Board Thread:Off-Topic Discussion/@comment-28743333-20151017150311/@comment-1859034-20160225061930

(Meanwhile, inside Margaret's head...)

Falling.

Margaret found herself tumbling downward in a seemingly endless void. She spun helplessly this way and that, the bitter air constantly striking her body like bullets, eventually tearing the remnants of her uniform to shreds. She tried reaching upward to grasp the fragmented fabric, but was greeted by a brilliant flash of light. Within seconds it engulfed her vision, only to dissolve into a spherical portal surrounding her flailing form. Within the portal was a snippet of her past. It soon multiplied until she was surrounded by a cavalcade of her entire life; friends, family, and enemies alike…

''“Don’t stop yourself from pursuing your dreams…” “I can fist pump with the best of them…” “I can’t wait until I finally quit my dumb job…” “That was pretty cool what you said up there…” “I have to get serious if I wanna transfer out of junior college…” “For the first time ever, I feel like I can be in a relationship that could actually go somewhere…”  “What is wrong with you? You always do this. Every time it seems we’re getting closer, you throw me for a loop…” “It’s just weird not knowing what’s gonna happen…” “I can’t believe you’d do something like that. I totally misjudged you…”  “C’mon, there’s no reason why we all can’t have fun here…  After all, that’s what I was made to do…”  “That’s what friends are for. They come through for each other when they need it most…”  “I’m serious. You’re always there for me. I guess… I mean… There’s not a lot of people I can say that about…” “I really like you, and what we have is special, but… I may never get this opportunity again…” “Whatever happens, happens…”''

The memories continued to multiply, ever increasing in volume, forcing the robin to cover her ears in agony. And when it seemed as though her situation couldn’t get much worse, something new caught her eye. In the distance, faintly, was a white spec. It continued to expand as she fell, leaving her little time to process this new development over the screeching voices around her.

The ground was coming up fast, and she had no way of stopping.

Margaret frantically grasped for something, anything, to slow down. Yet when she reached for a portal, her hand shot through the other side. There had to be a solution, yet if such a thing existed, it certainly had no intention of presenting itself. She was left with barely enough time to scream in terror at what would presumably be her final fate.

‘AAAAAH-!’

Her cry was suddenly cut off as the resulting shockwave smashed through her chest and feet, shattering every bone in the robin’s body. Her mind, or what was left of it, fought through the pain to ponder one last thought before everything went black.

“T-This wasn’t… If I… CJ…”





…





…

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<p class="MsoNormal">Both eyes shot open. Margaret gasped, the clean crisp oxygen filling her lungs with life once more. The back of her head ached, as though she’d been hit with a sledgehammer. A wing reached up to rub it, but remained still. No, covered by something. A sheet. She stared down to find herself not at the coffee shop, not painting the pavement with her guts, but in a bed. Her old bed back at her parent’s house.

<p class="MsoNormal">The robin gently pulled herself up, removing the sheet and steadily placed both feet on the floor. A glance revealed everything was exactly as she had remembered it, right down to the specs of dust in the corners. Her bedroom, her old life, every detail seemed perfect. Too perfect.

<p class="MsoNormal">The door slid open as a middle-age robin made her way in, swiftly followed by a tall and imposing human male. To some they seemed a bizarre and impossible duo, yet Margaret felt nothing but love and affection for them.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Rise and shine honey…” The elder robin gave an affectionate smile.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Heeey, how’s my hug bug?” The man leapt over and wrapped both arms around her, almost crushing Margaret in his incredibly grasp. “Don’t wanna be late today of all days…”

<p class="MsoNormal">‘No, of course not Dad…’ Margaret automatically replied.

<p class="MsoNormal">“He’s right… The last thing you want to do is sleep in and miss your interview.”

<p class="MsoNormal">‘Don’t worry Mum, I’m awake as I’ll ever be…’

<p class="MsoNormal">“We just wanna let you know…” Her father took a step back to stand beside his wife. “…That no matter whether you get the job or not, we’ll always be proud of you…”

<p class="MsoNormal">‘Aw, thank you!’ Margaret beamed. ‘I mean, it’s my first job and I don’t want to screw it up…’

<p class="MsoNormal">“Don’t say that…” Her mother scolded.'' “You’ll do fine. In fact, we know you’ll be the best barista this town has ever seen. You just need to have faith in yourself.”''

<p class="MsoNormal">‘I know, but…’ Her voice and beak dropped. ‘…What if I fail?’

<p class="MsoNormal">“You won’t.” Her father replied. “And if they don’t hire you, I’ll see to it they change their minds!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Frank, please!” His wife playfully slapped him, chuckling.

<p class="MsoNormal">''“Whaaaat? I was just joking Denise…”''

<p class="MsoNormal">‘Thanks again for the vote of confidence.’ Margaret smiled. ‘I’ll be down in a few minutes.’

<p class="MsoNormal">The pair nodded and closed the door, leaving the robin to her thoughts. What was going on? Why was she reliving another moment of her past? Or… Or was it all a dream? All the adventures, all the love and heartbreak, everything that happened over the past few years… did she dream them? No. No, they were real. They had to be. Yet why was she back here? Maybe… maybe this was a not a dream, but a wish. Had all her regrets somehow reverted time back to a point where she could start over?

<p class="MsoNormal">Yeah… Yeah, that could work. Now she could write all the wrongs she ever did. No more boyfriends every week. No more colleges she regretted attending. No more monsters trying to kill her all the time. No more misunderstandings when her cousin John shows off a new leg. A smile crossed Margaret’s beak as she threw on a set of freshly-washed clothes. The bad times? Forget ‘em! This was a bold new future, one where she had the power to transform it the way she wanted. No tears, no regrets, no anxieties. Just a young robin ready to step outside and c-.

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<p class="MsoNormal">…And come face-to-face with herself? No, it was a slightly older version of her, wearing a stained yellow apron. The wrinkles forced their way through her almost bleached feathers around a tired, bitter expression. Was that her future? To work in the coffee shop and become a lifeless husk? She turned to face another one, younger this time. So full of life and with no concerns for the future. Another appeared, around the same age with dyed black feathers, a number of unsavoury tattoos, and a cigarette hanging from her beak. Adjacent stood a middle-aged version, wearing a slick business suit and held a notepad as though some kind of reporter. While she looked every part the successful businesswoman, a faint glimmer of sadness appeared in her eyes as if she was repressing some tragic event. Maybe she lost something or someone she loved.

<p class="MsoNormal">Nearby was another, definitely older with a swollen stomach. Cheap lipstick marred her face while bare patches were across her unkempt body. She tried not to acknowledging another Margaret, this one in a different uniform with an illustration of a pizza on the apron. A weary yet fulfilled expression crossed her beak, as a trio of smaller robins huddled beside her happily. And another, definitely elderly, this time in full clothes with round glasses and her feathers combed into something resembling hair. A gold ring sat on a finger as she held a book contently. At a glance, it appeared to have a strange yet vaguely familiar blue bird on the cover.

<p class="MsoNormal">Margaret was surrounded by roughly a dozen unique representations of herself, each a portion of her past, present, and what could be. Her first instinct was to figure out what was going on, but would be denied the chance. They began to spin counter clockwise around her, gaining momentum with each cycle until they became a blur. The robin fell to her knees, trying to ignore the swelling feeling in her stomach.

<p class="MsoNormal">The high screeching of the wind began slowing down, and eventually subsided entirely. Forcing herself to open her eyes, Margaret found herself facing a pair of black leather boots. Her eyes trailed upwards, revealing more of this enigmatic figure. A black metal skirt followed by a single piece of armour encased her body, enforced by metal straps across her shoulders. Spiked bracelets covered her wrists, and a tiara of some ancient design rested atop her head.

<p class="MsoNormal">‘Wh-Where am I?’

<p class="MsoNormal">“A realm safe from danger.”

<p class="MsoNormal">‘Who are you?’

<p class="MsoNormal">''“I’m you, Margaret Smith. Or more succinctly, a part of you.”''

<p class="MsoNormal">‘Why am I here?’

<p class="MsoNormal">''“Because…” She paused. “…You’re dead.”''

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<p class="MsoNormal">(Part 1 of 2)