Silver's House of Pancakes

[Magnum]

Yes, actually. I'm getting back on track with writing this story. Hopefully I'll finish it by tonight. Either way, expect the next chapter soon.

It's been five days. SOON IS NO LONGER VALID!

[Macawmoses]

leave her alone kids

[Dog Food]

It's been five days. SOON IS NO LONGER VALID!

I think within a week counts as soon. Anyway, here's the next installment:

Chapter Eight - Seek the Answers
[spoiler]The hallway was dimly lit. The walls shimmered and looked as if they were cut from rock. I stumbled out of the room I had been confined in. There didn't seem to be anything or anyone in either direction. Although I couldn't see very far, the halls quickly were engulfed in darkness on both sides... My heart was racing, so I took a few deep breaths to attempt to calm myself down. I stepped forward, finally relinquishing my grip on the doorknob, and my bare foot stepped into a muddy puddle. I recoiled and wiped my foot off against the door. It seemed as if I was in some sort of cave-turned-base...

Answers... Why was it that I never could seem to get any of those? I wasn't sure where to go or what to do. But my body worked mechanically, choosing to begin walking down the right path and see where that would take me. I didn't think or do, it just happened. It took several steps before I even realized what I was doing. But I didn't hesitate, I followed through with my choice.

I looked down at my muddy left foot. I wondered absentmindedly if any of the dirt seeped through the scar that was left on the bottom of it from a certain experience with a broken plate, and half worried about any infections that might cause. But then again, stitches weren't made to let things seep through them. And those doctors had done a very nice job with the procedure. Still, an infection at a time like this... With my luck, that was only too plausible. I thought grimly back to all the horrible things that seemed to hit me at every corner. Where was my one perfect day? After all this bad luck, my day to shine had to be just around the corner...

I turned a corner. I wasn't sure if the hallway went on or not, the lights had since disappeared and I was stepping blindly into the unknown. Still, I allowed my feet to lead me on, so I took a left turn and was not met with a wall. That was a good sign, and so I continued my walk down this new path.

I'm not sure how long I was walking for. It felt like forever. But eventually, the dark cave seemed to light up... if only slightly. As if I was on a runway, a small line of lights lit up on either side of the path, leading me further into the unknown. And I don't know how long after that, but the lights began to expand. In every crack that the cave possessed, light filled it. My eyes began to water at the sudden strain this bright pathway was giving them. I had nearly forgotten how bright light could be. I had been so used and accustomed to the darkness of the cave.

Still, I pressed on. This light had to be a good sign. My feet were leading me in the right direction. Soon my walking would yield results...

And so I walked.

And walked.

And just for a change of pace, I skipped.

And finally, I walked some more.

But still, the path just continued on. I felt like I was walking down a winding path. It was very subtle, but I could see curves in the wall once in a while, and although the path seemed flat, sometimes I noticed a change in depth as my feet fell an extra centimeter before finding solid ground. Yet instead of growing darker, the cave became lighter still. Was I nearing the exit? That could be the only explanation, I thought. Soon I'd be home...

I was beginning to miss Silver's House of Pancakes more than ever. Back when things were normal. Which right then, seemed like a long time ago indeed. The scar on my foot began to itch, and I irritably thought about the day when that cut happened. I came back to work and made a mess of things, but I wasn't fired. Then that letter came... I had written it off as a prank, but it had still been strange. And Silver and Mack had still insisted on my continued service at their shack... Now I was here. And I talked with that man... that man who seemed to know my family. But then again, he couldn't really know them, he only talked very generically. It had to have been just a ruse, trying to rile me up...

In all honesty, I had never had what you might consider an "easy life", although many might have thought so by looking at me. Sure, I had food, shelter, security... But I never had a home. Not really. It was Silver's House of Pancakes that gave me that, even if work was... less than satisfactory. But honestly, there are very few people in the world who can say they love their jobs. And when you work at a place with customers like the pancake shack, you can't love your job that much. Still, the staff was the greatest, they're like family. And that's what made Silver's House of Pancakes home.

As I was walking down the path, mechanically by now, reminiscing, something strange happened. I jerked. My whole body just jerked to one side, and my left foot stretched out at an awkward position and stepped down with the heel, making it look as though I was attempting to do a split. I wasn't exactly sure what happened. It was one of those uncontrollable acts, like the twitch of an eye or a reflex, that seemed to cause my entire body to act of it's own accord.

I stood, dumbstruck, for a few seconds before I snapped my body back into it's normal shape. And then the strangest thing happened... the wall opened up. The light started at the bottom, and it grew larger and larger until the entire entrance in front of me was shining in light. And my jaw dropped at what I saw inside the room that had just appeared before me.

There was no floor, only light. There was no ceiling, only light. There were no walls either, only light. In fact, the only solid object in the room was a small rocky pedestal. It was gray and covered in mossy green vines. A bluish glow seemed to emanate from it. And in the silence, I thought I could hear whispering...

Seek the answers...

Seek them...

Seek the answers...

The answers...

Seek...

Without thinking, with my eyes locked on the pedestal, I stepped forward. I didn't hesitate. I led with my left foot into the room. It was a strange feeling, like walking on water. The light was warm to the touch of my feet, and I only wobbled slightly when both feet were off solid ground. I continued forward, my hand stretched out... I didn't realize what I was reaching for until I was right in front of the pedestal and realized something else was on it. But what was it?

The second that I touched the object, everything vanished. The light was gone, the pedestal was gone... only darkness remained. But I felt something cool and solid in my hands and realized that the object on the pedestal was still in my tight grip. Although now I had even less of a chance of seeing what it was...

"Congratulations," a voice echoed around the dark room. I couldn't tell where it was coming from, but I had a fleeting suspicion on who it was talking...

"You," I whispered, tightening my grip on the object. "What do you want?"

"We met only a few hours ago, yet you already recognize my voice? Very good, young one."

"Of course I recognize that disgusting croak," I snapped. Although it was a lie, the voice was deep and booming, but soothing and lyrical at the same time. As much as rage boiled inside of me at the recognition of the man who owned the voice, I couldn't help but admire the powerful vocal chords he possessed...

"Lies are unbecoming," the voice responded with a curt laugh. "I've only come to congratulate you."

"Great, thanks," I said dryly. "And now you have. So turn on the lights and let me go!"

"You don't even want to know why I'm congratulating you?" he asked, sounding hurt, but I could tell it was a façade.

"No," I lied.

"Tsk, tsk, you have a lot to learn... But do what you must. If you wish to deny yourself the truth, the consequences will catch up to you. Fine, you're free to go."

He's bluffing, I thought. What consequences? I thought about the item in my hand. I hadn't gotten a chance to look at it, perhaps it was dangerous? My grip loosened, suddenly scared of the ticking time bomb I might have been carrying. I wanted to drop it suddenly, get rid of it, but my brain seemed incapable of sending that impulse to my hand, and my grip only tightened again...

"No," came the voice again, "I didn't think you'd go."

I swore silently. I had hesitated too long, he realized that his empty threats had gotten to me... Once again, it looked like he had the upper hand.

"What do you want?" I shouted, looking around for the source of his voice, but could see nothing.

"You got our letter, I suppose?" he asked.

"Letter... What letter?" But the image of a crumpled up letter flashed through my mind and I realized before I finished asking the question what the letter was. "Oh. You're-"

"The Beta Testing Committee? Yes, I work with them. Starting to figure things out, are you?"

"What do you want?"

"I stand by what I said last time we talked, of course. I can not give you the answers you seek. Only you can."

"I can't give myself answers to things I know nothing about! The letter said you would explain things if I came to you..."

"You didn't come to us."

"No... You kidnapped me!"

"Did we? I surely don't remember that happening..."

"Then how the hell did I end up here?"

"The answers, the answers... How do you expect to find them sitting around here yelling at a shadow?"

"Turn on the darn lights then! Bring me to your leader!" I grimaced at my last statement, wishing I had said something different. But the words were out of my mouth now, and I could only wait for a response...

"The lights aren't off," the voice replied. "That is just you shutting your mind out of the truth. A pesky human trait you will have to learn to fight against. Rewiring your brain will be the hard part."

"Shut up," I said weakly. "If you're going to talk in riddles, please just shut up."

"On the contrary, I'm being rather straightforward. More so than I usually allow."

"Not to me, you aren't. I don't know why I'm here, or how I got here, and I don't know anything about this testing committee thing. I didn't sign up for it. I just want to get home. That's where I was trying to go..."

"That's what you think you think."

"...What?"

"That's what you think you think. But obviously, it is not what you truly think, for you have brought yourself to this room, allowed yourself entry, and picked up the item of destiny. If you truly wished to go home, none of these things you would have done."

"How was I supposed to know that was where I was going? For all I knew, I was going home. And I didn't open the door to this room, it did that on it's own!"

"You are quite adamant in shutting your mind to the truth. I can not help you. I've answered everything neatly and explained the situation rather accurately. If you refuse to listen, then my time here is done. The rest, as they say, is up to you."

"Explained? You haven't explained anything!" I shouted, and my voice echoed strangely against the walls. There was no reply, and I realized with a lump in my throat, that I was very much alone.

"Come back here!" I yelled. "Turn on the darn lights! Show yourself! Explain what the intercourse  is going on!"

But there was no reply. I fell onto my knees. Tired, confused, and out of brain cell to comprehend anything else. I let one solitary tear roll down my cheek. The item was still clutched in my hand, but I no longer cared what it was or what horrors it could do to me. My brain seemed to shut off and I slid to the ground, passed out.[/spoiler]

[SkyMyl]

What I read: Chapter 8 of SHOP
What I expected: Plot development
What I got: [spoiler]
[spoiler]Not saying I'm disappointed, or anything.[/spoiler][/spoiler]

[Magnum]

I think within a week counts as soon.

Oh alright.  =3
Thanks!

[Silverhawk79]

Interesting. Beta Testing Committee, eh?

[Silverhawk79]

Don't you die on me. :(

[Dog Food]

Here's the deal: I'm going on a cruise without any internet access for a week (during February vacation). I'll try to get an episode up before then, otherwise you guys will have to wait until March for an update. Heh, sorry!

[Magnum]

Here's the deal: I'm going on a cruise without any internet access for a week (during February vacation). I'll try to get an episode up before then, otherwise you guys will have to wait until March for an update. Heh, sorry!

Dude(tte). Wait til March.

This way, it'll let the creative juices flow as you flow across the water.

[Dog Food]

Well I finished the summaries of each chapter. So you guys can catch up on summaries if you've forgotten what's been going on.

And I have an outline of the next chapter forming in my head. We're actually getting into the stuff now, which means it will be easier for me to write. Actual plot is easier then slowly pushing something along with fillers and hints and set-ups.

[Silverhawk79]

Did this die for real?

[SkyMyl]

If that's the case, I think it's time I get the trumpets.

[Dog Food]

Kind of. It's more like, my laptop with all the information died, and therefore I can't use my laptop for a while until it finally kicks its issues.

I'm forced to use the public, shared computer until that issue gets fixed. Although that laptop always has problems and it always bounces back. So sorry for the technical difficulties, folks, but you can enjoy your regularly scheduled the program after these messages from our sponsors:

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[Silverhawk79]

Kind of. It's more like, my laptop with all the information died, and therefore I can't use my laptop for a while until it finally kicks its issues.

I'm forced to use the public, shared computer until that issue gets fixed. Although that laptop always has problems and it always bounces back. So sorry for the technical difficulties, folks, but you can enjoy your regularly scheduled the program after these messages from our sponsors:

Vita-Grow!
Do you have dreams of touching the sky? Have you ever looked out the window of a skyscraper and thought 'wow, I love the view from up here!'. Well now you can experience all these things AND MORE! Vita-Growth will see you growing over 50 feet in just one night! All you have to do is take ONE SMALL TABLET, inserted orally, every day for JUST SIX WEEKS! Call TODAY and receive TWO BOTTLES instead of one for JUST $19.95. That's right, just $19.95 for TWO BOTTLES - that's over 100 feet!

It's vital to grow - so Vita-Grow!

Vurrrbation!
Boys - are you tired of the girls getting all the fun? Do you see girls sneaking off into bathrooms with their vibrators? Have you often been rejected to go to the prom and then seen the girl of your dreams there dancing with her... vibrator? Well now you don't have to miss out on this wonderful, orgasmic experience! Buy Vurrrbation for the quick and easy way to have fun with yourself, when no girl is there to do it for you! It's free* and easy! There is absolutely no reason not to get it!

All you have to do is hold the long, smooth stick with the hole section on top. Insert your penis into the hole and apply pressure on the bottom of the stick with your fist. Without having to do any work, Vurrrbation will start vibrating and moving across your penis for maximum satisfaction!

Call NOW and we'll throw in a MOISTENING VURRRBATION - if a girl won't blow, you always have Vurrrbation that never says no!

*Shipping is $24.99, not sold in stores.

One of these products is relevant to my interests, but I won't say which.

[Dog Food]

One of these products is relevant to my interests, but I won't say which.

Cough up $25 and it's yours.