UNHEEDED: Undone Realms Book 2

Ch. 21 - Without

Marcella must be as insane as Oliver.  What she's just told Avie about her creation, her precious little pocket realm—it simply can't be.

Avie tells Marcella that she hates her for doing this, then storms out of the lobby, heading up to her room so she can fling herself onto her bed.  She can't face Oliver right now.  She can't bear to tell him what she's just been told.  She needs time to sort this all out.

No one has ever created a reality before.  Marcella is still figuring it all out, and she says Avie can't expect it to be perfect.  She's done the best she can. 

It isn't good enough.

The pocket realm is just a large Fold, and a Fold is only meant to be a gateway, not an actual realm for living.  And so, Oliver will only partly live while he's there.  In fact, he will only be partly there at all.  Avie is still trying to wrap her head around how this is possible.  She'll probably never understand fully.

Marcella tells her that, to the best of her knowledge, Oliver's essence will be in the pocket realm.  His form, his entire consciousness—she's fairly certain these things will transfer through, but the aspects that  make him truly alive, well, she can't seem to get them to exist in the little world she's created.  Those things will most likely (she can't say for sure) be trapped between the realms.  

Marcella's uncertainty about the pocket realm is infuriating.  Avie wants to know what to expect, with no room for doubt, so Marcella states for her the only certain thing she knows: when Oliver steps through to the inflated bubble that Marcella has created, not all of Oliver will step through with him. 

He will be a sort of half-human creature.  Marcella doesn't say it like that, but it's what Avie thinks.  He won't be whole.

"His consciousness can heal," Marcella says.  "He may be a bit...fragmented, but he'll still exist, Avie.  And he doesn't have to be in such pain."

"Can we ever bring him back to a realm where he can be whole again?"

Marcella smiles.  "There is always hope of that, but it will have to be his own realm.  That's why I've ensured that the pocket realm will closely overlay it.  It won't be the era he left, unfortunately, it will need to be nearly one hundred years later, at a time when the apple orchard he used to work in has been sold off and replaced with his world's version of our hotel."

"Wait, what?"  The shock hits Avie, then leaves just as quickly. 

Of course.  That's why Marcella chose to live in this place.  It's where the realms are linked most closely.  Even though she had sworn off realm travel by the time she'd relocated them here, Marcella chose the location purposely.  Without being able to go there, she wanted to feel like she was as close as possible to the Dual Realm.  And now, in its own way, the pocket realm will connect them—a big Fold that encompasses elements of both worlds. 

This thought should comfort her, but she can't get away from the guilt that she has destroyed the life of the person she loves most.  Because of her, Oliver will have to half-live in a realm where he is safe but alone.  And if he is ever to escape it, it will have to be back to his own realm where he can live sanely and without Avie.

Avie rolls over so that her eyes are staring at the room's popcorn ceiling.  Her hand rests on her belly.  Marcella isn't sure what parts of Oliver will be left on the outskirts of the realm he will inhabit.  Although she swears his mind will be intact, she believes other basic aspects of human living will be left behind.  He won't have to eat, for instance—but Marcella is quick to note that that's a good thing.  It's not like he'll be able to find much food in a world the size of a hotel, after all.

Avie sighs.  What potentially horrible things will he discover about himself in the pocket realm?  How can this possibly be the best option for him?

She has it in her mind to refuse to bring him there.  They will find a way to cure him right here, where he can be whole and alive and with people who care about him.  Just as she's decided to tell this to Marcella, the door slams open and Marcella rushes in.

"They're here, Avie!  The authorities, they're only a few blocks away."

Avie bolts upright.  "But they weren't supposed to be in town for five more days!" 

Marcella's eyes are wild.  She shakes her head. "When they were supposed to be here hardly matters at the moment.  Tonight they'll test the hotel.  We have to move him.  Now!"

Avie scrambles out of bed.  "You said you needed more time!  We can't bring him, not yet!" 

Not only does Marcella want to move him to a realm where he can't be a fully functioning human, but now she wants to move him when she hasn't even been able to test that realm's stability.  And yet, what other choice do they have?  When the authorities descend upon a town, they mean for no one to escape.  The citizen-militias back them up, surrounding the town and accosting anyone who attempts to leave.

There's no use in trying to run.

"It's either that or we all get arrested, Oliver continues down his path to insanity in psychiatric lockdown and you and I spend the rest of our lives in jail.  And what do you think will become of a baby whose father is from another realm, huh Avie?  CompassionCorp will take it from you, and then what?"

Avie slumps back onto the bed.  There really is no other choice then.  She will have to tell Oliver everything and convince him to leave for the other realm tonight.  Somehow they will both have to come to terms with the fact that he will have to go alone.

A/N: The authorities are HERE!!!  Things are getting intense, to say the least.  Now that you know more about the pocket realm, what do you think of it?  And will our beloved characters defy the authorities and get Oliver to safety or will they be taken down?

Hold on to your hats, ladies and gents... the intensity carries through to the next chapter, and that chapter—it's a big one!

Today's dedicatee is @myriadofbeauties, another one of my awesome readers who I just know reads my work in part because she is in awe of the fact that I live only a few hours from Forks, WA. (Just kidding, Myriad, well...mostly :) ) Anyways, @myriadofbeauties is wonderful and if you're into Twilight fanfic, why not give her stories a go!