question please," said Dale.
"Fine, but last one. I'm exhausted," said the new Amanda.
"Where are we?"
"Why, isn't it obvious? We're in the Hexad, the original."
A Strange Interlude
Time Unknown
Dale felt fear grip his guts like a rat was inside gnawing away at nerves, bringing them to life only to destroy them eagerly. He felt the certainty of the words echo around his mind, words he knew were the truth the minute he had stared at the far ends of the cylinder but refused to admit to himself.
Of course they were in a Hexad, the blunt gray end and the other a blue dome, it was obvious. They were in what could only be described as a giant Hexad, or maybe the first? A huge Hexad that somehow gave rise to the others?
"But... but, what do you mean? How... how do you know?" Amanda looked like she was about ready to collapse — it was easy to forget that she had been out of her normal life for a long time. Dale was feeling bad enough, who knew how mixed up Amanda was.
"Can we carry on with this tomorrow please?" The new Amanda got up from the bench and gathered the empty mugs, leaving Dale and Amanda alone.
The light was fading fast, almost as if the transition from day to night wasn't really a concern. Dale noted tiny pricks of light high above, light bouncing off the upside down ground as it spilled out of windows as people settled down for the evening.
"What do we do now Dale? What is this place?"
"It's hell, but we aren't staying." Dale was resolute: no way was his Amanda going to be some kind of prisoner like countless others, if what they had been told was true.
~~~
They were put up for the night in a comfortable spare room, told that they would be allocated a home of their own the following day.
Dale knew he wouldn't sleep as he cuddled in to Amanda under thick covers in the musty smelling room. He'd lie there, keep her company, just enjoy the closeness and try not to think — although he knew his thoughts would be going a mile a minute all night.
The next thing he knew there was pale blue light spilling in through an open window, the sound of a cockerel telling the rest of the inverse world it was awake and they better be as well.
The second of many surprises of the day wasn't long in coming.
He dressed and padded down the stairs, wondering where Amanda was, hoping that she was okay and that nothing terrible had happened. He couldn't believe he'd slept through the fake night so soundly, but the effects of jumping through time were evident in the ache of his bones and the feeling that his brain was somehow different: rewired to cope with the madness.
He felt tired, a deep lassitude that almost made him crawl back under the covers and sleep away the nightmare until he was back home and it was just going to be a normal day mowing the lawn and dozing on the sofa.
As he made his way into the kitchen he heard laughter. It was disconcerting hearing the woman you love laughing twice. Two Amandas getting on well, which shouldn't come as a surprise really. After all, they were near enough the exact same person — just not quite.
"Haha, I never really thought about that. I'm amazed it hasn't happened already," he heard his Amanda saying.
"Amazed what hasn't happened?" Dale walked over to Amanda and gave her a kiss on the head, stunned her hair looked so radiant. He put his hand to his own, realizing it was sticking up like a scarecrow's as it did every morning. He tried to pat it down, knowing it was useless — he needed a shower. "Um, morning Amanda. Wow, that sounds weird."
"Morning Dale," said the new Amanda brightly. "I was just telling Amanda here about the silly things some of us have done, the ones of us that were actually involved in jumping, having Hexads. Although," she said, turning to Amanda, "some of it was quite serious. You have to be careful."
"I will, definitely. Oh, well, if we ever get out of here."
"You won't."
Silence descended, the atmosphere
"Fine, but last one. I'm exhausted," said the new Amanda.
"Where are we?"
"Why, isn't it obvious? We're in the Hexad, the original."
A Strange Interlude
Time Unknown
Dale felt fear grip his guts like a rat was inside gnawing away at nerves, bringing them to life only to destroy them eagerly. He felt the certainty of the words echo around his mind, words he knew were the truth the minute he had stared at the far ends of the cylinder but refused to admit to himself.
Of course they were in a Hexad, the blunt gray end and the other a blue dome, it was obvious. They were in what could only be described as a giant Hexad, or maybe the first? A huge Hexad that somehow gave rise to the others?
"But... but, what do you mean? How... how do you know?" Amanda looked like she was about ready to collapse — it was easy to forget that she had been out of her normal life for a long time. Dale was feeling bad enough, who knew how mixed up Amanda was.
"Can we carry on with this tomorrow please?" The new Amanda got up from the bench and gathered the empty mugs, leaving Dale and Amanda alone.
The light was fading fast, almost as if the transition from day to night wasn't really a concern. Dale noted tiny pricks of light high above, light bouncing off the upside down ground as it spilled out of windows as people settled down for the evening.
"What do we do now Dale? What is this place?"
"It's hell, but we aren't staying." Dale was resolute: no way was his Amanda going to be some kind of prisoner like countless others, if what they had been told was true.
~~~
They were put up for the night in a comfortable spare room, told that they would be allocated a home of their own the following day.
Dale knew he wouldn't sleep as he cuddled in to Amanda under thick covers in the musty smelling room. He'd lie there, keep her company, just enjoy the closeness and try not to think — although he knew his thoughts would be going a mile a minute all night.
The next thing he knew there was pale blue light spilling in through an open window, the sound of a cockerel telling the rest of the inverse world it was awake and they better be as well.
The second of many surprises of the day wasn't long in coming.
He dressed and padded down the stairs, wondering where Amanda was, hoping that she was okay and that nothing terrible had happened. He couldn't believe he'd slept through the fake night so soundly, but the effects of jumping through time were evident in the ache of his bones and the feeling that his brain was somehow different: rewired to cope with the madness.
He felt tired, a deep lassitude that almost made him crawl back under the covers and sleep away the nightmare until he was back home and it was just going to be a normal day mowing the lawn and dozing on the sofa.
As he made his way into the kitchen he heard laughter. It was disconcerting hearing the woman you love laughing twice. Two Amandas getting on well, which shouldn't come as a surprise really. After all, they were near enough the exact same person — just not quite.
"Haha, I never really thought about that. I'm amazed it hasn't happened already," he heard his Amanda saying.
"Amazed what hasn't happened?" Dale walked over to Amanda and gave her a kiss on the head, stunned her hair looked so radiant. He put his hand to his own, realizing it was sticking up like a scarecrow's as it did every morning. He tried to pat it down, knowing it was useless — he needed a shower. "Um, morning Amanda. Wow, that sounds weird."
"Morning Dale," said the new Amanda brightly. "I was just telling Amanda here about the silly things some of us have done, the ones of us that were actually involved in jumping, having Hexads. Although," she said, turning to Amanda, "some of it was quite serious. You have to be careful."
"I will, definitely. Oh, well, if we ever get out of here."
"You won't."
Silence descended, the atmosphere
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