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milliways

Kingdom Come

There was a rocking, back and forth. He was on the sea again. The false sea of Seahaven, with a false sky, and a director who thinks himself comparable with god, sitting on high. With offers to bless or to smite.

The waters churn, high waves threatening to overtake the little sailboat. A gale cutting the sail to ribbons. A storm to tear the ship to pieces. And he was laughing to the heavens. He was going to be free. One way or another. He didn't fear the depths anymore.

"Is that the best you can do? You'll have to kill me!"

Only this time, while he had lashed himself to the boat, there were hands, decaying hands. Frozen hands, reaching up. Trying to drag him under.

Killer, murderer. You brought death, you brought the cold.

You brought the Dark.

He was being dragged under, and he coughed. Cold, so cold. Felt like ice. Frozen liquid running down his throat, into his lungs. His very blood being chilled. He was drowning now. And there was no escape.

"He can't die on television!" "Why not? He was born on television."

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milliways

The Long Night of Truman Burbank

Truman was back in his world. Not outside LA, but back in Seahaven again. It was night, or at least he couldn't see much light around. He was somewhere around the main streets, but it seemed deserted. He started running, but it was hard because of the blizzard. Blizzard? There was no snow. Probably too hard to do snow inside the dome. This made no sense. He continued running, trying to get to the exit.

"Truman, you shouldn't have left. Your place is here." That same voice overhead. "You're needed here. They need you. *I* need you."

"No! You don't! You just want your prisoner back!" He yelled up to the sky.

"Come back, Truman." And now there were other voices, and people emerging from inside the buildings and alleyways. Calling him. He turned around, but they were closing in all sides. Calling him.

Then he heard a woman scream, and Sylvia was now crying out, "Truman! Help!"

He yelled her name, and tried to fight against the crowd to get to her. Finally he saw her, shivering.

"It's so cold, Truman. Help me. It's so dark." And that last word began to echo all around him.

Dark...dark...dark.

He woke up at that, and shivered some. He fetched another blanket, and tried to go back to sleep. Only inklings of the dream remained in his mind as he finally slept again, troubled and not entirely sure why.

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milliways

Night: In a back alley somewhere in LA

Last time, Truman had entered his world, he had left Sylvia behind. And there was a growing crowd screaming his name. Now the alleyway looked quiet and deserted in the nighttime air. Cool California night by the feel of the slight breeze. He took a few cautious steps in, and then glanced back, clearly tense and nervous. This was more like how he was in the last days before he escaped from the giant tv studio dome. Paranoid Truman.

"Seems safe enough now. I just hope nobody recognizes me while I'm here. You might have to run."

explorertruman.livejournal.com/1373.html#comments

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milliways

Real world, and a door opens

Sylvia slowly walked away, but then she thought she faintly heard a door opening, and sounds of conversations, glasses clinking, and the chatterings of various voices and languages in the distant.

Then a voice she wasn't sure she would ever hear with her own ears again.

Calling her.

"Lauren? Sylvia?" Her heart caught in her throat as she stopped in mid-step, and glanced back. And he was standing there. Looking right at her, framed in a doorway. And he was smiling that warm smile he always seemed to have around her. The background seemed to be...a bar? What the?

But she wasn't going to ask about that right now. Not after finding each other after all this time. She turned around and slowly starting walking toward him.

"Truman?"

He ran toward her, wrapping her in a embrace before kissing her passionately. Trying to make up for all those lost years in a moment.

There was kissing, and then finally breaking away to speak a little. Trying to catch up, her telling bits of her life, him telling her about the amazing place he went to after stepping through the fake sky. It seemed like it could last forever.

But of course, real life was never that easy. They had moved to a quiet alleyway, but all it took was for one person to sight them. Then another. And another. And another. And then the calling, yelling, and RUNNING began.

And there's no time, no time but to run.

Truman finally reached a door and started to turn it. He gestured for her to go ahead, but something repelled her back.

"No, you go, Truman. Get away before they get you. Be free," she urged him, and gave him a gentle push to urge him more.

Truman seemed torn, "But what about you?"

"I'll be fine. You can escape, but I can't go with you yet. Something's stopping me."

He turned to the door. He was afraid of this. He had heard how only certain people could go, and it was based on the whim of the Landlord.

He turned back, and cupped her face, "I'm coming back for you. I promise. Got my solemn vow, and I don't give those away lightly, you know." His face briefly crinkled up with humor, but his pained eyes showed that the levity was forced right now.

And the crowds drew closer, and there was no time except for one last kiss, before he ran back into the bar.

She watched the door vanished behind him, just as a large crowd of people arrived, and began questioning and arguing amonst themselves.

She thought to herself, I know. I love you, too.

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milliways

Back in the real world....

It was a brief appearance, with a handful of eyewitnesses. But sometimes that's enough.

Newspaper reporters frantically typed up articles after frantic interviews. Headlines screaming, "TRUMAN SIGHTED! TRUMAN LIVES!"

And it was all over the evening news.

"This just in, about 25 people at the edge of the studio dome that once housed the wildly popular, 'The Truman Show," reported seeing the absent star himself. Eyewitnesses reported seeing him in the doorway at the edge of the dome's entrance. Of course, the oddity in this fact is that the star had abruptly vanished about a month ago when millions watched him leave the set that he had called home for 30 years. Everyone is talking about his sudden appearance, and equally sudden disappearance? We now go live to Sheila Winters, on location. Sheila?"

And they cut to a reporter who speaks with one eyewitness testifying how they saw Truman standing in the doorway with shock, and then closing the door a moment later. But when some of the people opened the door a moment later, there was no sign of him.

Wild rumors flew fast and furious. He was secretly living in the dome somewhere, but away from the cameras. That rumor was squashed soon after by the director who was already planning a new reality show with the actors who played Marlon and Viviene to get together, and bear the first on-air conception for their new star with a new show. The old sets were being remodeled, and improved for the new show. There would be no place for the former star to hide.

Other rumors suggested aliens, assassination, kidnapping, and some with especially twisted mindsets claiming that he was taken up to heaven. The sighting only fueled the rumor fire further, and the police did a brief investigation around the doorway. But there was no evidence of foul play, or really anything.

A small group of devoted fans began congregating around the spot, hoping for another sighting. And elsewhere, people would sometimes claim they saw him in other locations. A few comedians joked that he was taking over Elvis's beat on that apparently.

Shortly after the sighting, a few weeks later, once some of the noise died down, a single woman approached the place. She knelt down, and touched the sidewalk.

"I hope you're free now, Truman, whereever you are," she whispered to the spot before standing up again. Unspoken was other words of longing, maybe even love if there was a chance for it to blossom to that point. She glanced toward where the door appeared, watching for a moment, before turning around to walk away.

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milliways

Scene 120: The Lunar Room

Fade in...

The crew, including Cristof stared in shock at the sight. They lost him. No more show, no more sponsors, no more ratings, no more JOBS. Now what? Even though one of the team was a bit gleeful inwardly at Truman's escape.

Christof then barked, "Cut transmission! Then I want the area around the door scanned. I want to know where he is."

Simeon then exclaimed, "He's gone, sir! You gave him a choice, and he chose this."

Chloe added, "I'm not getting any confirmations of sightings. He might still be in the tunnel."

Christof shook his head, "He wouldn't. Our boy wouldn't give up so easily, he's determined now." Simeon just gave him a long look that stated clearly, 'He's not your boy, if ever he was.' He went to the tape and started playing back the latest footage.

The director turned around to notice. He then peered at the screen, "Wait, pause that, and I want a zoom right here." He pointed to a fuzzy patch. Was that light? From what?

Simeon followed his instructions even though he was mentally figuring his resignation letter. This job had left a bad taste in his mouth for the past couple of weeks. Ever since Truman started realizing the truth.

"It's just an auxilary light, or security light."

Christof just ordered, "Playback, on slow speed." The order was done so, and they watched. Truman walking through the door, and that patch then vanishing. "See! He went somewhere."

"Where? That tunnel only leads one way out. It was probably just a reflection of something."

"He went somewhere," By now several of the crew was staring at the director, thinking he's completely lost his mind. Simeon being one of them, and yet hoping that if Truman did completely disappear, so much the better for the guy.

I hope you find whatever you're looking for, Truman. He thought silently. Good luck.

Current Music: Queenscryche's Anybody Listening?

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milliways

Exit Stage Right

It's all come to this. The sky painted wall felt cool and smooth under his hand. It broke under the bowsprite, but his fists didn't have enough force break through. So another way. Need to explore.
You and I
long to live like the wind upon the water.
If we close our eyes, we'll maybe realize
there's more to life than what we have known.
And I can't believe I've spent so long
living lies I know were wrong inside,
I've just begun to see the light.
Stairs, leading up to a...is that? A door in the sky? So close to being free, to go anywhere. Fiji. To be an explorer in truth at last.
Long ago there was a dream,
had to make a choice or two.
Leaving all I loved behind,
for what nobody knew.
Stepped out on the stage, a life
under lights and judging eyes.
Now the applause has died and I
can dream again...
His biggest dream really. To see the world, go anywhere. See it all, drink it all in. And he'd always been held back for some reason. He thought it was just his life, or this was how it was supposed to be. Of course that was before the sky started falling, and he realized how many eyes were on him, watching him. Now it doesn't seem so coincedental. He reached the door, but just as he could turn it.
"Truman."
Is there anybody listening?
Is there anyone that sees what's going on?
Read between the lines,
criticize the words they're selling.
Think for yourself and feel the walls
become sand beneath your feet
"You can speak. I can hear you." Maybe, but are you really listening? Is anybody?
"Who are you?"
"I am the creator..of a television show that gives hope and joy and inspiration to millions."
"And who am I?"
"You are the star." Fake, everything. His entire life, fake entertainment for a vast audience. Nothing was real.
-----
Feel the breeze?
Time's so near you can almost taste the freedom.
There's a warm wind from the south.
Hoist the sail and we'll be gone,
by morning this will all seem like a dream.
And if I don't return to sing the song,
maybe just as well.
I've seen the news and there's
not much I can do...alone
Finally he reached a decision. No, he made it this far. Screw this creator, screw Seahaven and its phony sameness. Give him reality, excitement. And a chance to be away from prying eyes forever. To just be part of a crowd. Time to disappear from this, and see the world.
"In case I don't see ya', good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight. Hahaha! Yeah!"
He smiled, and since he was on camera, and giving his final performance, it was only right to bow to the audience before his farewell. He then smiled, and walked through the door.
Exit, Truman Burbank, stage right.
Is there anybody listening?
Is there anyone who smiles without a mask?
What's behind the words--images
they know will please us?
I'll take what's real. Bring up the lights.