Project Fantasy

Chapter 4

It took about a half-hour before Star slowed down and faced the scientists. "Alright," she said. "This is the Land of Wonders. Remember, the land will purposely try to trick you into staying longer. Be sure not to fall into its trap, alright?"

Mark and Lilac nodded. "Good," Star said, and they made their way inside. Both Lilac and Mark prepared their minds as they walked in. What could be inside these parts? Upon entering, Lilac froze in her tracks. Small animals were running around, and the sun was shining with no cloud in sight. The place looked like a paradise to her. To her left, she could see fairies in little stands giving out candy to the critters there. It was all wonderful and fun. Lilac thought back to her childhood. The childhood that she wished could have been like this.

The childhood that was robbed from her.

She remembered her experiences as a child, and what caused her to have DID now. She remembered that day, when she woke up somewhere that wasn't her home, where she would see strange men enter and leave her room. She remembered how she wanted a childhood like this, a childhood free from the pain that she experienced those years when she was officially considered kidnapped, only to be returned 7 years later to her parents. She remembered how those people took those years from her, when her life stopped at five and only restarted when she was twelve, only for it to never be the same again.

Mark didn't fall into the trap as Lilac did, seeing through all the distractions and temptations that came his way. Once he did, he saw the forest for what it was. He looked over to Lilac, but he could see that something was wrong, that something was happening. Lilac was starting to fall under her weight. He knew what she was about to do, so he turned toward her and held her up. Lilac had her head down, and she fell a little limp. "Lilac? Are you there?" Mark asked. Moments ticked by. Lilac slowly lifted her head to face Mark. She had a confused look on her face as she began to look around. "Wh-what's happening?" Lilac asked, but she was acting differently. Her voice had changed into a higher pitch sound, like a young child's, and her body language showed signs of sudden fear. When she looked at Mark, she shrieked and immediately pulled herself away from him, stumbling in the process as she eventually fell to the ground.

"Lilac?" Mark asked. Lilac looked at him.

"Lilac? Who's Lilac?" She asked. Mark looked at her for a moment before it clicked. She had dissociated. Someone else is here now. Mark slowly lowered himself to the ground as she locked her eyes on him. Her breathing was quick, and Mark made sure to keep his movements slow and predictable.

Star looked on with confusion and worry. "Mark? What's happening with Lilac?" She asked as she flew closer to them. Mark didn't respond, instead focusing on Lilac. "Is this Amber?" He asked. Lilac(?) looked at him. "Yes, how did you know that?" Amber responded. "I'm Mark, your host's science partner, remember?" Amber looked at him for a moment before realizing who he was. "Oh, you're the nice man she keeps talking about huh? I'm sorry, I thought you were one of those mean men," she finally responded. Her breathing slowed, and she sat up.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Star asked. Mark finally looked at her. "Lilac has a condition called DID, or Dissociative Identity Disorder. What's happening is that something in this place made her switch, and we are now talking to one of her alters, Amber," Mark explained. Amber began to look around, and upon seeing Star, her face lit up with childish joy. "Oh my gosh!" She yelled as she ran up to Star. Star leaned back in surprise. "Oh my gosh, are you a fairy?! You're totally a fairy, right?! Eeep!! Look, look Mr. Mark! It's a fairy!" Amber yelled. Star was lost for words at the sudden change she saw between Lilac and Amber. It was such a dramatic change, and she looked to Mark for guidance.

"Basically, Lilac experienced a traumatic event during childhood that caused her brain to 'split' itself in order to cope. Amber is one of the results of the split. She's what you call a child alter," Mark explained.