Waking up new

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chapter 3
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Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
By: Albert Einstein

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Xander took a breath. Or tried too. Breathing seemed to be a difficult chore, he couldn’t take in enough air. He was feeling dizzy. The room seamed to spin, just an endless amusement ride. A ride Xander really wanted to get off of. * Was the air in this room defective? This couldn’t be real!*

The men in the white lab coats were speaking all at once, each making placating gestures to try to calm Xander down. They were cooing and mumbling half words like one would to a wild beast they come across in the woods. Grabbing a hammer from the tool box on the table Xander twisted it around in his hand and squeezed the rubber handle rhythmically. He probably shouldn’t be holding the hammer. The urge to beats something living with it sounded tempting.

Looking at the three men before him Xander growled, then nearly yelped when something brushed his back. He snatched the thing and stared confused like at the tail he held. Pulling on it Xander made a confused noise as he felt the tugging at his rear. That meant it was connected. As in part of his body . . . attached . . . With a hiss of annoyance that sounded like water on white hot metal Xander released the tail allowing it to whish violently then he yelled. “SHUT IT!!”

The babble stopped allowing Xander to think, but with thinking came more panic. Looking at himself in the reflection of the pod, Xander nearly shrieked. His ears were pointed and his EYES!! The eyes that use to be a dark earthy brown were now so light they were almost gold. It was freaky and unfamiliar.

Xander turned back to the three white coated men to yell at them, to interrogate them. Only they were no longer sitting on the floor like good little mad scientists. They were standing and the older one had a bulky gun thing in his hands pointed at Xander. The man smirked as he pulled the trigger.

*FLASH*

Xander gave a startled cry as pain shot through his eyes. The light from the gun was blinding! Rubbing his eyes Xander tried to blink away tears. He could barely see! Panicked, Xander tried to find an exit. Throwing the hammer then the box of tools in the direction of three men, Xander ran toward a wall ware he felt a breeze. Looking around through watered vision Xander finds a partly opened window and ran for it before the three science guys could get their wits back. The scientists had squawked in pain as metal rained down on them, and Xander knew the sound of metal hitting flesh well. Hopping onto the sill Xander ripped the bug screen off the window and bolted into the night.

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Running with great speed Xander found himself in a land he did not recognize. The streets were filled with filth, and trash was piled in corners. Homeless were everywhere!! People lined the floor like newspaper lined a litter box and smelled just as bad!! Stopping in the empty town square, if one doesn’t count the bum or two sleeping on benches, only to see a street light glowing without the street part holding it up. The blue glowing lights hovered above each corner with nothing holding them up but the blue energy that connected them. Xander shuddered and tried not to look into the sky. Into a sky that had three damn moons and stars he couldn’t recognize!!

With his tail tucked around his waist Xander snuck into a bar, it was dark, seedy, and the odd flashy music was loud. It beat in his chest like thunder, though he couldn’t understand the words, the music was still nice. Had a good dancing beat. Slipping toward a corner table Xander snatched a cloak and what looked like a money purse from a really drunk guy hitting on what Xander hoped was a coat rack. Covering himself with the cloth shield made being in this unknown a little less scary.

Going to the bartender Xander looked at the assortment of colored drinks with names under the pictures. How was he going to find out how to get home if he didn’t know how to read or even speak the language? Pointing at a blue drink in a swirly glass, Xander gave the bartender a reddish coin with a blue nine pointed star on it. The tall barkeep raised a brow said something then walked away.

“Probably overpaid him . . .”


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Xander wasn’t brooding. Nope. Not him. He was in an unknown land, with unknown people who spoke gobble-dee-gook, and kicked folks out on their ass’ at exactly 3 swirly line dote 5. Hissing at his luck, Xander ran down another ally that looked like many others. Not only did he get kick out of a dirty bar by a big meat head named Parthon but the moment he got on the street he ran into Larry, Curly, and Moe.

Now he was on the run again! The young one was fast! And the bald guy was good with a dart gun! Jumping a stone fence Xander turned another corner only to bump into a girl that had at least four cats tucked into her trench coat. “Oooo! Hol humik nonh Sandsha, Grite Uno! Pook plu hi unne?”

Giving the odd smelling cat girl a blink Xander ducked into the apartment building she had been heading to. He watched from the safety of the shadows as the three men stumbled by. The mousy haired thick black glasses wearing girl with a white kitten on her shoulder stepped into the entryway. A bright if not half-sane smile graced her round face and lit up her rich brown eyes. “Kit Holi su, hi nuwuh?”

Xander groaned. Even on another planet his freaky magnetism was taken effect. He could see the sparkles of a crush forming in the quirky girl’s brown eyes. The kid was blushing and giggled like Xander’s mini slayers would when they passed a hot guy in the mall. How did Xander find the weird ones?


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Sandsha was having a bad day. A bird pooed on her and the trades store was out of her kitties favorite wet food!!! How was she to celebrate her cat Winnie’s birthday without it? Sighing she lugged her groceries home. She had just reached the entrance when a jerk nearly knocked her over!! Only it wasn’t a jerk . . . It was a GOD!!! Her god!! The great cat god Purrartha!!!

“Oooo!! My name is Sandsha, Great One!! How may I serve?” She was so happy to finally meet her god! And so were her cats from how they were looking at the beautiful cat man. She was just about to ask the tall dark tailed man questions about the universe, cat heaven, and the language of cats, when three men pushed past her. She glared at them as they went by. If her god was hiding from them then that made them her enemy! Walking toward her flat, she smiled at her god who was crouching by the door.

“Cat God sir, are you ok?”

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Staring out into the cold bleak gothic room the silver eyed man sat in his chair and glared at nothing and everything. He was staring at the light that was peeking through the thick carving-covered door, at peoples shadows that streamed by. In the high backed uncomfortable chair he sat stretched out with a large male hellhound curled at his feet.

He seamed angry at life, at brightness, and all things it was related to. Patting a big hand down the hellhound’s broad scaled head, Riddick sighed. At the sound of the side door opening Riddick faced it and crooned at the growling hound that was now standing.

“Easy Wraith . . .” The large grey scaled hound whined then sat down with a plop. Its ears were down as its big head all but fell into Riddick’s lap.

Riddick sneered at the Necros that filed in and stood in-front of him like needy hungry pet dogs. What? Couldn’t they wipe their ass’ without his permission? Most likely not.

Meeting the Necros half way Riddick tilted his head and raised his brows. “What?”

Toal marched up to Riddick and gave an over exaggerated bow. “ Lord Marshal we are one hour from planet-”

Riddick made a hand gesture for the kiss up to get to the point. “-Um . . . I was wondering sir if you would like to look over the final plans. Commander Vaako said you already knew the finished plans, but I thought you would like to see them for yourself. After-all things can be forgotten when they travel from word of mouth.”
Toal looked so proud of himself, all smug, thinking he got one over Vaako. Riddick had noticed that Toal didn’t acknowledge Vaako as First Among Commanders. And Riddick knew first hand that Vaako practically had a photographic memory. And he made good use of it in bed. The man never forgot the smallest detail unless he meant to withhold it.

“I don’t like wasting time Toal, but if you think I’m too stupid to understand the plans the first time . . . Then please! Go right ahead and educate me.” Riddick tilted his head to the side, his silver eyes focused on a stuttering Toal.

“N-no my Lord!! I just wished to kn-now if my Lord was informed of any changes! Please forgive my insolent words!” Toal bowed again.

Riddick shrugged. “If that is the only reason you lot are bugging me then lets get this thing started. I need a good fight.”

Riddick stretched like a cat got up and headed to the doors the large hound right behind him. The lords followed though they kept away from the scaled fire creature. As most of them piled out Toal grabbed Vaako by the arm. His anger could be seen plainly in his dark face, a self-righteous fire burning in his dark eyes. The man got in Vaako’s face, nose to nose with the man.

“How DARE you make me look bad in-front of the Lord Marshal! You may still hold the title of First Among Commanders, but we all know why you still carry it!! Whoring for the Lord Marshal will only take you so far!! Soon he’ll see what a fool you are!! I will have your job, just like I have your wife!!”

Pulling his arm away from Toal, Vaako sighed. This man was becoming a broken vid recording, every day was the same useless banter. “As I recall I divorced Lady Lilith . . . She is no longer my problem. And as for you taking my position . . .You keep what you kill. Challenge me if you think me not worthy. As Riddick would say, I need a good fight.” With that said Vaako left Toal to stutter and yell his petty insults.

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