The Power to Change Everything

The Way it Works

001

The way it works isn't very simple. There are millions--billions--of other worlds out there that have a story to tell. There are millions--billions--of people out there who are writing the life stories of these people who experienced these stories in first person. There are millions--billions, no... trillions--of people out there who have died that any one of us could have possibly saved. There has to be other people out there--like me--that can change the course of history by simply writing one sentence.

It's not that simple.

* * *

Everything that you've been told was a lie was a truth. Everything wrong was a right. Everything that was sinful was righteous.

That was what I figured out, in due time. People like me--who can cause change--have these little quirks, ones that seem kinda silly. Like not being able to continue a book, comic, or show if it's at this certain part, or feeling the pain the character feels, like when they're shot or something. Maybe even the times when you'll fall asleep, and have these weird, weird dreams about the show, book, or comic and wake up and continue and realize you know every line, scene, and movement because it was in your dream. Those things. Things some people just call silly or mere "coincidences" when in truth, or lie, they're a lot more.

However, things become a bit more... pronounced when you hit adolescence.

Emotions start running a bit more drastic than normal, but parents assume that's just puberty finally kicking in. The dreams become more apparent, as do the weird pains and the feeling of not being able to continue a scene. It suddenly hits you that these things aren't... normal. And at first, it will scare you. Terrify you. But don't worry. That's why I'm here. Why I'm writing this.

I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did.

You'll never forgive yourself if someone dies because you didn't save them. I know since I never forgave myself. All these lives lost because I was too afraid of myself, my abilities, and what I was. All these amazing people... dead. And I know, it's self guilt and you're probably thinking it wasn't my fault and I'm being over-dramatic. I know this already but I know these deaths are my fault. I kind of doubt you believe me, so let me give you an example. Do any of you know the name...

Portgas D. Ace? Or Gol D. Ace? Son of the Pirate King in an anime and manga titled One Piece? Well, spoiler alert: He dies. Gruesomely. As does his captain, Whitebeard. Ace's death hit a lot of people hard and caused tons and tons to cry. Me? It was all my fault. All my fault.

I have this book simply called Everything. It's a bond. A link between dimensions that allows me to reach out to millions upon millions of characters, such as Ciel Phantomhive from Black Bulter or Erin Jaeger from Attack on Titan (I don't like those two but I needed "popular" examples). I can talk to these "characters" by writing the name of the character on a page in Everything, which I just call eBook. I suppose by now you understand what I'm trying to convey to you.

I could have prevented Portgas D. Ace's death, had I simply told him this: "Don't chase after Blackbeard. Don't. You're going to die if you do."

But I didn't. I was scared of the consequences for changing the course. Had I, so many devastations and so much pain could have never existed, but the pain does exist because I was too damn scared to do anything. I remember the night before it happened clearly. I'd had a dream, a vivid one in which a black'haired boy without a shirt and an orange hat died. I remember waking up, startled and pale, at 2:30 AM. I remember looking at the eBook and telling myself I should stop this. I remember I had even been sitting at my desk with my pen in hand and the male's bane already scrawled on the top of the page. I had quite literally been within an inch of saving this boy's life...

When I didn't.

I never forgave myself for it. I watched One Piece afterwords and I remember watching the screen blankly as Ace died and just hearing the broken scream of Luffy as he held his dead brother. I remember this one thought: No one should have to go through that. Then: I could have stopped Luffy from undergoing that pain.

But I didn't. And I don't think I've ever regretted someone's death as much as Ace's.

And I hope to God, Kami, Jashin, Truth, the Greek and Roman gods, the Norse gods, the Egyptian gods, all if them. I hope that none of you, who are reading this book, will ever have the same guilt to weigh you down as I will. This guilt will never go away. This is the type of guilt that only grows stronger and more bitter with each passing day, week, month, year, decade, century, millennium, eon. It will never disappear.

Never.

But I've learnt that luckily, the guilt is supposed to fade. Hopefully, soon, eventually,maybe: My self-tormenting will one day lessen, if only the slightest bit. It's my hope. My dream. My wish, however, is for Ace to forgive me for being so damn idiotic and scared and allowing that to hold me back from saving another. So please, Ace...

Forgive me.