1 Alternate Reality: It Started with a Bet

It's anything but a decent sign when Ajax and his half-witted friends accost you. They are notorious, and they aren't the most pleasant people to be around.

One day, Dax and I were hanging out in the park after school when they cornered us. Ajax is your ideal cliché high school jock, a total bully. As soon as he was in front of us, Ajax threw his arm around both Dax and I.

"Hey, pipsqueak. Wanna make a bet? If you pass, then you could join us at our table."

"Sure!" Dax happily replied.

'No, no! Dax, You're an idiot!' I thought to myself.

This 'dolt' of a friend of mine was willing to do anything to be popular and get with Jen. Jen is Ajax's sister, and she's one of the most popular sophomores in our school.

I couldn't believe Dax was dumb enough to fall for this scheme. It almost seemed like one of those cliché high school plots. I needed to intervene, or I don't know what would happen in the end.

"Give us a moment, Ajax." Ajax sneered and nodded.

I removed Ajax arms from my shoulder and pulled Dax a little further away out of hearing.

"Dax, you can't do this. He's just going to manipulate you like a puppet on a string. You're nothing but a toy for them to play with."

"So what? I get to be near Jen. She's so hot. I'd do anything to date her."

"You are on a whole new level of stupidity. What's so good about her?"

"What's so good about her? HER? JEN? Have you seen her?"

"That cake face? Yes, I see her every day."

"Cake face! What do you mean, cake face? She doesn't have any makeup on! She is a natural hottie! Have you seen her gorgeous flowing hair? Her beautiful, alluring eyes? That charming aura that she emits when she flips her hair? Have you? Have you?"

Yup, my best friend has fallen into the witch's trap. He's become a love-struck fool. He'll realize that Jen isn't everything he thought she was. Yes, she may be a 10, but her personality is a -50. Add that together you get -40, don't let her looks deceive you.

She's a plastic waiting to be thrown in the ocean of men. Yuck! She got that innocent and pure vibe, but I've seen the nasty things she's done. She hooks up with dudes with deep pockets and runs off when the coat is worn down. Basically, she's a gold digger. She'll leave you the moment you can't give her what she wants.

"DUDE, I can't believe you like her. Do what you want. You'll see she ain't worth it." I was trying to knock some sense into this Idiot, but I guess this nincompoop doesn't have a brain.

He had scoffed at me and said, "Do what you want to do. Don't come running to me when you're sitting alone at the lunch table."

Well, if that's how easily he'd betray me, I'd rather just leave.

"Losers, are you finished! Time is ticking!" Ajax shouted.

"Yeah, we just about finished."

"So, will you do it?" Jen put her hand on Dax's shoulder and watched him as she waited for his reply.

"Yes, we'll do it!" Dax said excitedly.

WE? When did I say I'm going to do it? I'm not getting involved with this.

"We? We? No, I'm out. Bye." He tried to grab my arm, but I quickly pulled away.

"Don't touch me!" I snarled. I swear he was pushing my last nerve.

"Theo! Oh come on, are you serious? Come on! It'll be worth it."

"Don't be a wimp, Spencer," Darren said, with arms crossed.

"Nah, bro. I'm out of here."

"It'll be fun, dude. Chillax."

"Oh, look! My mom's over there, calling for me. It looks like she needs help. Bye!" I sprinted off into the distance. He can do what he wants. I gave him a warning. He reaps the consequences.

-----

"Yo, Theo. Have you heard the news about Dax?"

"Hear about what? Did he hook up with Jen or something."

"Last night, they found Dax's dead body in the abandoned house on Miser Street."

"This is probably just a joke. We were just talking yesterday! He's alive. He's probably hanging with Ajax and his goons."

"I told you, this morning in the news, it says he's dead. Go visit his family later and ask!"

"What! this ain't a prank?"

"No, you think I'll joke about something so serious? You could ask the others if he's actually dead."

"Alright, dude." Yeah, no. Dax is a prankster, he could fool some people, but I have been with him since we were born. Heck, we were dodo bird buddies in our previous life. He isn't dead. This moron probably overslept. At least that's what I believed until I heard the bitch's shrill voice, Jen.

"Ajax! Did you hear about that annoying fanboy's death?"

"Yeah. Darren and I left him in that house for 5 minutes, and he was gone. I thought he had chickened out, who knew that moron actually got murdered? He deserves it, though, he was too stupid."

WHAT! They have got to be joking. This is a lie. I'll return to that nightmare when the alarm wakes me up. This has to be a joke. He's not dead. I have to get to the bottom of this.

I walked over to Ajax and his dumb groupies. "What did you do to Dax? What do you mean he's gone?"

"Ha, it's the other loser. The pipsqueak is dead. Dead, as in six feet below the ground."

"Six feet below the ground? You are lying. You're just pissed I didn't agree to your stupid bet. So, where is he exactly?"

"Look, pipsqueak. Your best friend is dead, and we had nothing to do with it. You're in denial. Now snap out of it and scram."

"He's not dead! If he is, then this is all your fault!" I walked away from Ajax and walked out of the school building.

I heard the security guard yelling, "Hey! Hey kid, where are you going? HEY!" But I didn't care. A million thoughts ran through my head as I ran home. I was upset at Dax, but I was upset; he's been my best friend forever, and honestly, he would never leave me even if he was being such an asshole yesterday.

I went home hoping to find my mom. I needed answers. I saw Dax's mom on the couch sobbing with my mom's arm around her.

"Mrs. Williams? Why are you here? Dax isn't dead, he's fine. Is it false, right? He's not actually dead. Dax's just playing a prank. That prankster got me for a second." I let out a strained chuckle.

"Why aren't you at school? You know you shouldn't skip class."

"Mom, do you really expect me to be at school right now? Everyone is telling me my best friend is dead! Please tell me this isn't true."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie, but he was killed yesterday. The autopsy report showed that he was stabbed and hung by a rope. His organs have been cleaned out. They have no clue who the murderer is, but the police will get to the bottom of this." Said, my mother.

This was too much for me. I stormed to my room, I was furious, but at the same time, I was devastated. My best friend just left the face of the earth without me. I laid on my bed as thoughts swarmed my head; it was too much to take. A few hours later, I drifted to sleep, and everything seemed to fall into a hazy blur.

===

"Yo, Theo? How are you doing, buddy? Better now, that I'm gone?"

Dax… wait, that's Dax's voice. I whirled around, but I saw nothing but a grey haze.

"Dax? Is it really you? I knew you were pranking me. It's not funny." I tried to keep composed, but it was hard knowing he was gone.

"Dax, you stupid fool. I told you, you should haven't gone. Now you're about to be six feet underground." I was so overwhelmed with emotions I didn't know what I felt.

"I'm sorry… I should have gone with you. I should have smacked some sense into you when you wanted to go to the abandoned house."

Dax chuckled... "Chill out. It's alright. You're not the reason I died; I dug my own hole. You were right, Jen's a two-faced bitch. I was just being a dick about it. So, cool part, I'm a ghost now, yippee. I could pass through objects like Casper floats through walls. Basically, I'll be stalking you for a long time."

I chuckled. Dax is still joking around even though he's dead. Attaboy, that's my best friend. His figure appeared in front of me. He smiled, but then he furrowed his eyebrows.

"I wanna know who killed me. I was in the last level of Super Mario Bros! Anyways, I don't have much time till you wake up. I was assigned to tell you, Congrats! You got a special power, 'Alternative Reality.' You can manipulate the past, but here's the catch. Lives lost cannot be brought back so, be careful when you go back to change the past. They'll forget the person's existence."

"So, I have this stupid power, and I still can't bring you back! Man, I need to find a new gaming buddy now. Come here, let me kick your dumb ass."

Dax burst into laughter. "You can't kick a ghost. Try to punch me." He put his face in front of me, to tease me—this moron.

"Try to punch me, try, try," he mocked. I threw my most formidable punch and stepped back, grinning.

"Ouch, man!. I thought humans couldn't hit ghosts."

"Idiot, it's my dream. I can do whatever I want. I can even punch Ajax!" Dax suddenly turned serious,

"Alright, you're probably going to wake up soon. Piece of advice: get your act together. Don't mope around. I'll meet you once in a while, sometimes in your head. Remember, one little action can change the outcome of the future, so be careful. If someone dies in the process, they're gone forever." Then I was suddenly jolted awake.

------

"Sweetie, wake up. It's time to go to Dax's funeral. I know you're in denial and upset, but you have to go. Come on now. Wash your face, here put on your suit."

'What would've happened if I had gone with Dax?'

'You would have failed. Ajax and his followers would have knocked you out. He would have died immediately.'

'Woah, freaky. Someone's in my head listening to my thoughts just great. Wait, it might be Dax.'

'I'm not Dax, and no one's listening. I'm your power dummy. Honestly, a better way to view it is, you're talking to yourself like a moron.'

'Wow, how nice. Even my subconscious is bullying me. Now, tell me what would have happened if I went with Dax yesterday.'

'Hello?'

'You there?'