Fair enough. Don't say I didn't warn you," Nate said as he recounted the extraordinary events unfolding during his odyssey. He recalled the near-death event where Aubert got a call that Alana had died and then explained;
"It seemed like everyone I encountered was a manifestation of my karma or something greater. Angels, demons, monsters, and mythical beings are all hidden beneath the surface of everyday life. Like they all had human skin overlayed on top of them, kind of like how the second Mario game was a completely different Japanese game with a Mario skin on it to make it familiar to people."
Aubert listened intently, captivated by Nate's tale. "So, you're saying that beneath the ordinary facade of people lies an extraordinary realm waiting to be discovered?" he asked, intrigued.
"Well, it's either that or the universe's worst case of pareidolia," Nate said with a laugh.
Aubert invited him to stay in his guest room until he settled in his own place. "Get some rest, bro." Aubert pated Nate on the shoulder as he retired for the evening.
CHAPTER 14
With his spirit rejuvenated, Nate discovered a newfound sense of motivation and purpose. He yearned to make a positive impact on the lives of others. But before he could move on to do that, there was one last person he had to forgive finally, the mother of his children.
He had no pride to swallow, and any ego he had left was not bold enough to deny that she was right in what she felt necessary to do to protect the children from witnessing the self-destruction of his life.
He opened his laptop and did a quick search to find her brother's social media account because he was always the most reasonable member of her family to deal with. If he was going to convey his message of peace and forgiveness, it was going to be through her brother.
When he searched for the profile, he saw two familiar names on his friend's list: his daughter and son...both with the last name of their stepfather, who had since adopted them.
Nate's plan had changed; instead of sending a message of forgiveness, he would send a message asking for forgiveness.
The memory of his first and only meeting with his biological father
gave Nate the bridge he needed to reach out to his 'former' children.
With trembling hands, he began to type his message to the siblings, letting them know that he was sorry that he was not the father they deserved and praising their new stepfather for picking up the pieces of the mess Nate had made. He let them know that he wasn't trying to intrude in their new lives, but he was instead giving them a path to one day find him when they become adults if they were ever interested.
He felt this was the best route, considering he only had one memory of his father, who got in contact with Nate when he turned nineteen and flew him out to Virginia to stay with him for a few weeks, then suddenly passed away after Nate had returned home.
Nate had wished he had more time to get to know his father as an adult and felt that if his children had any part of him left, they might want the same opportunity when they came of age.
The following day, he received a couple of notifications that both children read and clicked the "Love" icon on the messages he left them. He couldn't help but smile as he was filled with a long-lost hope he thought would never return.
Love always finds a way back.
CHAPTER 15
The next day, Nate told Aubert that he had finally made peace with the past and felt as if the world's weight was gone, and he had the strength to move on from this place.
Aubert smiled, impressed by Nate's newfound sense of purpose. "You've come a long way, brother. Your resilience and determination have transformed you into someone with a unique perspective. You should write a screenplay about it because it does sound unbelievable enough to become a movie."
Nate laughed, "No one would watch that crap from a nobody like me".
"Sylvester Stallone did it with the 'Rocky' script," Aubert replied to give Nate a spark of inspiration and hope.
"No thanks. I draw, I don't write, and I wouldn't want everyone to know how crazy I am." Nate said with a smirk, "Let's hear about you. How's your married life?"
As they sat in deep conversation, Nate and Aubert discussed how Aubert's life had been since getting married. But as they talked about Aubert's life as a married man, Nate couldn't help but focus on ideas that flowed through him; his dreams began to take shape, and the desire to create something meaningful burned brightly within his soul. The more he diverted his attention away from the conversation with his longtime friend, the foundation for a future endeavor began to form—
He realized that could provide him with his desired platform, an opportunity to share his story, uplift and inspire those going through mental illness, and show them that they can take control of those demons and turn them into something positive, something that will benefit them instead of being a detriment to them, through the power of storytelling.
That would be an endeavor that would transcend and touch lives.
He returned to the present moment just in time to hear Aubert say, "Seriously, bro, write a script."
Nate leaned back in his chair, contemplating Aubert's suggestion. He
knew his friend had a point,
"Aubert, audiences are drawn to heroes, action, and explosions. They don't want to hear about some average guy having a mental breakdown."
"You have a good point. But what about that idea you used to have for that crystal energy nuclear bomb project you were always interested in inventing?" Aubert said with a chuckle.
"It's not a nuclear bomb," Nate laughed and continued, "It's a device that could pull in dark matter and store the free energy of the universe, essentially it would harness the intent of energy."
"Whatever. It sounds like some supervillain shit that could destroy the world if it lands in the wrong hands." Aubert replied.
Aubert noticed the conflict on Nate's face and leaned forward.
"Look, brother, I understand your doubts. But remember, the best stories are the ones that touch the soul, that transport people to faraway times and places. They ignite our imagination and make us question the world around us, delve into the mysteries of the universe, and weave a tale that would captivate hearts and minds.
Your crystal energy project, while insane as it might be, has the potential to be truly remarkable."
Nate sighed, his cynicism slowly giving way to a spark of excitement.
"You think so?"
Aubert nodded emphatically. "Definitely. But maybe we can find a way to infuse it with the elements that make a blockbuster. Heroes, action, and explosions to make it less boring."
He felt inspired by his friend's words and went to sleep that evening, reflecting on how to incorporate his free energy project into his journey.
That night, Nate had a dream that he awoke from, leaving him bursting with more motivation than he had ever felt flowing through his body, a catalyst for creation.
The dream was of a well-dressed man with a glowing blue aura surrounding him, which was revealed to be an older version of Nate.
"I've come a long way to tell you that I am here to let you know your suffering is over. We deserved better, and from now on, you will never have to worry about anything ever again. Consider this your 'For-sure grant' for a new life. I'm removing the barriers that are holding you back. Now wake up and get to work." He said before vanishing into the blue waves of ethereal mist.
That morning, with the pen in his hand and a vision in his heart, Nate began to write, forging a path that would merge the extraordinary with the ordinary, captivating audiences and reminding them of the boundless possibilities that lie within the depths of their imaginations.
'In a faraway time, in a faraway place, where the boundaries between dreams and reality blurred,' Nate's words flowed onto the page, and a newfound sense of purpose filled the room.
'A young hero emerged. Equipped with a power harnessing the energy of ancient crystals,'
He could feel the story taking shape,
'The hero embarked on a perilous quest to save their world from the clutches of darkness. Along the way, he faced breathtaking challenges,'
A fusion of his original crystal energy project and the thrilling elements that would captivate audiences.
With each sentence, he delved deeper into the realms of imagination, intertwining action-packed sequences with profound moments of self-discovery.
'Encountering unlikely allies and discovering the true essence of their own being.'
He stopped abruptly and ripped the sheet of paper out of the notebook, crumpling it into a ball, and threw it away.
"That's exactly the flat, economical storytelling I don't want to write. If I create a world, it won't be some genre-pandering garbage that gets lost in the crowd. I want to create something that sparks conversations about the mysteries of life and the power we all hold."
Nate's cynical smile had transformed into one of determination and excitement.
"What I make will be remarkable; it will be something with heart, soul, and a touch of magic to bring it to life and show the world within us all."
All he knew for sure was how his story was going to begin; with pen in hand, he began writing once more,
'In a faraway time in a faraway place...'