The Music of the Mind Ch. 09

I reached down and pulled the box out and set it on the counter. The man's face was triumphant for a moment; a look of such hunger was on his face that it transformed it, his humanity falling away. In that moment he became as alien as the genie. Then he noticed the little door hanging open. He stepped up to the counter, and with a trembling hand he turned the box to look into its empty interior. A long moment he stood there and when he spoke his eyes stayed on the box.

"What have you done you fool?" his voice was quiet, and again I thought he almost sounded broken.

"What should have been done a long time ago." I said feeling my anger rise again. He raised his eyes to me then, and the anger, the shear hatred that burned there was almost more of a blow then his attacks had been. Then with no word he turned and strode from the store. The bell did not ring as the door opened and shut.

I could feel its presence still in my mind as I thought, "I think we need to have a talk genie." And it was before me again in a blink.

I have said before the terrible feeling of power that radiated form this being was something that left you no doubt it was not human. Its face neither male nor female, and its cold eyes without feeling. I for the first time realized just what kind of force I was dealing with, how old and how alien. Its dreams were not human, nor were its motivations. It regarded me for long moments too, and I wondered what thoughts it could have of me? When it spoke its voice rang through me as always. Though its words were quiet, its notes roared in my head as it spoke.

"I see you have met Dolkoff."