Project V (Clementine X Male Reader Book 4)

Everything

Marina

I just blink at him. I don't know what to say. What am I supposed to say? He's waiting for me to respond, though. Or maybe he's waiting for me to process it.

Me: So I'm not... Real.

Dad: You are! This is real. You exist, just not like I do. For me, this world isn't real, but for you, it's as real as mine.

Me: I don't... This is hard to understand.

Dad: I know, it took me a while.

This is all a... Simulation? I've read about simulations in books, but those are just holograms that people fight or something. This, my entire existence, is one. I am one.

I can't even wrap my head around it. I've never used any technology they had back before the apocalypse. I was born after the fact. I've never even seen it used.

Dad: Listen to me.

He grabs my hands and holds them in his. His left hand isn't metal anymore. He's not even really touching me. He's not here.

Dad: You are real. I've thought about it a lot. I mean, a lot. That's all I really thought about once I got to my cabin. I am only from a different world.

Me: You've told me all this, and honestly, I don't care.

He raises an eyebrow and looks a little shocked.

Dad: You don't?

Me: I feel real. I feel the sun's warmth, smell the rotting dead, taste the vegetables we farm. Besides, I have more important things to worry about: where we're going to go if suddenly we can't live here anymore, enemy groups, trading, whether we'll make it through the winter or not. This isn't important to me. I'm living, and I'll live until I'm dead.

Dad: You're taking this a lot better than I thought you would.

Me: I can't really grasp it.

Dad: Yeah, I guess you really can't.

Me: So then, how much time do you have left?

He looks at his watch.

Dad: Um... Until this makes its way around. I don't know how long that is.

He shows me. The hand is starting down the side, but it's not even a fourth through yet.

Dad: I have twenty-four hours my time. Nearly nine days your time.

Me: So you'll be here for nine days?!

Dad: About, yes.

Me: Ha! That's so long!

I jump up.

Me: Oh boy, I'm going to show you everything.

Dad: Everything?

Me: Everything.

Dad: What does everything entail?

Me: Everything, duh.

Dad: Well, let's just chill out for the night. I'm beat. I didn't know I could still get tired.

Me: Right, yeah.

I sit back down.

Me: So, how is Mom? You didn't say much about her.

He looks at the floor for a second and then smiles.

Dad: She's great.

Me: Liar.

Dad: Huh?

Me: You're lying.