll my head over.
Two thoughts strike me first.This floor is filthy and is that a severed hand! It's small, pale, with freckles…is that my Hand!
Panicked I unconsciously flinch, my hand also flinches. I I can still feel it? Glancing around I see several body parts laying around the room. Th there all mine. Yet none of them bleed?
Ignoring my internal panic I try walking my hand, around discovering that while difficult it's possible. Despite I spend the next 10 minutes smashing my wrist stump against ware it should fit on my severed arm. Eventually with a desperate plea I feel that Force inside me depleted with a little jump.
My arm and hand reattached! Over the next 4 hours I race against an internal clock to reassemble myself before what ever magic is keeping me alive fades away completely.
"I I I'm whole…ha. Ha. Ha. HAHAHA…" I'm not falling apart! Sitting on the floor crying with joy I'm now able to move and talk without falling apart! I won't even have to eat though a tube anymore! Sure I feel some strange energy flowing in to me with half of this strange force seamingly getting consumed holding my now fully severed parts together, but I'm whole in a way I haven't been in years.
Something is cutting me on the inside? Splitting open a seam on my Chest with clenched teeth I dig out that bag of drugs, eliciting an uncomfortable shiver. "Gross " i chuck the bag of white pounder into a random purse.
Still feeling something else foreign inside me but in a new space? I reach inside my center with an effort of Will 'pulling ' a book out of somewhere immaterial yet real?
Its a haggard wooden white book made with silvery red stained paper. It calls to me but I feel with absolute certainty it's a parasite.