"This HAS to be purgatory. It’s too dark to be hell, or heaven for that matter, BUT FUCK ALL IF I’M SUPPOSED TO KNOW!!!!"

Ryan’s eyes opened, once more gazing upon the black void. For a while he had thought maybe he was still dreaming and that he would wake up. He discarded this notion after a lengthy amount of time had passed. He was now certain that after he had died that he had been sent to purgatory, the waiting room of the afterlife.

He found that his clothes were intact along with his glasses, but everything else he had on him before were gone. He tried various things in search for any kind of response from his environment, or possibly even his host from before. Yelling had only left his throat hurting. More purposeful self inflicted pain like pinching himself did not wake him as he heard it could. He tried walking for as long as he thought he could take, becoming frustratingly bored. He did notice that he never tired though. This is how he came to the realization that for as much time he seemed to have spent here he still wasn't hungry, thirsty, or had to use the bathroom. He had no physical needs to fulfill, nowhere to go or anything do, and no clue what this place was. After walking had also failed to lead him to an answer he sat down, still utterly confused that this place had a floor, and simply thought.

This is where we are now.

"Maybe this is what happens to everyone when they die, just ending up in their own endless eternity."

He had taken to speaking out loud to keep himself slightly more coherent.

"Sounds morbid, but hell if I have anyway of knowing. It's not like I have a manual."

...

"It'd be nice if I had a book, or a clock so at least I can tell how the fuck long I've been in here."

He turned to his side and closed his eyes.

"Fuck it, I might not NEED to sleep but naps should help pass some time."

He laid still for a long while, trying to fall asleep. Twenty minutes later it seemed that he didn't just not have to sleep but could not sleep at all, no matter how hard he tried. After getting into several more comfortable positions to try and catch the elusive Z's he let out a sigh and stood up.

"...Fuuuuuuuuuuuckkkkkkingggggggggg shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttt-aaaaa. Now I understand why everybody wants to live forever."

A sound like whipping wind scared him from his frustration and made him turn to look for its source. Behind from where he stood a faint blue glowing blob could be seen. He could feel a small gust coming from it, the origin point of the sound. Being cautious he waited a moment before approaching. As he watched a discernible form could be seen starting to take shape from the blob. It looked to be some kind of horse creature with appendages not normally given to earth equines.

("I think that's a horn...glowing too...A unicorn? That glow must be magic then. Not sure what's on it's sides. I just hope it's here to help me. Maybe it's how god has chosen to appear in front of me as. If nothing else, could keep me company if doesn't know how to get out of here too.")

With the idea that this new being could help or even just stave off the near infinite boredom that this place embodied he began to approach it more. By now it had almost completely materialized and he could start making out the finer details.

("Wings? That's a pegasus right? Then either unicorns and them have always just been the same thing or this is some kind of super version. Like a fusion monster. Or I've really have gone completely insane.[-It was bound to happen at some point.-] Unhuh. At least it's dark blue, my favourite color.")

He came to stand right in front of the now completely materialized horse. It had it's eyes closed and seemed to be concentrating intensely, it's horn glowing a similar shade to it's fur. He stood patiently, not wanting to make it angry or frighten it. Mythical creature or not he still had no idea if it was sentient. It's head came to just under his, its horn likely reaching past an inch over his head. From the long eyelashes and slender form it gave off a distinct female vibe.

("A girl then. I never thought a unicorn-pegasus could look so feminine, might just be that if there's more it's how they all are.")

Her horn’s glow faded and she stirred, slowly opening her eyes and peering about her. Instantly she was looking straight at him. She seemed to lock up, her body rigid still and her eyes widening their already huge selves to even greater lengths. Clearly surprised and not moving, Ryan ventured to make the first move. He grinned broadly and raised his hand to wave.

"Hi, I have no idea what's going on and am really hoping that you do. I guess I should introduce myself first though, I think proper manners should always pervade even in this endless hell. I'm Ryan Kumen. Nice to meet you."

("A bit blunt but simple to follow.")

His grin was nervous as it was and only grew weaker has he got no response. She looked to have calmed her body but was still not moving. Not breaking visual contact her eyes returned to normal size (for her anyway) and she now looked to be contemplating something. She finally looked away closing her eyes again and taking a breath. She turned back to look him eye to eye and gave a smile.

"Forgive us for our poor behavior, we were greatly surprised by your...appearance. This is the first time we have witnessed you in full. We believe you have introduced thyself and we shall do the same. We are Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria and guardian of the night. It is a pleasure to finally meet you properly, Ryan Kumen."

Ryan was thrown off by this. Her being able to talk isn't that big of a stretch, her being royalty though he did not foresee. He scrambled to bow.

"I'm sorry princess, I wasn't aware of who you were. Please forgive me for my not having paid you the proper respect." ("DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT!!! She has a crown you dolt! How did I not notice it?! It was one thing before when she was just magical but now she's a PRINCESS! If I don't treat her right she'll probably leave me here for the rest of eternity...")

Luna seemed surprised by his sudden action, taking a slight step back.

"Please rise Ryan Kumen, we understand that you would not be privy to the fact that we are of royalty and even so we do prefer that our subjects be able to feel comfortable around us. We...I like to walk among the common ponies and be treated as one of them, rather than be looked upon as a creature higher than them. I would like to expect the same from you, that you would come to consider me a friend."

Ryan tentatively looked up from where he was bent over.

"A friend your highness? If I may, I can understand wanting to be accepted by your people, but I'm a stranger from, I believe, another world. Why would you want me as a friend? You know nothing about me, plus I'm just a nobody. I'm not royalty or a noble. I'm not anyone special."

This seemed to only agitate Luna. Angrily looking down at him her horn began to glow again. Ryan felt himself being lifted up in the air and the world take on a blue tint. He kept his calm appearance not letting her know of how he felt of the sudden levitation.

("FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK SHE'S GOING TO SEND ME FLYING AND SPLATTER ME LIKE A BUG OHGODOHGOD")

He was back on his feet before his mind could go on. He was standing at full height again, looking confusedly at the royalty. Luna proceeded to poke a hoof into his chest.

"I may not know you in the least, but you are far from nopony. I will not tolerate others belittling themselves, and if I must say this to you ever again then I’ll make you noble just so you will not be able to say so. It is a very hard life one must live if they do not have confidence in their own self and I will not have my guest do as such. You are no lesser than me nor I greater than you, and especially here of all places we are equals."

She was now right in his face, hoof still poking him. He was flat out confused by how aggressively she was going for this. It wasn’t exactly how he imagined meeting another sentient species or royalty would go.

"I’m sorry?"

Luna backed off him and lowered her hoof.

"It is fine, just do not speak of thy self so lowly. It is a great personal grievance of mine when ponies speak of themselves in such a way. I know what it leads to and wish to help others away from that path. Just know you may speak how you wish and do not need to act as though a manticore will attack you at any moment."

(“K, first what’s a manticore? Second, why do you care about how I think of myself, and third would you please slow down and let me get a grip!? Ugh whatever, I think I can start getting some answers now.”)

“Well, I won’t talk like that again. Um, so do you mind if I ask you a question?”

The Princess seemed to be calming down and smiled again.

“Of course, it would be silly if you would have none.”

“Okay, well here's my first one. You seem to know about this place, would you tell me about it?”

“Ah yes, I should have known that would be your first question. I suppose the best place to start would be with how I myself am here. As I said before I am the guardian of the night and as such can enter others dreams to help them with their nightmares and give them guidance, for their dreams echo the realities they live. Nightmares and simple dreams with notable problems tend to derive from the troubles of real life, and as the ruler of night it is my obligation and honor to protect and assist them through their night terrors. While any unicorn trained enough can do it, it comes much more naturally to me, even entering your dreams was of no terrible effort after I knew what to expect. This is how I am able to be here, though the first time I tried to enter your dreams specifically was while you were still of your own world, if you would remember."

"Okay...Yeah I remember, you were coming in all weird and fuzzy. Wait! This is a dream? Does that mean I'm sleeping now?"

Luna went quiet and nodded.

"So...I'm not dead?! I'M STILL ALIVE SOMEWHERE?!?!"

"That is correct..."

Luna looked hesitant and did not meet his gaze. Down cast eyes, mouth pulled tight into a frown, and the tilt of her head to the side told him that couldn’t be anything good.

"...and I'm guessing there's a "but" to this sentence?"

Luna couldn’t help but giggle at his wording, downtrodden as she was by whatever news she had to give him. Matching his gaze with determination, Luna spoke.

"When I had brought to my world you were in a...less than favorable condition, most of your body paying host to some form of shrapnel, the worst of which being a shard of metal in your back. Your right leg was far beyond anything we could do and had to be amputated. You must believe me when I say that me and my sister had our best doctors try and help you, but we simply knew too little about your species. We tried using healing spells on your body but their effects were minimal. We can keep you alive for about a week as we have you now, but without an expert on what you are there is nothing we can do beyond that."

Luna let Ryan absorb this at his own speed and sat on her haunches, dutifully waiting for his response. Ryan meanwhile was beyond stunned,completely paralyzed even in his emotions, feeling nothing but cold.

("So I’m going to die anyway, it’s just gonna take another week. And I’m being kept alive in a whole other world.")

He put his hand to his face as he thought.

("That means that even if by some miracle I live that I might not be able to go home. Which would mean no more living with other humans, never having kids if I ever wanted any, living with these horse creatures, basicly restarting my life. Mom will have to fend completely by herself with Andy to look after. Andy will ask her why both me and dad are gone since he was knocked out during the crash.")

He flinched, pupils shrinking, as his family came to his mind.

("SHIT! I forgot about them…-Like it matters to you anyway-...What are they gonna do without me?-Probably a lot better-I should have been worrying about them to begin with! Damn...I could still make it home.")

He started to rub the bridge of his nose just under where his glasses would sit.

("-It's not like you really cared about them anyway-I don't how long it's been, just that it's definitely been a crap load long. If it hasn’t been too long I should be able to make it back without much trouble.")

His body felt like it was starting to be squeezed.

("Or would they even want me back…-They would say they do, but you know that people don’t always know what they want. They don’t know that their better off without you-I can still find a job, help around the house, I just need to get back.-To what? Sitting on a computer and looking at the long list of application rejections? To being no more than a room filler that your mom has to feed? To hurting them?-")

He let out a small gasp as tears threatened to spill.

(-”Face it, you know that their better off with you gone, dead or alive. Just so long as you’re no where near them, especially Andy.”-)

Luna watched as Ryan brought both his hands to his face and slowly sank to his knees, thinking now would be the time to try and comfort him. She rose from where she sat and walked to Ryan. She laid down on her stomach next to him and draped a wing around him. He did not protest, a sob being his only response.

"I know that it may seem hopeless Ryan, but there is a way to save you yet. It's a dangerous gamble that could kill you regardless, but it at least has the chance of saving you, where as simply sitting does not."

Ryan lowered his hands from his face and let his arms drop to his sides. He held his look at the ground, tears freely flowing.

"It doesn’t matter, I don’t have any reason to live anymore now."

Both of Luna's wings shot straight out as she stared once again wide eyed at the grieving teen. Taking a moment to gather herself she draped her wing over him again, though a bit tighter this time. She felt a jolt in her own chest due to him talking like this again, but she knew that she needed to be comforting now rather than angry.

"Ryan, we just spoke about this way of talking. I understand that this is extremely troubling but as long as you have a chance I see no reason to give up hope."

Ryan only sunk his head lower in response, sobs being the only noise he made. Luna used her magic to grab Ryan's chin gently but firmly in her grasp and made him look at her.

"Ryan Kumen, I wish nothing more than to help. I have seen the many regrets of my subjects and believe I could offer advice, but you need to speak with me if I am going to be of any help."

Ryan tried to pull away but Luna kept his head in place. He was forced to look at her. She wore a stern yet concerned look, not wavering in the least as she silently pleaded with him. Obviously he could not avoid this. He closed his eyes and took a few shuddering breaths.

(“I...I can’t tell her the truth. Not the whole truth anyway.”)

"Okay...I'll tell you."

She let go of his chin and let his head turn away.

"Very good, go on."

Taking one last breath he began.

"When I first got here I was confused, not sure where I was. I was in a bad crash and had just gotten my mom and brother out when a drunk kicked our car over with me still inside. The last thing I remember before I got here is my mom's face and the feeling of being pulled. And until just now that was the last time I thought about her, or my brother. All I cared about in all the time before you came was about what was going to happen next and how boring this place was. It wasn't 'till you told me I was going to die again that I spared them a thought. Not once did they cross my mind before. For as long as I've been here all I've thought about was myself."

(“-Yeah, that does sound a whole lot less worse than “It’s because I realized that I was certifiably insane and shouldn't be near anyone in a thousand kilometer radius and it’s for the best that I’m going to die.”-)

Luna didn't know that he had only told her part of the story, but she did know how to help with what he had told her. She put on a gentle smile.

"And you feel that you have done them a great disservice. That you deserve a punishment for doing so. Ryan, I know that the guilt that weighs upon you when you have wronged those who are close to you is like that of the world itself, but if you wish to rectify it, then all you can do is ask them for forgiveness. And you cannot do that if you give in now, correct?"

Her words still made him feel better, even if it was for much more guarded reasons.

"And that you feel such remorse now after realizing shows that you care a great deal, even now. Hold onto that and use it to try and make yourself better if you truly believe you need to do so."

Ryan tears ceased. He still felt like he was being constricted, but it was not as bad as before. He wiped his face of moisture, working up the strength for a small but genuine smile for Luna, who who returned with sympathy.

("...She’s right, I can still get home and make it better.")

Ryan got more comfortable and sat cross-legged. They sat in silence for a moment, Luna retracting her wing. After collecting himself some more he grew anxious as not one or the other knew what now to say.

"...Sooo what now?"

"Hm? Oh yes, I was telling you about how we might still be able to save you. Do you think you are ready to hear this now or do you still need a moment? I imagine that you want some time to consider everything thus far. If so we could talk of other things a for the moment."

He gave it a brief thought.

"I'd like that, but you said there wasn't much time. Are you sure we can use it like this."

"Yes I did, but it is only one day, you may take some time to help cope."

"Alright, if you’re sure. So what else is there to talk about?"

“I could tell you about how you actually came to be here.”

“Yeah, that would be nice to know, if you don’t mind.”

"Then let me explain. As I said before I tried to contact you back in your world."

"Yup."

"I was trying to enter your dream as I have now, only then it was from another world. I had great difficulty conveying what I wanted and wished to try again the next time you fell asleep."

"...So you wanted to stalk me in my dreams?"

Luna blushed deeply, opening and closing her mouth soundlessly.

"It was NOT stalking as you say! I fully intended to introduce myself once I had been able to make a better connection."

Ryan was laughing loudly, Luna turning her head away and pouting still with that blush. After calming himself he address her.

"I believe you, really, but what made me so interesting?"

Luna huffed and looked back at him, the barest hints of a blush still on her cheeks.

"Do not be offended but it was not you specifically that interested me, but your dreams themselves."

"My dreams?"

"Yes. I can look into the world of dreams and see the slumbering musings of all my subjects, even to some extent, look past the walls of reality and glimpse others. I was making my rounds until I spotted something peculiar. It looked like a dream like any other, a floating cloud with a view into the sleeper’s dream, but a closer look revealed that inside was a living blackness. It appeared to be moving of it's own accord. It captured my interest and for the next few nights I would come back to it after making sure that my subject’s dreams were safe. I would return to examine it and try to discern what it was."

Ryan looked very lost.

"My dreams are a...black monster? Does this mean that we're in it’s stomach?"

"Tis...not truly a monster. It is your subconscious that we are in. Commonly one’s dreams are made when their subconscious is allowed to think freely with higher functions put to rest, but it would seem that yours remains void."

Ryan tilted his head.

"So I don't think when I'm asleep?"

Luna thought of her answer for a moment before revealing her thoughts.

"Yes and no. During sleep the subconscious pulls all the recent thoughts that have been preoccupying your waking mind and begins to file the away into your memory. It is believed to be one’s way of trying to understand what they have learned during the day. Yours does not do that. You are asleep traditionally, but with no memories for your subconscious to use your dreams have no form or shape. The movement that I have glimpsed might be a sign that your subconscious is active, just with no real thought to create with."

Luna hoped her explanation would not be overly complicated for him. Not many ponies study how sleep works as she did and those who do tend to say that it is one of the hardest subjects they have undertaken.

Ryan held a bit of a far off look before he hesitantly looked to her.

"So you could say it's like people's brains are picking up building blocks, information, and at night their subconscious uses those blocks to make dreams. My brain has those blocks, but my subconscious doesn't use them. Or something like that?"

("Please let that analogy work, I don't need "Sounding like an idiot" to be added to the list of things I've done in front of a princess.")

Luna gave an unreadable look for a moment as she mulled over what he said, bobbing her head a little with a low hum and eyes closed.

"That is a very good way of putting it, yes! I am really rather impressed by how quickly you grasped it."

Ryan was grinning more genuinely now but wanted to tell Luna something.

"Thanks Luna, but you don’t have to try and make me feel better."

Luna was once again surprised but tuned narrowed eyes towards him as she immediately understood what he meant.

"You think that I'm complimenting you simply to make you feel better?"

Ryan now being the surprised one slowly nodded.

"You don’t need to worry so much about me, I’ll be fine now. I won’t go crying again, promise."

Luna’s face twisted into a scowl, and her gaze sharpened.

"I would have you know that I do not lie to simply make others feel better for their self. One can not improve upon their mistakes if they are not told of them. I truly think that you have a great deal of ability to comprehend things with greater ease than others, no more, no less and if I desire I will tell you so. Now if there is anything that can be considered wrong with you it is this: You think too lowly of yourself. You have damned yourself to such a lowly position and fear much to greatly of hurting others. You must understand that you will not hurt others for simply voicing your opinion."

Luna sighed and backed off of him.

"It such a short time I have come to hold you in great interest. You have surprised me, aggravated me, and so on. If only I could see into that funny little head of yours, I could acquire the answers to the many questions you have raised."

Slightly dazed Ryan heard himself talking before he could think.

"It's because you just met me. Give it time and you might think of me every once in awhile at best. I just don't want you worrying so much about me before the appetizer effect kicks in."

Luna perked her ears at this and gave him a curious glance.

"The appetizer effect?"

Ryan turned away, cursing under his breath.

("Damn it, why did I have to say that out loud.")

"Yeah...you see, I try the best kind of person I can be-"

(-"Because you don't want them to know that you’re a psycho if you tell them what you're REALLY like."-)

"-and when you just start getting to know me I am. I have interesting things to talk about, I'm polite and honest, and I try to think of you first. I hate leaving a bad impression. But the problem is-

("-That nearly everyone who sticks around longer might start figuring out how fucked your brain is.-")

"-that I don’t have much more than that. If it's not something I already know about you'll be the one to do all the talking as I just sit there and listen. If it costs too much then I can't come with. I'm still nice and all that, but that's it. You get me to talk for a bit about some interesting stuff here or there and then I'm done, nothing more to me. At least anything worth while."

("-There's plenty more, you just don't want them to go running and screaming.-")

"That's why I call it the appetizer effect,I seem alright at first glance, but I don't have much more to offer. I still have my friends, I'm not THAT out there-"

("-Because you keep it all in here. Or you try to anyway.-")

"But I know people like you, people that have so much more...well just EVERYTHING. Talent, smarts, athletic, or something like that. They can't stick with someone like me without having to give up that potential. If I have any of my own then I've lost trying to help others keep theirs. Even if my friends try to stay, I'll push them away. I'm not gonna let them try and help me if it's just hurting them. You're a princess. You just don't have any reason to stay and help, it's not worth the effort."

Ryan part way through his tell had looked at Luna again. She was not sure what to make of this. She put great care into what she said next.

"I am going to slap you if you keep this up."

"I'm sorr-..wait, what?"

"For some strange reason you keep insisting on talking that way about yourself. If this now is your “appetizer”, then I am only more interested than ever in seeing your “main course”. Honestly you are the most unusual thing I have ever seen, but I’ve always liked solving puzzles."

Ryan blinked, then he laughed. He wasn’t really wasn’t sure why Luna was so interested, but he was going to complain if he could get a new friend, even for a little while.

"...Thank you. I’m still not convinced myself, but I’m not gonna argue with a princess."

"Think nothing of it. It is a pleasure in itself to help others."

Ryan wanted to say something again but couldn't. He wasn't sure if there was anything left to say. He just smiled bigger than ever at the welcoming princess. This did not stop some questions from entering his mind though. With everything touchy-feely out of the way more practical problems came back to his mind. He gave her a funny look as he tried to word it in his mind.

"Luna, do you mind finishing how I got here?"

Luna blinked at the sudden switch in topic but obliged quickly.

"Right, of course. Like I had said I had been watching your dreams for a while, about three weeks, when I decided to try and enter them. Unlike most dreams where it feels as though I am passing through a thin veil, this felt as if I was trying to push my way past some denser form of water. I had thought that due to the strange nature of your dreams that it might be easier to enter them as nothing would try and fight against me but I quickly found that you were a great further away than I had thought. This is why I had appeared to you the way I had."

Luna looked to Ryan questioningly. He didn't say anything, so she went on.

"As you can guess, this piqued my interest. I was pondering the inscrutability of thy dream when I saw your soul begin to fade. A black cloud appeared in place of your dream cloud. They are the last thoughts of a fading soul. With haste I looked to find what I feared most. They were indeed your thoughts, I being able to recognize your voice by our earlier conversation. You were fading fast and I had little time to think clearly. I decided that despite how little I knew of you that you had shown no ill will and I should try and help you. Using my magic I put as much power into my spell as I could and tried desperately to take hold of you. It took longer than I would have liked but I managed to grasp you through the realm of the sleeping and pull you to our world. I had brought your whole physical body over, meaning that you appeared in our real world, rather than the dream world. Your mind had gone quiet but your cloud still remained. I quickly awoke before that could come to pass."

"I sent many of my Night Guard out to find you, as transporting a living being from one world to another is something I have never personally attempted, as well as informing my sister of what had happened. She assisted me and sent out guards of her own to help in finding you. Has it was you were in the royal gardens, hanging from a tree."

Luna shuddered at the memory.

"Your were in dire condition. We rushed you to the medical wing of the castle as fast as we could, but...there was little we could do. As I said before there was not much we could do. We know next to nothing about you anatomy, our best doctors having to make educated guesses about how to handle parts of you and what medicine would be safe to use on you. Normally we would use magic to help in the healing process but your body seems to resist magic to a degree. It does not outright reject it but the effects are weak at best. I had not noticed earlier because me having brought you over here would have been a draining task even if your body had no resistance to magic."

Luna eyed Ryan for a moment before she took a deep breath and went on.

"As of right now your condition is as follows: Your right leg had to be amputated, all of the known bits of glass and metal have been removed from your body, most of your smaller cuts and bruises were healed, the larger ones being bandaged, a large shard of metal has paralyzed you from the waist down and there is the other internal damage that the shard has caused, you have also lost copious amounts of blood. We tested some of your blood and found that yours doesn't match any type we ponies have. Right now the only thing keeping you alive is the continuing efforts of our best unicorn healers. With three of them shifting work hourly and consistently casting healing spells upon you, you have at the very least another week to live. It was after we had done all that that we had thought of a way to help you, but the results even if successful would be life changing. We had decided that I should try and contact you in your comatose state and relay this information to you before we went through with it. That leaves us where we are now."

It was a long story to get through but not a single word of it was lost on Ryan. After Luna had finished he had closed his eyes and gave a breath himself, running a hand through his hair. Luna ventured a question.

"Were you able to comprehend that all? Is there anything you would like me to repeat?"

"No, I got it all the first time...So I have at least another week to live. There's still that other way right?"

"Yes, it's the reason I'm here, to talk to you about it."

"...Could we wait to talk? You said I could spare a day, and I need...time to think."

Luna stood up, giving him a smile, readying her horn with the same blue aura as before.

"One day to contemplate would be acceptable, though I advise you do not delay any further. I shall leave you to your thoughts and inform my sister of what we have talked about. I will return the next night. We can not afford to waste much more time after this."

Ryan was nodding his head when he remembered something and scrambled to his feet.

"Before you go, I have one more question."

Luna let her magic fade and nodded for him to continue.

"I...wanted to know if this is how I'll always dream from now on. Just me sitting in nothing until the next morning."

Luna smiled.

"Do not fear, this is just a result of my magic’s effect on you, me having used so much on you that even your resistance could not fully stop it. Once a length of time has gone without more magic being cast on you they will return to how they were."

Ryan nodded.

"Good. That's all for now I guess...Thank you again Luna. For everything."

As again Luna's horn came alive with magic she tilted her head and smiled wider.

"But of course Ryan. We are friends after all. Until the new sunset."

Ryan waved as Luna vanished in a flash of blue light.

"Until then..."

Ryan laid down on his back, hands crossed behind his head. He stayed like this for a great length of time.

("...I don't know if being insane would make this better or worse.")

Author's Note

*Edit: Re-proof-read by WrittenWord333.