Pixellated 3: The Attempt

Chapter 9 - Thanks

"See, Peter?" Kristine asked. "It was all bullshit."

"Then how do you explain me?" someone asks from the distance.

"A figment of my imagination."

"If that's the case, Kristine, how can everyone else see me?"

"A hallucination!"

"Kristine," I say, "just accept that he's real."

All was silent for a few moments.

"I will have a happy ending," Kristine says. "N0 M4ГГ3ฯ W|-|@Г!"

Kristine lunges towards the guy, swinging her knife. When she misses, the guy holds Kristine still.

"My name is Philip. I was sent here to stop you."

Twisting her arm behind her back, Philip manages to make Kristine drop the knife.

"Figures that the spawn of Rix would try to kill the spawn of Xavier, huh?"

"Yeah," I say.

Kristine stops struggling for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know, your great-grandad tried to kill mine a long time ago. The difference is that Rix didn't try to kill Xavier to get a happy ending for himself, but rather for Xavier."

"How the fuck does that work?"

"I'll explain later. If you're willing to be friends, that is."

"Friends? I fell in love with you in five years ago!"

"All the more reason to forget those feelings for a while. You've been chasing me for quite some time. You've got some dedication. However, you need to learn when it's time to quit."

"...If Xavier really did send Philip," Kristine says, "then can he make someone for me?"

"Let's see."

A guy walks up to Kristine and Philip.

"Hey, Kristine. Long time, no see."

"Daniel?"

"Ah, so you two know each other?" Philip asks.

"Yeah," Daniel says. "Before she met Peter, we were best friends. Back then, we were only slightly insane."

"Wait, you're both insane?" Kate asks.

"Yeah. We just never talk about it."

"...So..." Kristine says, Philip letting her go. "Wanna...fuck, I don't know...watch a movie?"

"Why not?"

The two go to the nearest movie theater, Kristine acting timid.

"...So, Peter," Anna says, "How about some anime?"

"I've gotta talk to Kate first, okay?"

"Alright."

"Hey, Kate."

Kate walks over to me. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for everything that's happened this past week."

"It's fine. None of it was your fault."

"So are we just gonna ignore the dead bodies?" Philip asks.

"Actually," Anna says, "why don't we just reset the week again?"

"Good idea. However, we shouod probably let the crazy couple finish their movie first."

"Yeah..."

"So how about you, Kate, go hang out with Philip for a while?"

"Well...actually..."

"What is it?"

"When the reader stops reading this book, our world will cease to exist to them."

"...Please explain."

"The moment a reader finishes a book, they pretty much sign a contract to never read it again. Once that happens, that reader's imagination will forget about that world. They'll forget we even existed in the first place."

"There's no guarantee they'll forget, Kate. And anyway, you said that you didn't exist until a few hours before we met. I've known this world my entire life. I just had a bit of amnesia is all. But let me tell you, Kate. I've read some great books out there. The most memorable stay with me in both my mind and my heart."

"...You don't get it, Peter. This isn't a memorable story. Just the story of how I fucked up the story."

"I don't know about you, but that sounds like something I'd read. Come on, Kate, just enjoy the moment. Let the fans decide what happens after this."

"...Alright."

"Good. Now go have some fun with Philip."

"Gladly."

Kate and Philip walk off together while me and Anna go back to my house for anime.

Thanks for reading.