A Crossed Reality. Gerald Pruett

nodded while saying, “Thank you.”

      Beverly, Nicholas and Phyllis walked over to the waiting area and sat down. They sat quietly for ten minutes before Phyllis saw a doctor stepping up to the nurse’s station.

      When Phyllis saw the nurse pointing in her direction, she said, “I believe Dr. Simon is coming.”

      Beverly, Nicholas and Phyllis stood up once they saw Dr. Simon walking their way. When Dr. Simon stepped up, Dr. Simon introduced himself with a handshake for each of them while starting with Nicholas.

      “I’m Nicholas,” he said before pointing out the others. “This is my wife Beverly and Randy’s mother, Phyllis. Phyllis is also a friend of ours.”

      Once the handshakes were done, Phyllis said, “Dr. Simon, I understand that our sons are here somewhere, but no one will tell us more than that.”

      “Please come with me and I will explain on the way.” As everyone walked towards the elevator Dr. Simon continued to say, “Alexander, Douglas and Randy along with four others Kenny Johnson, Brandy Harrison, Cindy Hartford and Benjamin Bell had all passed out in Harvard’s library. This greatly concerned the librarian and he called nine-one-one. By the time the paramedics got there all seven of them were awake and very disoriented. Alexander was the worst of the seven. He was delirious and had to be sedated.”

      “In what way was he delirious?” Beverly asked.

      As they stepped up to the elevators, Dr. Simon pressed the call button before saying, “According to the paramedics and the police, he was raving about that he was a she, and somehow she fell into the twilight zone and became a he.”

      “Alex woke up thinking that he was once a she?” Nicholas asked.

      “He did, but that’s just half of it,” Dr. Simon said.

      “What’s the other half?” Beverly asked.

      “Douglas also shares Alexander’s delusion and the other five have delusions of their own.”

      “What are Randy’s delusions?” Phyllis asked.

      “The only thing we can get out of Randy is that he doesn’t know how he got to Harvard and that he doesn’t know any of the others. The others also claim they don’t know Randy.”

      “Alex and Randy have been best friends since the first grade,” Beverly said.

      The door to the elevator opened and everyone stepped in. As Dr. Simon pressed the button for the correct floor, he said, “Well, we had video taped Douglas, Randy and the other four, and you can see for yourselves the extent of their delusions.”

      As the door was closing Nicholas asked, “Do you know what caused them to faint and what is causing their delusions?”

      “We are still looking into that,” Dr. Simon said. “We did test them for drugs and they all tested clean, so the possibility of drugs is out.”

      “Could there be something in the air?” Phyllis asked.

      “There was nothing toxic in their system either, so something in the air is not likely.”

      “So what is going to happen to them?” Beverly asked.

      “I would like to keep them in the hospital for seventy-two hours for observation. We can discuss my recommendation once that time is up. Mrs. O’Brien…”

      “You can call me Beverly.”

      “Okay, I will. Beverly, are you a doctor in St. Louis?”

      “No, but I did attend two years of medical school. I got pregnant with Alex and Doug, and I had to drop out. I didn’t have the money to finish medical school after they were born.”

      “According to Douglas, you are a surgeon at a hospital and that you are married to a doctor named Avery Larson.”

      “Where am I supposed to be?” Nicholas asked.

      “Douglas claims that he doesn’t know who you are,” Dr. Simon said.

      “So in his delusions I was replaced by a fictional character,” Nicholas said.

      “Dr. Avery Larson is not a fictional character,” Dr. Simon said. “He has a private practice in St. Louis. I would also like to get him out here and see what his role is in Douglas’ delusion.”

      “If you think that would help then by all means do it,” Beverly said.

      The elevator stopped and everyone exited.

      In the reality Alpha 0.0.0.1.0.0.0 at 11:55 P.M., Alex sat on her bed at Harvard and was writing out the events of the day along with writing a detailed explanation of what happened. After writing for several minutes she put the diary up and went to bed.

      Friday, October 22 at 8:30 A.M., Alex, with no makeup on, was casually eating breakfast in Harvard’s lunchroom while reading one of her diaries. Her plate was more than half full with her breakfast. Her purse and book bag were on the table beside her.

      Miles was carrying his food tray towards the tables and saw Alex sitting at one of them. As he stepped up to her, he said, “Alex, hi.”

      Alex looked up and stared at Miles as if he was a stranger before saying, “Oh hi.” Alex turned her attention back to the diary.

      Miles gave Alex a confused look for a second before saying, “Oh I get it. You’re giving me the cold shoulder treatment.”

      Alex looked up and replied, “I’m sorry, I was reading. What was that you said?”

      “I get it, Alex. You’re mad at me for not rescheduling our date.”

      Alex looked at Miles while trying to figure out who he was. It suddenly dawned on her who she was talking to. “Miles. Uh, I’m not mad at all, but I am reading here.”

      “Alex. Maria and I dated for four years and I just can’t move on after being broken up for only three weeks.”

      “You don’t have to explain, Miles. It’s fine. Now if you don’t mind, I am trying to read.”

      Miles looked at the book that Alex was reading before saying, “What you’re reading looks like a diary.”

      “It’s one of my diaries from a few years ago. I’m trying to remember certain details. Now if you don’t mind, I would like to be left alone.”

      “You say you’re not mad, but you’re not inviting me to eat breakfast with you either. If that is not giving me the cold shoulder then I don’t know what is.”

      “Miles, I don’t want any company this morning. Not yours; not anyone’s. And I swear I wasn’t mad at you, but now I’m starting to be.”

      “Okay, Alex. If you want to be left alone then I’ll certainly do that,” Miles said before turning and walking away.

      Alex watched Miles for a second before turning her attention back to her diary.

      Miles walked over to a table that was several tables from Alex and as he was taking his seat, Trudy walked into the room and saw him by himself. She then saw Alex at a nearby table.

      Trudy walked over to Miles and said, “I understand that last night was a bust, but the least you can do is talk to Alex.”

      “I tried. She doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

       “That doesn’t sound like Alex.”

      Miles gestured towards Alex while saying, “Well go talk to her and see for yourself.”

      “Okay, I will,” Trudy said before turning and walking towards Alex. Without saying a word, Trudy sat down in a seat across from Alex.

      Alex looked up from her diary and when she saw who it was she said, “Trudy, I really want to be left alone right now if you don’t mind.”

      “Actually,