The Mind of a Mortal - Chapter 1 (Preview)
The Mind of a MortalChapter 1By J.C. Solis The silence of the room was shattered as the siren blared in a roar of annoying vitriol. Slumber was impossible with this cacophony, a sound that the man in his bed loathed to hear every time the morning came. With his eyes still closed, he extended his arm out and slammed it hard on the offensive device that called for his rouse. He could easily fall back to sleep for a few more moments, hoping to catch a few more Zzzs before starting with this new day. But there was no point. The sun was shining through the window as the new day awaited. There was nothing he could do to stymie it. There was no escaping his fate and his daily morning routine. Jasper slinked out of bed, his eyes rather crusty and his mind still half asleep. In all honesty, despite the weary eyes, he looked forward to today. It would be the start of the second week of the new semester of school. He wasn’t forced to get up get up at seven o’clock in the morning; his earliest class was at close to ten. Plus, though he lived in an out-of-dorm apartment, the school was close enough that he could walk there without too much effort. But early to bed and early to rise to make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. No matter who came up with that quote, Jasper followed it to heart as he got ready to get his day started. His room was rather comfortable and homey, the place in a rather nice state of tidiness. It was strange for a college student to have a well-kept living space, especially since he was rather low maintenance. But while he didn’t pay the dirt and dust any mind, he made it a vow that he wouldn’t live in absolute filth. He went to his closet to get his clothes ready. He then took some undies and a towel with him to the bathroom in his room. He was thankful to be the one between him and his roommate to have the room with its own bathroom. Then again, the apartment was under Jasper’s name, and it was his father who put down the deposit. Walking in with his pile of undergarments, Jasper let the water turn warm as he looked at himself in the mirror and brushed his teeth. Being mostly clean-shaven with only the start of some scruff, his teeth now brushed and the rest of his look agreeable, he hopped into the shower. His broad shoulders and muscled frame relaxed with the torrent of water splashing on his form and let him feel at ease, with him trying hard to brace himself for today. Ten minutes of relaxing warm water and suds later and he hopped out, dried off, put on some deodorant, and began dressing himself. His outfit consisted of the usual attire that he would almost always wear and hardly ever grew tired of. He put on a black undershirt, a white long-sleeve button shirt, some dark blue jeans, and a black blazer jacket above his shirt, all with a pair of dress shoes slipped on his feet and a black wide-brim fedora on his dome. This was his usual attire, and it was one he adored. He’d receive the occasional compliment for his hat, and all the clothes gave the young man a rather strong, sophisticated look. He loathed dressing in outfits that didn’t fit his personality. He was, after all, a man who wished to keep his clothes pressed so that he could dress to impress. A splash of cologne would complement his looks, one with an aroma that gave off a rather strong and bold vibe. With the usual morning routine done, he carried on with other chores: making his bed, packing his backpack with school materials, and leaving his room in a mostly tidy state when done. And with everything in order, the well-groomed and nice-smelling man grabbed his pack and headed out. By now, it was still early, but his routine was far from over. Jasper walked down the hall of his apartment to the living room, where he expected to meet someone who also had a morning routine. The sound of papers folding, keyboard typing, and a spoon clanking on a bowl could be heard. The familiar voice of his roommate was evident by the noise, and for sure he was trying to multitask as he would every morning. The young man expected to see his ever-busy friend perhaps catching up on assignments that he should’ve spent the day before studying.Jasper entered the dining room and saw said roommate as he usually would. He sighed as the lanky, slender man juggled multiple tasks at the same time. He was taking spoonful after spoonful of cereal up to his mouth while he was typing away at the laptop in front of him while also jotting things down in a notebook in front of him. It was all rather impressive, the display of juggling between assignments something that few people could pull off. Then again, it would only take one misstep for disaster to come, and the man was no stranger to mishaps. One wrong move and that spoonful of delicious, sugary, milk-soaked cereal will perhaps ruin either the notes or the laptop keyboard. “Still jotting things down at the last minute, eh Chad?” said Jasper cheekily at his roommate, best friend since high school, and drinking buddy. “I think you need to manage your time more wisely, buddy. Doing stuff at the last minute will get you- “ “No shit, JC!” interrupted Chad, the man seemingly in no mood for being chastised. “I got held up by stuff, man. What can you expect from pursuing a career as a Mechanical Engineer? Half the goddamn time we’re stressed out of our minds trying to get assignments done on time.” “I take it that going to Downtown Long Beach with the buds and getting shitfaced from chugging booze on Saturday was also an assignment?” “No but getting a drink or two can help a bit with nerves. Unlike your goody-goody, teetotaler ass, I like a good drink now and again.” “I drink too, buddy. Just not anywhere near alcoholism.” At this, Chad finally conceded, stopping what he was doing as he faced Jasper. “All right, I get it, I messed up. Now, are you gonna just stand around and give me a hard time, or are you gonna make breakfast for yourself already?” He then bent his head down to his assignments. “The milk for cereal is back in the fridge, and the coffee is also done. I put a pot of Insomniac to get you wired up for today. Or if you wanna cook, we still got eggs, breakfast sausages, and bacon in the fridge. Your choice if you wanna whip something up or not.” Jasper thanked him for the notice, and he went to get his food ready. The option of cooking his meal was tempting, having plenty of time to do so. But cereal with milk would do just fine. Chadwick Parker was a near and dear friend to Jasper. His best friend for the longest, Chad was always a cheeky and fun-loving man who was down to earth and great to be around. But there were still some things that not even dear friendship could prevent, and that was being chastised for being a drunk the previous day. The kitchen was filled with the wonderful aroma of coffee. Insomniac was a popular brand of coffee, one that was exceptionally strong. One small mug was the equivalent of drinking multiple cans of energy drink, though one without the health risks that came with it. The young man just poured himself a large mug full of the stuff, hoping to perk up with a bit of jitter from the super-wired drink. With a bowl full of cereal with milk in one hand and a mug in the other, he returned to sit down with his friend to perhaps have a quick chat. But when he came back, Chad was already done with whatever assignment he had fallen behind on and was packing everything away. He needed to shower, perhaps take half an hour to get dressed and his pack ready. Jasper was now alone in the dining room. For anybody else, this seemed to be no issue, and with his friend having a big mouth that might be a blessing. But Jasper knew fully well who awaited him during these moments alone. He knew full well of the odd voice or two that would be heard as soon as he had time to himself. And said voices were something to fear, for nobody was physically around for this strange phenomenon to be real. “Eat up, Jasper. You have a long day ahead,” said a feminine voice from out of nowhere. “Why bother? You’re destined to fail this year again, just like the others,” said a harsh, derogative-filled voice. “Do you think you can make the most of today? You better not mess up like you do all the other days,” noted another, less helpful voice. Jasper was bombarded by voice after condescending voice. Normally these figments of the mind posted no real issue other than annoyance. But the repetition of it all slowly wore him down. As he put a spoonful of cereal into his mouth and took crunchy bites of his food, he could well hear the discord that never seemed to quiet down. It was enough to drive a normal person insane. But Jasper was already slightly insane, and he couldn’t be more out of touch with reality if he tried. At that moment, a figure in black walked up and sat on the chair next to him – a figure he knew all too well. It was only a matter of time before HIM showed up again. “Don’t mind the voices, Jasper,” said the shadow man. “Just keep eating and having your fill. You have a long day ahead of you. Doctor Peterson is going to be discussing Plato today in Philosophy. I hope you’ll pay attention well enough to his lecture.” Jasper tried to ignore the man in black, but he knew that he needn’t speak for HIM to continue. “The Doctor is always such an amazing orator. Out of all the professors you have, he is the one I most admire. I hope you give him a good ear and turn in your homework on time. You are his best student, after all.” “I always do,” replied Jasper. He knew he shouldn’t respond, but his annoyance got the better of him. “You know that by now. He’s my favorite teacher, and I always pay attention.” “Good. Let us keep that up, then,” noted the man in the shadows. “I am glad that he has taken you up as a mentor. He seems like a sage man from whom to take advice. It’s only a shame that you had that anxiety attack in the middle of class last semester for him to take notice of you.” The memory of that event struck a nerve in Jasper. Now feeling a tinge of anger, Jasper chomped onto his spoonful of cereal and tried to ignore the shadow man as he continued eating and sipping coffee. It was then that the young man pulled out some pills that he had in his shirt pocket – his number one weapon against the forces at play. Without wasting a moment, he drank the antipsychotics with gusto, hoping that the delusions would die down. But HIM would not be dispersed so easily. The shadow man continued his rambling, on and on and on, with no end to the chatterbox apparition. “Will you be quiet?!” roared Jasper at his bothersome company. “What? Was it something I said?” teased the shadow. At this, the door to Chad’s room came open and the tall and slender man came out fully dressed and with his laptop bag ready for school. “Hey, buddy, you okay? I heard a bit of commotion going on out here,” wondered the man about his dear friend’s outburst. Jasper looked sheepishly at Chad, hoping that he hadn’t heard his yell. He turned to face HIM and give him a scowl. But the apparition was gone, out of sight and free of punishment. The man could only look back at his friend with flushed cheeks of embarrassment. “Sorry about that,” sighed Jasper. “You know my deal. I just can’t control myself at times.” All Chad did was nod his head in return. He knew of his friend’s condition. Frankly, he was surprised that he kept it all together as much as he did. With his bowl of cereal and mug of coffee empty, Jasper took the dishes to the sink and picked up his backpack. It would be a bit of a walk back toward the school, but nothing that a good talking session between two best friends wouldn’t cheer up. As the two besties walked out of their apartment and onto the streets of Long Beach, they started talking about all the events that were going to take place in the coming days. Above all else there was the Student Union Club Meet, which was an extracurricular event that hosted all of the clubs and organizations of the university. It would be the perfect place to meet like-minded people with the same passions one had. And for sure, some of their other friends would love to get involved with them. The two friends walked onto the big campus of California State University Palo Verde, which was a strange name considering it didn’t adopt the name of its home city. But then what the university did have was a beautiful campus full of green plants, clean streets, passersby, and a whole host of things to see and do. The school was a rather historic one, having been founded in the days after World War II. It was the jewel of the city of Long Beach, where many famous actors, athletes, scientists, philosophers, and even politicians came to earn their merits. For the two friends, it was the most convenient big university to attend. It was the one where they hoped to earn their degrees, make waves in the community, and live a comfortable life in bliss with their new careers… that is if being a mechanical engineer for Chad was blissful. Maybe Jasper’s choice to become a professional writer would prove less stressful. The two friends walked along the main street, with cars and buses full of students passing them by. The streets were full of students who were on their way to class, hyped up on coffee and energy drinks and hoping to arrive early to class to get a good seat. At the center of the campus was the main landmark: the University Student Union building. It was the central building for clubs, extracurriculars, and administration, and was a popular hangout for people wanting to relax within its many lounges. There was a large billiards lounge, an indoor bowling alley, a video game lounge, and even hosted one of the school’s food courts. The Student Union was a place of respite, a place where students could come to kick back and relax after a long day on the grind. And it was here where the two friends would part company for the day. “I’ll see you around lunchtime with Lionel, buddy,” said Jasper. “Sure as hell. Just try to make sure the crazies don’t get you so upset that you end up yelling out in public,” warned Chad. “I’ll keep that in mind once the crazies annoy the living fuck out of me,” stated Jasper with sass. And with that, the friends gave each other a fist bump and went their separate ways. Jasper honestly liked walking to class at this time in the morning. There was always so much ambiance and activity. The Student Union was built onto a hill, and next to it was an escalator and stairway that led up to the top of said hill. Up above it, one would come across the second, much larger food court, and after walking past it came the Bookstore and Student Shop. There were always vendors around this area, with people hawking wares of different niches and specialties. Though he wanted to head to class, Jasper figured that there was still plenty of time before taking the front-row seat. These shops were always so interesting, featuring things that drew anyone with a hint of curiosity. One shop was selling New Age memorabilia and incense, which smelled wonderfully from where Jasper was. There were shark tooth necklaces and necklaces with all sorts of beautiful birthstones. Jasper was tempted to buy one of Aquamarine, the stone of his birth month of March. But having been recently bled dry by school bookstore purchases left him without the will to make a pricey exchange. There were also other stalls with books, vinyl records, electronics, and even posters of movies and famous people. The posters with people on them were probably something that Jasper should’ve stayed away from. He could see Scarface Tony Montana looking at him with crazy eyes as if wanting Jasper to say hello to his little friend. There was also the famous scene of Marylin Monroe having her skirt blasted by a grate underneath. She looked at Jasper with a wry look, a mix of embarrassment at him catching her underskirt and a flirtatious feeling of wanting to show him what else was under her skirt – just underwear no doubt. And there were so many other famous people and characters on posters all over the stall. It would be nice to buy one to hang on a room wall. But once again, broke college students would be better off saving their money for a rainy day. The young man spent a good deal of time over at the vendor stalls, admiring all of the neat baubles and unique merchandise for sale. Apart from the New Age Memorabilia and the Posters, there were also books, accessories like sunglasses and rings, and even clothes – though mostly for women. He could spend all his time carousing through the stands crammed full of useless crap and be utterly taken by all of the neat items. But sadly for him, he could not afford to spend more time within this mecca of junk. He needed to snatch up a choice seat in the lecture hall. Being a class that tended to fill up early, there was a need to find appropriate seating before all else. But though Jasper walked away from the hallucinations he felt while browsing the poster, said hallucinations did not go away upon his leaving. There were plenty of strange contortions all around him. The buildings became castles and dungeons, which the valiant heroes had to go to conquer the beasts and tasks hidden within. The treasure of knowledge was hidden within the walls of the buildings that surrounded him, treasures that would serve to boost the brave adventurers’ understanding and offer aid to the careers that these brave adventurers were pursuing. He was on his way to one of these dungeons, in the hopes of defeating the boss of the day and rescuing a fair maiden. The many adventurers all around him, all of different sizes, job classes, races, and moral alignments were heading to defeat the beast they needed to face and find victory within the day. Jasper wondered what treasures he’d come across this day over at Professor Peterson’s class. His mind was filled with the prospect of learning about the great philosophers from history. There was so much that he wanted to learn about both classical and more contemporary philosophy. And He mused as to what he could stand to learn within these dungeon walls. Maybe he’d get to meet a fair maiden within the confines of the dungeon prison. And a maiden was something that Jasper would be sure to bump into, perhaps literally. He failed to notice a golden light shine ahead of him. A maiden with flowing blonde hair and blue eyes and with fetching clothes awaited him. She was of a majesty that far outclassed the man, an air of sophistication that the plebian lad was perhaps too poor and simple to understand. This was a maiden of fate, one who would undoubtedly guide the future down wherever the higher powers deemed. He didn’t know just how important this woman was for him, and to whatever future his life would lead to. His madness didn’t allow him to the world for what it was – the dungeons and castles being a school with semi-beautiful buildings and quad areas. And as for that maiden, maybe she should’ve been careful as to where she was walking.Jasper walked right into the young woman, who also didn’t appear to be paying attention to her surroundings. The woman let out a startled yelp, not expecting to bump into someone so suddenly. What’s more, she was carrying a book and some loose paper – which all spilled onto the floor as she lost control of her possessions. The young man immediately snapped out of his trance, his face immediately becoming flush from embarrassment at the blunder. “Eek!” squeaked the shocked madame. And with that, down fell the learning materials. “Oh god,” cried Jasper, realizing what he caused. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see where I was going.” And with that, he bent down to help the young woman pick up her papers. “No worries. I wasn’t paying attention to where I went either,” said the woman in a noticeable British accent. Judging from the sound of her voice, she must have been a transfer student. Both of them picked up everything that had spilled to the ground. It was just good that there wasn’t any rain, otherwise, the spilled items would have taken a good soaking. Jasper handed the items he collected back to their owner, happy to have made amends for the mistake of bumping into her by accident. He made a mental note of needing to take a better look at his surroundings. Perhaps a less understanding person would not have been as kind as her. “Here you go, and again I’m so sorry for bumping into you.” “No worries, chap. I’ve got to watch where I’m going as well. Can’t go bumping into strangers all willy-nilly now can we?” The two looked at each other for a good while, with Jasper quite taken by the young woman. She appeared to be around the same age as him, perhaps a bit younger. He, for one, was 23 years old, and the lass appeared to be a year less. And for her age she would definitely turn some heads were anyone out to try and hook up with her. “Are you coming to Doctor Peterson’s class?” he asked, hoping to break the ice after the collision earlier. “It’s going to start in a few more moments. If not, then perhaps I can guide you to where your class is if you don’t know your way around campus.” “Ah, yes, I am coming to this class,” confirmed the lass. “Is that the professor’s name? I didn’t pay much attention else to specifics other than this professor teaching Beginning Philosophy. I wasn’t even intending to study Philosophy, as my major is in Psychology.” With this noted, Jasper felt that it was time to make formal introductions. “The name is Jasper, by the way – Jasper Collin Sarcassia, but my friends call me JC. I take it that you’re a transfer student?” “Lovely meeting you, JC,” noted the lass. “The name is Sylvia – Sylvia May Thompson, and I hail from the United Kingdom. I guess my bloody accent gave that away, though.” Jasper took a further look at the young woman, noting her look and form. Sylvia was a rather fetching woman, her figure in an hourglass shape, and not too thin nor too thick. Her hair was blond and flowing in long locks that went all the way to the middle of her back. She was currently wearing a gray parka on top of a white top, with black tights on her legs, and her feet covered with fur-lined boots. Her face was mostly blemish-free without too much of a hint of makeup other than eyeliner and lipstick. And her eyes were a bombshell aquamarine color. Her beauty was evident to all those who came up to her, and it was evident to Jasper as well. But overall, it remained to be seen whether this woman would make a fine acquaintance. Sylvia could be a good study buddy for any of the class projects. He read on the online syllabus that there were several duo-paired assignments to be done with another student. Though he thought about doing all of those with another friend whom he knew was taking this very class, it wouldn’t hurt to have his options open in terms of partners and study mates. Speaking of that specific friend, he was taking his sweet time coming here. It was already a couple of minutes before class started, and yet his friend showed no sign of appearing. Jasper hoped he would arrive soon, otherwise, he’d have to save him a spot if he headed inside. “Shall we go in? Class is gonna start in a bit, and I kinda wanna get a seat in the front row,” Jasper told Sylvia. “Oh, the front row? Curiously, I planned on sitting there as well,” admitted Sylvia. “Maybe we can sit next to each other… that is if you don’t mind at least.” The man agreed. It’d be nice to sit with her while he waited for his friend. For all he knew, he’d be making a new buddy to keep in touch with. But he wasn’t thinking about anything carnal or sensual or anything in that regard; unlike Chad, he was far from being a horndog, and he hoped that his friends wouldn’t get the wrong idea. Then again, there would no doubt be teasing over him potentially scoring with a pretty lady. The two entered the large room, one with hundreds of seats inside. It was practically an auditorium all on its own, the sheer size able to accommodate a good-sized amount of students. The place was not yet full, but already choice seats were being filled in by those who wanted to get them early. The two went to the seats they agreed upon, walking to the very front row. They took their seats, with Sylvia sitting on the right of Jasper. He then put his backpack on the left seat, hoping to save it for his friend. But the class was now close to starting. The seats were being filled, the professor would arrive at any moment, and the friend still showed no signs of appearing. It was then that a tall, yet rotund man came out from the side, one with the long gray beard of a sage and the attire of a gentleman. The man was wearing a gray tweed suit outfit and came with a suitcase. He looked rather flustered, as though he had been rushing to come to class. He pulled out cables from his case and plugged in a laptop he brought out to the projector system so that he could present his lecture on the first day of the second week. The second week was going to start with some works from ancient Greece, perhaps Plato or Aristotle. The man looked at the filling class, noticing Jasper in the front row. He smiled at the young man, seemingly happy to see him as he waved. There seemed to be a connection between the student and teacher, and it seemed odd considering this was barely the start of the semester, and as far as anybody knew Jasper hadn’t met the professor beforehand. But what many people don’t know is that Jasper and the professor go ways back, a bit of history having long since been established. The man was none other than Dr. Jeremiah Peterson, a sage man with many long years full of experience on his belt. He was a well-regarded figure in the world of philosophy and was even the Head of the Philosophy branch of Palo Verde University. He taught much more complex classes than Philosophy 101, but then again the man was happy to guide youths into the beginning of a vast and outstretching glimpse into the world of great ideals, morals, and ethics. “Hello, class. Welcome to the second week of school, and if you’ve made it this long into my class then that means you either like this class, are majors in philosophy, or desperately needed to fill out the extracurricular requirement for graduation,” joked the professor into his microphone, much to the class’s laughter. “Whatever your reason for sticking around, you won’t be disappointed. Today we are going to look into Plato and the realm of Reality and Metaphysics. Now, let me ask all of you… what is reality? How do you know that we, the world around us, and everything that you see really-?” The professor carried on with his lecture. It was often like this, with the man getting in-depth with his love of the Greek classics. Once the old geezer started there seemed to be no way to stop him. It was evident by the way that he carried on that he was very interested in classical philosophy, no matter how convoluted the subject matter may end up becoming. “That is why Plato believed in absolute objects and perfect examples in the metaphysical realm. He believed that somewhere out there, in the vast open world, there was a perfect example of what a real-world object would look like from which all other objects based on that example would look like. If you have a table in your kitchen, then Plato believed that somewhere out there was the perfect table, one from which all other tables were based. If there was a perfect table, then there could be other perfect things out there, perhaps even a perfect human.” Jasper enjoyed the lecture being given by the professor. But as intrigued as he was, he still could not help but have his mind wander about as the world around the lecture hall started to contort around him. His head spun around to see the room and all of its students started to warp around him. Though he tried to suppress himself, he couldn’t keep it together. Everything began to warp and twist, his mind seeing things that weren’t there. But for as strange as things were, when the doors that led into the classroom burst open, something appeared that he believed wasn’t a hallucination. A young man charged into the room, his face red as he walked down the aisle towards Jasper and his newly made friend Sylvia. The man was perhaps the same age as Jasper, though he was rather lanky and tall. Jasper pulled his backpack away from the seat that he had been saving for him, his friend glad to have a seat so close to class just like how the two agreed upon. “Sorry for being a bit late, JC,” whispered the tardy young man into Jasper’s ear. “I was held up by traffic outside of school. You know how packed the traffic lines tend to get. Well, just my luck, an accident happened, and I had to wait it out.” Jasper was understanding, seeing as how there were some things that not everyone could control. “It’s okay, Lionel bro. I’m just glad you hauled ass while you could,” he whispered back. The whispers, though, weren’t silent enough to keep the professor from reacting. “Ahem!” the professor said as he cleared his throat, but more than anything as a warning to the students to not disturb the class. With the tardy student Lionel now in his seat, he pulled out his notebook to try and take notes from what remained of the class. Lionel James Lancaster was a good friend of Jasper’s, one who had been with him ever since the early days of High school. The young man was a very good friend and one who stuck by Jasper and all of his eccentricities. He even stood by him during the worst of his mental illness, allowing him to confide in another close friend. He was a down-to-earth and sincere young man, one who perhaps was passionate about many things. But underneath his quirkiness and gung-ho demeanor lay a man who was willing to do anything for others, and he was especially thankful for the seat his friend saved for him. Jasper was grateful for friends like Lionel, and he hoped to make another friend in the form of Sylvia. But despite being in between two people he knew, he just could not stop his brain from seeing the surreal and the supernatural. He turned around to see the students that made up the lecture hall, all a mishmash of heights and colors and shapes and sizes. He couldn’t help but notice those with extended necks who reached the ceiling, those who seemed much taller seat than they did standing. He saw those wearing sorcerer attire; mystics who practiced in the dark arts and were wearing clothes that showed their allegiance to the Dark Side. Some wore fanciful outfits of lords and noblemen and women who were of higher standing than others. There were even those who wore armor, those who were of wars that were long fought, wearing camouflage fatigues that showed off a warrior who fought in great conflicts between many nations who hated each other’s guts. There was such a great kaleidoscope of people of all sorts of backgrounds and origins. His perception couldn’t help but hyperbolize the inconsistencies that his psychotic mind processed. His perceptions perhaps saw in excess what was normal all along: a goth girl, a soldier-student in fatigues, those dressed in suits and fancier clothes, and those who still looked tall despite being seated, giving a good idea of how tall they were when standing. He turned his head to look at the lass to his right, the woman of fate he bumped into. Sylvia was looking on at Professor Peterson as he discussed more Platonic metaphysics and the ideas that the great Greek philosopher thought over two and a half thousand years ago. The woman was interested in the haggard old man full of wind as he bleated more and more about the past actions of great men. And it was at this moment that a familiar voice came to Jasper. Though he was not present in the room, he could hear the voice of HIM taunting him. “You seem to like this girl a lot, eh Jasper?” said HIM with a bit of a snicker. “She is rather fetching though, I must admit. She’d make for a great girlfriend.” Jasper frowned upon hearing these words. He didn’t like when HIM delved deep into his thoughts, bringing up whatever hidden things he kept stored away within his brain’s recesses. The voice would do this whenever he was looking at something else. “You ought to reach out to her when the class is over, Jasper,” continued the voice of HIM. “This kind of opportunity does not carry on for itself. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get to know her better. There wouldn’t be too much harm in that.” It was a shame too that Doctor Peterson was addressing his students while the psychotic voice was being heard, for Jasper was at his wit’s end and running out of patience. “It’s interesting that Plato thought about the metaphysical concept of perfect items that represented the real-world equivalence of that item. Can you imagine a perfect chair, table, or even a perfect laptop? I know my daughters would have loved one of those when- “ “Shut up!” blurted out a voice in the front of the class. The students laughed and snickered, perhaps noting how one student within the class was having enough of the professor’s monologue and wanted him to move on. But Jasper didn’t mean what he said. His mortified face said it all, and his embarrassment only proved to heat his collar even more. He could only look in shame at the Professor for blurting out as a result of his annoyance. He waited for the professor to look at him, perhaps giving him a stern talking-to or chastisement in the middle of class. But Doctor Peterson just smiled at the young man. He nodded his head, assuring the young man that there was nothing to fear. And to further drive his nonchalant feelings about the outburst, the professor turned to the rest of the class and said: “That is exactly what I say whenever my youngest daughter would also bug me about buying her the new iPhone when she was still a teen. Maybe I’m too old to understand this, but I don’t know the youths’ fascination with the newest technology.” It was then that a lightbulb lit. “The perfect iPhone, so Plato would muse. I imagine that every basic girl would love to own that.” The class once more burst into laughter, a good laugh to enjoy at an unfortunate outburst. “But in reality, my friend over there was just tired of listening to how Plato talked about the perfect table or chair. Not surprising that many people throughout history don’t understand what most would consider metaphysical bullshit, as did my yelling friend out there. I am over sixty years old and have a pedigree in classical philosophy, and yet to me as well this looks like Plato pulled this idea straight out of his ass.” The room burst into laughter, the professor proving to be just as efficient in comedy as he did in teaching. The lecture continued despite the outburst, and the Professor promised to stop talking about Plato’s metaphysics after this class. And with that, the lecture came to an end as he told the class to consult the syllabus for tonight’s homework and what to study through the night for the next lecture. Jasper, feeling horrid over what had happened, walked up to the professor to clear things up. “I’m sorry, Professor. I couldn’t control myself there. I just… I was…” The old man smiled as he looked at his student. “Think nothing of it, Jasper. I know of your condition. Hell, I was even able to make a few jokes because of it. I know that things can be difficult for you to manage. So long as you don’t do it intentionally, I’m perfectly fine with it.” But Jasper could not help but look on with shame. He would need to make sure to not go over the edge with his anger against HIM. For now, all he could do was walk out with Lionel, who asked him what the outburst was about. When Jasper replied that he felt off, the friend didn’t push it any further. Outside of the lecture hall, the friends came across the same young woman from before. Sylvia was looking at her phone when Jasper and Lionel came up to her. Once again Jasper felt embarrassed, having to explain to her what he went through as well. “I’m sorry about that, Sylvia. I just… tend to have outbursts from time to time. It’s just really hard to control my impulses,” Jasper admitted. “No worries, JC love. It all sounds rather personal, so I’m not going to push it.” But it seemed she looked embarrassed over something as well. “Um, Jasper… I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Jasper looked up at her, seeing her aquamarine eyes. “Would you mind if we shared numbers? I’ve been meaning to ask you if you could be my study partner for this class. I don’t know anyone else to turn to since we do have connections from that little accident we had out of class. Plus, Philosophy is not my strong suit, and you seem to know it well.” Jasper smiled. “I’d love to, Sylvia. Just give me a call whenever, and we can arrange a study session. Heck, I can probably help you with other things as well,” he offered. The newly formed friends shared numbers, and with that Sylvia went on her way to the library, leaving Jasper and Lionel to themselves. The friend, though, was a little coy with Jasper as to what just happened between them. “Nice job with the score, bro,” cheered Lionel. “You didn’t even have to ask her for your number, and she gave it to you. You gotta tell me how you do it, man.” “Shut up, you dolt,” griped Jasper as his friend snickered. Jasper told his friend about what happened earlier and what caused the strangers to be friendly. It was all rather curious for Lionel, and even more so when the man revealed the cause of his outburst. “Well, I guess it could be fate that you bumped into her, JC,” noted Lionel. “But I hope you won’t have an outburst around her next time. She might get the idea that you’re kinda kooky.” “Well, so long as HIM and the other crazies don’t give me too much of a hard time, I’ll manage.” It was then that Lionel brought something up that would be interesting. “So, what do you think of the School Union Club Meet tomorrow? Are you going to come and look at the clubs? I think that you’d enjoy joining a few of them if you’re interested.” “Dunno, buddy. I haven’t had my mind set on joining anything extracurricular.” Lionel then suggested one club in particular, pulling out his phone and showing t to Jasper. “Well, what about this club? They’ve been hitting it up and are getting popular.” Jasper saw an image of a man in something like a furry animal costume, with several other people wearing accessories and other items that looked like they came from animals. He knew what these people were, what they did, and was honestly surprised that the university would host a club based on them. “The Palo Verde Creature Club? So furries are coming to school?” wondered Jasper. “Yeah, isn’t it awesome? I’m planning on joining them tomorrow. They’re an out-of-school group, but now they’re becoming an official school club. They’re going to be having parties, joining in parades, and even hosting gaming events and other stuff. They’ve been taking off these past few weeks, and now they’re moving their base to the school.” Jasper was honestly intrigued. He knew of the furry community well, as well as the heavy stigma they have of being heavily sexualized and eccentric. But at the same time, he wasn’t one to judge a book by its cover. He hoped to see this club tomorrow and whatever craziness they were sure to bring. He wasn’t one to delve into fantasy too much, but he was willing to see for himself what this club was all about. Lionel, for one, was engrossed in this community, and he even identified himself as a furry. Jasper wasn’t going to judge anyone for wearing an animal costume, much less if his friends wanted to wear one. With this in mind, Jasper and Lionel headed off to the food court to grab a bite to eat. Chad was probably waiting on them, and Lionel couldn’t wait to tell him that Jasper hooked up with a girl without him even trying. But aside from that, it was going to be interesting about what tidings this club was going to bring. There were going to be plenty of clubs from which to choose. Whatever club Jasper would end up joining would have to wait till tomorrow when the event takes fold. And whatever would happen as a result of all these clubs coming together remained to be seen.
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