My act…?!! What does he know? What’s he going to do to me. I’m so scared. The kind aura around him has turned into a cold shadow. He seems like a completely different person. What’s going on…

           “What act do you mean, William?” I tried to sound convincing.

           “The jig is up. I know you’re just going with the flow, when you really don’t even know what’s going on at all.” He looked straight into my eyes with a stern look on his face.

           “Then please, tell me what’s going on. I want to know. What’s going to happen to me? Why am I here? Who are you?” I couldn’t hold it in anymore, I just let everything burst out. Everything I had wanted to say. Everything I wanted to ask.

           “Well, let me first straighten things up. No, I am not your fiance. No, you weren’t kidnapped. And finally, no, I am not a friend. I am your foe.” His tone changed so suddenly I didn’t know what to do. My kind impression of him vanished into thin air. Was this really the same man I had just met a few hours ago?

           “Please… What’s going on?” I feel so pathetic. I need him to tell me everything about what’s going on. I can’t do anything myself.

           “Well let’s begin then. What you last remember, in your world, was that ominous dark room, correct?”

           “Yes…”

           “During your time there you smelled something sweet just before you passed out?”

           “Yes.” He’s correct again. Just how much of this does he know. Can I trust him? He said he wasn’t a friend but a foe. Why is he telling me all of this?

           “The sweet scent you smelled was actually chloroform. It’s a gas most kidnappers can easily use to subdue any target. Once you passed out the man who set it up started vigorously beating you. Although you were unconscious of the time, you are slightly aware of this.”

           “What…” Now that I think about it. When I was restrained earlier my body did ache, and I felt like something was very wrong.

           “The men outside heard everything going on right away and came straight to your aid. The man was subdued but your injuries were far too damaging. He’d even damaged a part of your brain, the cerebrum. The men who came in sent you to the hospital immediately and you’ve been there ever since. If you’ve ever felt sleepy that’s probably because of all the medical equipment they connected to you.”

           “Wait, I’m confused, we aren’t in a hospital right now…?” Is it really okay to believe what he says?

           “Well no, but technically yes you are. Right now, you are in a comatose state of mind in the real world. Everything that has happened so far is not physical. This is all just in your mind.”

           “What…”

           “However, anything physical in the real world could affect your mental and physical health in this one. Like earlier when you felt like you couldn’t breathe properly. I just made up that stupid dust excuse, your heart was probably failing and they had to perform CPR on your real body, and you, in your mind, felt the effects of that.”

           “If this is all true… Then who are you?”

           “I am you and you are me. I am just a creation you made to cope with all the trauma that you are dealing with right now.”

           This is just way too much for me to process right now. I’m so scared I’m shaking. I’m in a coma? Is this world really not real? All the emotions, what I’m touching, what I’m smelling… None of it’s actually happening? Am I just laying in a hospital bed right now waiting to be put to sleep forever… Is he there? Did he hear about the news… Wait. I shouldn’t even be worrying about this right now. It’s not even important.

           “When will I get out of here? Can I do anything to leave this place and just go back to normal?”

           “Ah, intriguing question. No one knows the exact time it will take for you to be released from your comatose state of mind, however, be sure to never fall asleep. No matter how sleepy you get, or how tired someone makes you. Be sure to stay awake at all times. In your mind, you shouldn’t need to sleep at night or day. However the environment around you or the people you create might try to prevent you from getting better. In this comatose state of mind, your body is testing your mental limits. How much do you really want to live, Clara? The moment you fall asleep, all normal bodily functions will cease to exist and you will die on the spot. You are the only thing keeping your body alive at this moment.”

           If he’s being serious.. I could’ve already died. If I had made the wrong choice earlier. If I had gone to sleep. I wouldn’t have woken up. And I wouldn’t have known… I couldn’t hold back the tears. I felt so weak. They kept streaming down my face. William only watched my cry, I couldn’t tell what he meant by not a friend but a foe. But he was the only person I could rely on right now. He was the one who knew the most information about everything going on at this point.

           “Now I believe earlier I told you I wasn’t your friend, but I was a foe. I don’t think you had any idea what that meant. Basically I’m here to test your will to live. I’m going to put you through a series of tests. If you fall asleep… Well then, you know what’s going to happen.” He looked at me with a smirk on his face and it looked like he was having fun telling me the truth about what he was going to do to me.

           I really was terrified. Unsure of what he would try to do to me. The more I stared at his horrifying smile, the more I wanted to shut my eyes, but at that moment I was afraid to even try to blink. What if my eyes never opened again? What would he do to try and make me fall asleep. I don’t want to die. Not here. Not now. I want to live. I need to live. I always succumbed my will to him before, but now my will is my own. I’m free to do what I wish. I will not fall asleep. No matter what he does to me. I won’t give up.

           “I have one more question, William.”

           “What is it?” He began to look annoyed with me. I much preferred him when he was pretending to be my fiancé.

           “If I made you up in my mind, then how do you know all of this when I don’t?”

           “Actually, it’s in the cellular structure of every being with a brain. It’s basically instructions telling your body to put you to the test, and see if you’re fit for survival if you make it out of this coma. Kind of like natural selection, but in everyone’s mind. This also occurs when people die in their sleep. It means that they could’ve chosen to wake back up, but they decided that the afterlife was the best route.”

          “I guess it makes sense, but then, how do you know information that even I don’t know? Like about the chloroform?”

           William looked a bit flustered. He almost stammered. He was definitely hiding something. Something about the truth from me.

           “Ha ha.. Don’t be silly. You must’ve forgotten a science lesson from a long time ago. You were taught at a young age. By him.”

           “Don’t mention him.” It took all I could not to comment anything more about him. I wanted to stop thinking about him altogether. For now, all I needed to worry about was William. How should I deal with his entire situation….

           “Wow, looks like someone is still angry about all of that.” He almost laughed while he said that. He still had that sly look on his face.

           “I think I’ve had enough of you teasing me. I’ll be going now if you don’t mind…” I didn’t know where I would go, but I didn’t want to be around him.

           I got up and started walking away when I suddenly heard him get up as well. I tried to walk away faster, but I was too late, he grabbed onto my arm.

           “Uh… What are you doing?”

           “I--- Uh… Hold on. I need you to try something for me. Please.”

           “Well… I guess I don’t have anything better to do. What do you want?”

           “Imagine a cup of tea in your left hand, saucer and all.”

           “Alright?” I tried my hardest to imagine a beautiful teacup and saucer filled with Earl Grey tea. Moments later, it really appeared in my hand.

           “This confirms your comatose situation for you. Obviously this couldn’t happen in the world that you are from.”

           “Uh.. Yeah. Thanks, I guess… Well I’ll really be going now… So goodbye, William.” That just confirmed everything he said. I was a little skeptical a while ago, but how could I be skeptical after what just happened.

           I didn’t know what to do. All I knew at this point is that I couldn’t fall asleep. I needed time to process all of the information just poured into me. This entire time I thought I was kidnapped but I was really in a comatose state?! The only good thing that I could get out of this was that I wouldn’t have to see him. I hate everything about him.

          I wandered out of the study and found my way to the balcony. It was a beautiful night. The moon was really bright and the air was nice and fresh. The crickets were still making their music and the grass was swaying in the warm wind. This would be the perfect place to collect my thoughts.