The Soul Continuum

by Simon West-Bulford

  I can picture them. A ring of Salems facing the walls of the sphere, gazing out into the Quantum Abyss, perhaps watching the other three Consortiums trace their never-ending orbital paths. The thought wearies me, and I turn to look at the slot that represents my life. That isn’t me anymore. I have become someone else.

  “I think I will sit here for a while,” I tell her.

  “As you wish,” she says, and I close my eyes, listening to Demetri’s soft footfall as he leaves the Calibration Sphere.

  “Demetri?” I call. His footsteps stop. “Let me know when you find what you are looking for.”

  He does not answer but leaves me to my thoughts, and I wait until all I can hear is the insect clicking of Qod’s endless sorting of the soul files. Behind the sound, behind the walls of my conscious mind, I feel the algorithm nesting deep in my mind, waiting. Eventually it will surface again. I sense it is waiting for Demetri to finish his investigation of the Control Core before it pushes me to act, to solve the conundrum that is the Jagannath.

  Until then . . . Until the next phase of my adventure . . .

  I will rest . . .

  BIO

  The Soul Consortium, his first published novel, was released in July of 2012, and the sequel, The Soul Continuum, will follow in September of 2015. His second book published by Medallion Press,The Beasts of Upton Puddle, won the 2014 IPPY Award for best fantasy novel. Dark Seed and To One Knight’s Heaven will be released in the fall of 2016.