The Fourth Wall Rebuilder

Part Four: They Can Never Go Home

Devin was bad at commiting to things. She could barely keep a hobby for more than a week before she got bored and moved on to the next thing, the next game, the next book series, the next subject.

So really, it came as no surprise that when she decided to learn sign language, she half assed it. Still, she reasoned, there was no sense in rushing it. It could all be for nothing. For all she knew, the person didn't know sign language anyways. For all she knew, she might never see them again.

"M̸͖̟̳̰͓͙̀̾͋̃i̸̹̎̒c̶̲̿͋͝ā̶͈̗h̷̘̰̹̆̈́̂̏̑͠, come to dinner!"

Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. She paused. Why was she frustrated again?

"Be right there, mom!" She called, closing her laptop and standing up. She stopped by her window, tugging the closed curtains just a tiny bit closer to the wall before leaving the room.

***

The next time Devin saw them, it was weeks later, long enough for her to lose all interest in what had happened. That interest came back the moment she recognised them, memorising her path between the walls as she floated over to greet them.

She caught their eyes and their face fell. They were shaking their head again, pointing back behind her, but this time she didn't listen just yet. Why leave? She signed clumsily, hoping the message got across. They frowned, signing back, far too quickly for her to understand. The confusion must have shown on her face, because they rubbed their temples in frustration before starting again, motions slower and more defined.

Am lost. Not you too. Leave.

You are lost?

Yes. Go back to your body.

My body?

Devin frowned, looking up at them, but they were already floating away.
She followed quickly, keeping track of the turns– right, left, now left again.

When they noticed her again, their eyes widened. Their gaze darted around the room before finally landing on her again.

Go back to your body. Before you get forget.

Forget what?

Where.

Devin's head was swimming. Of course she knew where she left her body– it was only a few turns from here. And a few more after that. She almost didn't catch the next few words.

Where is your body?

Something stopped her from replying to that. Some cold and uneasy realisation that she should have come to earlier. Because how could you get lost here? How could anyone get stuck, why would you ever stay, unless–

You lost yours?

They hesitated, fidgeting uncomfortably before responding.

Yes.

Devin ran.

She ran back through the path she remembered, back all the way to her body. It was as it always was when she entered the fourth wall: still and empty. Vulnerable. Open. She wondered now what would happen if she didn't return to it. Would it look like a coma? Death?

What happens if you never go back to your body? If you can never go home, because home is too far away, because home was moved by someone who meant well and thought there was no you to return to it? Because home is a few dozen turns behind you and you don't remember if you took a left or a right, because someone else took your place and there's no room for you at home anymore–

Can someone else take your place?

Devin went home, took off her glasses, and announced a short break on her message board before closing Wattpad.

***
What's up I'm not dead. I wrote this chapter on my notes app, accidentally deleted ¾ths of it and then rewrote it here from memory with minimal editing so... If you catch any mistakes blame it on my lack of autosave <33