Prompted Shorties

Fourth Wall

Prompt: Write a story or scene in which one or more of the characters knows that they are in a story. How long have they known? Do they care?

If you want, take it a step further: The narrator absolutely hates one of the characters.

Story:

"So Mike, how long has this been happening?" Dr. Andrews waved in circular motion pertaining to Andrew's dilemma as to why he's at a psychologist and not in an asylum. Was he going insane? Was he hallucinating? Or was he having episodes?

Mike looks around, paranoia eating him. He doesn't know what to do, yet Dr. Andrews just stares at him and Mike wonders why.

"Uhm. It's been three weeks now"

"Three weeks" Dr. Andrews repeated his words. Mike was feeling uneasy, uncomfortable, he hopes to hear his doctor's thoughts but alas, he cannot. "And tell me Mike, what does this voice say?"

Mike was hesitant, he may think that his doctor might put him in the nut house.

"Shut up!" Mike yelled as he sat up straight.

"Is the voice speaking again Mike?"

"Y-Yes"

"What's it saying?"

"Nothing right now"

"Tell me, what does this voice want?"

"I don't know. He just..."

"Just what?"

"He just narrates"

"Narrates..."

"Things that I do, things that I think about. It's like a broken record and I can't make it stop."

"I see. Tell me more"

"At first it was fun, I thought it was cool. But then yesterday he narrated something unusual, something horrible"

"How so?"

"Yesterday morning, I was eating breakfast and he narrated 'Mike was eating his usual breakfast of cheerios while he reflected his life from the past, his girlfriend dumping him, his father leaving their family at the early age of five, his sister moving away because she'd been a drug addict. He seemed fond of remembering terrible things from the past, but little did he know, an imminent danger awaits our young character' and that's when I lost it"

"I see. Did you try talking to him?"

"I tried, but he doesn't seem to hear me though. It's like I'm some part of a story and I can't help but go with it."

"I suggest not aggravating the voice" Dr. Andrews' voice sounded like he's not convinced at all with Mike's story. He thought he could trust him, but then again, Mike has been struggling with trust issues recently.

"So you just want me to continue to live my life? As if this voice isn't here at all?" Mike was furious. He thought having a psychologist meant having someone to talk to, someone to listen to him, someone who can be with his side. But by the looks of things, Mike feels that Dr. Andrews might be against him after all.

"I recommend, trying new things. New stimuli can often lead to good results to a normal functioning brain. It gives you something else to think about, something new to try, something different, something out of the ordinary." Mike pondered Dr. Andrews' plea for a moment. Perhaps trying new things is just what Mike really needed.

"Okay doc. Thanks"

"See you next week Mike"

"Yup"

Mike left the building feeling a little bit more reassured, but little did he know that his life is still in great peril.

"Ah f**k!"