Eighteeenth PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

((I apologize in advance for being a drama whore.  Indulge me.  I am sorry.))

[The inhalation of Luke's hallucinatory gas has left Lucas in a terrible state. This is what he sees. The island of Tanetane . . . The island of nightmares and delusions.  And though he knows that the images he sees must be false, he cannot help but succumb to his dark fears nonetheless.  In fact . . . his mental delusions are so strong that anyone who comes near him may, perhaps, catch a momentary glimpse of his nightmares.  Is this due to the gas lingering around his body or is this because of what is buried deep within his psychic mind?]

[Scenario 1]
Lucas has opened your mailbox and is rifling through the letters.  The expression on his face is one of tormented anguish.  Whispers can be heard if he is approached closely, though they do not appear to be made in his voice.  "The boy named Lucas . . . The boy named Lucas . . . The boy named Lucas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "    There is a terrifying scream.  It is not his.

[Scenario 2]
Lucas is shivering and shuddering as he takes his bath.  His bath appears to be a dirty puddle of mud in the park.  Or a dirty pool of water on the side of the street.  Or a septic tank.  Or a poison swamp.  A pool of knives.  A pool of nothing.  Nothing after nothing after nothing after nothing.

[Scenario 3]
He's running towards you with a baseball bat.  "Run!"  His voice is harsh as he engages the massive smiling face beaming balefully from midair.  Will you fight with him?  Will you help him?  He needs to get home before supper.  Hinawa is coming home for supper.  When is Hinawa coming home?  Come home, Hinawa.  Come home.

[Scenario 4]
He's running towards you with a baseball bat.  " . . . Get away!"  He swings at you.  He wants to kill you.  Let him kill you.  You should die.

[Scenario 5]
Lucas is huddled, knees to his chest, on the ground in the middle of the street.  All of his things are spread out around him as he holds his hands over his ears and rocks back and forth.  Approaching him, you may see a shadowy image and hear a torrent of harsh, angry, deriding words.  Why are you coming near him?  What are you doing?  What did you do to him?  Huh? . . . . . . . . I did it to him? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.  Don't go near him.  Don't go near him.  You did it.  Don't go near her. Don't go near her.   Don't go near her. Don't go near her. Lucas did it.  Lucas did it.  Lucas did it.  Lucas did it.

[Scenario Q]
You could have saved me.
Why didn't you save me?
Switch places with me.
I want
I want to be
I want to be alive, Lucas. 
You're more . . .
You're more . . .
You're more . . . . . . . .   
It's all your fault.  It's your fault.  It's your fault.  I hate you.  You don't deserve it.  No one loves you.  Everyone's waiting for you.  Everyone's waiting to throw rocks at you, spit on you, and make your life hell.  Everyone hates you.  Everyone hates you.  I hate you.
Switch with me
Switch with me
Die
I want to be
you
I will be

you

Comments

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

[ Wy stares in shock. ]

L-Lucas... What's this? Why would ya... [ She tries to get closer to him. ] A-and quit screaming! ... If... that was you...

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't seem to register her words, continuing to shuffle through the postcards that document the life of his alternate self. He leaves the mail scattered on the floor and slowly closes the mailbox.

Then he smashes it as hard as he can with his bare hand. Ouch.]

That's not me.

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

[ Wy flinches when she sees him smash the mailbox. ]

You're... you're going to be paying for that! [ That was more of an automatic response to show she's not scared. Even though she is. ]

The scream? Didn't sound like ya. But... the person in the postcards... He looked like you. How old are ya?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . ?

[He seems to realize that somebody else is there for the first time. And also for the first time, he recognizes her for who she really is.]

. . . . . . . . Wy?

[And dream and reality begin to mingle. Lucas can't help but frown as he tries to make sense of what he is seeing.]

Um. Um . . . I'm . . . thirteen. . . .

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

[ She relaxes a bit when he seems to become a bit more normal, at least recognising her. ]

That's right.

But... the postcards. They had ya older 'n stuff. D-dunno where they came from.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas's nightmare is shifting in his mind, attempting to accommodate the inclusion of a little girl who was never supposed to be there.]

That's not me. It's supposed to be me, but it isn't.

[Lucas glances down at his bleeding hand before applying Lifeup to himself.]

Are you going to turn into a monster and attack me now?

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

Of course not. I'm a country, not a monster, stupid. A-anyway, stop actin' so weird, got it? Though it's not like I'm scared or anything...

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

You're the one who's acting weird. You're not supposed to be here. Why are you here, Wy?

. . . Everyone I dream about turns into a monster, so if you're trying to trick me, it's not going to work. I'll just fight you until you go away.

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

This is my house, of course I'm here. You're not s'posed to be here. ... Though I guess ya can visit me sometimes, it's not like I care.

Y-ya can't fight me! Stop jokin' around.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Your house . . . ?

[Lucas glances up towards where she gestured.]

Do you mean the banana? Why do you live in a banana, Wy? How did you grow it so big? And if you're going to be a monster, I get to fight you. That's how things have been since I started my journey.

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

[ Just. Looks at the house. And back at him. And back at the house. And back at him. ]

... It's not a bloody banana, idiot. Did you hit your head? Or are you playin' some stupid game. You know I'm an adult so I don't have time for games.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Of course it's a banana. It's got a smiley face carved into it and everything.

[Lucas frowns again as if trying to figure something out.]

If people from Mayfield are showing up in my nightmares . . . does this mean there's something I'm afraid of here that I have to fight? Is it you?

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

You're not gonna fight me, dummy. This is real and not a nightmare. What's that even mean anyway?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

You're not really scary enough, I guess.

. . . And real places don't have three story tall bananas, Wy.

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

H-hey, I can be real intimidating. Really. I just don't feel like it.

It's not a three story tall banana! It's a house! [ She points around to the other houses. ] Those are all houses too!

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Those are lollipop trees.

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

... Did you hit your head?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Of course not. . . . Well, I mean, I get hit in the head sometimes when I fight monsters, but it hasn't happened today yet. Why would you ask that?

[wybrows.livejournal.com]

Because you're seein' bananas and lollipop trees.

It's not like I really care if you're fine or not, but... you should lie down or somethin'.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Well, this is a dream, remember? These kinds of things are normal. It's your fault for being real inside my dream.