Sunny was bored. It was Saturday, and there was nothing to do in the city. Like usual. He had done all his homework already, and his mom wasn't going to drive him to Faraway Town this weekend.
Deciding that he didn't want to sit all day, lest he slip back into old habits again, he decided to go to the library and get ahead on reading some of the books that were needed this semester.
The library was a dusty building. Old, some would say quaint, others would say decrepit, but certainly not anything close to modern.
Sunny liked it. Had a unique atmosphere. It was better than one of those filler made ones.
The librarian was an old man, named Barry. He was kind and helpful, though his eyesight was failing him, and his back was aching, so Sunny decided not to bother him and to search for the book alone.
While he was looking through the dusty shelves, he saw several interesting tomes, so he took them as well. He could never read enough. At least while he did it, he would be lost in someone else's imaginary world, not his own, a grim reminder of the prison it served as.
After half an hour of aimlessly shambling around, he miraculously found the book he needed. Dante's masterpiece, it was, the Divine Comedy.
He sat down at a table near a window, the afternoon sun illuminating the wood of the table in a way that enhanced it's beauty, giving it a look like the his old treehouse in a lazy summer afternoon.
But, as Sunny sat down, he noted that some very rude fellow left a book at the table. It was unlabeled, green hardcover book, that didn't look like anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps it was someone's diary, where they wrote all of their thoughts and comments on the books they read.
Seeing as it had no name on it's front, Sunny decided to open it to check the first page, hoping that it contained the name of the owner, so he could return it.
He lifted the cover it with an appraising eye, noting the slight yellow tinge the paper had. However, instead of finding a name, or perhaps the simple title of "Diary", all he saw was a simple sentence.
"A hero is born." it said. A quirky introduction, Sunny dismissed it, and flipped to the next page. Then to the one after that. Then flipped the page again, and again, and again, until he was at the end of the book not having seen another letter. It was completely blank.
Weird, he thought, but did not dwell on it further, leaving it just as he found it, and began reading the Inferno.
He didn't think of the book again, only remarking it to Barry as he exited the old building.
He went back to his apartment, and after eating dinner with his mother he fell asleep.
WELCOME TO WHITE SPACE
You don't like it here
He awoke once again in his own Hell. There was the notebook, the tissue box, the laptop, Mewo, and the door.
But there was something else too. There was a creature sitting near Mewo, petting it. It had the form of a man, but it was not a resident of Headspace. It wasn't anything from Black Space either.
It was something new, something alien, SOMETHING unwelcome.
Barely thinking, he realized that there was a third person too, though he knew this one rather well. Omori came from the endless fields of white, with a knife in his hand and rage in his eyes, his original purpose back in place: to serve as Sunny's ears and eyes and hands in Headspace. And right now, Sunny was rather angry that he was back here.
He tried not to think of Headspace. Tried not to slip back into fantasies, tried not to reject the boredom of his daily life so much that once again wouldn't be able to tell the difference between fiction and reality.
Sometimes he awoke here, in the White Space. But there was no door. Headspace was a thing of the past, he didn't need it anymore. That's what he told himself.
So, this, creature, this SOMETHING just dragging him back didn't sit right with him at all, didn't sit right with him that he wanted it so much, and thus Omori became FURIOUS.
"Hello, young man." and Sunny knew his name just like he knew that Headspace lay on the other side of that door "It is great seeing a new person after being alone for so long." said the Book Keeper. Seeing it's sorry expression, Omori halted, though his knife was still poised ready to strike at any moment.
"Please, excuse me if I awakened any unpleasant memories. I just wanted to create a world for you to adventure in, and your mind is the most imaginative I ever saw. I couldn't help myself, pouring all my energy into this, though the credit should go to you instead." Omori still looked suspicious, but Sunny was a tiny bit intrigued. Finally, an adventure. Just what he was waiting for.
You're going crazy. Like an alcoholic drinking a liter of vodka after being sober for a month.A second inner voice remarked, much like Omori's. It was the one he labeled the voice of truth.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the Book Keeper. Whenever somebody reads my book, I am able to go into their dream the next time they sleep, and create a fantastic adventure for them from their own imagination."
"There is no adventure to be had in this place." Sunny told him, but more than that, he told it to himself.
Keep it together. You don't want to fall back into it.
"It is sad that my you don't want to explore this world I've created, but if it is your wish I shall concede." the old man sat down, disappointed.
Sunny took pity on him. He wasn't malicious, just overenthusiastic. He sat down next to the old man, along with Omori.
"So, we're going to just sit here all night?"
"Oh . . . no, if you're not interested in an adventure, I suppose there is no need for you stay here." He felt a bit guilty, ruining the old man's cheer like that.
"Well, even if I don't want to go on an adventure, you could still tell me a story if you wanted to." the Keeper's eyes lit up, his mouth pulled into a smile.
"I'd be happy to do so."
The Book Keeper told him a long story of a long forgotten land, where the youngest prince, so often overlooked, was the only one who risen to the challenge when his brothers failed to do so. Only he was able to trudge through dark forests and endless caverns, only to reach the land of fairies at the end, where he slay the seven-headed dragon. Even after all this, when the fairies told him that they could make his any wish came true, his only one was for all of the people in his kingdom to have a long and happy life.
By the end of it, Sunny barely remembered that he was in White Space, his life's trouble's were forgotten, and it was with a smile he waved goodbye to the Book Keeper.
Then he woke up. Brushed his teeth, showered, had a quick breakfast then went to school. Stayed there for hours, boring lectures that he barely paid attention to.
Wouldn't it be better to be the prince? he thought. He could be, he just needed to get the book.
Stop this. Don't fall back now. This is exactly what we want to avoid, falling back into fantasy, remember?
He knew, he knew he should try to stick to reality, but damn it was so hard when everything was just gray, when all reality had to offer was monotone days in monotone lives.
That afternoon, Sunny went back to the library. The book was exactly where he left it. He didn't open it, he didn't need the fantasies, but just in case. Plus, wasn't he doing a favor here, to the people? Stopping from poor kid from ending up like him? Yes, it would be safer if the book stayed with him.
AN: I realized that if I never publish anything because I fear it's not good enough, I'll never be able to improve. So, here. It could be better, sure, but I think it's good enough.
For now this is but a oneshot, because I don't want to feel bad for not updating. I have some ideas for continuation, but again, no promises.
