Your Natural Hatred

Chapter 3

Ray dropped his daughter off at the kid's section of the library before we headed upstairs to the research area. We got a little room to ourselves and started working.

"So, what you're saying is that you traveled here from an alternate universe," he said.

"Yes, it's almost exactly the same but the people are different," I said.

He nodded, pulling out his laptop and some books.

"I've done some research and there's actually extensive talk about a multiverse existing," he said. "There are bubble universes, daughter universes, but what I think you believe in the parallel universe, a universe in which it is almost identical to your own but just off slightly in some ways. Your ways are the people in your life, your boyfriend and brother and me with my daughter.

"Multiverses are all over pop culture, I'm sure you know that, you told me you're pretty into comic books. There are so many different theories, it's actually really interesting. There's the ones from the Flash, where he builds up enough speed he can travel to different dimensions. Obviously that didn't happen in your case but just to show that people have been thinking of ways to travel between universes.

"I'm not sure if A Christmas Carol is the best example but it's similar to the theme of other multiverse examples. But basically he is taken to see the past present and future, not exactly a multiverse but the theme is just what I'm trying to get to. So, Scrooge is some humbug, right? And, like, afterwards he becomes a better man after what he's shown and is brought back to his own reality."

"I don't get it," I said.

"It's a common theme in multiverse plots, actually," Ray said. "Something bad goes wrong in the protagonist's life and they're transported into a parallel universe and they have to fix their errors before they can go back."

"Or I can step in front of a car and see how that works," I said. "It's like in the cartoons when you get hit in the head and get a bump you just hit your head again and it cancels out."

"No, that's...that's not how it works," he said, sounding a little frustrated. "Are you drunk right now? I can smell the alcohol on your breath."

I shrugged, taking a deep breath as I looked over his notes.

"So I have to learn my lesson, my lesson about what?" I asked. "Me and Frank were arguing, so I have to make amends with Frank? How the hell am I supposed to do that when he keeps beating me up every time I get within five feet of him?"

"Maybe try dating him again and doing things right this time," he said. "I don't know what your other life was like, I don't know what you argued about."

"Maybe I need to make this life to my other one as close as possible," I said. "We need to start a band, I'm the singer, you're one of the guitarists. It's called My Chemical Romance and we're pretty sick if I do say so myself."

"That could be a possible way to get back to your world," he said. "I don't know how much it'll actually help, though."

"I'm just glad you believe me with all of this," I sighed. "I don't know what I would do without you, Ray."

I laid my head down on the table while he continued to research.

"Do you think I'm gone in my world?" I asked. "Like, I just went missing? What if Frankie is worried about me? Or what if the me from this place switched places with me so now there's some sweater wearing, straight me in my place with my boyfriend. Is it cheating if it's not me but technically it's still me."

"You know, the more you talk, the less sane you actually sound," he said.

"Yeah, I know," I muttered, burying my head in my arms. "I'm just scared, Ray."