Greetings, my friends
I have been so overjoyed
to report back to the land of the living!
I fear my enthusiasm for self-preservation betrays my abject terror at the moment, it is a joyous bounce, teetering from the rapturous elation of surviving an impossibility, and tottering towards annihilation, oblivion perhaps. No, I know for certain that the Ashen One is oblivion, I felt it in my bones, my spirit.
Apologies my friend, I seem to have lost my focus, permit me to clarify the matter at hand, that led to my current jubilation.
I sought the Ashen One, I feel it only proper to capitalize its name, whatever it may be. I sought it because I could not bear the uncertainty of dreams, of its presence. I was curious. Two agonizing days passed, I kept a steady watch, subsisting on waffles, glorious amounts of soda, and dry cereal. At night, I used a powerful flashlight, meant for emergencies, to occasionally peer about out of my prison. I admit now, that I was rather committed to seeing it now, I wanted this, I wanted this badly. No longer would the Sword of Damacles hang over friend Nil's head. No, I felt it was time for to put my practices into action, the belief of destiny, the consequences of fate, action over inaction.
I found nothing those nights, oh it is true I saw things, the strangest things of all sometimes, when one investigates the small things of life. I suspect my neighbor is having an affair, and I am now certain who it is who is stealing newspapers on the block. Neither is my place to judge, for I am a guardian of a greater philosophy. Eventually the waffle mix ran dry, fatigue set in, and my legs were aching enough that I simply had to take my feet off, and switch to my chair.
I realized I should splurge a hair in case it were my last night on Earth. While the concept of massive parties, luxury drugs and the ilk danced across my thoughts for a mere moment, I chuckled to myself, then simply ordered a pizza. Sweet nourishment, and savory breadsticks awaited me, unless I was confronted before then.
As for luck, and my suddenly famished hunger, it did not. I screwed my feet back on to greet the deliveryman, for I feel so much more human when I may look someone in the eyes. Oh, and look him in the eyes I did, with a happy smile again of jubilant life. Then I dropped the pie. Yes, dear reader, my good friend, as you surely have suspected, with your knowledge of dramatic moments, it was then that I saw him, standing in my neighbor's vegetable garden. There was no mistake as to whom he found interest.
I muttered an apology, kicked the pizza over, signed the receipt and apparently gave him a ten dollar tip, sending him on his hurried way so I might find my answers. With my walker in hand, I stepped outside into the balmy, crisp night to pay a visit.
Blue help me, its rather difficult to transcribe what I internalized of this incident.
Gingerly I approached, half expecting it to simply dematerialize, swept back into the eddies of the Etheral Plane from which it manifested. It did not. I wanted to speak to it, and yet I found I could not. I found myself in the plight of supernatural encounter, with a malproportioned figure dressed in what resembled finewear, complete with tie.
It regarded me quietly, before I spoke, my heart racing, announcing my intentions with a forced laugh, "Well, hello there..."
I received a rather blank look from the masked figure, leaving me to prod on the conversation. "I've..I've seen you watching me." The wind picked up as the sole response. I implored again, "Creature, creature, what are you? Why do you stalk me?"
I found myself on the ground, clutching my head. Scrambled, confused, dazed, I was struck by words so profound, so alien, I could not stand them for long. "CURIOUS ONE, I AM BUT THE INSTRUMENT FOR DEMISE."
I need to lie down, please pardon me, I will attmept more later.
Callme Nli