What You Want

“Obviously not.” Zoe said. Gene was dumbfounded. What the- How? He couldn’t even speak. Or ask the questions he wanted to ask. There were just too many. Too many issues swirling around his head. “I know it’s hard to understand. Don’t worry, you were going to find out sooner or later.”

“I never had a sister. So why? Why did I think I did?” Gene forced some of his questions to come out of his mouth.

“The house. It’s haunted, remember.” Zoe’s answer was less than satisfying.

“That doesn’t explain anything. How could you even do this? Lying to people like this is… inhumane.”

“Thankfully, I am not human. I’m not even alive. Plus, did I really do anything as horrible as lie to you. You’re the one who believed I was your sister. Believing an obvious lie turns that lie into the truth. Or one could say it turns that lie on the person being lied to. Turns a person being lied to into a liar themselves.”

“Don’t just twist words. You lied to me. Simple as that.”

“Wasn’t it nice to have a loving little sister?” Gene didn’t respond. It was. He enjoyed it. The jokes, the augments, all of it. Something he’d never had. And now it was all a lie. Was that my lie? “It doesn’t have to be a lie, you know. Lies can always come true.”

“What do you mean?” Zoe started walking and Gene followed instinctively. As they kept walking down the tunnel the wax statues changed into a different person. This time all of them rejected replicas of Zoe. I guess she was expecting me to find out. Eventually the tunnel stopped at a dead end. But it wasn’t a dead end. As they walked up to the wall, a door knob formed on it and a door soon followed. Almost like it was growing out of the stone wall. “How’d you do that?”

“Not me. The house. I can answer any more questions you have after you enter the room. It’s easier to explain after you experience it.” Gene was uneasy but he had no choice at this point. He opened the door and entered.

“Wooo!”

“Yeah!”

“Come on!”

“Encore!”

“Gene! Gene! Gene!”

Gene entered the room and found a large theatre. The door led to the middle of the stage where he was immediately greeted by an uproar of clapping and cheering. Of laughs and whispers as he tried to compose himself in front of the crowd. Everything was dark except him. A single spotlight focused on Gene. The heat caused him to sweat. The crowd was obscured by the darkness but Gene knew these weren't regular people. They had to be like Zoe. Wax. Or something else absurd he hadn’t encountered yet. As Zoe walked in, a spotlight followed her. She walked up next to Gene and snapped her fingers. In one moment, the entire room stopped. A deafening amount of sound reduced to nothing in an instant.

“What’s going on?”

“We’re giving you what you want.” Zoe gestured towards the crowd. “They’re all here for you. Isn’t that great?”

“But… they’re not real.” Zoe’s face became unamused. She slapped Gene on the back as if to tell him to straighten up. What is up with her?

“Say something. Anything.” Zoe pushed him further upstage. The spotlight followed as he fell forward. He could see the front audience now. They were clearly not real. They were pretty good fakes but there was something wrong with everyone in the front row. Sometimes implacable. But always uncanny. Gene didn’t think about what to say. He really couldn’t in this situation.

“Hello.”

The audience shouted. Screamed. Hollered. Some rose from their seats to give a standing ovation. Gene knew this was hollow. It was clear as day. He’d just said the word ‘hello’ and he got this reaction. Imagine what I’d get if I said a sentence. With that thought he saw the trap. No matter how hollow it was, somehow it was enticing. All these people are cheering for you. Loving you. How could you deny that as fake when that’s all you’ve ever wanted.

Zoe clicked her fingers once more and the praise stopped.

It felt empty.

Gene felt empty.

Zoe clicked her fingers again and this time a projector started up. It began projecting onto the back wall of the theatre. “Here is what they’ve been watching.” Zoe said. The video showed every moment he had been in and around the house. The fence hopping. Him entering the house. He even got to see Zoe be formed behind his back as he was looking at the painting. ‘Was that security camera always there.’ He said. How naïve. “They love it. Look at them, staring intently at their star. Their celebrity. You. So how about you stay and be here? Forever.”

“But they’re not real.” It felt awful to say somehow. Like he was offending somebody. Obviously he wasn’t, wax doesn’t have feelings. “Why would they want this, you’re not human, you don’t even have feelings.”

“How mean of my brother to say that right to my face.”

“You’re not my sister.”

“We’re bored. Suddenly the house becomes haunted just because a few people go missing and now no one comes to visit. Nothing to do. But you can be our salvation. Our way of staving off the boredom. The house thinks so too. And so it's offering for you to stay.”

“The house?”

“The house controls everything around here. From our bodies to our minds. The world around us. The theatre was made by it. The tunnels. Even the manor. Although it needs some renovation.” The house is alive? With thoughts? Ideas? “Well now that you understand, will you join us? We’d all be thrilled.” Hushed voices could be heard in the crowd. The tension building. Looking for what Gene’s answer could be. Gene knew what he had to say.

“No.” Gene stepped towards Zoe and looked down on her. “This is nothing. You can’t entice me with cheap tricks, playing to my need to be recognised. It’s meaningless if it’s not real. If it’s not authentic.”

“What does that even mean? Authentic? Are your subscribers on YouTube ‘authentic.’ Of course not. Ones and zeros on a screen. And yet you came here trying to get those ones and zeros anyway. Was that all a waste?”

“At least they’re real people on the other side.”

“Not necessarily. Bots. Scammers. Even the real people are all fake in some way. Warped by the nature of the internet and expressing themselves counter to how they feel. Anonymity allows for such personality changes.”

“You’re making fun of me.”

“I’m not! I think it’s admirable. To be there for an audience even when they can never be there for you. A wholly sacrificial act. As each audience member eats a part of you away. That’s what we’re asking of you. We hoped you’d understand.” He did understand. But that didn’t mean he had to sacrifice himself. But then again. What am I sacrificing? What life am I losing. Maybe, even in this hoax of a world, I can finally be something. Someone that people like. That people respect. And maybe that’s better than nothing.

Even admirable.

“Fine. I’ll do it.” Gene said

Zoe grabbed Gene's hand and dragged him off stage.

“Then let’s go home.” They leave through the fire exit and end up outside. But not outside. It was like a strange model of what the outside looked like. With paint on all the walls depicting the sun and the birds and the trees. Facsimiles of nature. The area was clearly modelled after a classic American suburb. Everything was pristine and proper. A massive contrast to the house above them. Gene continues to follow Zoe through the area, walking several blocks until they get to their destination. Of course it was one of those suburban houses. “There’s a surprise waiting for you inside.” Gene entered the house without pause. As soon as he did, a wave of nostalgia hit him like a truck. It was the smell. A smell of childhood. A smell of the food his mum used to make him. He walked into the kitchen to see a woman cooking. There was no mistaking it. This wasn’t a trick like last time.

“Oh you’re home. How was the show?” It was his mum.

“I assume he did great given his facial expression.” His dad said from the living room next door. Gene had to hold back crying. He couldn’t be seen crying in front of his parents. They’d certainly berate him for doing so.

“What’s wrong Gene? Are you ok?” His mum stopped cooking for a moment and hugged him. The first hug he’d had with his mother in years. He couldn’t hold it back anymore. He didn’t have to hold it back anymore. This whole place was for him. He cried. He cried like a child cries. Into his mothers arms.

“Thank you!” Gene said. Zoe walked into the house and went upstairs. “Can I… see my room?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t you be allowed to?” Gene shrugged and left his mothers arms. He ran upstairs and opened the door to his room. It was just as he remembered it. From just before he left home. They’d kept it just the same. And one more thing.

Miffy.

In a cage next to his bed was his pet bunny, alive and well. He could tell that she looked happy. He immediately opened the cage and took her out. He didn’t even need to become friends with her again. He just petted her and she responded in kind. Cutely snuggling as she used to do all those years ago.

This is good. This is right.

As he moved his hand away from Miffy he saw the white stains on it. The wax that had come off of her fur. Looking down he could see the similar stains all over his shirt.

Of course. It’s not real. It can’t be real. But this is better.

This is what I want.