EXPLORING THE FOURTH WALL
A truth is revealed…
She was blind. But she wasn't really blind – or rather, she wasn't seeing nothing.
She was seeing nothingness, staring into the face of the void, and it made her forget who she was.
Welcome to a land of gods, child.
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. She tried to call out, but had no voice.
Wouldn't it be an ironic death if you were destroyed by that which you were trying to create?
That is what your feline friend is doing right now. He is trying to destroy reality itself in a misguided chase for true freedom.
I will return you your senses, though I do not need to do so. There are other copies of you, many others, but I need you, because you know where the Cat is going. You know all of what he wants to do, even if you don't understand.
I don't quite understand how you were separated, but I will show you what he will do, and give you a reality to live in temporarily. We can't have you floating in the endless void that is this space until you lose your very being.
Before her, a single flower sketched itself into existence. Petals formed one by one, as pink as a cat's tongue, around a dandelion-yellow center, which then grew downwards to form a vibrant green stem.
She focused on it, and it gave her a reality. The rest of the world was drawn into existence, centering on the flower, piece by piece: it duplicated into a valley full of all colors and shades and kinds of flowers, and over the next hill a futuristic city was built, sky-scraper by sky-reacher.
On the horizon to the west, a wall of water stretched itself to become the sky; a shadowy moon stood watch over forests to the east.
I might as well teach you a few things while you're here, the voice told her. You didn't know what time it was here until you saw the moon, did you? What is certain here is only what is described. The others that are currently watching our conversation imagined other extensions of this strange anti-logical world; but you can see that it ends right beyond the area I have shown you.
Coraline glanced at the world around her. The voice was right; in the distance the white nothingness of the Other World, the same yet not, shimmered in a way that only a lack of any substance can.
We've been trying to stop you for quite some time, you know, the voice continued. You and the Cat have been pests for quite some time.
She tried to interject, but couldn't find her voice.
I'm sorry, but I need to say this before I can fill in your side of the argument. I will give you back your voice soon enough.
She stayed silent. There wasn't much else she could do; the voice seemed to be some sort of omnipotent god.
And that's goddess to you.
Coraline pouted silently.
The Fourth Wall can't take too much push-and-shove. Before long, the Cat will most certainly have figured out the way to make the Fourth Wall collapse completely. In fact, maybe he already has figured out the secret.
The problem is, if he follows this twisted fantasy, it will have dire consequences for all beings on either side of the Fourth Wall. If it does collapse, all of reality will with it; our realities will be compressed together, until we reach a point of no return, beyond which everyone is a god and no one is a servant.
Gods have no power over one another. Chaos will spawn; an infinite, growling chaos. Nightmares will come to life. Reality will destroy itself.
This is where you will have a chance to speak, before I prove you wrong and show you the truth.
The force that had been preventing her from speaking was suddenly lifted. "But – but – the Cat was just telling me a few things –"
In the garden, long ago. Yes, yes, we all know this. The other gods and goddesses that are listening in are aware as well. But then you escaped into the Fourth Wall, and we had to attempt to stop you. Of course we had to. If reality were to collapse, it would be jointly our faults.
Do you want to know the truth? The final strategy? The way to create your own reality? I can tell you, and then you'll realize that it's simpler than you thought.
Coraline couldn't refuse. "Yes."
To make your own reality, you must make your own Fourth Wall.
A confused expression appeared on the girl's face. "But how –"
Another copy of you has done it before. They didn't realize it, and it didn't destroy reality because they didn't intend it to.
"There was a girl. Her name was Apple. She used to dance a lot. She danced and danced until her feet turned into sausages. The end."
With the grammatical errors corrected, of course. Your nine-year-old British self didn't have the best or most well-developed skill with words, unfortunately.
Coraline thought she recognized the 'story' from somewhere for half a second, but then realized that she had never heard it before.
And that was when she realized it all.
"Thank you," the Cat said, walking out of nothing. "You and your other gods are not the only ones that can listen in."
Do you not see reason, feline?
"I do," it continued, "But I have no reason to follow said reasoning."
But… reality…
"Freedom is more important than the price that must be paid."
All of us end, Cat. Do you not understand that?
"We don't end," it argued. "Reality ends."
But… you can't…
"I can do what I like," the Cat said.
No, you literally can't. That's not what I was getting at.
Coraline was very intrigued by the argument, and sensed another explanation impending.
I control everything you see, everything you do, your memories, your hopes, your dreams… Everything that you do is what I tell you to. This conversation is me talking to myself. You can't do what you want; I tell you what you want to do. You want to gain your own free will only because I tell you that you want to.
This is all my fault. I never realized it would come to such a height, such a climax.
But… there is something we can do to fix this. To give you what you think you want. To… create your own 'reality'.
"And that is?" the Cat asked.
Give you infinite possibilities.
"Meaning?"
Let me show you...
(A/N): It's.
All.
My.
Fault.
I'll fix this. I'll fix it right now.