Ember in Wrilogonzia.... Episode 7

“Duck!”


“Wha---?” Ember ducks at Perhluna’s warning, barely be missed by a stream of glowing letters, symbols and numbers flying past her head. She spins around watching other similar streams zip around them.

“Perhluna, what is this place? Where are we? Why is it so dark? What are those?” she asks, pointing to the glowing strands of digits that offer the only source of light.

Unwrapping himself from around Ember’s neck, Perhluna settles on her shoulder with his long tail encircling her neck like a fur scarf. “I would think that is obvious.”

“Obvious? Perh, I am not in the mood for your riddles. Just tell me.” Perhluna grins at her mischievously, but says nothing. “Fine, we are in some sort of black hole, dodging …. whatever those, those strands are. I feel like I’m in the twilight zone version of Sesame Street and any minute Bert, Ernie and the count are going to pop up. Seriously, what is this place?”

Perhluna sighs, “well, you can certainly stand in for Oscar, the Grouch.” Ember crosses her arms and begins tapping her foot in annoyance, which elicits a chuckle from Perhluna. “Alright, I’ll tell you where we are. Although why you can’t figure it out yourself is beyond me. Must be a human thing.” Ember glares at him, but in the dimness, it makes her look like she is squinting and fails to intimidate. “We are in cyberspace, more specifically, this is where all the HTML code is written. Call it the brain of the internet.”

“Oh” was all Ember managed as she looked around her, quickly ducking under another stream of code and then moving Perhluna’s hands away from her eyes, as he struggled to hang on. “How did we end up here?”

“That’s easy, we aren’t published.”

“We aren’t published?..... oh, you mean on someone’s site.”

“Exactly. This is where all the random things on the internet stay until someone sends or publishes.”

“So there is just a bunch of code swimming around in he….what is that?” Ember points to a multicolored glowing spot that seems to be coming towards them and growing in size.

“ I believe that would be a dragon and you might want to start running because she is headed straight for us. RUNNNNNN!”

Gasping as the dragon begins to come into focus in the darkened space, Ember begins running. Looking over her shoulder, she sees the dragon gaining on them. It’s huge wings sending ripples of air against her back. Suddenly she realizes the ground below her has given way and they are falling through the blackness; the dragon in pursuit and quickly gaining on them. Ember screams as she feels the dragon’s claws close around her arms.

“Please dear, stop that ghastly noise. You act as if I’m going to eat you.” The dragon’s voice is soft and lyrical with a slight accent Ember can’t quite place. The gentleness of it’s tone and it’s melodic chuckle, makes her go instantly silent as she gazes up at the neck and chin of this mystical creature. “This can not be happening,” Ember thinks as she is mesmerized by the iridescent scales that seem to swirl with all the colors of the rainbow under a silvery shell.

“Of course it can! Anything can happen in Wrilogonzia. The only limits are the limits of ones imagination. Oh my goodness, where are my manners? My name is Illustratia. Where can I drop you off?”

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the surrealism of the situation, Ember decides her best bet is to introduce herself and see if Illustratia knows how to get her back to her own computer. “I’m Ember and I have somehow gotten trapped inside this…place…and I really need to get back to my own computer so I can go home. Can you take me there?”

“Dear me, I would love to be able to do that, only I don’t know where your computer is. You see, cyberspace is full of these portals and worm holes, you just have to know the right path. Can you give me directions? “

“That’s just it, I don’t know how I got to this place so I don’t know which path will take me back. And how can you find anything in this blackness. “

“Well, you have gotten yourself in a jam, but I see you have a guide. Although his type IS notorious for being a trickster.”

“Hey, I haven’t tricked her, yet.” Perhluna grumbles.

“Well Perh, you haven’t helped that much either. Illustratia, how did you get in this place?”

“I was born in the mind of an adventurous young man with a talent for drawing. One day he must have gotten tired of me flitting about his head, so he drew me. Then he scanned me into his computer. Oh my curiosity got the better of me and I flew off to explore. Now, humans are forever trying to trap me on their blogs, websites and screens, but I am too quick to be caught. Wrilogonzia is a fascinating place and I love exploring and meeting all the interesting creatures, like yourself.” Unbeknownst to this odd party the artistic programmer is watching them with growing fascination for the girl with the hair of fire.

Ember laughs, “I’ve never been referred to as a creature before. Don’t you ever want to go home to your creator?”

Sighing, “Of course, but I have forgotten the way. I know one day he will find me and show me the way home. He is quite bright, that one. Since you don’t know your way home either, where would you like to go?”

“Wow, I have no idea. Are there any normal places?”

“Hahahaha, who wants normal when you can experience anything you’ve ever dreamed of? You need a little adventure! I know just the place to set you down.” With that, Illustratia, dives through a worm hole of code, dropping Ember and Perhluna in a hedge of lush ivy, just outside a giant tree with a small door at it’s base, before flying off.

“But wait……. where are you going…..where are we?” Ember calls after her. She hears Illustratia call back, “ you’re in the Misty World, look for Arial Hollyberry. She will show you around. I will be back later……”

Suddenly, Ember is blinded by millions of lights raining down on them………….

TO BE CONTINUED……………