#6: Pain

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The voice was gaining proficiency in speaking at a remarkable pace. It was beginning to sound just like Shelby. It even had the same West Texas accent.

"If my legs are smashed wouldn’t I be feeling the pain?” Shelby asked.

"You certainly would be if I wasn’t blocking it.” the voice agreed. "Don’t tell me you’re a masochist? Do you like pain? I can give you pain if you want. As smashed up as you are there’s plenty of pain available.”

"NO!” Shelby said"No. That’s quite all right. I’m not a big fan of pain. Not any more...thank you. Carry on.”

"_That’s a relief.” the voice said"Only a sick mind would welcome pain. I have work enough to do without having to repair your mind.”

"Ok...I get that. Now explain the part about the crushed legs, caved in skull, broken bones and the collapsed building...and why can’t I see?” Shelby replied.

"Well for one thing you’re unconscious.” the voice said."For another thing you are in the bottom of a deep pit covered over with rocks. It’s also dark. Nighttime you know.”

"And you’re in my head.” Shelby said.

"Well yeah...Duh.” the voice replied. It sounded just a tiny bit distracted. As if most of it’s attention were somewhere else.

"Doesn’t speaking to voices in my head mean that I’m crazy?” Shelby asked.

"Certainly not” the voice replied. "I’m a Daemon. That’s what I do. Perfectly normal.”

"A demon? Are you telling me that I’m possessed by a Demon? That’s supposed to be better?” Shelby asked.

"_Not a Demon.” the voice corrected"A Daemon. Not the same thing at all."

"What’s the difference?” Shelby countered

"You KNOW this.” The voice, a touch impatient, chastised him"I’m digging the words and the information out of your memory as we speak. Don’t you recall that time you read greek mythology?”

"Humor me.” Shelby said

"Ok. Think of me as a spirit guide.” the voice said"that’s actually a fairly accurate descriptor. It’s not the whole truth but it’s correct as far as it goes. I don’t see any terminology in your mind that is any more accurate. You guys don’t have computers do you?”

"Of course we have computers” Shelby was affronted. Computers were one of his interests.”IBM mainframes and..."_

"Oh hah hah haha!" The voice said"_ (giggle) I see it in your mind now. Is that what those huge things are? HA ha...If Those clanking, clattering monstrosities are what you refer to as computers then it’s no wonder! Paper tape and punched cards indeed! And core logic! How cute!_”

"I’m sorry." it said"_ that was rude but I can’t help it. If I were to tell you that I am an adaptive heuristic neural interface created just minutes ago from a cognitive template by blood nanites that were responding to certain environmental trigger then it wouldn’t make much sense to you if those things are your referent to computing_.”

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, one of the authors in your beloved Science Fiction said that once I think? For now consider me to be magic. For the time being think of me as your Spirit Guide. I’m a benevolent Spirit. VERY benevolent...Dotting even...I LIKE you. You mean a lot to me. I’m on your Best Bud. Me and you against the world...and like that.” the voice told him.

"I feel so much better.” Shelby replied sarcastically"But back to the original question. Where am I? What’s happening? And what are you doing in my head?”

"_That’s three questions” the voice said"Let’s put the last one on hold for now. I told you and you’re ignoring the answer. You don’t have the technological referent to assimilate the concept I suppose. Trust me when I say I want the very best for you.”

”As for where you are? Physically?” It said"_ Where are WE that is? We’re in the sub-sub-sub basement of an ancient stone temple. It collapsed and fell in on top of us. Tossing Explosives around old rickety ancient edifices tends to cause that sort of thing to happen. What’s happening now? Well you were dying. I’m working on that part._”

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The Next Episode is
#7: Hunger
The Last Episode was
#5: Dragon…
the First episode was
#1 : Prologue

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@everittdmickey
I surf the net, find the GOOD stuff.
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I also write
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