Wake TF Up?

It was that little shop off 33rd and Greenmount. I want to say shortly after the second oil outage. The one they thought was going to last forever, I guess. It was easy for those who poised themselves as Intellectuals to be the saviors of the world effectively making obsolete all religions. Only the Ignorant called what the Intellectuals did "punishment".

You wouldn't be too shocked to know that I used to be one of them. The Ignorant. There was this woman-- I can barely remember her now.

I remember she was my life. I lived for her. I died for her. Then I was born again-- to knowledge. Purpose cannot exist while the ego does. Sometimes, I think I see her still-- in that little shop on 33rd and Greenmount. Wearing the gold locket I gave her from our first Projection together.

Projection-- just a metaphor your brain creates around you. Many religions across the world have recorded the phenomena of entering a deep meditative state. It's not real.

"None of it is real!"

Woah, that almost sounded like the sky opened and spoke to me. That would be insane. OK Let's just take a deep breath.

"And this is how I know you haven't been studying anything!"

There goes that damned voice again!

”Adrien!” no, no, no. You are NOT real.

”Adrieeen” Why do I know this voice?

”Adrien, for fucks sake! I would leave your ass behind but I have too many questions“

”Amaranth?!”

”No time to explain, we’ve got to go... like right now.”

”Why am I back at your grandfather's?”

"As I said, no time. Let's go!" I hear something slam against the floor behind me then watched Amaranth's face turn a turbid white.

Okay, no time means NO time.

We must have sprinted 2 miles before actually slowing to stop in a wooded area right outside of town.

Out of breath, I sort of moan out to Amaranth. "Slow down. Now!"

"Fine. Ask whatever questions you need to but do it quickly."

"Considering you are here and not in Hell; how did you get your stone back and why can't you just move us through time or whatever the FUCK got you here!"

"That's NOT what the stone does, asshole! And it only got me here because this is home. And home will always be inexplicably tied to the weird--"

"Fine. But how are we supposed to know whatever that was, isn't following us now?!"

"Because it can't!" I can see the tears in her eyes. To be honest, I felt them in her voice and-- I don't know. Maybe I was avoiding them hoping they would dry on their own. Or maybe I was just pushing to get her to open up I think. No, I know she's scared.

I didn't even try turning around to see what the hell it was. What is wrong with me?!

Let's run this back...

• Boy meets girl
• Boy convinces the girl to waste her time sitting with him
• Boy gets girl and family kidnapped
• Then gets stuck in a dystopian nightmare with Dante controlling my every move and what's worse is I don't know how long--

Then, the girl saves herself and the boy and what the hell have I been doing all this time?! Amaranth if I only knew you were the princess in this story, I would've maybe worked a little harder on being a squire.

"Shit!"

"Adrien we cannot go back!"

"Amaranth we absolutely have to! I forgot your stone, the real stone. I had a vision while I was in that nightmare Dante had me in and I don't think he has it yet. I think his ascent to Earth was always preplanned. But there is a war coming and schematics for humanity to decide, when the time comes, to put an end to it."

"She places her hand over her rose gold heart-shaped necklace, smiles, and utters two chillingly calm words.

"I know."