Skewed (Proof of Concept)

There’s someone in my atmosphere. She, he, it, whatever is out there, it's bleeding through. I can feel it swimming throughout the crowd, avoiding my gaze.

Mason, for the seventh time in the last twenty minutes, checked his left pocket to reassure himself that he had not drifted to the delayed place. Leaning flatly against his thigh was the library card that kept him anchored to his reality. The firm plastic talisman had saved him from reality shifting for the last three weeks since he initially discovered the phenomenon. It was only by the grace of his dimensional overseer that he had been in the correct warp-phase when he understood the powers imbued within the card. Now, as he made his way towards the intersection, he felt a tug in the dimensional chains; a tug which signified the presence of a Time-space Reaver.

All the faces around him looked vaguely similar, and without his cataloguing equipment he couldn’t notate the features of every individual, so he had to unlatch yet another notch of his mental tiers--a cognitive elevation that would certainly gain the attention of whatever shade lurked about the area. I’ve got to get through this torrent of main-worlders or that THING will spot me. He kept his thoughts placid and his face non-emotive, fearing that the entity would be able to recognize his heightened awareness if he broke the dulled expression common to the local commuters. He did hasten his stride, just enough to create a few locomotive ripples to muddy the pool in case his trail had been targeted. His course altering strategies would of course be in vain if the potential pursuer had aerial surveillance capabilities.

Once I cross the street that should give me enough breadth to ascertain whether or not I am being followed. If so, I’ll have no other choice but to confront the assailant. I just hope I have enough power to rend a warp large enough to expel him from my reality. Oh Kyarn, beautiful shadow, please give me strength in these distressing times.

Crossing the street brought its own hazards in the form of avoiding vehicles that were shooting out waves of brain melting radiation from their headlights. Although the waves could not be seen, anyone with his levels of auric-sensitivity could feel the emissions surging through the air and colliding with their brain. He narrowly escaped a rather large blast from a rumbling SUV, and expertly dodged a wide-arced beam from a sneaky convertible. The Galactic Committee would not lessen his cognitive functionality today.

Once he was safe on the opposite side of the street he did a scan of the area. No anomalous data came through, even when he activated his skinwalker filter. Whatever had caused his perceptual ping exhibited a masterful understanding of espionage. Luckily, he had a few tricks of his own to use if need be, and--after he was able to neutralize the pesky Martian wasp swarm presently descending upon his location--he would utilize a few to escape the fiend altogether.

Just four more blocks separated him from the gathering of his associates. They would not start the conference without him--his reports on the activities of the Wendigo sightings at the park were this week’s main topic--so he did not need to deactivate his speed inhibitors for this commute.

After vaporizing the wasp swarm with a quick mind-pulse he began making his way towards the library that harbored the study room in which the organization held their meetings. They were only allotted a three hour reservation so the Hot Pockets of Spiritual Reinforcement were usually prepared during the meeting, much to the dismay of non-members, but the sustenance was necessary to fend off deadly book mimics, should they appear among the day’s selected literature of Goosebumps novels.

This week’s choice of flavor was begrudgingly agreed upon by the committee after a rigorous three hour debate. The resulting choice--Ham and Cheese--had been the default yet communally enjoyed flavor of their group since their first Magic the Gathering session in his basement over a decade ago. It would fill their tummies and give them the energy for their plots against the Wendigo menace

Author Notes: Let me know if you'd like to see a continuation!

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