An oracle writhes on the platform prepared for her, gripped by vision and sensation from beyond the Door. Words dribble helplessly from parted lips that move without conscious thought, punctuated by pained moans or gasps hissed through clenched teeth.
Her audience observes from a respectful distance, taking careful notes to ensure no insight slips past them, wasted. They hang on every word. They interpret meaning hidden even within the least understandable of her uncontrolled babbling.
None can say she is ignored.
The Entities Beyond reach into her mind and pull her taut. Muscles clench. Words escape.
“The world’s tensions are rising,” her audience interprets. “That one seems obvious enough.”
The pain worsens, the thread of her mind fraying, snapping in slow motion.
“It cannot endure like this. Everything is breaking down.”
She wonders why nobody ever offers to help her. She just needs someone to hold her. She needs support to keep the thread of her being from breaking.
“It needs a firm hand to keep civilization intact.”
Once again they fail to understand her. She struggles to communicate her desperate need for support when the Entities make her suffer like this.
“Confusion and misunderstanding will challenge even our leaders, and our enemies will take advantage.”
Tears stream helplessly down her face as a wretched sob interrupts her efforts to communicate.
“There will be…a flood? That nobody can stop, I think? This one is tricky; let’s review the notes again after this.”
Nobody moves to dry her eyes.
Lightning strikes inside her skull, and she thrashes in white-hot torment. This is probably why nobody hugs her when she has an episode like this. Such violent jerking makes her impossible to help, but she wishes someone would try, at least.
“The light of strong leadership is needed to hold everything together. The masses will reject such help, but it will be for their own good. Yes, of course. The oracle is very wise.”
She breaks down in tears, clenching her teeth. They aren’t listening. They won’t help.
She holds the words back with great effort. Better to struggle in silence than to suffer their misunderstanding on top of everything else.
“I think she’s done for now. Thank you, great oracle.”
They leave.
She is all alone again.
And already she regrets it.