Overlap

Chapter 28-D: Evening Chime

<11/02/2010 - 16:15 | 559 Motion Street, Austell, GA, USA>

Despite today's exhaustion, I can't begin to express how relaxed I was to finally be at home again. I kept comparing how I felt now to how I felt yesterday regarding Lumina and all of this Altiri business, but it was difficult to put a conclusion on anything. What floated fresh to mind first was how different my day was. I mean, I actually managed to talk to a few people I don't normally talk to, and set the seeds of new friendship on top of that.

As annoying as it was that I had homework to do, I completed the tiny little amount of chores I agreed to do, such as trash, sweep, and up to only ten dishes a day. After that, it was off to my room again. I changed my clothes a little so that I was wearing a different light jacket over everything. Even with the heater in the room, it was still quite cold. The heater brought the house up to about 68 degrees, but the outdoor temperature was still in the upper forties. Because of this, the connection didn't change at all, nor did it weaken.

I wasn't entirely sure why I was so relaxed, but my only guess was that I have been on edge ever since meeting Lumina the way I did for the first time. It's scary to wake up hearing the voice of someone else like that. But even though I still don't accept that her race of Altiri aliens are real, I've realized something. Lumina's presence here, her involvement, her distractions, every aspect of her and her world, it's not dangerous. I really don't know what I was so afraid of earlier. Yeah, I might be crazy, or have a split personality, or have issues segregating my imagination now, but I'm still okay. I'm still myself, still in control, still capable of living my life. I don't have to submit what's going on to anybody, nor do I have to change my life style very much to compensate. Lumina's presence here right now, it's not so bad after all.

"My last class period went so well." I began to summarize how everything went to Lumina, speaking aloud for a change with the privacy of my own room, and the fact that nobody in the house was anywhere near me. I knew I could continue to project my thoughts to her, but something felt oddly more satisfying speaking to Lumina the normal way than with thought projection. She still hears my voice in either method. "I managed to get some things done and talk to Zero the entire time."

Lumina had done the right thing earlier by backing off and giving me and Zero the space to speak. Within that time, somehow, Lumina actually did some of her own things back on her ship all without me realizing it, and all without phasing the connection. So, there was a bit of missed context for her, not that she didn't put it together herself. "Sorry I wasn't that much help. I normally know exactly what to say and do, but somehow, you managed to get around to people who by my standards aren't normal."

"Anything by your standards wouldn't be normal Lumina. But either way, I don't think Zero is weird at all. She's just a bit timid."

"Yeah, but I normally have so much good advice... Instead of having the chance to show you that, I let you down today. I wasn't prepared for all the outliers."

"Stop blaming yourself for something that isn't our fault. I told you already, it's fine. I believe you this time, about wanting to help me anyway."

"You do?"

She must really think that I consider her an illusion, which is both correct and my fault at the same time. I've noticed a slight change in Lumina as well. She's relaxed now. No, more like, she's accepting of the situation. Yeah, that's it. Yesterday, she wanted to prove to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a real person. She sure acts the part, but without a way to prove it to me, she must realize by now that I have nothing to go off of but her word. She's finally acknowledging that I don't believe she exists, accepting the consequences of that... Even so, she's still here helping me talk to people anyway, despite what I have already concluded. It's honorable to say the least.