I Love You but You're Real

nineteen

I ease into consciousness and glance warily around. Where am I? My surroundings begin to form into the familiar scene of my room. I have a faint feeling that there's something I need to do... ah, yes. My mission starts today. I need to return to my room.

Ten minutes later, I'm walking down the streets of FicCity, searching for the building that I had been held in for the better part of my life. As I pass numerous buildings, I see confused characters step into FicCity from their own buildings for the first time.

I can't help but feel a surge of jealousy each time I see someone receive inaudible directions from their Voice.

But I'm sorry, dear Voice, I don't mean to take you for granted. I have never meant to make you feel unloved- I am so glad that you belong to me regardless of whether or not I can hear you.

But...

I just wish it were different between us. You know what I mean? Maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to find a way to hear you.

I stop in front of a large building. This one looks familiar, I think. I hesitantly reach for the door, but just before I touch the handle it swings open and hits me in the shoulder. I stagger backwards as a character bursts out onto the street, their expression a mix of confusion and joy.

They glance at me and mutter a quick sorry before raising a hand and waiting for someone to come and help them. Shaking my head, I step inside through the open door and return to the place that kept me hostage for who knows how long.

I stand just inside the door and stare at the featureless hallway in front of me. What am I doing here? What did I expect to find?

I take a step forward, and then more confidently march down the hallway. I have no destination. Hopefully I'll be able to find my way out.

I walk straight for a while and don't encounter anyone. There's a split at the end of the hall and I veer toward the right. I make a mental note. There's a door on the wall a little farther down, but I try the door only to find that it's locked. I'm not really surprised.

What did I hope to achieve in coming here? I mentally kick myself. There's nothing here that can help me. I head back the way I came, feeling rather stupid. When I pass the split in the hall though, I see movement down the passage I did not take. Heart racing, I sprint toward the figure.

It's one of Them.

Its legs and neck stretch longer than life, almost as if someone attached a string to the top of their head and pulled until the string snapped.

They stopped walking once they saw me, and smiled down at me as I approached.

Them: Hello, Rhys.