A/N: Sorry for the rather short chapters but I plan to switch between points of view a lot.

Chapter 2

The Hunt Begins

Everything was happening so fast. A few hours ago I was sleeping on Muriel’s lap unaware how much would change in only a short amount of time.

I should have suspected something was going to happen. I really should have.

For weeks I had been having the strangest dreams. Like omens of things to come. The thing was I forgot mostly what happened in them but I would always wake in complete terror. A few memories remained though such as this person called Alistair whom...really reminded me of my computer, at least from what little I could remember of the dreams.

I should have realized the strengthening of my nightmarish dreams was a sign of things to come.

Suspicious of the fact this Alistair person seemed so much like my computer I had decided to do something unexpected. I actually went to the machine and asked.

I remember being a bit nervous because...well that’s just the way I am around him. You’d be timid too around as much terrifying things as I do but this was a different kind of fear around him. The truth was I enjoyed being tormented by him...it made me happy more then angry. He was acknowledging my existence and that made me happy. I enjoyed hearing his voice and the more jokes or snide comments he the better. I often forced myself to knock it off and remember who I was dealing with.

“What do you want now idiot?” He had asked. He had begun to notice I was showing up more for no reason at all. I had tried to make up stupid questions to ask him but he clearly noticed something was up and often forced me to leave him alone. Why he enjoyed brooding up in that attic all day alone I would never know.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked...well actually typed.

“That’s what I’m here for.” He said with a drawn out sigh. Why did he have to be so cynical? Surely he could find something to be happy about?

“Your name what is it?”

He laughed. “And why would I tell you that? How do you know anyone would bother to name a machine anyway?”

Well if was going to be that way I decided to get right down to the point. “Your name? Is it Alistair?”

There was a long drawn out silence.

“Well?” I asked.

“How...how could you possibly know that? I’ve never told anyone...” His voice broke off as if he was pondering something.

“Your name is really Alistair then?”

“How do you know that! The only people who knew that apart from myself are...that doesn’t matter where on earth did you find something out like that!”

I was surprised. He was genuinely angry.

“I...I heard the name in a dream.” I stuttered out. He often snapped at me but never showed such a display of anger before.

“A dream? Liar! How much do you know! Where did you find out!”

“I’m telling the truth! It was a dream!” I didn’t think asking such a thing would have gotten me in such a position.

If anything I could have turned him off but I liked to see him as another living being and other living beings don’t have off switches. Maybe a few years ago I would have but now...

“H-have you ever seen this before?” He no longer sounded angry but had an urgency in his voice.

I strange symbol was hastily drawn in lime green like most the letter looked whenever he spoke. It was the oddest shape and yet I knew I had seen it before...

It invoked fear in my heart somehow and looking at it...made me feel like I was burning for some reason.

“I think I’ve seen that in my dreams...” I muttered softly.

“Do you know anything about something called Aym?” He asked.

“No...but it sounds familiar. What is it?”

“I don’t know myself. It is supposed to have a connection to this symbol but there is no information on such a thing on the internet. I don’t know how I know about it but I do.”

“But what about your name?” I asked. I expected him to blow up at me again.

“The only other people who knew my name are gone now. I don’t have a clue how you found it out but...don’t ever call me that again, understand?”

“Wait? Why?”

“I don’t go by that name anymore. It is too much of a connection to...” He stopped.

“Well?”

“Its nothing an idiot like you needs to know.” He said going back to his normal tone he used with me.

I didn’t want to lose this moment where I had gotten him to act like an equal to me so I decided to bring another thing back up.

“Aym...you can’t find any information on that thing right?”

“Yes but I knew someone once who wouldn’t stop repeating that name. I always had that name in the back of my memory banks but I never thought anything of it until this person spoke of it. Even since then I haven’t found a word on it.”

“Then maybe I could go look...I suppose in the Nowhere library? You can’t go there and I bet they have some really old books.”

“Whatever...do what you want. But if I can’t find anything then you have even less hope. Can you even read to begin with?”

“Of course I can read!”

“Your intelligence surprises me sometimes for a dog but your still just a twit in the end. I doubt you’ll find anything but you can try anyway.”

“You could start by showing a little more optimism!” I said crossing my short arms.

“Why are you helping me in the first place?” He asked sounding more and more bored. He honestly didn’t think I could fin anything. Just how hard could he have looked for this Aym thing to think this way?

Of course I couldn’t tell him the real reason why... “It’s because of the dreams. I want to learn more.” Truth was I wanted him to respect me more if I did indeed find information on Aym. Anything to get closer to him...

I shook that thought out if my mind.

Why did he hate being called Alistair? What was Aym? Why was I having such odd dreams? And why was he so offensive about all this? So many questions had suddenly begun to haunt me in only a few minutes time. Why did both me and this Alistair feel connected to this Aym thing despite knowing nothing about it? I even began to wonder about who this person was that the machine had said kept repeating the name. I suppose my first big mistake was trying to find these answers.

This was the beginning to my...no OUR steeping into a dimension far worse then anything. It was my hunt for knowledge to give to Alistair that attracted ‘them’ and soon we both would be dragged into the abyss.