Report 2

Subject: Jones Youlge

Anomaly: Icarus

Report 2

Imagine being in a situation that seemed too good to be true. A situation that nobody thought they'd be in a million years. No! Scratch that! Not even in a million lifetimes! Yet, here I am. Looking right at a floating being in my attic that closely resembles someone I might know. It felt a bit strange thinking about how this person can just float and pass through walls like a ghost. His name (because his defining features were masculine) or rather its name was Icarus. I wasn't sure on whether or not Icarus was actually a boy or a girl because I wouldn't know what sort of cosmic beings would have genders. With the small joint in my hand, I tossed it out of the window making sure it was put out first. There was no way in hell that I was going to sober up if I kept at it. I need to make him vanish or I'll just lose my mind. The breeze was just perfect to create a great sleep. My mattress didn't have covers nor did it have any comfortable pillows but I liked to believe that this was a great setup. Simple things that match someone simple.

Icarus: Hey! Don't just ignore me with an internal monologue!

Jones: Crap, I forgot that you can hear my thoughts too. I guess I can't win against you in battleship or rock, paper, scissors. Though I'm sure I'm actually talking to myself right now. This is some powerful stuff. I'll be sure to re order some tomorrow.

Icarus: Hey! Just listen to me! Why won't you believe me!

Jones: Because this can't be fucking for real. I'm going to lose my shit if I acknowledge a floating thing is just going to give me some godlike power that somebody else should have. Someone like a UN activist or something just not me.

Icarus: Won't you just listen to me a bit then? If you're just going to lie there then at least listen to what I have to say. Maybe then you'll finally acknowledge that I exist.

Jones: Nothing will convince me or rather I shouldn't be convinced at all.

Icarus: Alright then. I'll just have to keep talking. Just another reintroduction! I'm Icarus. A name given by you and I have the power to change routes in life. In even greater detail, I can see the destinations someone can possibly take.

Jones: Cool beans sir.

Icarus: Would you like to know your destination?

Jones: No.

Icarus: HUH?!

Jones: Why are you surprised?

Icarus: Almost everyone has said yes at this point!

Jones: Well I'm not like everyone else. I don't want to see my destination. It's about the journey. I'm sure you met someone who rejected but just forgot.

Icarus: Never. They always want to know eventually. Maybe you will too. Just not today.

Jones: Sure whatever. Is that all? I think I'm coming down from my high. The door is over there by the way. Or rather the stairs. Anyway.

Icarus: HEY! Don't just fall asleep on me! You just stumped my trump card to convince you that my power is real! Don't you want to change something in your life?

Jones: I don't.

Icarus: I know that's a lie. I know everything about you Jones. I'm an amalgamation of your mind just without the emotions and ties.

Jones: Then you'll never understand. If you're just a being of memory then that's it. You still don't know anything about me. Nobody does.

Icarus: I could change that you know. I can change the destination of your life that people actually do care that you would've never gone on that marijuana addiction. Or maybe your parents would've spent more time with you. That way they don't feel like strangers to you. Perhaps something more complex like changing the destination of your parents so they would never fight ever again.

Jones: No! I don't want any of that. Just go away.

Icarus: Oh geez. You're the most complicated owner I've ever had. Most of them already have an idea on what they want to do.

Jones: Changing isn't real. Everything will stay the same.

Icarus: I know you don't mean that.

I shrugged off Icarus then turned to the other side of my bed to sleep. The wind was nice so I was able to see the moon from the only window of the attic. It was pretty. Sometimes I wished I could be as dazzling as the moon. Get people to witness what I can actually be but I know that isn't going to happen. I'm not built for the spotlight. If I get sent to become the center of attention then I'm just going to mess it up and choke. Though it is quite intriguing what Icarus is saying. A part of me wants to try it out just as he says but I know I'm just going to mess things up. I shouldn't be in charge of people's fate or the path they take. I'll just mess things up a lot. My belly started to hurt as the night continued. This night is going to be a long and sleepless one.

Weeks have passed when that first encounter happened. Though I wished that was the last encounter that Icarus would appear. But I was clearly in the wrong, Icarus never left when I woke up or at all. Everyday I would wake up to him floating upside down looking down on me. Icarus always greeted me good morning or good evening but I've never usually responded to them. He was just a stubborn entity that it was starting to get annoying. Sometimes he'd make small snarky comments that I'd find funny. Except, there would be those moments when it would be inappropriate to laugh. Guess that's what happens when he's an entity made from my head and is invisible. Of course he'd know what would make me laugh. There were just annoying times too when he'd comment about what I'm eating saying that it's clearly not healthy for me, hinting sometimes too about what might happen. Despite all of that, it felt nice having someone around. I know that he isn't real and he might disappear anytime, it was still nice knowing that someone knows all the little stuff about me. Stuff that I would've never said out loud. Things that don't need to be said but known. A quiet companion.

I went upstairs to my attic again after putting back my little bub back to sleep. The days really went quick especially since I didn't have any friends here to talk to. Ben and Gary would message me from time to time but something about it still felt odd. That feeling stayed still which made it hard to reply to them. They'd still send me pictures of them having fun at the places they were staying. I knew that Gary was going to some ski resort to do a podcast with some streamers he knew while Ben was just going to spend time in the library. Both have some interesting options but Gary basically hands down has the better life. It's still subjective in what I think is interesting. Meanwhile, I'm just here in my barely moveable attic with Icarus while I was smoking another joint. It's these days that I don't miss at all. Days when I'm just alone with my thoughts.

Icarus: But you're not alone anymore. You have me.

Jones: Okay I'm going to admit that you're real now because it's either the longest high I've been or my brain is just deep fried. I'm going deep fried. Why are you here?

Icarus: Finally taking an interest huh. Well I'll be glad to tell you. I'm here because of you! It's as simple as that.

Jones: Yeah I get that. But why me?

Icarus: I already said before. I don't know. You just so happen to have my ring.

Jones: So it's because of this ring huh. Removing it now doesn't matter. You're just going to stick around anyway.

Icarus: Glad you're quick to the take.

Jones: So I'm nothing special.

Icarus: I wouldn't say that. Think of it like this. You're special now. You have the ability to see someone's future and change it at will. Quite exciting huh.

Jones: I don't see how there's a consequence to it.

Icarus: Well you may not know it or feel it now but every path has it's happy moments. Sure you may skip some bad moments in life, there's still some good things. So changing a path to avoid those happy moments are a consequence in itself. So who's future are you going to change?

Jones: Don't know. I haven't decided. Actually more like, it shouldn't be up to me. If I change someone's future I might change someone else's too. It can cause a chain reaction if I ain't careful.

Icarus: You're a lot smarter than I thought. But yes, if you change someone's future. The whole world must adjust too. It's similar to what time travelers call the space time continuum stuff in sci fi movies. Change one thing, change everything. You live with the consequences.

Jones: Not very reassuring is it. I don't like having so much responsibility for just changing one thing then changing the world right after.

Icarus: All my previous owners had that dilemma too but the world you live in now is the world that they've created.

Jones: What do you mean?

Icarus: This world that you live in Is the combined effort of those who used my powers before. Disasters, murders, genocides have been prevented because of my previous owners.

Jones: What about other disasters? Why didn't they try to change those?

Icarus: You're forgetting now.

Jones: They picked the lesser evil didn't they. They let the events happen in order to have a better outcome.

Icarus: Exactly. You can change your destination but you can also change the ones around you. Interesting isn't it?

Jones: Is there a limit to how many times you can use your powers?

Icarus: No. You may change the path of the world at will. But remember, once you change the world once then you're going to have to change the path of that world. You can never go back to the previous path. Always create a new path even if it makes a disaster.

Jones: How many?

Icarus: How many what?

Jones: How many worlds has been layered to make this one?

Icarus: I've lost count.

Jones: Geez. What was the world like? At the start? Can you tell me that?

Icarus: I don't remember anymore. It was so long. I can barely even remember who my first owner was or their change. But what matters is what you want Jones. What path are you interested in taking?

Jones: I honestly want to believe all of this but even so I don't want to change anything. It just feels wrong.

Icarus: Boo! You're no fun are you. Everyone at this point has changed something.

Jones: Yeah but it doesn't mean that I should too.

Icarus: Hmmm something tells me that's about to change.

As soon as he said that, I could hear my parents downstairs shouting at each other again. Here we go again. I tucked myself into bed with a nice warm blanket trying to shield away the noise they were making. I wonder what was the fight about this time? Did they have to fight again this late? They're going to wake up my little brother. If there was something that I wanted to change then that would be my little brother's fate to have a better life. I wouldn't want him to have to deal with this kind of stuff. This night was particularly painful to try to sleep through. Seems like they were throwing objects again. I could hear items falling on the ground from all the way up here. I didn't want to sleep in my little brother's room because I wouldn't be able to sleep through all this. My tossing and turning might wake him up. Thank god that he's a heavy sleeper. I just wished that everyone got along for the sake of my little brother.

Icarus: I can change that for you y'know. A life where your parents wouldn't have their fights.

Jones: It wouldn't be the same.

Icarus: No one would know. Even your little brother wouldn't know.

Jones: I'd know. And that's all that matters. It wouldn't be my little brother anymore. I'd be living in a different person's life. A different family. A different little brother.

As each passing minute went by, the fighting just got louder and louder. I was even trying to muffle the sounds of their fight with a pillow to my ears but it was just getting louder and louder. Something today made them extra upset. Icarus was just floating by the stairs going down listening intently. He should know what's going on already since he's a part of me but I guess it's still a disaster people can't stop looking at.

Mom: You should've came home earlier! Were you out with other people again?! Don't you realize that your family needs you at home! You're never around! Help out around the house!

Dad: I am! I am helping the house! I'm paying for the goddamn bills and making sure we have food! Do you want me to stay here and not get work done! How are we going to pay for shit if we don't have money!

Mom: I'm not asking you to quit your job!

Dad: I can't be in two places at once, woman! I have to work or we won't have the cash to live!

Mom: Geez, why can't you just.

Dad: Why can't I what?! Say it! Maybe you want to make the whole neighborhood hear it this time! Tell everyone I'm a failure of a husband? I'm sorry that I'm providing you a house and money to fund whatever you want to do! Go ahead!

Mom: I never said you were! You're just putting words in my mouth! Besides all that money goes into keeping this house looking normal!

Dad: Normal? I know you've been secretly buying weed! Don't give me that shit

Mom: It was just that one time!

Dad: If you think that I'm a failure of a husband then explain what's happening with our kids! One of them is growing up like you! Jones is already smoking weed too and it's all your fault!

Mom: WHAT!? YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN THERE FOR THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE! WAS IT WRONG OF ME TO JUST TAKE A REST FROM TRYING TO BE A MOTHER TO TWO CHILDREN!

Dad: I'M TRYING MY BEST HERE! YOU JUST KEEP GETTING ON MY BACK ABOUT IT!

Mom: THAT'S IT! I'M DONE! I'M JUST SO TIRED OF ALL THIS BULLSHIT! I'M LEAVING!

Dad: DON'T YOU DARE WALK AWAY FROM THIS!

Mom: THEN WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?! YOU'RE JUST NEVER HERE!

Dad: ARGH! CAN'T YOU. WHATEVER! GET THE HELL OUT MY HOUSE. BUT DON'T YOU DARE COME BACK ONCE YOU LEAVE. THE KIDS ARE STAYING WITH ME!

Mom: WHAT?! YOU'RE INSANE! THEY BARELY EVEN SEE YOU!

Dad: DOESN'T MATTER! THEY BELONG IN MY HOUSEHOLD. HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY EVEN PAY TO RAISE THEM! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A JOB!

There was a loud crash of a vase and it went quiet. Guess it's finally over. Another couple of seconds later, a slam of a door. Mom probably went to grab her things now. My heart was racing the entire time despite not even being in the same room. All this is still quite an ordeal even for young adults like me. But I'm more worried about what was going to happen to my little brother. I don't want to lose him if mom is going to fight for custody. How am I going to explain to him what a divorce is? This is just too much for someone like me. Maybe we can run away together with dad's credit card and live off somewhere. I could sneak back to Norbern then we can live there until I can get a job. My scholarship should still be able to hold up as long as I don't flunk out. I just can't leave my little brother here! This isn't the place for a little kid to grow up. Icaurs looked at me as if he was itching to go and check it out. Do I really have that kind of power? If so then could I change the fate of my brother so he wouldn't have to deal with this kind of situation. Though, I'm sure that he'll be fine.

Icarus: I wouldn't say that.

Jones: I thought I told you not to read my mind. It's the one place I know I can get peace and quiet

Icarus: I'm just saying.

Jones: Saying what?

Icarus: About your little brother?

Jones: What about him?

Icarus: Do you want to know?

Jones: If it's something about my little brother of course I want to fucking know. He's the only thing in this family that doesn't deserve this shit.

Icarus: I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that.

Jones: What about him?

Icarus: You told me not to tell you about fate.

Jones: Thats...

Icarus: I see. Maybe I can help you a little bit then. I won't change fate. I'll let you see it.

Jones: Huh?

Icarus: Change destinations isn't my only power. My whole body can do a lot of things. These eyes of mine can see every path and destinations in all of existence.

Jones: If you've seen every path then you'd know what I choose. Right?

Icarus: Yeah, I can. But that's what free will is for. You're free to choose what you want even if the outcome is predetermined. You can choose to feel sad, mad, and happy.

Jones: Then what's the point in anything then!

Icarus: I can't answer that despite having this power. That answer varies on every person. But you're special Jones. You can choose to feel sad, mad, and happy then choose. That's what makes this world yours.

Jones: Mine?

Icarus: The world is to your liking now that you have me. Won't you let me help you change the world?

Jones: No! I don't want to be the saviour of mankind! I just want this normal life.

Icarus: You can still have it. But sometimes, you need to change fate.

Jones: It's not necessary to change fate. This world is the world I want.

Icarus: Fine. I won't contest it. But since you don't want to change fate. I'll let you see it.

Icarus shot his face right up towards miine like a flash of lightning. What happened next shocked the feeling out of my legs. Icarus took out his left eye! I almost wanted to throw up because he took it out like some kind of robot removing a body part. However, the only thing that stopped me throwing up on my bed was that there was no blood. There was just an empty socket to where veins and other parts would be. So he really isn't human? My curiosity around it was a lot more powerful than my urge to feel sick. He then reached over to my hand then placed it there. It was so small but it felt strange at the same time. I've never held an eyeball before! As I held it, it started to glow a color blue so bright that I was blinded! After a short period, I saw that Icarus had a different set of eyes! One of his eyes used to be color blue! Now he had two different colored eyes. His left eye was colored brown now!

Icarus: Surprised?! Of course you were! I know that you're quite squeamish.

Jones: What did you do?

Icarus: I gave you one of my powers?

Jones: Is that against the rules?

Icarus: Nope, not really. I'm still yours to command.

Jones: Then why? Did you just pop your eyeball to get a different colored one?

Icarus: Check the mirror.

I lunged over to get my phone. My stomach was feeling anxiety as I struggled to open the camera app. Icarus was smiling while he floated around the small room with glee. There it was! His other eye! It was on me! One of my eyes had turned blue! This was so strange to see in real life. I've only seen these in shows or movies. People with different sets of eyes but this is just way too weird to look at in real life! But why?

Icarus: I gave you a fraction of my power. Well technically it was yours to begin with.

Jones: Power? I told you, I didn't want to change anyone's fate!

Icarus: I didn't give you the power to change fate. I gave you the power to see a person's fate. Think of it as a fortune teller's power.

Jones: What?!

Icarus: You ask a lot of questions. Why don't you just try it out? Aren't you curious to see the fate of your brother?

Jones: If I look... Will that change fate?

Icarus: No. What you see through my eye is the predetermined fate of whoever you see. The only people who can change fate are me. And as an extension you also.

Jones: Can fate really not be changed by natural forces?

Icarus: No.

Jones: Then even this was predetermined.

Icarus: No, that's why I'm an anomaly. I wasn't supposed to be here to begin with. You're outside fate now. Free to change it however you like.

Jones: I don't get it. If fate is determined like that then...

Icarus: Don't think of it too much. We're an anomaly. We're something that can't be explained. All these fates and things are just concepts that were created for humans to easily understand our powers.

Jones: I see.

Icarus: Won't you see your brother's fate now?

Jones: ...