Reality

2023-10-30

Chapter 10: Drift

David leaned against the cool, worn brick of the school building, a silent observer to the morning bustle. His eyes, usually quick to engage, were distant today, clouded with introspection. Every so often, his gaze would drift towards the courtyard, where students mingled, laughter and chatter punctuating the air.

Alice approached, her stride purposeful yet measured. "Thinking about yesterday?" she asked, not needing to specify which 'yesterday' she referred to. Her voice was soft, but there was an underlying sharpness to it—a precision honed by their recent experiences.

David's response was a half-nod, his gaze still anchored to the courtyard. "It's Sean," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper, "We're... I'm... treating him like a variable in an equation. It's not right."

Alice leaned against the wall beside him. Her eyes followed his gaze, taking in the scene before them. "He's more than the center of these shifts, David. He's a person, and we've been so caught up in the chaos that we've forgotten that."

There was a pause, a moment where the weight of their mission seemed to press visibly upon them. David broke the silence, "I want to talk to him, Alice. Not to probe or analyze, but to understand. To see him for who he is."

Alice regarded him for a moment, her expression softening. "And you think that'll help?"

"It has to," David replied, his eyes meeting hers, reflecting a mix of resolve and apprehension. "We've been looking at this all wrong. If we're going to do this, it should be with empathy, not as scientists dissecting a phenomenon."

A bell rang, signaling the start of another school day. Students began to disperse, heading to their respective classes. In that dispersing crowd, David's eyes found Sean. He stood somewhat apart, his demeanor unassuming, almost lost in his own world.

"Let's do it," Alice said, reading the determination in David's eyes. "But we tread lightly, David. We're dealing with more than just anomalies in reality now."

Together, they navigated through the hallways, their path converging towards where Sean stood. The ambient noise of the school seemed to fade into a background murmur, their focus narrowing down to this singular mission.

Alice, taking a deep breath, stepped forward. She moved with a subtle grace, her approach to Sean calculated but natural. David watched, a silent sentinel, his own nerves a taut wire of anticipation.

As Alice neared Sean, an uncanny sensation rippled through her. The closer she got, the more the world around her seemed to warp, a subtle yet disorienting shift. Sean, unaware of her approach, remained engrossed in his book.

With each step Alice took, a sense of dislocation washed over her. It was as if reality itself was gently pushing her back, resisting her intrusion into Sean's personal space. She paused, taking a moment to recalibrate her senses.

Shaking off the unsettling feeling, Alice changed her approach. This time, she walked into Sean's line of sight, making her presence known. Sean looked up, his expression one of mild surprise, a faint question in his eyes.

"Hey, Sean," Alice started, her voice steady despite the odd experience moments ago. "I was wondering if you're up for a chat? Maybe about the art project for Mr. Henderson's class?"

Sean closed his book, a slight tilt of his head indicating his curiosity. "Sure," he replied, his voice even, betraying no hint of the undercurrents swirling around him. "I haven't started on it yet, though."

Alice, sensing an opening, sat down beside him. "I was thinking about the theme of perception versus reality. It's quite a fascinating concept, don't you think?" She kept her tone casual, carefully observing Sean for any subtle reactions.

Sean looked thoughtful for a moment, his gaze fixed on a point in the distance. "Yeah, I guess it is interesting. Reality can be weird sometimes, like how things can seem one way and then turn out to be something else entirely." His response was nonchalant, the words of someone who hadn't given it much deep thought.

Alice nodded, "Exactly, like optical illusions or... dreams." She probed gently, trying not to alarm him.

Sean chuckled lightly, a carefree sound. "Dreams are strange. Sometimes I have these weird ones where everything's mixed up, but then I wake up and everything's normal again." He shrugged, his demeanor reflecting an average teenager's disinterest in the deeper metaphysical implications of his words.

The bell rang, signaling the end of their brief interlude. Sean stood up, his movements easy and unburdened by the weight of his unknowing influence. "I should get to class. See you around, Alice."

As Sean walked away, blending into the stream of students, Alice returned to where David was waiting, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

"He seems... totally unaware," she reported, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and frustration. "Like he's just living his life, oblivious to the chaos around him."

David and Jacob, who had been observing from a distance, joined Alice under the shelter of an old oak tree, its leaves whispering secrets in the gentle breeze. The campus was bustling around them, a living, breathing organism.

Jacob, leaning against the rough bark, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's almost as if his detachment is a protective bubble, keeping him insulated from the effects he's causing."

David, his eyes following the students milling around, pondered aloud, "Or maybe it's a subconscious defense mechanism. If he's not closely tied to anyone or anything, maybe his powers don't... latch on as strongly."

Alice nodded thoughtfully at David's words, her eyes tracing the outlines of shadows playing on the ground. "That might explain the randomness of these shifts. If Sean's unaware, his subconscious might be guiding these changes, creating a reality that reflects his detached state."

Jacob, pushing himself off the tree, looked towards the spot where they had last seen Sean. "So, our approach needs to be subtle. If we push too hard or too fast, we risk triggering something we can't control. We need to be part of his world, but not so much that we become central to it."

Jacob's observation hung in the air. He glanced towards the spot where they had last seen Sean, his expression contemplative.

David looked at both of his friends. "We start tomorrow. We approach him as classmates, as potential friends. No agenda, no pressure. Just... normal teenagers."