Heir Ascending

When they call you a bitch, say thank you very much - Olivia Gatewood

Oliver's a jackass. But a jackass who would always call me a dick, not a bitch. I knew that. I know that.

How can I tell what's real and what's not? It all looks real, smells real, sounds real.

"You selfish bitch! You don't care that your family is beating me," he screams.

"No," I shake my head, darting my eyes to the surrounding maze. "You're obviously not here. Which means I can't be either."

"I am real Eden," he winces and another blow gets delivered to his face."

"No this is just a creation of my mind, which means I'm really just talking to myself."

"If you were talking to yourself, wouldn't this just be a lot of unnecessary explanation?"

"Shh, I'm trying to work this out, which requires give and take, even in my own mind."

"So what was your question?" Again the family in front of me ripples away, and I spin around to see the source of the voice as Lacy.

"How can I tell what's real?"

"Your concern is that if you act in this real-world based on visions that aren't real, the results aren't possible to foresee?"

I nod.

"But these visions are incapable of harm in and of itself, ideas are neither good nor bad, but merely are as useful as what we do with them because only actions can cause harm."

"Okay, you lost me."

"How can I. I am you, and at least I'm inside your head. If you do nothing though and refrain from taking any actions, continue to try and think of the most complex of reasons why this is happening rather than see that the simplest explanation is right. You'll never get out."

She walked closer to me, her palm splayed lightly on my cheek. "But would anyone care if you never came out?"

"Stop. This is just my own doubt. It isn't really you saying this." I try and run my hand through her form as I did with the other visions to make them go away. Except she is real. Flesh and bones. "I don't want to know."

"You just have to listen," she says soothingly. "You think that the only truth that matters, that truth can be measured. Good intentions don't count, what's in your heart doesn't count, and caring doesn't count. But a person's life can be measured by how many tears are shed when they die. You would have no tears to measure. Not just because you don't want to count them, or measure them, but because you can not die in here."

"That does not make sense!" I whine.

"Even if I'm wrong, you're still miserable. Did you really think your life's mission was to sacrifice yourself and get nothing in return?"

"Why is this happening to me," I breathe out. "Why don't my powers work in here?"

"Because this maze is magic and probably had some power dampeners."

Of course. "Always an explanation," I mutter and smile as a theory starts to take shape in my mind.

"Okay, now I don't follow," Lacy said crossing her arms.

"But you do," I smile. "Just stay with me a moment. How come my powers don't work in here, how come, people look, sound and feel real? How come you haven't tried to trick me or hurt me? I'm having hallucinations."

"You were also talking to a dog not long before this."

"Who you and I both know wasn't an animal but a Bons. Might has well of been human for all your point is worth. You thought I was crazy at first. Only after a while did you eventually believe me."