Logan's Run: The Search For Grimace
Courtesy of Blinker
Here I sit staring at this piece of copper wire. I never knew what it was going to be like when I slid from home. I never knew that it would turn out like this. I did what I had to do to save my world, but others didn't see it that way. They couldn't see the rationale behind it all. I did and so did several others. Desperate people do desperate things and act on gut instinct instead of planning. Now I'm lost and can't find my way home. Damn him and his friends. I will find them no matter how long it takes and when I do they will pay for what they have done to me.
Home. That's all that I want. I remember when it was all much simpler... well simpler and less confusing from now. It all started when I was just a little girl when everything was so different. I miss those times.
As a young girl, I was always searching for someone or something. I guess I was obsessed with one thing or another. I really don't know how it began.
When I was a little more than a year old my parents brought me to this place. I remember seeing the colors red and yellow everywhere. It must have made an impression on my parents because I would always be wearing red, yellow or a combination of both together or with other colors. I hate those colors, but I'm drawn to them. Sometimes, I subconsciously pick out outfits with this color scheme. Thanks a lot mom and dad! You ruined my life.
Stupid kids ridiculed me about my parent's choice of clothes. I told them I was colorblind and couldn't tell what I was wearing. They showed no pity and neither did I. Somehow all their red and yellow markers, paints and crayons ended in my possession.
I always asked, “Is this red or yellow? I can't tell.” I did that repeatedly while picking up a different item just to annoy the hell out of them. It didn't help them that I had most of the top grades in the class either.
My classmates would look at me and whisper, “Isn't she colorblind? Then how did she know that the sun was yellow and the bricks are red?”
It was difficult in keeping silent and not betraying my secret, but it finally got out. That was okay since I was getting tired playing this game. I got my laughs. I enjoyed the game. It sharpened my mind. I learned to manipulate which is probably one of my greatest assets. Patience is something I really didn't quite learn. Oh well, I can't be the master of everything. If I can't be a master in something, I'll find a one and make them tell me their secrets. It will probably take time, but hey, I've got other ways to get what I want.
Mom and Dad had high hopes for my future, which in retrospect was probably the cause of my obsessive nature. I have to have it done my way or no way. They also told me that I had the brains, the dreams and the attitude to have a bright future. They couldn't have been more wrong. Look where I am now... sliding from world to world... lost because of him.
We didn't have much of anything so many years ago. Dad said that you had to make do with what you had and to be thankful of what you had. There were times when I asked, “How come I can't have a doll?” Mom would get sad and put me on her lap. “Logan, honey, this world doesn't have the resources to make dolls. We only have what we need to survive. I'm sorry sweetheart, but maybe in the future you can have a doll.” I cried and planned and cried some more. I was going to get what I wanted and no one was going to stand in my way.
A movement in the corner of the room catches my attention. I look up from my work. It's not important. So where was I? Oh, yeah, dolls. I remember that day so vividly. My mom and I were walking down the deserted streets. We weren't supposed to be out past curfew, which was hours earlier, but we had to go. It was spooky since it was almost midnight. Everything looked so different when it was daytime. I saw shadows following us, but my mom said it was all my imagination. It wasn't my imagination. I know what I saw and it still chills me to the bones.
As we walked past a number boarded up, fenced-in store doors and windows, a tiny shard of light caught my attention. I pulled my mom to the store window where the light beckoned me. “Logan, let's go. We can't be found on the streets this late.” I didn't hear her, but was transfixed by the light. I guess my mom felt sorry for me because we were going through a rough time. I really don't why she let me do what I wanted.
The light led us to a store window. In the far left corner of the window, where the boards and the metal fence didn't cover up was the source of the light. I smiled, laughed and pointed to the tiny figure in the corner. What I remember most was the face on the doll. The smile on her face made me smile. I was happy. Everything bad that happened disappeared. All I remembered was pleasant memories. I don't know how that doll did it, but I was finally happy, but it didn't last.
“Logan, honey, we don't have money to buy that doll. Maybe some day soon. Honey, we have to go before we get caught.” I felt my mom tugging at my arms, but I wouldn't budge. I tried to fight her, but she finally got me away from there. She destroyed my happiness in that moment. Now all I have left are broken dreams and memories that still haunt me to this day.
We rushed through the streets to find that building my dad had told us about. “Mom, how come Dad told us to meet us here at this time of night? How come we didn't go with him earlier.” Mom ignored my questions as she pulled me behind and around the many dumpsters in the alleys. I was getting tired trying to keep up with her.
“Shhh.. Logan, I'll tell you later. We can't be late or we're going to be in trouble.” She kept checking her watch but I didn't know why she did that at that time. I just wanted to be with my Dad... for us to be together.
At last we reached the building that my Dad had told my mom about earlier. It was a tall building and in the dark it was really scary. There were many shadows. I didn't like the feeling I was getting. I looked at my Mom then the building again. “Mom, I don't want to go in there. Are you sure Dad said to meet us here?” She was silent for a few seconds.
“Logan, this is the place. We don't have much time left. We have to go now.” I was scared out of my mind. I didn't want to go there. Too many stories about this place. Terrible and frightening stories that I had heard all my life. At that point in my life, I didn't believe them, but then again there was some truth in them.
Mom checked her watch again. “We have to go now or we're never going to see your Dad again.” I stared at her in confusion. I didn't know what was really happening, just the cover story... the lies. I wanted the truth, but did I want to face what was in there?
My grumbling stomach announced its presence once again, distracting me from my train of thought. Where was I? Oh yes, truth and our perception of it. The truth changes over time. What I saw as the truth when I was a little girl is vastly different from what I see it now.
As I child, I saw truth as what my parents and adults told me. I didn't understand that they were coloring it according to their perception. It didn't make sense to me when my parents contradicted each other and I called them up on it, pressing for the real truth. Sometimes they told me, but most of the time all they would tell me that they were the adults and they knew better than me. There were times when I knew I was right and they denied it, telling me it was my imagination. I guess the truth hurt coming from a child.
I smile as I go through my backpack once again, taking stock of what I have, thinking of what I need and how to get it. I've bartered for a few items, taken some of them, collected others. Sliding from world to world has kept my mind in focus to reach my goal.
Jeez, I got to get out of here. I can't stand remembering about the past. Of what I had and lost and what I never had in the first place. I guess the hell I've been put through has made me look at my life in a different perspective.
I shake off that thought. I didn't make this hell. He did along with his friends. They are going to pay for all of it. One day, Quinn, we are going to meet once again. I'm prepared. Are you?
I miss you Max. You made me happy. The happiest I’ve been since I was a little girl. At first you were a mentor to me when I first came to work there. You taught me many things about life. When your wife got sick, you confided in me. You didn’t know at the time that she also confided in me and that it was her wish to find someone else after she passed. She thought I was good for you, but you never knew of her approval. I was stunned by that and didn’t want to make waves between you and her during her last days.
After she passed, I didn’t want to push you so I waited until I thought you were ready. I remember that day like it was yesterday. There was an old fashioned restaurant that was opening near the lab and you had asked me to meet you there. I was excited because of the nostalgia and what I hoped was going to happen.
When I got to the place, the red and yellow stirred an old childhood memory and I was transported back in time. This was the place where I first saw the red and yellow colors. I now knew what I had forgotten so long ago. Someone that made me happy. He was tall and purple and had a giant smile on his face. “Grimace!” In that instant, the memory disappeared and you were standing in front of me. You were the one I’ve been searching for all these years.
I take out my notebook and scan through my notes. My thoughts become distracted once again. I hate this place. I hate these memories. I hate the way my life has turned out. I hate you Quinn.
Why did you betray us with her? Just because she’s prettier doesn’t mean she’s brighter than I am. What was she other than a lab assistant? Nothing else but a pretty face.
I couldn’t stand that cheap slut and you knew it all along. You dangled her in front of me knowing that I’d get riled up. You were the one that said we were over not me. I was devastated and fought back the only way I knew.
I called you when you were with her at our restaurant. I cried telling you that life wasn’t worth living anymore and that I couldn’t work with you anymore. I wanted to slide to another world now and no one was going to stop me. I hung up the phone and waited, drying my tears, knowing you were coming.
Once I heard you pounding on the door, begging me to stop because the vortex wasn’t stable enough yet, I activated it. The red wormhole appeared, swirling the loose paperwork. The door broke and I saw you and her. I stood close enough to the vortex and cried out to you that I’d probably die if I jumped through. I didn’t care anymore. My happiness was wretched away from me once again.
You persuaded me to stop, but that was according to my plan all along. When you hugged me to try to get me away from the kaleidoscope of light and wind, I pushed you into the maelstrom. She was shocked for a second then charged at me like a bull seeing the red flag. Too bad she couldn’t stop when I moved out of the way.
“Burn in hell!” I screamed into the vortex, knowing that neither of you would make it to the next world since I had changed the parameters. Nothing would have survived that trip. I laughed hysterically for several minutes before checking the surveillance cameras for records of the incident. There were none of course since I had disabled them. I already had a story for the authorities and they believed me. I told them that you two wanted to slide to a different world to start anew because this world only brought only sorrow to Max. My vengeance was satisfied for the time being.
Several months later they showed up. I was shocked when I saw Max’s double. I couldn’t believe it. He was alive again, but they were leaving in a few days. I tried to convince Max to stay a little longer. I couldn’t stand to see him disappear from my life. I couldn’t help myself. I just wanted to be happy. Quinn made sure that was never going to happen.
A faint moaning comes from right side corner of the room pulling my attention from my plans. “Speak or else you’ll end up like your friend with a bullet in the back of the head.” I listen, but hear nothing else. I’m getting tired of his noncompliance. I’m tired of this whole damn place. I want out now.
I check my water supply in my pack. Full. Good. Food. Nothing. Damn. I have to go look for something before I get weak and go really insane here. Damn timer won’t work here. It’s either been fried again or it’s this place. I don’t even know how long I have before my window opens or did it already go by. If my window has already gone by then I’ll have to find another timer.
I'm tired of this shit. Slide here. Slide there. I found a world that I loved and I was forced off it. Dammit and now I'm stuck in another hellhole. Daddy said that I'd be forced into making difficult decisions and sometimes they are decided for us. Daddy was right. He did everything for us. I'm hungry but not too bad. When you've had nothing, you learn to cope and accept it as the norm.
I check my watch and it’s 12:00 noon lunchtime. Yeah right. I wish. That crap I found barely passed for food. I stand up and scan my surroundings once again. I check my compass while standing in front of the artificial cavities in the walls. North is behind me. Taking out a magnet and moving it along the edge of the compass, I see the compass move slightly but reverts back to the original position. I wonder if it’s telling me the true magnetic north or it’s being influenced by the composition of this place.
I check my prisoner again. He’s still asleep or looks like he’s sleeping. My eyes scan back and forth across his prone figure checking to see if his arms are still bound behind his back. They are. I’ve decided what to do.
I walk over to and kick him in the ribs to wake him up if he's asleep. He wakes and glares at me then stares at something behind me. Glare all you want. You’re going to answer me now.
"Magg, I'll let you go if you promise to kill Quinn Mallory. What's your decision?" I wait impatiently for his answer. He ignores my question, but I see that he recognized his name.
"Get up, we're going for some exercise." I kick him in the ribs again, but he doesn’t move. I hit him with my gun on the back of his head. "Get up or die now!"
He’s grunting and slowly getting up which annoys the hell out of me. I pull on the rope and wrap it around my right hand. "I'm letting you go. If you run, I'm going to shoot you in the back. Move." I push him into the hallway with little resistance. "Okay, now jog to the main intersection.”
To be continued.... Follow Logan's adventures in SL4ever's Sliders: The Role Playing Game
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