My Not-So-Imaginary Friend d.g (Prequel To Lifestyle)

Chapter 11

He bought me an outfit and a bunch of bathroom things. Javier is so nice, he even said he'd cook breakfast. I sniff the air. Is that smoke? I quickly slide on my shirt and rush out. There's a fire on the stove and Javier is trying to put it out.

"Go get the extinguisher in the hall!" I run out and find it on the nearest wall. Once I get back inside I spray it and put the fire out. "Good job, but I gotta go shower again." He has all the white stuff all over him and in his hair. I laugh. I might as well clean this up.

I slide all the stuff in the sink and turn the water on so it goes down the drain. Then I wipe down the counter and the floor. Oh I have to go find Devin! But I can't just leave, that'd be kinda rude. I'll just write a note.

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I don't know where to start at all. He could be anywhere at this point. This place is pretty cool. It's so bright and vivid here. I see an old man sitting on a bench reading a newspaper.

"Excuse me sir." He looks up.

"Why good morning young lady."

"Good morning. I have a quick question. Do you know where that waterfall in the forest leads to?"

"Waterfall, waterfall?" He ponders. "Ah yes, the Yancymen waterfall. Let's see here." He looks around. "It leads to the creek, right down there."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome, have a nice day."

"You too." I make my way down a few blocks and finally get to the creek. Where would Devin go after floating down to this creek? I'm guessing a hotel or something. Doesn't he have a house or live somewhere? He probably caught a cab home. I don't even know where he lives.

"Sorry." A girl says after ahe bumps into me.

"You're good. Wait." I notice she looks around my age and might know Devin. She stops and turns to me. "Do you know Devin Gordon?"

"Yea, why?"

"I just need to find him as soon as possible."

"Well I can't help you, we haven't seen him for weeks." She looks a bit sad.

"We?"

"I'm his sister, Jazzy." She sticks out her hand and flashes a smile.

"Condy."

"So how do you know him?" She walks to a bench and I follow her.

"Um....just friends."

"Oh, how long?"

"Few we-days, a few days."

"So you've seen him recently?" Hope shines in her eyes.

"Uh.......yes." Should I tell her? Should I tell her some things or most of everything? Or should I just lie?  Well I don't wanna just lie to her. She obviously misses her brother, her crazy, inconsiderate brother.

"Where did you see him?" I take a deep breathe. I'll just tell the truth.

"Last time I saw him, he was jumping off a waterfall."

"Jumping off a waterfall?"

"Well not jumping off he was trying to get this rock because Karina threw it off the ledge." The words just flow out my mouth and it feels like I have no control anymore.

"Who's Karina?"

"Marisia's little sister."

"Who's Marisia?"

"My best friend, well not really, in the other world she is. Well I don't really know if I was here or not. I think there's three worlds, mine, here, and the one Devin made. But she was my best friend in the one Devin made."

"Did I miss something?"

"You missed weeks." The anxiety won't let my leg stop bouncing up and down.

"Just explain from the very beginning."

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She closes her jaw and regains her composure. Then she means forward and has a thinking face trying to process everything I told her. I can't believe I told her just like that. I guess she deserved to know, it is her own brother after all.

"So you're telling me, you're the reason why he's been gone?"

"Yea. I didn't know he had a family here, if I did I would have told him to go back."

"It's fine. He wouldn't have listened anyway. So he's crazy now?" I nod. "Wow. So what are you going to do?"

"I have to get the rock and break it to block him from my world forever."

"Wouldn't that block everyone else too?"

"I guess so. Unless there's another rock or something."

"I doubt that." She shrugs.

"So you know you're a dream person?"

"What's that?" My heart starts beating really fast. "I'm kidding." She starts laughing and I do a little from relief. "Everyone does. I just never heard about the world Devin made, that's...just wow."

"Wait, so every single person here knows they're in the dream world?"

"Not every single person. You see, did Devin ever mention how the atmosphere here makes you go," She mouths 'coo coo' and spins her finger in a circle by her head. I nod. "it makes you forget you're here. You just get lost in the moment and forget. So people who get stuck here think it's the real world." She explains.

"Ok I need to make sure I do not forget." I make a mental note.

"Here, give me your hand." She takes a pen out her back pocket and writes 'stay aware' on my palm. "Now everytime you see the palm of your hand you'll remember not to forget."

"Thank you."

"No problem. Ok so I need you to come with me to my house so we can explain all of this to my family." She takes my hand. I'm not gonna worry, I bet this is almost over.