Cliché

chapter 20. info dump warning lmao

"You and all of the characters in your story are going to die."

I choke on my own saliva.

"I thought we discussed this! Gentle!" Maddie scolds, elbowing James.

"Whoops. Sorry," James smiles sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

"No, I appreciate the bluntness, but please— explain." I request, looking both of them straight in the eye. I don't need babying. I need answers.

"You won't die if you follow our instructions," Maddie states firmly, shooting an unimpressed glare at James. "There have been some... complications in the cross between reality and fiction. Real people who cross over need to have written and completed a story in order to have fictional value and therefore not mess up a story when they enter inside. Unfortunately, this was only discovered recently."

"Meaning there's just a bunch of real people scattered everywhere in the fictional universe and screwing everyone over," James concludes.

Surprisingly, I can follow along. "And the result is what's happening in my story, correct?"

"Not exactly. You're special," James explains. "Not a compliment, by the way."

"Your story started malfunctioning before the plot started, so that's why you have multiple simultaneous storylines." Maddie pauses, and something in my expression encourages her to continue— maybe it's the way that she's dead right, or the fact that I'm surprised they've been keeping tabs on my story. "Someone from the real world messed with your backstory, and the fact that characters are still going missing means that the person is still there. It's also why you're incorporated into every story you jump into, but we'll explain that some other time. When you have more time."

"And so, Iris Lockhart, we have a proposal for you," James begins, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join us. Help us save other characters. But there's a chance your story may fall apart when you're gone."

I shake my head vigorously. "That's a terrible mission, James. I'm not going to let everyone die. They're people too."

Maddie and James look at each other.

"What?" I question, receiving too much information too quickly, yet feeling as if I'm still lacking.

"Background characters can't think or feel anything," Maddie says slowly.

"Ones who are aware can," I point out.

"But they're not supposed to be aware," she whispers, but it seems to be to herself more so than to me. "That must be another side effect of the real person coming and messing with your backstory. The malfunctioning is complex."

"It's not complex. I'm not letting my family and friends die." I assert, leaving no room for negotiation or argument.

"Don't worry, Iris. We have an alternative." Maddie smiles gently, yet her next words send chills down my spine. "Weed out the real person before it's too late."

"And once you find them, jump to Wings, The Billionaire's Secretary, or Nerdy Habits." James instructs. "The stories of the characters in we."

I frown. "Jump?"

Before James can answer, a silent firework of gold ignites behind us, in the same spot Tylar and I had landed in. The three of us startle, the bowl of popcorn flying up once again.

"Damn it! I have to refill this again," James grumbles, pausing the show and standing up. "Irie— can I call you that?— I'll explain it once I'm back with popcorn!"