Lanuleta University – Psychology Class

Where The Truth Is Revealed

I shook my head and told myself that any giant bugs I remembered from dreams were probably just false memories. I sipped my soda and moved closer to the front of the café, where things weren't quite so lonely.

Still, I felt an unnerving sensation that something was there just over my shoulder, though I didn't see anything. I plopped my head on the table. I'd read about the psychology computers in the library and they only gave users a few minutes of the symptoms of an abnormal condition and only when you were there. I knew from the last class with safety protocol not to mix more than three conditions without standing up and looking away from the magical field around the computer.

But I couldn't really remember much about what I'd done with the computer. I really hoped that wasn't a sign of amnesia. If Professor Kellemann was still around, then I knew I could stop by and ask about this. If nothing else, there was my counselor.

Arg! Wait…what happened to the voice?

*Hm?*

Oh. Never thought I'd be thankful to hear something from you.

*What happened?*

Not much…aside from the giant bug in the corner!

*What bug?*

Oh great, even my crazy voice is gonna think I'm crazy…

*Weird. I felt like I was somewhere else for a while. Does that make sense?*

About as much sense as anything lately…

I sighed and looked up. Miguel from class was standing in line. Somehow, I knew his name now. Not sure how. Memory and all that weird stuff.

Cracking my neck a little, I clutched my hair behind me. I brushed it with my fingers. It was muddy orange like baby poo. I considered dragging my hairbrush out of the desolate corner of my bag I'd relegated it to. It would probably thank me for the rare glimpse of daylight. But I really didn't want to accidentally leave stray, Technocolor hairs on the table for the next person.

*You should do it if it relaxes you. Just clean up afterwards.*

I considered it.

"You see the bugs, don't you?"

I glanced up. It was that Miguel guy with a veggie burrito in his hands standing in front of the other side of the table.

I stared a bit longer than I wanted to before coughing and answering, "What bugs?"

Miguel had a gorgeous face. Smooth with a strong jawline. His hair was dense but well-kept and sleek. His hands were rigid but shaped perfectly, as though by an artist. His skin tone was lighter than mine, but it gave him a regal air, especially with his firm, long nose. He looked a little nervous with his eyes dashing about, but I didn't mind.

I crossed my legs and glanced away.

*I think you like him.*

After looking around a bit, he sat opposite me with his food and said, "The big, black bugs. I had this strange dream about one. I was in a car and I saw Professor Kellemann in the road. The car swerved I think and there was something big and black. I'm sure it was a giant bug. I've been seeing them, and I think I know what's going on."

As Miguel spoke, I felt hypnotized. What he said made sense. I could see myself in that car.

*This seems really strange. Be careful.*

You're just noticing that now? I nodded to Miguel's words and leaned forward, curious as to his assessment.

"It's aliens. Clearly, the government is involved. It might even go back to how magic first came to be in the world. I've been reading and watching. I'm certain other people have seen these bug aliens before us. They're experimenting on humanity with this magical stuff and the government is helping."

That should've sounded totally ridiculous. I wanted to say it sounded crazy. But I'd seen the bugs. I had to at least listen.

Miguel tapped a finger to his chin. "Do you know anyone in your family who might be involved with the government?"

I mentioned my dad and it seemed that Miguel was expecting that.

*I think you should go…this doesn't feel right.*

Right, it's really spooky!

*That's not how I mean…*

I had my doubts at what Miguel was getting at. Then he told me about when he was growing up. He told me…that he had a voice inside his head too. I felt my knees quivering when he told me the age when it first showed up. Around the same age as me.

It got even spookier when he mentioned Clayvern Valley. I never understood why my dad moved to that area. And then the government visited Miguel on several occasions as a kid. My heart was racing.

I wondered if there were times when my dad had people from the government visit me. Maybe I just didn't remember. Maybe they'd blocked-out my memories. I asked Miguel if that was possible.

"Could be", he said.

Oh geez, I felt like I was about to lose it. My hands were shaking, and I really needed to use the restroom. I stammered an excuse to Miguel and rushed over.

After I was done, I stared into the mirror. My eye twitch was a lot worse and red rippled all through my hair.

*You need to get away from him.*

I felt angry at the voice for a moment but I did wonder…what if the bugs could disguise themselves as people? But if Miguel was a bug then why was he telling me all this? What if there were a lot more bugs everywhere?

I shuddered. I couldn't trust anyone. They could all be bug aliens the government was working for.

I sounded so crazy, but I'd seen it. I'd heard it and seen it and it was right there. I peeked out the door at my table. I didn't see Miguel. The table was empty. I looked around, but I didn't see him anywhere.

I splashed my face with water from the sink and nearly ran out of the restroom. I didn't hear anyone calling after me. I wasn't sure if I'd left anything, but I had to get out of there.

*Just relax now. It'll be okay.*

It was easily said but with everyone I passed by, I tensed up. I was sure they were about to change into a giant alien bug. It was just there under the skin. I could almost see their dark splotches showing when they were in the shade. Almost but not quite but I knew they were there. If I just clawed at their skin a little then it would tear off like a mask. They were just wearing masks and they were watching me. I didn't want to speak because I was sure they were listening as well. I couldn't trust my dad…

*Relax, Nasira. It'll be okay. Take a deep breath.*

But my heart wasn't racing. I didn't feel crazy. I didn't feel stirred up or anything. I felt focused. I felt sure. I felt like I was finally seeing the world for what it was.

*This isn't real, Nasira. It's gotta be the computer from the library or something. What if you picked paranoid schizophrenia? You were talking about that as one of your research choices.*

Was I? I couldn't remember. But maybe the voice that talked to me inside my head was right. But what happened to Miguel? He was gone. I didn't see him anywhere. Why did he run off? Did I imagine him?

Suddenly, the air felt tingly all around. I staggered a step and ran headfirst into something. Clutching my forehead with a groan, I looked at what I ran into. At first, I thought it was a mirror I hadn't noticed before because I was looking into my own face.

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The other Nasira stood there clutching her forehead in much the same way I was. She seemed surprised as well and asked, "Who are you?"

I asked the same of her. She straightened slowly and looked around. "Nasira Jafri and Miguel Reyes. Just like you."

I couldn't help but stare at the ridiculousness.

*I think she's right.*

"How can you be me and Miguel?"

She scratched her head. "Not sure but what I mean is you're us and I'm us too. We're us."

I took a step back, expecting their skin to fall off to reveal an insectoid shell. "You're just an alien…get away from me!"

She raised her hands. "No. We're not an alien. Not sure aside from that…especially why this is happening and why there are two of us."

I didn't trust its face. "Prove you're not an alien."

It shrugged. "I don't know if I can. I could tell you something from our minds, but then I'd just be a mind-reading alien."

I was just thinking that. Which only proved it probably could read my mind.

I had every reason to distrust it and run away. But as I looked into the other me I felt something. Like a vibration in tune with me. I took a deep breath and a step forward at the same time she did. I staggered back a moment and she mirrored me.

*Yes, keep going! This feels right.*

I stepped ahead until it was like stepping into a mirror.

The world crossed, and we felt different. We rushed (and stumbled a little) on the way to the bathroom.

Inside, we edged over to the mirror. Our visage was strange. It had the softness of Nasira's face with Miguel's eyes and skin tone. Bands of hair changed colors but the rest of it was black. We looked a little androgynous and our chest looked a little developed. We were taller than Nasira but shorter than Miguel.

A quick check of our pants didn't leave it clear which sex was dominant. As we both freaked out a little, the world rippled again and seemed to pop loose.

I was in Nasira's body, or my own. I felt so confused.

Miguel stood across from me and looked just as unsure. I knew he was thinking about the color of my hair. And I knew he knew I knew that.

*I'm not sure what's going on, but this seems better.*

The weird voice had a pretty odd definition of better. Miguel's voice said something similar but more tersely-worded inside his head. I felt a blush and Miguel's embarrassment at his attraction to me and our mutual embarrassment at mental secrets we both knew intimately like twins conjoined at the brain.

Despite the clatter like crossed radio stations playing discordant music. And Miguel liked but also felt a little unsettled by that analogy. Miguel's voice thought he could do for a girl's mind in his head a little more. Despite the clatter…Miguel had a serious itch on his rear…geez did it itch. ARG! Too much noise, we both agreed.

But, focusing as best as our two minds could, we felt this nagging thought cross us in the background like a hum. We had to go to the counselor's office.

The one Miguel went to when the counselor was pregnant. No, that was before in the all-girl world. Miguel was sweet to not exploit the other Nasira…I wished I could've flipped him in an all-boy world and drilled him till he was moaning in a squirming heap begging for more.

And there went all my embarrassment like an explosion…

*You're being open with one another. No shyness.*

No secrets either! Like the NO!…different thought! NOW! Of course, I didn't know if I was Nasira or Miguel because we were kinda both. I was just leading the Nasira side…at least that's what we felt. And, my side, stop thinking about weird perviness! Stop thinking about weird perviness!...Which was like trying to stop thinking about a pink elephant. But having us both imagine pink elephants was better than the alternative.

Ugh…I just wanted to get to the counselor no matter if it was an alien bug government trap or something real to go on. Miguel agreed and our voices were quiet for a bit so we didn't have to juggle a four-way of confusion.

But, as we made our way to the counselor's offices (keeping our eyes out for sudden alien bugs), a murmur of a voice filtered through the air. Miguel heard it as "get something" but he also heard it from my ears as "get out". It was brief but we couldn't help but see it as anything but a threat.

I took a deep breath and Miguel somehow surprised me by grabbing my hand. I glanced over at him and gave a little smile.

Holding his hand, the torrent of thoughts and feelings seemed easier to control and the steps into the meditation hall were easy. The counselor's door was open. For some reason, a heavy metal pole rested against the wall near the door. The interior felt strange, like the edge of a wind-swept precipice. I pushed down both our anxieties and stepped inside with Miguel.

His flow of thoughts with my waves of crazy (but he told me I wasn't crazy) seemed strangely calming. Then the counselor stepped through the hall at the end of the room. He had his male, androgynous form from our earlier memories. He was transparent.

He spoke frantically, "I made it! I made contact! Listen… You're inside your final exam for psychology class. Your memories and reflections on class have blended with some unknown magical abilities of yours to make parallel realities. We're all working to help. But you need to get to places like this where you can be strong and reach out and focus on…" The figure of the counselor faded and shifted to form a solid Dr. Kellemann.

His face curled into a twisted smile that seemed too big, as he rasped, "Too late for that."

Miguel and I clenched each other's hands tightly. I asked for us, "What's going on? What was that?"

I could see his face was like a mask chaffing at his real one. We stepped back.

"The last gasp of hope, which the two of you will help us to extinguish. For us, you will make new universes…with new nightmares. And, with the both of you here, the old ones can be rewritten into the most horrible things. Watch…"

From behind us, a flat panel monitor flew across the room like a bird and fluttered in the air beside Kellemann. The image on the screen brightened. It showed a high view of the psychology classroom. All our classmates were there. Some teachers, the counselor (in male form), and others were gathered around Miguel and me. We were both laid out on the floor, unconscious.

As this Kellemann's mask seemed ready to tear from his smile, blackness with long, insect-like arms and slashing teeth spread around the image of the classroom. Screams echoed from the monitor.

Miguel and I were of one mind. We hefted the pole in the corner and drove it right into Kellemann's chest. The monitor fell and shattered.

There was no blood. As we stepped back, he looked down at the pole sticking out of his chest and calmly resolved, "Looks like you won't be getting a good grade from me …"

His smile remained as his disguise dissolved and swarms of dark creatures crawled from the walls.