My Library

phase with physical, moving … usual easy process … rapidly through dense inner rings … ought to be some way to wake all of them up at once, that would be something … not even a good simulation of hell … if you won’t accept you’re no longer physical, you’re dead, dead, dead and still alive … now more out of phase, into the center major ring, used to call it Locale II … what an understatement, misnomer … at least they’ve begun to understand and remember … dim forms, light up if you focus on them … this is where my father was, Dr. Gordon, Agnew … more out of phase in spiral, nearly past the last outer ring … Somebody grabbed me! Keep calm, cool, it can be worked out, happened before but not this far on the edge, no need to abort and go back to physical … don’t move, no movement … it’s releasing me, easing back … totally different energy pattern, but intelligent, yes, must operate on M Band … certainly not … (Didn’t intend to push you.) The form was open, vibrating. (Your ident almost exactly like somebody else, my percept was he was you.) I smoothed. (That’s O.K.) The form blanked. (O.K.?) (There’s no problem.) The homing signal was still there, and I turned to move, when suddenly the signal cut off. It was gone. This had rarely happened before, usually there was a reason. Almost instantly I got the percept. I turned back to the form. It was dulled and closed, receding. (Hey, wait a minute.) The form opened slightly, blanked, motionless. (Can I help you?) The form vibrated slightly. (You’re human, or used to be?) I smoothed. (Well, yes, but not exactly the way you …) (If you’re human, you can’t help, because you’re addicted like all the rest.) The form vibrated heavily. (Takes more smarts than any human or anyone who’s ever been human. They’re contaminated.) I had a percept of great loneliness. (Try me.) Small bits of rote drifted out of the form as it flickered half open. They had a different pattern and I couldn’t put them together, too