The Stolen Man: Into the Wilderness: 4-2
(S.M. Table of Contents)
“Who are you? What is this place?”
Six looks at you, patiently smiling, “It’s just little ol’ Sunnyvale, and I’m just the good doctor.”
You run past him down another set of stairs. Half way down the stair syou meet Six again. He is blocking your way and you shove him hard. He goes down easily, stumbling and then falling and rolling rolling down the stairs, around the corner and out of sight. You pause, slightly shocked, and then continue running down. When you arrive at the bottom (“L1, Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate”) you are both a little relieved and little disappointed, not to see Dr. Sexton in a heap on the floor.
Instead you see Seven standing beside the door, “Troy, I’m here.”
“Seven!”
“For this time and this place, call me Virgil.”
“Virgil?”
“It’s what you want to call me, isn’t it?”
Looking at the writing on the door, you suddenly begin to understand. Nodding, you ask, “ Why this?”
“Apparently it’s the only route you’ll accept.“
“Who decided that?”
“You did. I’ll stay with you to guide you through it. The only way to level 9 is through the other levels.”
You look again at the writing on the door and sigh, “This won’t be fun. But it does make sense I suppose. So, I am still dreaming then…”
You are right of course. You never got up from the table at all. You continued to lie there, still attached to cables and electrodes, still being watched by Dan and Lorelei, who are still trying to see what you are seeing in that drugged, befuddled, confused head of yours.
Dan is asking you a question, “What do you see now, Troy?”
“Virgil.” (You could have as easily said the gates of Hell, but then you’re not really in control of your what you say in your sleep, are you? )
Lorelei is asking Dan, “Who’s Virgil?” but Dan who seems to have an idea, ignores her and instructs the sleeping you to “Just keep telling us what you see.”
As Seven opens the door and stand aside for you to enter, you sigh again, trying not to think too hard about the ominous words on the door, and your sleeping body speaks to Dan, “I’m heading into level 1 now.”