My brother was here when I woke. I asked him how he got here. He was killed in the war. Torn limb from limb not five meters from where I was at the time. He smiled and said I was confused. I asked where mom was, and he hushed me and said she died and I shouldn’t worry about anything. He said the doctors would take care of me. I don’t know what he meant. He would not tell me anything more than I would have a surgery that would make me better.
I am only partially restrained, and I am still able to write in this journal. The nurse looked sad when she came in. I asked her what was wrong. She smiled and patted my hand and offered me a corn muffin. These are the muffins my mother made; I can taste the bacon fat. That is the secret of their greatness. That is why they won the county fair blue ribbon three years running. I ate it, and asked her about mother. I told her I was confused, that the medicine plays tricks on my memory. She told me that my mother died three years ago, while my brother and I were in basic training. I cried again, because I know that isn’t true. She was here hours ago; she brought me the muffins. I saw her. I know what happened. Why would they lie to me like this?
I asked for a newspaper. I read about the bombing of Tikonama. They think this will end the war, once and for all. Something is wrong though, something is missing. I can’t figure out what it is, but I know something isn’t right.
They came in and took away my newspaper. They shaved my head and drew lines on it. They say my surgery is in a couple hours and I need to rest. They told me this will make everything better, and make all the monsters go away. But I can’t rest. I know others can see these things, like the soldiers in the common room. They are coming back; I need to pretend to be asleep.
I have had the surgery. I am in bed. I can’t talk, and I can barely move enough to write. But I can see now. They are everywhere. The doctor that put the blade to my forehead, (yes I was awake for it even though they thought I was asleep), had two shapes. One superimposed over the other. A shadow self, grinning down at me with too many teeth. I could see them each time he took a drag off his cigarette during the operation. He smiled at me, because he knew I could see what he really was. Most of the nurses here are also something more than just human. Not the one sweet nurse though; she is normal, and she doesn’t know what danger she is in. I will give her this to read. It has taken me almost an hour just to write this paragraph, and I don’t know if she will be able to read my handwriting. Every time I blink, I see two worlds. One on top of the other. And they both have monsters. I must sleep now.
I am here. I can see through the smoke and fog without any effort now. I see the gathering of monsters, huddled below me. They are terrified, and know they will die. My allies and I have circled the whole valley, and we are ready to charge down and give our bodies to destroy their souls. And their souls will be given to our Gods. The Great Ones shall feast tonight, and rise up and devour the world. It will be glorious.
The Tridington Birthright: Dark Land