Frustrated Speaker

The man in the black suit dragged me on stage in front of everybody.  If that wasn't embarrassing enough he proceeded to point to my bare feet. Despite the fact that I couldn't hear a word he was saying, I knew he was mocking me. I knew he only wanted to point out how different I was than everyone else. I don't know why I went along with it, and I don't know why I stayed. After he was done doing whatever he was doing the audience applauded. He then ushered for me to take my seat. I watched the rest of the man's performance in a daze. I looked around. It seemed everyone else was enjoying it.  Really enjoying it.  What was I missing? He finished the second half.  There was a roaring applause. The next few minutes were filled him shaking the hands of his adoring fans.  I overheard some of the sappy remarks from some of them. They gushed about how inspirational he was and that he was a gift to the world. He eventually got to me. He asked what I thought of the second half.  Again, all I could think to say was "good." "Good. There's that word again." "Good is not a bad word. It's...um...good."  "I suppose not. I was just hoping you'd increase your vocabulary. But no matter what did you think of my advice to you?" "It was.." I refrain from saying "good." "It was a lot to take in." He nods his head. "Indeed. I hope you can follow my advice." "I will. Now, do you have a phone I could use?" He glares at me. "You have a one track mind, don't you?" "It's possible, but we had a deal." I say. The man takes a deep breath. He reaches in his breast pocket. He pulls out a business card and hands it to me. "What's this?" I ask. "It's my card. I'm still reserving a little hope that you'll care." He then stomps out of the room. I look down at the card. JAMES BEAN
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER .....and Beyond. "Don't worry about him." I hear a familiar voice say.  I glance up from the card to see Hilda standing by the doorway, smiling.

Back to the Show

The audience shuffled back into the room and the man in the black suit resumed his speech. Once again he spoke passionately with grand gestures, and once again I couldn't hear a word he was saying. It was especially baffling because I was talking to him before the second half. For whatever reason he wanted me to stick around for the rest. I don't know why I agreed to. I didn't understand him one bit. Perhaps I was to polite to say no. So I sat there with glassy eyes and the blankest expression. Several times it seemed as if he was making direct eye contact with me. I brushed it off , thinking he probably chooses two or three people in every show. Then everyone in audience gradually turned to look at me. I started to feel self conscious. Were they making fun of me? Finally the woman seated next to me explained. "Aren't you gonna go on stage?" "Huh?" "He's been talking about you for the past ten minutes. He wants you to join him up there." I looked back at the stage. The speaker gives me a "come here" gesture.

Enchanting Speaker

I couldn't hear or understand a word the man in the black said. He wasn't speaking a foreign language, and he enunciated perfectly, yet I couldn't understand him. It was as if there was a door in my ear canal preventing his words from entering. All I could do was watch. He used grand gestures and his posture was on point. The audience hung to his every word. I thought it possible that they were all lost like me untill they all simultaneously applauded. There was a roaring ovation. He took a bow. I sighed in relief. I knew I could finally ask to use the phone. Unfortunately, the audience got up and left before I could open my mouth. They didn't quietly exit either. They stampeded  out of the room like a herd of elephants. It was a miracle I wasn't trampled.  The only ones left in room after that were me and the speaker. He saw me and mistook that for earnest enthusiasm. He walked up to me. "What did you think?" "It was good." He looked down at my bare feet. "You're a fish out of water." "I guess you could say that." "What did you think?" He asks again. "It was good." I know it's not what he was looking for, but it's all I can think to say. Then I change the subject. "Do you have a phone I can use?" "A telephone?" "Yes." "Or a cellular phone?" "Either or. It doesn't matter." I  say. He scratches his chin. "I can do you one better." "You can?" "Yes,but I need you to stick around for the second half. Could you do that?" "Ok." "Good." He glances at his Rolex watch. "Second half will start in five minutes. "

Staff Meeting

If this were 1998 I'd have no trouble finding a payphone, but it is 2017 and payphones are hardly abundant. What I had to do was find someone who works at the hotel and ask kindly if I could use their phone. I thought it would be an easy task, but I couldn't find anyone who worked there. All the offices were vacant and there was no one at the front desk. I wandered the hotel hallways till I noticed the door to the conference room was ajar. I pushed the door open. There I saw a room filled with people wearing various uniforms staring at a man in a black suit. It was obvious it was some sort of staff meeting.  I knew now was not the time to ask to use the phone. So I sat myself in a empty chair in the back. I folded my hands in my lap and I patiently waited for the man in the suit to finish his speech.

In the Distance

It was nice to be away from everyone's thoughts and opinions. Not that I didn't value these various thoughts and opinions from around the world, but sometimes it is a bit much. Sometimes you need a break. I watch the waves crash against the shore. I bury my feet in the sand. I don't leave the spot until the spirit moves me. My leg was cramping, but still that doesn't mean it wasn't the spirit talking. As pretty as my surroundings were I knew I couldn't stay there forever. I didn't even know where I was. It seemed the only place nearby was a hotel on the hill. I figured they would be able to tell me where I was. Maybe they would even let me use their phone. I knew it would be a hike up the hill, but I was ready.

Black

Everything went black. Blacker than the darkest night. It was cold and I couldn't see an inch in front of me, but I welcomed it. I welcomed dissolving into nothingness. A peaceful rest where my consciousness would be spread to the edges of time and space. All of the sudden I saw a light in the distance. It felt like it was there to challenge my very idea of transition. The light drew nearer and nearer. I soon found out that the light was actually a tunnel that I was being pulled through. It didn't take me long to reach the end of the tunnel, but what happened next was stranger. I awoke on a beach. My clothes were tattered and my shoes were missing. I sat there in wet sand for a long while watching the crashing waves. I wondered how I got there, and I wondered what exactly I should do next.

Making the Potion

Jacob placed us on the kitchen counter. We came close to being smashed by either a bowl, or a spoon or a bottle. We had to constantly remind him that we were down there. It was a bit irratating, but he was helping us, so we took it as best as we could. Jacob pulled practically every bottle off the shelf. He poured the bottles into a bowl and stirred it together. "So, how do you know how to do this?" Olivia asks. "I've been going to Hilda's for years. I've seen her do this dozens of times. She often explains the process to me. I guess she figured one day I'd have to do it myself." "Yes, but-" "Don't worry. I'm not a professional, but I'm the next best thing." We both force a polite laugh.  Jacob grabs an eye dropper.  He sucks up a little bit of the liquid into the dropper. He then grabs two teeny, tiny bottles and carefully squeezes the liquid in. "Bottoms up." He says, handing us the bottles. I grab the bottle, but I stare at the remaining liquid in the bowl. "What about that? Isn't that a waste?" I  ask. "Not at all. That can be used for me get small again later." I shrug. "I guess that makes me feel better." "Yes. Nothing to worry about.  Nothing is wasted. Everything can be used again. I just always have to make sure the portions are right." "What would happen if the portions are off?" I ask. "Well, it could quite lethal." He says flippantly. "What?" Olivia shouts. "It can only be harmful when you are small and had way too much." "What's too much?" Olivia asks. "I don't know.  I only what's just enough." Olivia sighs. "This is not comforting in the slightest. Where is Hilda?" "I told you she's away." "When will she be back?" "I don't know. If you like, we could wait for her,but that may be a while." "No. I trust you. " I say. Olivia turns to me. "Are you serious?" "Yeah, I don't think he'd harm us." I say. " Not intentionally, but it could still kill us." "Then I'll haunt his ass." I take a huge swig. It doesn't taste like anything at first, and then everything goes black.