Chapter XV

As Alice slowly opened her eyes, she felt at peace for the first time in what felt like days. She didn’t know why laying in her bed was suddenly so comfortable and relaxing but she welcomed it. The covers pulled around her were warm and she wasn’t feeling any pain. She found it strange to be so relieved not to be in pain, but it made her happy. She slowly raised her head and glanced around her room before checking the time. It was already seven o’clock so she knew she had to get out of bed and start getting ready for school. Sighing, she pulled off her blankets and slid out of bed. When she did, she was hit with a sharp chill and despite wanting to crawl back into the warmth, she was able to force herself not to, though it took a lot more willpower than usual.

Gotta get going. If I sleep any longer, I’ll be late for school.

She stretched her arms into the sky, feeling her body loosen up, then headed out into the hall. The house was quiet so she assumed her mom had already gone to work. Alice smiled, recalling how happy she had been to see her mother when she returned from the diner the night before. Just like how it felt when she saw her friends, it was weird that she was so relieved. Combined with her strange breakdown when Audrey arrived and she was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with her. Her emotions weren’t matching up with reality.

But I guess I shouldn’t think too hard about it. If it happens again, I’ll worry more but until then…

She headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower, anxious to relax under the warm water. When she got in, its touch was as welcoming as she had hoped for, but before she knew it, she’d been just standing under the water for longer than she meant to. Cursing herself for having no self-control that morning, she reluctantly hurried up and finished the shower. From there, she went through the motions of her normal routine by brushing her teeth and getting dressed in her uniform, before going out into the kitchen to have some cereal. As she ate, she found herself thinking about how close junior year was to its end.

God, I’m going to be a senior in a few months and then that’s it, she thought. I’ll be graduated and onto college. This school year feels like it just started and now it’s basically over. I guess all the days just kinda blended together since nothing really happened.

Junior year had been rather uneventful and so, she couldn’t really think of anything specific that was fun or exciting. She hoped her senior year wouldn’t end up the same way since she knew that was supposed to be the most fun year of high school.

Finding her thoughts focused on the future, Alice finished her breakfast and dropped her bowl off in the sink. Then, just as she was collecting her school bag from the back of her chair, her phone started to vibrate. She reached over and checked who was calling then smiled before answering.

“Morning, Audrey,” she greeted. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much,” the girl replied. “Just waiting outside your house for you to hurry your slow ass up. You coming or not?”

Panicked, wondering if she forgot a promise to walk to school with her that morning, Alice quickly checked that she had everything and hurried toward the front door.

“Oh, uh, yeah, I’m coming,” she stuttered. “Didn’t realize you were stopping by.”

Audrey chuckled. “That’s cause I didn’t tell you. Thought it would be a fun surprise so of course this was the day you took longer than usual. Just make sure not to cry when you get out here. I know you love me, but I don’t want you to embarrass yourself in front of the neighbors.”

Even though she could tell Audrey was teasing her, she could still hear the concern in her old friend’s voice. Alice knew her reaction the previous day had spooked her and she felt a bit guilty for crying like she did. It had taken a while for Audrey, Jay, and Rina to calm her down and even if Monica wouldn’t admit it, she had probably been a huge bother to the other customers and the staff.

“Yeah, shut up,” Alice grumbled. “I’m not gonna cry again.”

She snagged a jacket from the coat closet beside the door then headed outside. Audrey was standing across the lawn and beside the mailbox, smirking up at her.

“I sure hope not,” she replied.

Alice hung up the phone and walked over to where the girl was waiting for her, tapping her foot in an exaggerated fashion.

“Finally,” she teased. “Now, shall we go? Don’t want to be late for Kentz’s class, after all.”

Alice laughed as the two of them began walking side-by-side down the neighborhood road in the direction of the school. The weather was nice despite the morning cold that still hung over the street.

“Oh really?” Alice replied wryly. “I feel like you’re always sprinting into class five minutes after the bell for one reason or another. Something tells me being late for Kentz hardly ever bothers you at all.”

Audrey shrugged. “Well, maybe I’m trying to turn over a new leaf and be more responsible! You ever think about that, Al’? People can change, you know?!”

“Yeah, I know that, but this is you we’re talking about. You’ve been the same person ever since I met you so I doubt anything’s gonna change anytime soon.”

The other girl put on a fake expression of offense and placed her hand over her heart dramatically. “Words hurt, Alice. Words hurt.”

“And besides,” she went on, ignoring Audrey. “The only thing I could imagine that would make you want to be more responsible is Jay, but he’s been trying to get you to clean up your act for years and you still haven’t.”

In a rare moment for Audrey, her mischievous expression faded, replaced by one of genuine sadness. “And why would you think Jay could convince me of anything?” she asked softly.

Alice cocked her eyebrow. “Really? You can play dumb with everybody else at school, and I’m sure Jay won’t ever wisen up to anything, but you’re never going to get anything past Rina and me. I know you too well so I know how you feel about him.” The girl smirked. “And I’m sure you already knew that, too.”

“Yeah well…” Audrey murmured, glancing off into the blue sky above. “What does it matter? Not only is he never going to see me as more than a friend, but he doesn’t even swing my way. I think he’d go for Matt Briggs before ever even considering a relationship with me.”

Alice placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder, realizing that it had been insensitive to bring her feelings for Jay up and immediately regretting not keeping her mouth shut. “True. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t somebody else out there. You just have to keep looking.”

Audrey nodded, but didn’t say anything further on the subject. For a while after that, the two walked in silence, and Alice could tell that the other girl was deep in thought. She didn’t know why she felt the need to bring Jay up, but she also understood that it probably had to do with how much she wanted Audrey to find some form of happiness. Her feelings for Jay were a touchy subject that they tended to avoid, but she and Rina had talked extensively about it. Both wished they could do something, but even after all those years, Audrey still couldn’t take her eyes off him.

Maybe I should convince her to let me set her up on a blind date, she internally mused. I know Matt has a huge crush on her so I’m sure he’d go with her if I ask. Maybe that’s all she needs.

Just as she was considering suggesting the idea to Audrey, a sudden voice screamed in her mind.

“Don’t let them manipulate you! This isn’t real!”

Alice came to an abrupt stop, her eyes growing wide as spasms of pain shot through her skull. She cried out and put her hands to her temples, her breathing suddenly heavy and her heartbeat increasing by the second.

What was that? What’s going on?

“Alice? What’s wrong?” Audrey hurriedly asked. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, I’m—!”

“It’s fake! I can’t let them do this to me! This world isn’t real! Audrey is—”

As quickly as the voice came, it disappeared, and all of a sudden, she felt fine. Slowly, she raised her head to see her old friend staring back at her in concern. Alice glanced around the street but they were alone.

“You didn’t hear anybody talking just now, did you?” she asked softly.

Audrey frowned. “Huh? N-no, I didn’t. Why?”

She had suspected as much. It really did feel as if the words had echoed inside her brain. In addition, she found she recognized the voice as her own. It felt like she was calling out to herself in warning, but now, everything was calm. She didn’t even know what she should be worried about. The intrusive thoughts seemed silly, and she knew she must have imagined them.

There was nothing wrong.

All was well.

***

The school day passed by without anything strange happening again. Between her breakdown at the diner and then the incident that morning, Audrey was growing progressively more worried about her. Luckily, she convinced her to keep what happened from Jay and Rina, so the two were completely unaware that anything was wrong. Alice chose not to worry about it and so, she just enjoyed the day.

Like always, she had fun.

The classes were interesting and she even got to join up with Audrey on a partner assignment for Kentz. At lunch, the two of them met Jay and Rina out in the courtyard and they enjoyed a cozy meal in the sun, chatting about topics she couldn’t even recall anymore. She was happy with them. She had always been, but for some reason, ever since the diner, she felt like she truly appreciated them more. They were her best friends and had been for almost as long as she could remember.

She'd known Jay since they were babies and they’d gotten to grow up together, almost like a brother and sister. The boy was smart, sweet, and caring. He was always there for her and she was there for him. They were a duo that only separated if they had to, but they spent a lot of time talking over phone or visiting each other. Jay spent much of his childhood at her house, and that only made him feel more like a brother. He could be obnoxious, but she found that it was his quirks that made him so fun. They way he and Rina bickered like siblings made her laugh and she knew they were messing around. They didn’t mean the things they said.

She knew that because of how well she knew Rina. The girl had issues with her confidence, but Alice knew that she had nothing to worry about. She was a great person who shouldn’t stress so much about her image and Alice knew that she cared about their group more than she ever would admit. The medallion she purchased for them all those years ago was proof of that. There was never a time when Rina wasn’t seen wearing it around her neck, and Alice had caught her simply gazing at it on numerous occasions. Their friendship meant everything to Rina Davens and Alice treasured her as much as she did them.

And Audrey was mischievous, a girl who never truly grew up. She still played pranks on them, often using Jay as her primary target. She was laid-back and many saw her as lazy, but Alice knew that was far from true. Audrey was so active that it was hard to keep up with her sometimes. If the four of them went on some adventure, it was probably Audrey who started it. Though, while she put on a tough act, Alice knew she was also quite sensitive, which only made her more endearing.

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All three of them meant the world to Alice, and she had never truly appreciated that more than on that particular day. When lunch ended, the four of them made plans to meet up in the courtyard after school and went their separate ways, with Alice and Jay heading off to calculus. The last two classes passed by and when sixth period ended, Alice hurried up to the third floor to collect a few things from her locker before leaving.

I wonder what we’ll do today, she thought cheerfully.

They hadn’t made any plans, but those were the days she considered the most fun. She imagined they would probably head out into the woods, toward their hideout. They hadn’t gone in a while due to the cold, but the weather had warmed up quite significantly so Alice hoped prayed they could go back again.

Hopefully I don’t have any more issues. I think I’ve scared them enough.

Once she had collected her books from her locker and tucked them away inside her bag, Alice turned and began going back toward the staircase. However, as she was heading on her way, she stopped and stood still, her attention focused on a boy just ahead of her. He was scrawny and blonde, an individual she recognized from her first period class but couldn’t quite recall the name of. He was considered a delinquent and kept to himself more often than not. It was clear to anybody who shared a class with him that he had no interest in school nor did he want anyone talking to him. He was the very definition of a loner. She’d never paid him any thought before, but for some reason, she just found herself staring. The boy was stopped in the middle of the hall, gazing at the door to a classroom. When she checked which one it was, she found it was 3-5.

Wait…3-5? Do I know that room? I don’t think so, but…it seems familiar.

Suddenly intrigued, Alice brushed past a few students and approached the boy. He didn’t seem to notice her presence until she was right beside him, and when he did, it appeared as if he’d snapped himself out of a trance. He glanced down at her and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“What do you want?” he snapped. “Can I help you?”

Alice shrugged, unbothered by his harsh tone. “I was just wondering what room this is? What subject or…what club?”

The boy snorted. “Fuck if I know.”

He then pushed past her and tried to go on his way, yet for some reason, she found herself calling out to him.

“Why were you staring at it though?” she asked.

He stopped only a few steps away and glanced irritably over her shoulder. “I was just thinking, is all. Mind your own damn business.”

“But it’s…kinda familiar to me so I was just wondering…”

The boy frowned, and she thought she could sense some recognition in his eyes. “Yeah? Well, ask the teacher, why don’t you? I think the old shit is still in there, so if you’re that curious, leave me alone and go inside.”

“O-okay,” she stuttered, deciding it would be best to just let him leave. Yet, before she did, she felt the need to introduce herself first. “I’m Alice, by the way. We have English together, right?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. I wouldn't know. I sleep through that boring ass class.”

And with that last comment, he turned and continued on his way once more. This time, she didn’t stop him and was prepared to leave as well, but to her surprise, he stopped a second time. She hesitated, wondering if he had anything else to say.

“I’m Vinny,” he grunted.

That was all he said. This time, he walked away and never looked back. His introduction was blunt, yet Alice couldn’t help but smile.

Vinny, huh?

She couldn’t explain it, but somehow, she knew there was more to him than he was letting on, and she felt as if they had spoken before. Unfortunately, she just couldn’t recall where they knew each other from, and so, she pushed it from her thoughts for the time being, and hurried off to meet up with the others.

***

Once the four of them had all arrived in the courtyard, they made their way through the school gates and headed in the direction of Doris Street, where the path into the forest began. The way to their hideout was second nature to them and despite having to deviate from the path, they always knew which way to go. As they walked, they chatted about the day and the fact that finals were only a little over a month away.

“Yeah, I’m already getting stressed about them,” Rina mumbled. “I’m barely holding onto my A’s as it is. I don’t need a bunch of tests rolling in to kick me down.”

“Ha! Come on, Rina’,” Audrey replied. “As if you have anything to worry about, Miss Studies Every Night. I’m the one who’s gonna fail every test!”

The girl declared it as if something to be proud of, and Jay eyed her dubiously.

“So maybe you should give studying a try,” he suggested. “Oddly enough, I think it’d be good for you. Might bring your grades up. Wouldn’t want you to fail the year and stay a junior while the rest of us move on, would we?.”

Audrey huffed. “I’m not gonna fail the classes, Jay! I’m perfectly happy with all my C’s, thank you very much. After all, C stands for captivating, which perfectly describes me!”

“Yeah, sure,” he muttered. “Captivating…”

“Well regardless,” Rina interrupted, “finals are stressful and I just want them to be over. April and May can’t go by fast enough!”

As they talked, Alice listened to their words and simply laughed at how absurd their conversations were. When she did so, the other three all looked at her in surprise.

“What’s so funny, Al’” Jay inquired.

She shrugged. “Just you guys, I guess. Have you always been this entertaining?”

“Yeah, I like to think so,” Audrey replied proudly. “In fact, I think we’ve gotten more entertaining as time’s gone on! We age like fine wine!”

Yeah…this is nice, she thought. This is right. This is where I belong. With them.

Then, just like that morning, Alice suddenly doubled over in pain as her head felt like it was about to explode. It was so quick that she hadn’t been ready for it and before she realized it, she was on her knees, clutching at her chest. She heard the shouts of the others but their voices didn’t reach her ears. Instead, all she heard was an amalgamation of sounds merging together into an incoherent screech. It was seconds after this wave of pain shot through her that her body began to fall apart. She couldn’t feel any pain, but she could see her hands fading into dust. She tried to scream for help, but just as she opened her mouth, everything went dark and her mind completely shut down.

***

There was nothing.

***

Nothing existed.

***

She wasn’t real.

***

Alice Mendez didn’t exist.

***

“Welcome back, Mendez.”

The first thing that greeted her was the soft voice of Album Luz. She was crouched on a wooden floor, her body shaking and sweat drenching her clothes. She was breathing heavily and her limbs were weak. All at once, she remembered everything about what had happened in the real world and that the one she had just been a part of wasn’t real. It was simply a dream—a reality that could no longer exist. After all, Audrey was long dead, Rina had left them behind, Jay was in a coma, and she was on death’s doorstep. That happy life she had been a part of was impossible. Yet, to her, it felt just as real as everything else. While she’d been there, it had been as if nothing supernatural had ever happened. Album and the man in black had never arrived in Wilham, she had never met the Magic Club, and their group of friends stayed together into high school.

“Did you like that? Were you happy there?”

Alice slowly raised her head to find Album standing before her, staring down at her with eyes devoid of emotion. However, while she should have been focused on the supernatural being, she instead found herself frantically looking around the room.

It can’t be…

They were in the main room of the hideout that she had spent so much time in as a child. In the corner, she saw the man in black watching her with narrowed eyes and she could tell he was looking down on her. She was at their mercy and now, they had even invaded the place she held so dear. The hideout was sacred to her, and they shouldn't be allowed inside. She wanted to stand but the loss of her right leg kept her on the ground.

“What…did you…do to me?” she uttered.

Album smiled coldly. “I showed you the proof you wanted. I told you I could bring the dead back to life and I did so. That realm was real, Mendez. It’s a happy place, free of the suffering that this one has.”

“N-no…” Alice grunted weakly. “It wasn’t…real. Audrey is…dead. She’s gone… And you can’t…bring her back. It’s fake… I know it was…”

And yet, despite her attempts to fight it, she could feel the painful desire to return tormenting her. She wanted to go back and see them again. She wanted to live that life and put the one she was currently living behind her. She knew it was fake and yet it didn’t feel that way.

“No, it was real,” Album replied. “It’s simply another version of reality…one where your friend never died. It may not be the one you grew up with, but it is still a version of her. She’s a living, breathing being created from your memories. So even if she’s different, she’s still the same. She has the same experiences and personality as the girl you lost…so why can’t you love her, too? Why can’t she be your friend?”

“Because it’s not—”

“Not what?” the woman interrupted. “What is she not, Mendez? She is still your friend. She’s simply another version. And don’t pretend like it didn’t make you feel something. I can tell just by the look on your face that you want to go back.”

Alice swallowed, furious with herself for allowing her emotions to be so obvious. Album kneeled down beside her and placed her fingers on Alice’s chin, directing her head to look at her.

“I can send you back,” she continued softly. “I can let you return and you can live out your life the way you want…with your friends by your side. You can forget all about magic and Ijiria and us and simply be happy. Doesn’t that sound peaceful?”

Alice clenched her teeth. “I…”

...want to go back! But…I know it’s fake! I just…!

“You even had your leg,” Album whispered. “You can run there. Would you like that? Would you like to live in that world, Alice Mendez? If so…you know what we want.”

“I…can’t,” she forced herself to say. “I won’t…betray my…friends. I…can’t let you…kill them.”

Album laughed softly. “Kill them? I don’t intend to kill them. I intend to send them there as well.”

“W-what?” she stuttered.

“I don’t know what Nigreos has been telling you, but we aren’t going to kill the targets. We simply need them out of this world and into a contained one. You have all interacted with magic and that is against Ijirian law, but you didn’t know that. So, we’ll merely place you somewhere happy to live out your lives. If you give us their names, we’ll send you there and soon, they will join you.”

That’s…what they’re doing? I can go back? I can live there?

She felt tears welling up in her eyes before dripping down her cheeks. She wanted it so badly, but she knew she couldn’t trust them. They killed Monica. If they could just send them somewhere happy then why did Monica have to die?

“You’re lying,” she growled. “You won’t do that. You’ll kill them…like you killed Monica.”

Album slowly shook her head. “No. This Monica girl was a special circumstance. I won’t kill the targets. And I’ve already proved that. Tell me, Mendez? Do you not recall what we did to Vinny Mickelson?”

“Vinny?”

Oh my god, Vinny!

At that moment, she remembered what happened to her boyfriend that night at the diner. Album had stuck her hand through his chest and turned him to dust. She watched him fall to pieces right before her eyes. She thought he was dead, but now she knew that wasn’t the case. She had turned to dust to enter that world and when she was there, she saw Vinny.

But…he was so different. He wasn’t happy. Why wasn’t he happy?

“Mickelson is there,” Album said. “We sent him there just like we plan to send you and the others. It will be a paradise. You aren’t betraying your friends by giving us their names. You’re saving them, Alice.”

“Saving…them? But…Vinny wasn’t happy? He was lonely. He was…alone.”

Album smiled. “Then go be with him. If you and the others join him, he won’t be alone anymore. Harper, Reiner, and anybody else we need. Let us send them to him. Let us send them to paradise—to a place where you don’t have to worry and you won’t remember this realm. After all, isn’t ignorance bliss?”

We can all go…to that paradise?

The smiling faces of Jay, Rina, and Audrey arose in her mind and she found herself desperate to see them again. She needed to see them again, no matter what. She wasn’t betraying her friends. She was saving them.

They could all be together…

“Ignorance…is bliss,” Alice repeated.

…in paradise.