Inside Out; Teenage Years

Inside Your Mind

That night, Riley had a dream. Not any old dream. It was one that seemed to project Riley into her own mind and explore the crevices of her own mind. And it didn't seem like Dream Productions were making it either. It was almost as if Riley had fallen into a sort of sleep trance type of thing. It was indescribable. But because it was like a normal dream to people, nobody noticed. Joy had noticed the near silent rumble. She looked out of the Headquarters windows and saw that there was light coming from Dream Productions but no sign that anything was going on. Just then, a light seemed to appear in the middle of Headquarters. Through the light, a figure seemed to emerge. It couldn't have been another emotion, Riley had her five. The figure then seemed to deepen in describable aspects. Joy saw then that it was Riley. She almost started to panic but kept her cool. She consulted the Mind Manuals but they didn't say anything about Riley being inside her own head. Joy then thought of what to do. She let 'Riley' walk around and explore this new place that she had never been to before. Joy had her back turned to her and pretended she was doing something. Then she turned around and looked at 'Riley'. Joy said,

"You seem lost and fascinated by this place. Do you know where you are?"

"No, 'Riley' replied. Can you tell me where I am?"

"Why yes. You are in Headquarters, the home of your emotions. I'm Joy. The others are all in bed but I'll tell you who they are. Unless you already know?" Joy asked.

"Not really. Can you tell me?" 'Riley' asked.

"Well. You have Fear. He steers you away from danger. He's also the reason why you are afraid of being called upon in class. There is Anger. He doesn't like it when things are unfair for you, which is why you can get angry when things don't go your way. Disgust. She keeps you from being poisoned physically and socially. So you know them small annoying boy's in your class? Well she makes the decision of whether to mix with them or not. She judged them as a threat to your innocence and morals so that's why you stay away from them. Sadness. Now Sadness is..."

"Why do I need Sadness may I ask?" 'Riley' interrupted.

"I was just about to explain that. You need Sadness just as much as you need all of your other emotions. When you are in a situation that makes you upset, she makes you act like that as a way to signal to other people that you need help. Remember when you almost ran away? Well that was Anger, Disgust and Fear making a last ditch attempt at making you happy. Me and Sadness were elsewhere. The only reason you returned home was because me and Sadness managed to get back just in time to save you. That's when we made the first dual memory, melancholy. You remember how you said that you were only being really happy so your parents wouldn't be angry?"

'Riley' nodded.

"Well that was Sadness. The type of happiness you experience now is real happiness. For eleven years we all neglected Sadness. We didn't know why she was there or why she was needed. Now that we know we include her more, you are able to experience real happiness."

"What about you, Joy? What is your job?" 'Riley' asked.

"Well I do what it says on the tin. I keep you happy and help you find the positives in everything."

"And what are these over here?" 'Riley' asked, looking out of Headquarters into the rest of her mind.

"Those are your Personality Islands. You used to have five. Family, Friendship, Goofball, Honesty and Hockey. Now you have them, Fashion, Tragic Vampire Romance, Boy Band, Technology and Broken trust. You can guess when you made that one." Joy took 'Riley's' silence as a yes.

"You know I've never been here before. If I had, would I remember?" 'Riley' asked.

"No. But you would remember what was said, just not who by." Joy had learned this when 'Riley' first appeared. She looked across at 'Riley'. She had a sort of down expression on her face.

"But, if you were to come back, you'd remember everything." 'Riley's' face lit up slightly.

"How would I do that?" 'Riley' asked.

"Well, you had a brilliant weekend. It was the best you've had in awhile, and Hockey Island grew in size. All that needs to happen is to be truly happy. You know, a mix of all five of us." Joy beamed a smile at 'Riley'. "I think that if you have like a severe accident and slip into a coma then you come back. You would have a 70% chance of remembering all of what happened then and of what happened before it. It's almost like this is a separate, 'you'. If you get what I mean?"

"I get it. Sort of like an... what do you call it?" 'She' asked.

"Alter ego?"

"Yes that's it."

Just as 'Riley' finished speaking, she started to glow bright white. Almost as bright as Joy.

"Well, I guess that means it's time for you to return. And although you won't remember that it was me that said it, try to remember, I'll try to prompt you when you think about it." Joy said to 'Riley' as she started to fade away.

"Are you sure that I'll remember you the next time I arrive?" 'She' asked Joy.

"Absolutely positive." Joy replied with yet another beaming smile on her face. "And I'll also remind you to think positive."

"Thank you Joy..."

And then, 'Riley' was gone. Back to being asleep and not being inside her own head. Joy smiled to herself. She need not plan what was going to happen for the next day and the rest of that week. She somehow knew that the next week, Riley was going to get through unscaved. She was happy with what happened that night and was still smiling as she went to bed.