I’d save the freaking world out of spite.
CHAPTER 6INWHICHWECHOOSEOURSELVESASCHOSENONES
BRYCE
I should have known going to apologize to Courtney would lead to disaster.
After I’d left her outside with her Christmas lights, I tried to lose myself in work, but the memory of her hurt expression haunted me. I’d crossed some sort of line, and I had to make it up to her. I wasn’t a monster. I only wanted her safely out of my life forever and ever and ever. Besides, the angrier she was with me, the less open she’d be to accepting my suggestion of moving.
I’d taken the bus to the big-box store because buses were fifty times safer than driving by car. As I rode, I Google searched how many house fires were caused by Christmas lights. The answer was frightening. I hated the holidays. Fire hazards and increased motor vehicle accidents aside, the Christmas commercials filled with happy, smiling families never failed to make me feel more alone than ever.
When I got to the store, it didn’t take me long to find her. Courtney wasn’t a train wreck, but rather, the avalanche that caused train wrecks. All I had to do was follow the trail of foil condoms, jars of peanut butter, and pizza rolls. I felt like Hansel fromthe fairy tale. Except, instead of breadcrumbs and a witch’s gingerbread house, there was garbage and… well, still a witch.
The trail of junk led me to a coatrack in the middle of the lighting department. It looked odd there and strangely ominous, lit in beams of shimmering golden light. A circle of trash surrounded the coats like they’d scattered out from the center as a result of a small explosion.
A half-squished pizza roll by my toe suggested Courtney had eaten her lunch in a coatrack. I didn’t like how that made me feel.
“Courtney?” I asked, gently sliding aside a few coats.
And that was when it happened.
I’d waved my hand into empty space.
One second, there’d been hundreds of sweltering lights, Courtney’s trash, and a coatrack. The next second, there were stars—real twinkling stars—flecked across a dimming pink and purple sky. I was in some kind of central courtyard, standing on the outskirts of a gathered crowd. Around me were slatted cottages, swinging shop signs, and gross ditches that would send an OSHA inspector into hysterics.
I blinked.Hard.Then I compulsively blinked twice more because three blinks felt more complete than one.
This was a dream. It was the only explanation. I must have fallen asleep on my couch while I was trying to work and dreamed about going to the big-box store.
And then I saw her, and my stomach dropped.
There, standing in the middle of the crowd, was Courtney. Her gaze locked on to me, and for a second, she looked downright murderous. Then her expression cleared, and shewinkedbefore climbing onto the back of a nearby wagon like it was a stage. She smiled benevolently down at the crowd and began doing an honest-to-god cupped-hand rotating princess wave.
A guy wearing a crown and an old man with sickly white skin that looked like wrinkled tissue paper climbed up next to her. The old man addressed the crowd, talking on and on at abarely audible volume. I caught the wordprophecya few times, and every time he said it, he got more and more worked up with excitement.
I decided I would not freak out. There was no reason to; I was dreaming and had clearly conjured up a world from one of my video games—one with kings, ancient wise men, and villagers aplenty. My breathing remained regular, my pulse steady. Dreams were preferable to reality. Safer. In dreams, I could be Bold Bryce. Daring Bryce. Irresistible Bryce.
I lifted my hands. They looked normal. My vision was sharp and clear. I’d heard about dreams where you were self-aware and free to make your own choices—lucid dreaming. Well, if I was in a lucid dream with Courtney, there was only one thing left to do—
No. Notthat, perv.
Granted, she’d wormed her way into my dreams before in rated-R ways that left me extremely hor—horrified. Her being in my dreams was yet another sign that she was getting too close. At least this time, I was in control, and I was going to kick her out of my head. It would be a nice consolation since I couldn’t get the real Courtney out of my actual life.
“Courtney?” I called.
A few villagers closest to me at the edge of the crowd turned. Their eyes widened as they took me in, gazes lingering on myWalking DeadT-shirt. I took a few steps forward.
The nearest villager gave me a wide smile. “I am sorry to tell you that I’m certain the Chosen One cannot hear you, as she is positioned many meters away, and you stand here… many meters away.”
“TheChosen One,” I repeated. “You’re joking.” This must be because I watchedThe Lord of the Ringsthe other night.
The villager shook his head. “Verily, I do not jest. The lady simply appeared out of thin air whilst we were gathered here witnessing the public shaming of Winston.”
Somewhere in the distance, someone, presumably Winston, let out a scream of agony.
The villager’s eyes narrowed. “Now that I reflect on the matter, she appeared much as you have, out of nowhere and clothed in strange garments I have never beheld the likes of before.”
“Wordy bastard, aren’t you?” I muttered under my breath.
