Alternate Reality: The Disappearing Trick

"Well that's disappointing. Well, Can I ask the voice in my head?" Dax stared at me with concern.

"Voice in your head? Are you insane?" I didn't know what was going on but Dax clearly didn't know how my power works and what it does.

I didn't know much about my power but I guess Dax knows less than I do. I might really be going insane but at this point I could honestly care less what was going on. Even though the murderer harvested his organs, I could at least joke with him in my dreams. Dame it, I've gone insane over Dax.

Dax waved his hand in front of my face. Which made me realize I had zone out.

"I'm not going insane over you." Dax tries to hold back laughter but the next minute he's rolling on the ground wheezing. I'm really concerned for him.

He finally got up and teased, "Okay, well. Glad you're not crazy for me. I know I'm irresistible but, chill, I'll always be here for you boo." He laughed again and I slapped him.

"Ow! That was not necessary!"

"I just watched you die and you're laughing at me for caring!"

"Hey, you started it but, tell me more about the voice in your head crazy boy."

"It's the voice that showed me your death... and it told me you were behind me. I was told it's a part of my power so…" Dax nodded and hit his head.

"Darn memory. I probably just forgot. You can try, if it's a part of your power I'm pretty sure it's there to guide you." Dax's image flickered.

"Dax, you okay? You're flickering." A few seconds passed before his image finally disappeared. I blinked a couple times wondering if my eyes were deceiving me. A few seconds later a note hovered in front of me.

Sorry T, I have to show up to roll call. I'll see you another time alright? If you have any questions I'm pretty sure that weird voice in your head can answer it.

Alright, seems like Dax is basically useless. I'll just wait for the voice in my head to return. I wandered around my dream like state before I woke up to the sound of my alarm a few minutes later. I don't know why but even after a good rest, I was drained.

What is Dax's job anyways? Role call... is like some sort of guardian angel? That's kind of weird not gonna lie.

'Hello? Theo, can you hear me?'

'Hey voice!'

'Don't call me that! I have a name too!'

'Alright, Alright. I'm sorry. What's your name?'

'Well, I'm a lost soul so I don't really remember what it is but I go but Ruby.'

'Okay, I guess that's better than called you a voice. Since you're a lost soul you don't have a physical body right?'

'I used to but it was destroyed. So now I'm just a ghost inside your mind guiding you. I've actually been here for a while and even though you couldn't hear me I could hear what's going on. Let's not talk about this, I'm sure you had questions to ask me?'

'Oh, right. I wanted to ask how I can activate my powers. You know, "Alternate Reality" or whatever it was called.'

'Well, I can't tell you exactly but I can provide pointers. I'm basically the guardian in charge of your power, if I were to get a physical body the power would split between the both of us.'

'Oh. Last time, you disappeared. You said it was because I was mentally and physically weak. Am I stronger now?'

'You're a bit stronger enough for me to stay and guide you but, I need you to maintain this strength. When you're mentally weak I'm talking but you can't hear me. It's like talking to a reflection. It's amazing how fast your strength grew.'

'Funny. I've never felt weaker than I am now.'

'Whatever you say. Get ready for school, the bus is coming in 20 minutes!'

'I don't wanna go to school today.'

I waited for a reply but after a minute but Ruby never replied. I was too tired to get up, I needed a bit more sleep. I laid on my bed and eventually dozed off again. Everything became hazy. In my dream I wandered around the area hoping to figure out where I was.

"Hailey! Watch out!" A small figure ran past me and on to the road towards a red blob. The figure attempted to reach for the small figure and then everything flashed and the images before me swirled. I heard screaming and crying as the ambulance wailed in the background. What was going on? Why couldn't I wake up? Why couldn't I move?

"Theo?" I felt two hands shaking me at my shoulders. When their grip loosened, I whirled around but no one was there.

"Hello? Who are you? Where are you?" I began to panic so many questions ran through my head. Until I felt a sharp pain across my right cheek. Everything went black and then I finally woke up.

I woke up to my mother in hysterics. She stood next to my anxious brother and both staring at me as if I had just died. My mother hid behind my brother grasping his arms as her knuckles turned white.

"Why are you staring at me as if I just died?" I chuckled getting off my bed and onto my feet. My brother walked forward and took another look at me before he smacked me on the back of my head.

"Do you know how worried we were? You wouldn't wake up for more than five minutes even though I shook you as hard as I could. You were screaming in your sleep. When the screaming died down we honestly thought something had happened. Your breathing was so irregular we thought you could've died!" Derrick yelled.

"Derrick, please go eat your breakfast. Let me talk to your brother." Derrick gave me another worried look before nodding and leaving the room. I honestly don't know what has him so worried but he isn't the type to care about what goes on in your life unless it concerns him.

"Mom, I'm sorry. But, I didn't even know this was happening outside my dream." My mother sat down on my bed and shook her head. She only does that when she's disappointed.

"I don't know what's going on with you but I hope you realize that Dax is gone. I know it's sad to lose someone so important to you but there's nothing you can do to bring him back. Your dad is even considering returning early from his business trip because he's worried about you. Please tell me what's going on, this isn't like you."

They thought I was going insane over Dax? He's my best friend but wouldn't go so over the top. This stupid power, these stupid dreams, and everything dumb super natural thing that's occurred is what's driving me crazy. I can't tell her this though, she'll think I'm mental.

"Actually, I'd love to tell you. But here's the thing… I can't really explain it or tell you what's going on because I actually don't know either. That's why I'm going to figure it out."