In the Minds Eye

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"Come on Sarge. Lets go."
"Ah... No. I'm staying here." He had lit another cigarette. Gunfire blasted across the platform to the portal as a handful of Dwarfers piled through.
"Sorry Solvay. I don't have time for this." She manhandled him up the ramp and gave him an ungainly shove that propelled him forwards into the shimmering light.
Then she dove in herself.
*****
She drifted in a cold void for a while before the light coalesced around her into a very warm dark room. It was empty save the glow from a back lit desk and two computer monitors. A further was switched off on the opposite wall.
"Where am I?" she breathed. It was dark outside, out of the window she could see old fashioned town houses and darkened hills in the distance. It was all washed with a drab orange glow from street lights. She noted two, what looked like baby lemon trees on the windowsill. "Alex? Cass? Jamie?" Jade asked out loud. looking around and seeing a door behind her. As she was about to make for it. She heard footsteps coming up stairs. Readying the pulse rifle in case it was an enemy, she ducked back into the room. The figure came back into the room.
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Jaxx found himself tranquilly floating in space. As he slowly turned his head he could see he was circling a planet from space. Jaxx muttered, “Oooooooooooooohhoooooo.” as a small shark with a large head like Jaxx phased into existence next to him. The head said, “Jaxx? Jaxx? This is your mind speaking.” Jaxx tried to focus as he saw the little Jaxx shark coming into focus and looking at him with a smile. Jaxx smiled blissfully as he replied, “Oh hi dude.” The Jaxx shark said, “Sorry I haven’t been around much I get easily distracted by shiny objects.” Jaxx giggled as he said, “Yeah I like shiny objects too. Uhhhh like where am I dude?” The Jaxx shark replied, “Uhhh outer space it looks like.”

Jaxx looked around as he said, “Outer space huh? I thought there was a lot of space. Uh like why am I here?” The Jaxx shark replied, “Well that I don’t know but I guess…..uh hey did you just ask an existential question?” Jaxx shrugged as he said, “Uh…..I’m like not sure did I dude?” The Jaxx shark said, “Yes you did. Now say something smart and wise.” Jaxx looked around and said, “Uhhhh…..Its kinda cold and stuff in space.” The Jaxx shark replied, “Yes. Yes it is so true that we are born in to the cold and harsh world of nothing, with no blanket or a glove and scarf gift set, and why, why?” Jaxx looked at the Jaxx shark as he replied, “Your funny dude.” The Jaxx shark replied, “Oh yes what a funny work is man. I never knew we were such a spiritual seeker.” Jaxx replied, “Me neither dude.” The Jaxx shark replied, “This could be our chance. Jaxx lets go on a spiritual journey of discovery.” Jaxx shrugged as he said, “Um ok dude.”

The Jaxx shark replied, “Great so just relax and go into a deep trance.” Jaxx looked at the Jaxx shark as his mind began to spin like a vortex. The Jaxx shark said, “You’re falling deeper, deeper in to your own consciousness." When Jaxx awoke he was walking in a barren dessert as the Jaxx shark was swimming in the air next to him. The Jaxx shark said, “Jaxx this desolate expanse is your mind.” Jaxx replied, “Wow its like flat and stuff dude.” The Jaxx shark replied, “We must cross this region to find the answer to your inner most question.” Jaxx was puzzled as he asked, “Uh like what question dude?” The Jaxx shark replied, “The 'Why are you here question'. “ Jaxx smiled as said, “Oh yeah.”

The Jaxx shark said, “Follow me I shall guide you to the source of your answers.” Jaxx saw something glimmering in the distance and turned to it as he said, “Ooooo shiny.” and began running after the shiny object in the far distance. The Jaxx shark replied, “What? Hey I’m the one who is supposed to find shiny objects. Wait for me big guy. Come on wait up!” Jaxx continued to run into the desert after the shiny object as the Jaxx shark swam after him trying to keep up.

As Jaxx ran up the hill he saw a blinding light approaching. He tried to block as much glare as possible with his hands from the bright as he arrived at the top of the hill and saw a giant Sunflower with a happy face on hit. Jaxx scratched his head as he said, “Dude…….this is totally mind boggling. “ Just then the mouth of the flower opened up and a tongue that resembled a red carpet rolled out before Jaxx’s feet in the shape of a staircase. Jaxx was amazed as he heard laughter coming from the mouth of the giant flower. Just then the Jaxx shark caught up and said, “Jaxx you gotta slow down. I got little fins here. Oh I see you found your pleasure center.”

Jaxx was hypnotized as he slowly walked toward the carpet and said, “They totally sound like they are having fun and stuff.” The Jaxx shark replied, “Fun?” Jaxx headed up the carpet as he said, “I have an awesome idea. I’ll just like go and check them out and stuff while you wait here.” The Jaxx shark replied, “No Jaxx you can’t. If you enter there you will lapse into a coma of pure ecstasy from which you will never awaken ” Jaxx began to drool as he said, “Ooooooooh sounds totally awesome bro.” The Jaxx shark tried to push Jaxx off the carpet but failed to even budge the big guy. The tired Jaxx shark then fell down and landed under Jaxx’s foot, which caused Jaxx to trip and fall off the carpet and towards the sand. However before Jaxx landed on the sand it opened up revealed a small pool of water.

When Jaxx woke up and shook his head he said, “Woooooaaa my mind is like a scary place and stuff. That was like heinous with a capital ‘H’.” Suddenly a large sixty foot serpent like Leviathan rose from the water behind Jaxx and began hissing at him. The Jaxx shark yelled, “Jaxx behind you!” as the Leviathan tackled Jaxx into the water and pulled him under. The Jaxx shark looked for Jaxx as the water became calm. The Jaxx shark replied, “Jaxx! Jaxx! Jaxx where are you? Jaxx!” Suddenly Jaxx burst out of the water wrestling the leviathan that was wrapped around him. The Leviathan pulled Jaxx close to his face and stopped as he said, “You don’t date much do ya?” Jaxx was now confused and embarrassed.

Then Jaxx found himself walking in the desert again with the Jaxx shark. Jaxx asked, “You know that whole fight with the massive serpent thing totally ended kinda fast and stuff.” The Jaxx shark replied, “Yeah, these spiritual journeys tend to jump around a lot. That’s why you need a good spiritual guide to lead you.” Jaxx smirked as he said, “Yeah right bro. Your totally lost.” Jaxx was so focused on the Jaxx shark that he walked right into a stonewall and fell backwards. As Jaxx shook his head and looked up he saw a giant statue of a head (Jaxx's head) and said, “Uhh… A giant statue, like what is it for?”

The Jaxx shark replied, “Oh sure now you ask, this is your self image.” Jaxx lit up like a Christmas tree as he said, “Wow I totally look awesome!” The Jaxx shark replied, “Now is our chance to search deep into our inner mind and find the immutable truth. You can ask it one and only one question.” Jaxx rubbed his chin and thought really hard as he said, “Ok. Ok. One question check. Ummmmmm……uh….how are you doing?” Suddenly the ground shook violently as another the statue began to raise from the sand to reveal some stone covered in sand. Then the sand just fell off the new statue to reveal a thumbs up. Jaxx smiled as he gave a thumbs up back at the statue.

The Jaxx shark said, “Oh great, that’s your big question? That’s your big truth? You smeghead!” Jaxx said, “Look dude a thumbs up. We are doing totally fine. Ha ha. That’s awesome to hear right?” The Jaxx shark made a scowl at Jaxx and replied to the statue, “Uhhh that last one didn’t count ok? Hello? Hey hey hello? (clears throat) Why are we here?” Suddenly the statue of the mouth began to shake and the mouth of the head statue began to open up to reveal a bunch of mini 3 foot tall freaky looking Jaxx clones with a large ‘D’ on their chest. The mini MACOs were armed with large red herring fish as they talked in a foreign language to the Jaxx shark and Jaxx. Then suddenly the mini Jaxx’s jumped out of the mouth and began attacking Jaxx and the Jaxx shark with fish.

Jaxx tried to protect himself as he asked, “Hey stop that little dudes! What are these freaking guys?” The Jaxx shark replied, “We triggered your defense mechanism and these guys, so run for it!” Jaxx and the Jaxx shark made a run for it. Jaxx struggled to escape the mini MACOs as he said, “I had no clue that I was like totally defensive.” As Jaxx ran away from the little MACOs he yelled, “Leave me alone dudes.” Jaxx and the Jaxx shark fled in terror from the mini MACOs as they attacked him with fish. Eventually Jaxx saw a door in the middle of the desert and asked, “What’s this?” The Jaxx shark replied, “Never mind just push the up button.” Jaxx pushed the up button and looked behind him as the mini MACOs were catching up. Jaxx kept pushing the button in hopes it would go faster. Jaxx panicked as he said, “Come on you stupid button.”

Just before the mini MACOs arrived near Jaxx the door opened and Jaxx and the Jaxx shark fell into the void as the door quickly closed to cut off the mini MACO’s Jaxx and the Jaxx shark found themselves in space again riding up an escalator. Jaxx sighed as he said, “It’s a good thing I don’t eat fish anymore. By the way mind dude, where are we?” The Jaxx shark replied, “This is the escalator of enlightenment. Jaxx smiled as he said, really what do I need these for?” Suddenly the escalator stopped and moved backwards. Jaxx muttered, “Oh great now you don’t know. Now we are heading back to midget land in no time.” Jaxx panicked as he yelled “No more midgets.” Jaxx began running up the wrong way up the escalator. The Jaxx shark replied, “Hurry up already. What’s keeping you slow poke?” Jaxx said, “I can’t swim in the air like some people.” The Jaxx shark replied, “Hut hut hut hut, whats the matter shark-boy? Getting tired? No pain no gain mister.”

Jaxx pushed his body hard to climb up the opposing escalator. As he yelled, “I must totally succeed. I must be all I can be.” Suddenly Jaxx reached the top as the Jaxx shark said, “Congratulations Jaxx you have reached the top. Now just walk over to the edge of this diving board of deeper enlightenment. Now you must clear your mind ans step off into the void.” Jaxx said, “WHAT? I step off and I will fall dude. Like pardon me if I don’t want to fall. The Jaxx shark said, “You faithless Philistine you will be fine. Just clear your mind and believe. Now cover your eyes and clear you mind. Hurry up! Chop Chop!” Jaxx covered his eyes. The Jaxx shark asked, “Is it clear?” Jaxx replied, “Uh huh.” The Jaxx shark asked, “Are you sure?” Jaxx said, “Sure” The Jaxx shark asked, “With out a shadow of a doubt?” Jaxx yelled, “I said yes its clear!” The Jaxx shark said, “Ok” as it shoved Jaxx off the diving board. Jaxx screamed as he fell.

The Jaxx shark asked, “You said it was clear. So way are you falling?” Jaxx replied, “It was clear, except for some stuff.” The Jaxx shark said, “There is only one way out of this Jaxx. Why are you here?” Jaxx pondered as he said, “Ummmmm I totally know this one. I am like here to help the crew save Jay dude.” Suddenly Jaxx was blinded by the light and appeared next to a guy on a computer. Jaxx looked around the room and saw a mixture of office supplies and comic book decor.

Jaxx looked at the guy on the computer and said, "Uh dude what's going on?" The man on the computer replied, "Hello Jaxx did you enjoy your trip?" Jaxx shrugged and said, "Um it was ok....except for the little blue dudes who hit me with fish." The man on the computer laughed a bit before looking at Jaxx and saying, "Sorry Jaxx that was a bit funny. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is John and I have been monitoring you for quite some time." Jaxx asked, "Why?" John replied, "Lets just say I have a vested interest in your survival." Jaxx shrugged as he said, "So your here to help me?" John smiled as he said, "Yes I am, but I need you to remember these these three things: Don't double dose on the MACO cocktail unless you have no choice, Don't eat the blue curry and most of all don't eat anymore people. The crew frowns on that stuff. Now we are out of time so I am afraid you have to catch up with the others before they get killed. Oh and take this bottle of gator aid cause your headed to a hot place."

Jaxx tried to absorb what John had just said as he took the gator aid and began to vanish. When Jaxx reappeared he was standing next to Evelina and Dr. Jade in the dessert looking at some weird machines.

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