"You shouldn't have said that Kea, you shouldn't have said that..."

The words echo repeatedly, relentlessly in my head, and in response I try my hardest to shut down. Looking down at the wooden floor and shutting my eyes, I find some solace in the embrace of pitch blackness, where at least the power of my own mind would fill in the blanks. I can only hope it decides not to project some weird shit that makes me yearn for the real world. Why am I so freaked out? I mean, all Tigris can do is annoy me. There's absolutely nothing to be afraid of, so why am I cowering like a fucking wimp at the sound of her voice saying something ominously threatening? That's basically what she does every time she opens her fucking mouth, it isn't special. And yet, I'm practically pissing myself at the fact that she can do that when she isn't around me.

To fill the black void, my eyes start inventing objects of different shapes and colors, dancing around in the darkness. Strands and dots of reds, greens, and blues float across my vision, entrancing me. It's, kind of pretty, the more I look at it. They swirl around aimlessly, serenely even. Easing me back into a realm of security, where everything isn't totally fucked up. Yeah, this feels kinda nice after some of the shit I've been through. Is this what normality feels like? No, I don't think normal people like to zone out and imagine that a bunch of fucking lines are sending them some sort of message.

Normal people don't find solace in staring blankly into a black void long enough for the mind to drive itself insane trying to fill the space. Wait a second, what's with the sudden urge to be normal? I'm Kea Diaz, closer to the god damn moon than I ever will be to a semblance of normality! That's kinda part of what makes me such a fucking badass.

I jolt my head upwards and open my eyes, suddenly ready to conquer the challenges placed in front of me, stupid threats from my cunt of a soon to be sister in law (never too late to make a split to Vegas and elope with Espie there, Jess) be damned!

"Um, I don't think I'd quite enjoy that option, thank you very much."

Wait a second, I didn't say that. I rub my eyes, trying to manually adjust them to the change in lighting. When I finally bring my hands back down to my side, I find that the lights haven't exactly left. No, they remain, swirling, gathering, and forming a shape that stands in front of me, looking down on my seated frame. The object they're forming materializes little by little before ultimately revealing...

Me. Well, I think it's me at least. The sentient reflection glares at me, half longing to be angry and the other half pensive and reserved. A white glow surrounds her, no, that's not right. It doesn't surround her perchance, but instead looks like it's coming from the outline of her body. Fuck it, this is way too trippy.

"Hello? Are you even listening to me?" Wait, Jessie? Okay yeah, this is definitely past the levels of our normal insanity. She stands in front of me still, hands on her hips. Her eyes drill into mine, making me uneasy. What's got her in such a bitchy mood? That's my fucking job.

"Oh, I'm listening alright. Maybe you can start explaining what the fuck's going on here! That'll be a good start!" I say, using the wall behind me to assist in getting back to a standing position. Jessie nervously looks around before turning her attention back to me and clearing her throat. Her irises flash a shade of light blue and she loses her balance momentarily, quite literally stumbling over nothing before she finally starts to speak.

"Shut up! I'll be the one asking the questions here!" Wait a second, when did Jessie get some fucking nerve? I keep my hands pressed against the wall, untrusting of my wobbly legs. She comes closer, looking me directly in the eye. "Better. Now, tell me Kea, who the fuck do you think you are?"

I open my mouth to respond, only to be cut off with her first flying at my face. It makes contact, knocking me back against the wall and dropping me to my knees. I look up at her, bringing my hand to my nose to check for bleeding. Sure enough; there is. A lot. Looking down at my open palm, I see a pool of crimson forming within mere seconds of resting below my nostrils. I attempt inhaling through my nose, until the pain makes me stop.

"What the fuck?!" You know the figure of speech: kicking someone while they're down? Yeah, that's kinda sorta exactly what she just did to me. Her foot strikes me right in the stomach, jerking my head forward, into her shin. She reaches down and grabs me by the hair, yanking me up to my feet once more. A smile on her face, she looks at my bloodied face, crimson dripping down and staining my clothes, and whispers.

"Who. The fuck. Do you think you are?"

"I'm you, bitch."

I spit at her. Not the best idea, but fuck it. She pulls her arm back but before she can follow through, her irises flash pure white for a split second and she lightly shoves me away from her.

"Wake up!" She says, voice strained. What? Wake up? Is she fucking high or something?

Wake up? This isn't a dream, is it?

No Kea, it isn't a dream.

***

"Ah!" My eyes open, and it's dark. Like, really fucking dark. The only light in the room comes from the red light of an alarm clock. My heart pounds furiously in my chest and I turn my head to the left, to check the time.

3:04 AM

Well, I'm getting no sleep.