This story is based on the ending of the book, I'm trying to imitate Palahniuk's fleeting, jumpy style here, and feedback would be sweet. If you watched the movie and haven't read the book, I doubt you'll appreciate this. If you read the book but haven't read the movie. Dude, watch the movie. But for those who are interested, the book closes with Jack in a medical facility he refers to as "heaven" this story starts here.
You wake up on a white bed and soaked sheets, sweating.
they say, it's the new meds, we're trying a different approach. the discomfort will pass
fuck you
look up, they say. this won't hurt a bit
fuck you
and you feel it, nothing more than a bee-sting. Man-made sleep. Sweet 20 mg salvation.
You wake up in heaven. but you remember, faintly, that there are snakes, amongst the angels.
You wake up on a white bed in pain, unable to move, unable to sleep.
looking up. Marla. where's Marla?
You wake up in paper street.
This is my greatest nightmare: that all of this has been a dream.
In paper street I walk through the gardens and up the porch and right up to the door and I put my hand on the knob, and, trembling, twist
Sweating, swearing, trashing you wake up and you see a nurse standing over you. Not the beautiful angelic kind of nurse, the man nurse. Complete with the broken nose and the missing teeth and as he leans over he whispers
"Mr. Durden, it's almost time, sir."
The first rule of Project Mayhem is you don't ask questions.
I want to say fuck off, fuck you, don't fucking start with me again
but I can't talk, and all I can do is look up
and he winks
You wake up with your hand on the doorknob, and as I open the door I don't bother to peek inside to see if he was there waiting for me. Tyler Durden.
because he was.
I know this because Tyler knows this.
Tyler. still the same. The Great Constant. "you're going at it wrong," he tells me, smiling, "pride was the original sin. wrath was just his baby brother."
"all this anger you're feeling is you touching almost touching bottom. Let go. you're so close."
I say, you're dead. I killed you.
he asks me, "what part of we're not really going to die did you not completely understand?"
I am jack's trembling legs.
He says "you had your moment of perfect, but that's all you can really expect from it"
Looking me straight in the eye, he asks me if this was worth all the effort.
The answer is yes, but I don't have to say it.
Tyler knows this because I know this.
Looking me straight in the eye, Tyler tells me that it's time to pursue our next great perfection. That it's time to return to return to the good fight.
Saint Tyler, patron saint of the deconstruction of civilization
and, looking me straight in the eye, Tyler smiles, and he says
"I want you to hit me as hard as you can."