I Love You but You're Real

fifteen

No one looks me in the eye as I follow Dug down the city street. All I get are sneaky, swift glances from strangers; they all look quickly away when I turn toward them.

Dug tries to make conversation, but after one failed attempt he proves to be smart enough to stop trying.

That's why I like him more than Ike and Noel.

I don't feel like talking.

Not to characters, at least. I can talk to you all day. And I'm still so sorry for snapping at you before.

People walk in and out of buildings along the city sidewalk. They talk to their Voices.

They listen to their Voices.

I'm not mad at you, I promise. I would never want any other Voice. You are perfect. Perfect for me.

But I must admit that I am a little angry at everyone else, all talking with their Voices without any respect for me and the fact that I can't hear you.

But it's not your fault. Or mine.

Dug: Rhys, how would you like an apartment right beside the park here?

There's a park down the street ahead of us with lush green grass and tall trees. It's the first place I've seen here in FicCity that isn't crawling with characters. There's a girl sitting on a bench with a book and a man sleeping on a blanket on the grass, but it's empty other than them.

Dug: You can stay in this building right here if you'd like.

He points to a tall red building beside us.

Me: Okay. Thank you.

Dug: Do you want me to show you your new home?

I nod at him and he walks into the building as if he owns it.

He actually might own it; everyone inside the building smiles at him and says Hi, Dug.

Dug always smiles back but I'm thankful that he doesn't stop to talk.

We walk into a silver box-portal in the wall and it transports us to a narrow hallway.

Dug hands me a key and shows me the door to my own apartment.

Dug: Are you alright, then, if I leave? If you need anything, you can always find me out and about.

I nod and Dug steps back into the portal-box. Before the doors close he looks back at me.

Dug: Oh, and Rhys? Try to make some friends.

My apartment isn't anything special. What is your apartment like? Do you even live in an apartment? Are real apartments different than fictional apartments?

I don't really want to make any friends here. I don't need friends, I have you.

You are my friend, right?

I think so.

I want to go down to the park. I walk out of my apartment and into the portal-box. I press a button on the wall, remembering how Dug and Ike had done, but when the doors open up, I'm still in the hallway where my apartment was.

How do I work this thing?

I try again.

Same hallway.

Again.

Same hallway.

I'm trapped here. I start to panic.

Again.

Same hallway, but this time a character walks out of their own apartment. She joins me in the portal-box.

I press the button again.

Still the same hallway.

The other character gives me a funny look and reaches across me to press a button.

She presses the wrong button and the doors close, trapping us once again, but they don't open right away.

I stand as far away from the character as I can.

Stranger danger!

The door opens. Not the same hallway. We're in the room Dug brought me into from the street!

I gasp and the character gives me another funny look before pushing past me out of the portal-box.

I don't like making friends.