"Oh, hey!" The young woman's eyes brighten, ushering in a cheerful smile as she sets her sights on Joab carefully making his way through the bustling church foyer, "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show, I'm glad you came!"

  Despite still feeling a little out of place, he can't help his own shock at how quickly he's beginning to acclimate,

  "Yeah, I, uh...it's good here, good people."

  "Absolutely! So, have you, um...given 'it' any more thought? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

  "No, it's fine, I...I think I wanna try it again."

  Excitement takes ahold of Izzy's soft features,

  "Oh, that's great to hear! It's far less frightening the second time around, I promise."

  Joab forces a smile,

  "I'll hold you to that."

  "Challenge accepted." The young woman chuckles, slipping an arm around her friend's as she guides them both into the auditorium along with all those beginning to file in.

  A little jolt of excitement zips through Joab's veins at the gentleness of her touch, having not at all expected it but not the least bit offended, either.

  ...oh, she's such a cute, sweet little thing, he muses as she finds them both a seat, wondering if he'll be able to pay attention to the sermon this time around.

  After only a short moment, the same speaker from the week prior makes his way up to the front of the gathering and begins with an opening prayer,

  "Father in Heaven, we come before you this beautiful Sunday morning, many of us for different reasons: for some, it may be curiosity, for others, it is merely habit. Some of us are undoubtedly here because of a genuine desire to learn about you and to know you more...for others, however, it may be born of desperation, a desire to escape the darkness...to be rid of one's own demons..."

  A shiver runs down Joab's back, not one of fear but, rather, bewilderment at the man's words...words that almost feel pointed, in a way. The preacher continues,

  "For whatever our reasons may be, Lord...may this service, the words spoken here and the church itself be a blessing to all those gathered here and beyond. Help us, strengthen us, shape us, perfect us, make us to be more like you that we may be the light of the world that you have called us to be. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen."

  "Amen." The crowd responds in unison.

  As the man begins the sermon, Joab starts to lose himself to his thoughts,

  ...I swear, it's like the guy knows...knows about my struggles. It was probably just coincidence, I imagine everyone here has their own issues they're dealing with too, but...something about his words felt so weirdly...specific? Targetted? I don't know, man, maybe I'm just overthinking this...

  He glances over at Izzy, whose beautiful hazel eyes are fixed forward,

  ...or...maybe there's a bit more to this whole spirituality thing than I thought...

  Nah, come on, don't be ridiculous, it's all just tall tales and superstition...

  Yeah, 'tall tales and superstition' that you apparently felt compelled to come back to.

  No...I'm here for her, that's really it. She's the closest thing to an actual friend that I've had in...I don't even know how long. Weird and kinda outlandish as she may be, I think there's a chance that she might be able to help...and if there's a chance, it's worth a shot.

  With that, the young man manages to pull himself from his thoughts and focus his attention ahead, sitting and listening quietly for the rest of the service.

  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ * _ _ * _ _ * _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  "Alright...are you ready?"

  Joab looks up from his reclined position on the couch, taking a gander at the dying sunlight beyond the nearby window before glancing over at the clock,

  ...6:15...hope this doesn't take too long.

  The afternoon he had spent with Izzy had been nice; the two had talked for hours after the sermon, undoubtedly goaded by their multiple cups of coffee. Though he wasn't quite confident enough to say it out loud, she was the first person he had met in a long time that made him feel heard...made him feel like a person. That alone incited a certain kind of attraction to her that he hadn't felt for anyone else...an attraction built not on lust or fleeting infatuation, but on something else entirely, something that in many ways felt more pure.

  He breathes deep, filling his lungs with the calming lavender air,

  "...yeah...yeah, I'm ready."

  "Alright." She smiles warmly, dimming the lights and kneeling down near his head,

  "Dear Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance and protection once more as Joab takes this brave step of humility in his journey towards the renewal of the spirit. May your power and your presence keep him safe, Lord Jesus, may your conviction and conscience give him sight, Holy Spirit, and may your infinite glory forever be on him, oh Lord..."

  Over the next few minutes, as Izzy continues in prayer, Joab begins to feel a familiar sensation, one that might be confused with sinking as he begins to drift into that same semiconscious state from before. His eyes, though closed, are bombarded with shifting colours and shades as his consciousness drops into itself, the world shifting around him as he is once more enveloped by his own mind.

  He breathes deep and opens his eyes, met once more by ankle-deep snow and endless pointed mountains surrounding him on all sides, their icy peaks glinting beautifully in the daylight. He fights off the nervous shakes trying to take him as he forces his breathing into submission. It's all so strange...but not as frightening as the first time.

  "It worked, I'm back at the same spot again."

  "Excellent!" Izzy's muted voice echoes through the district, "How do you feel?"

  "...strangely a lot more calm than the first time."

  "In my experience, that's pretty normal; it's a lot less scary when you know what to expect."

  "Fair...it's still pretty freakishly surreal, though. Are...you gonna be with me the whole time?"

  "I can help guide you to the best of my ability but it's important to remember that you're essentially in an active dream state...the further you drift into your mindscape, the less likely it is that you're going to hear me."

  "...I was worried you were gonna say something like that."

  "You are one-hundred percent in control of the situation, Joab...don't ever forget that. If you want to practice waking yourself up, we can."

  He furrows his brow, turning to face the enormous resort behind him, "I'm an impatient man with a lot of issues, Izzy...at this point, I'm fine with throwing caution to the wind. I'm going in."

  The young woman's voice further begins to fade as he starts off towards the large wooden double doors,

  "Remember that I'm here with you the whole time...you've got this."

  The door immediately gives way as the young man approaches and gives the frigid handle a solid tug, the icy, opportunistic wind taking advantage of the opening as it rushes in with him. A horribly unsettling silence seizes the air as Joab takes his first step inside, the door gently closing behind him with a quiet click. Before him stands what looks to be a kiosk, empty and unmanned, its rustic, wooden appearance blending in seamlessly with its surroundings. Unsure of what to do, he makes his way over to the desk, noticing a thick, weathered sign-in book sitting atop its raised counter. Open in the middle, he notices his name, seemingly pre-written, with a sign-in timestamp of 6:19pm,

  "...that's...a little off-putting."

  He looks up from the pages, his eyes exploring the entryway and foyer as he acquaints himself with the new space. Many of the walls sport photos and paintings, even a few television sets, which seem to be cycling through pictures and snippets of recent memories, places he'd been, conversations he'd had. Almost intimidated by the surrealism of it all, he then takes notice to the many ashtrays, empty bottles and bill notices strewn about the nearby seats, couches and coffee tables.

  "How relevant..." he states flatly, more annoyed by the reminder than anything else, "You still there, Izzy?"

  Silence. He takes another deep breath, steadying himself,

  "...guess not."

  Resigning himself to solitude, he begins to make his way about the ground floor, examining every little detail about the place. The photos and paintings decorating the walls were just as topical as the feeds on the TV screens; some showcased his apartment, others recent days on the job, some were merely of people who had crossed his line of sight but had left enough of an impression to stick. Rather impulsively, he finds himself on more than one occasion checking the bottles laying around in the vain hope that one might not be completely empty...with admittedly predictable disappointment. Eventually, he happens upon another set of large double doors with a subtle golden trim. According to a nearby sign, they appear to be the entryway to a dining hall of some sort, and the prospect of food begins to gnaw at his still unsettled mind,

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  ...I certainly wouldn't say 'no' to a meal right about now...

  Disappointment once more reigns supreme as he tugs on the handles, finding them to be locked tight.

  "...of course."

  As he turns around to leave, he notices a stairwell a little ways off, peering out from behind a corner he had previously passed. Without much of a reason to stay on ground level, he starts to make his way over to the steps, stopping just before ascending them. They seemed ever so slightly darker, as if lit by weaker, perhaps older lights. He once more takes a deep, steadying breath,

  "...well...nowhere to go but up, I guess."

  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ * _ _ * _ _ * _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  The unnerving quietness did not let up in the slightest, not when Joab reached the top of the flight nor after. Hesitant, but determined, he warily begins to explore the first upper level, finding its layout to be a little less sensical than the main one. Between the slightly inconsistent hall widths, odd placement of decorations, as well as the occasional random alcove, he couldn't help but wonder how much the theoretical architect had had to drink before designing the place.

  ...better start identifying landmarks, he warns himself, ...don't need to be getting lost in my own mind, now.

  It does not take long before he begins to notice something different about the paintings and photos present. The depictions within conjure up memories, not distant ones, but ones far enough to have been borderline forgotten; from his previous car to an old conversation he barely remembers having, to stores he has no recollection entering. He narrows his eyes at a number of these whilst passing them by, a quiet suspicion beginning to grow slow.

  After what feels like about a half hour of wandering, he stumbles upon a peculiar sight: positioned roughly halfway down a dim section of hallway sits an open doorway, out of which spills clouds of steam and a pastel pink glow. Anxiety immediately trumps the warm and welcoming visuals as his thoughts turn to what Izzy had warned him about earlier,

  ...lights on, steam billowing...God, there's somebody in there, isn't there? I was really banking on the whole face-to-face thing not happening, but luck does not appear to be on my side. Ugh...whatever, let's get this over with...

  Reluctant but determined, he slowly approaches the open door and peers inside. A rather cozy collection of small steaming pools and interconnected lazy rivers lay before him, the channels winding and twisting around before exiting through a threshold in the far wall, appearing to continue on into another room. The pools bubble and churn gently, the largest one at the center bubbling and roiling with flower petals. There is not a soul in sight.

  "...alright, then..." he breathes warily, "...lights are on, but no one's home. Thank God."

  Right as he begins to turn around, to his dismay, the water in the large center pool no more than ten feet from where he stands starts to stir.

  ...please, no...

  The already bubbling surface becomes increasingly agitated for but a mere moment before suddenly breaking, droplets flying out in all directions as...

  ...well...here we go.

  Slowly, the figure of what looks to be a woman begins to emerge, floating up above the waters' edge as if weightless. Her complexion is strange...pastel blue, complemented by long, wavy locks of silver-white hair that seem oddly dry for having just been submerged a moment ago. Joab wears a look of uncertainty as he gazes upon this new being, clad tightly in black, with ankles that come to strange, tapered edges where feet would've otherwise been...

  ...what in the world was he looking at?

  The figure floats upwards at a slow but steady pace, far enough that her head bounces gently off of the low ceiling. Seemingly startled by the sudden sensation, the woman's eyes immediately snap open, a gentle seafoam green hue radiating from within her irises. An unexpectedly cute smile grips her as she sets her sights on the young man,

  "Finally," She exclaims, "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show!"

  Despite the beauty of the strange woman, her mere existence in this place sparks an edge of irritation within Joab,

  "Who the hell are you?"

  Slowly, the woman begins to levitate closer, her eyes now half-lidded as her tone becomes almost sultry,

  "I...am every desire you have ever had."

  The young man, impatient and completely unimpressed, resumes his turning away, angling for the exit,

  "...byyye."

  The woman's eyes snap fully open once more, her voice now tainted with slight desperation,

  "W-wait, wh-...I'm not lying."

  For a brief moment, Joab stops, peering back at the figure with a tired disillusionment,

  "...yeahhh, but I don't exactly get the impression that you're giving me the whole truth, either, so...y'know, you're real cute and all but you're sketching me out, so...byyye."

  "Wait! I-" The being attempts to protest before dropping her head in awkward defeat, her demeanor deflating a little as she fights off a subtle blush, "Okay, yes, I admit I wasn't exactly giving you the whole truth..."

  Joab holds his silence, reluctantly allowing the being a chance to explain herself. She continues,

  "I am indeed every desire you've ever had...just not necessarily any of the wholesome ones."

  "You're lust."

  "...w-well, I mean-"

  "You're lust; it's like that whole 'Seven Deadly Sins'-type deal...right?"

  "I mean, it's a little more complicated than-"

  Joab can sense his frustration growing as he becomes increasingly agitated,

  "You've got blue skin, you've got white hair, you've got glowing green eyes, you're dressed like a...slut, no offense...you look like a friggin' succubus. You're lust, just admit it. Don't insult my intelligence; I have neither the time nor the patience."

  The woman seems to shrink into herself a little more at the slight outburst,

  "O-okay, yes...that's what I am, you are right on the money."

  "So, what are you doing here?"

  "...this is your mind, isn't it? Isn't this where desires are kept?"

  "You know what I meant. I mean how are you here, sta- ...floating...in front of me, talkin' to me? For a mere figment of my imagination, you seem weirdly sentient...if I didn't know any better, I might even say you were alive."

  "...what do you mean?" The being replies, visibly confused, "I've always been alive."

  "Okay, y'know what? Forget it." Joab shakes his head, throwing up his hands in frustration as he once more makes his way for the exit, "You're wasting my time. Au revoir, you freak."

  Having seemingly not caught on that the interaction was over, the woman begins to float after him, following closely behind,

  "So, where are we going?"

  "Look, lady, maybe you don't speak French; I said 'goodbye'."

  The being pauses for a split second, appearing to have clued in,

  "Okay, but...you don't really wanna be a lone wanderer in this place, do you?"

  "I think I'll manage."

  "B-but this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you're literally inside your own mind...that's nuts! No one in here ever honestly considered that this could ever happen...they all said I was crazy."

  "...you think maybe they have a point?"

  Quickly, the woman zips around in front of him, clasping her hands together pleadingly,

  "Oh, please, let me tag along, it would mean everything to me...pleeeaaase, Joey!"

  "Don't call me that."

  "...right, sorry."

  ...what a weird little pest, this one is, the young man muses, weird and annoying, but...kind of endearing, in an odd way, I guess...

  He lets out a slow breath, composing himself a little more,

  "Look, I came here to do one thing and one thing only. I get that you're looking to make friends, but I'm not your guy...I mean, you seem real friendly and all, but I really don't have time for any of this."

  The woman sprouts a little smile, floating on ahead as if leading the way,

  "I agree; so let's not waste any of it!"

  Joab pinches the bridge of his nose, coming to terms with the likelihood that this entity isn't going to leave him anytime soon,

  "Ugh."

  "My name's Jezee, by the way." The being suddenly states, turning mid-flight to face the young man as they start down the hall.

  He lets out a sigh, trying to find his manners as he relents a little,

  "...it's...nice to meet you. You seem to already know who I am."

  "Yyyup! I've known you ever since you were just a teenage boy; changing, learning, becoming. Oh, you've grown so much in so little time, it's really quite something."

  "My teens, huh? I suppose that checks out, considering the whole 'lust' thing."

  "Yeah, about that...I'm not actually lust. Among a few other things, what I am is sensuality; totally different...w-well, sort of, I-I mean, they go hand or hand, but they're not really-"

  "Did...did you just say 'hand or hand'?"

  An awkward silence sits between the two, their momentum slowing. The woman seems almost hesitant,

  "...yeah, why?"

  "It's 'hand in hand'."

  The look on Jezee's face screams embarrassment, try as she might to hide it,

  "...right...right, I knew that."

  "Uh-huh."

  "No, really, I did!"

  "Oh, I believe you."

  She huffs through narrowed eyes and unintentionally adorable pouty lips,

  "You think I don't know when I'm being teased?"

  "I didn't say that."

  "You- wh-"

  Flustered, the entity sighs, dropping her head in momentary defeat once more before quickly looking back up, quickening her glide as she rejoins the young man down the hall,

  "Hey, wait up! I might float everywhere, but these thick thighs don't carry themselves."

  "...good to know."

  For a moment, the air between them again goes quiet. Joab relishes the brief respite for as long as it cares to grace him, praying the hovering chatterbox isn't around for too long before he can figure out how to deal with her...

  "Sooo...where are we going, anyway?"

  "You already asked me that."

  "Yeah, but...you didn't give me an answer, you just said something about French and then started down the hall."

  "Okay, well, I'm not exactly familiar with the layout of this place, so why don't you tell m-"

  "W-wait, not familiar? But this is your mind, how could you-" Jezee suddenly gasps, covering her mouth as she begins to radiate with excitement, "Wait, this means I can give you the grand tour! Yes!"

  "...mercy."

  "What?"

  "Oh, um...mer?i. It's French for...'thank you'." The young man replies through nearly gritted teeth, trying to hide his growing irritation.

  "Oh, you're welcome!" The oblivious entity replies, motioning in the exaggerated fashion of an enthusiastic tour guide, "Now, if you'll just follow me this way..."

  Joab breathes deeply, trying with all his might to abstain from uttering anything cruel. Jezee wastes no time as she continues,

  "So, first thing's first: the levels. You've already been through the lobby...at least I assume?"

  "Yes."

  "And you know what it is?"

  "Do...do I know what the lobby is?"

  "Yeah!"

  "Wh- ...we just acknowledged what it is."

  "No, silly, I mean metaphysically; it's your conscious mind."

  The realization hits Joab like a metric ton of lumber, silencing him for a short moment. Perhaps the strange woman had more to offer than he originally thought...

  "...that...explains a lot." He replies in a quietly bewildered tone.

  "Mhmm! And these upper levels are your preconsciousness; the higher you go, the farther back into your mind you go, so to speak."

  "Are there any lower levels?"

  Immediately, Jezee's excitement takes a hit,

  "Y-yeah...yeah, there are."

  "You seem uneasy."

  "Hmm? Oh no, I'm very easy- I- I- I mean, um-" the woman's stuttering is brought to an abrupt halt as she suddenly gasps and stops mid-air, reversing directly into Joab as she attempts to back up. The young man's surprise is muffled as he finds himself smothered rather close to her prominent backside.

  A fierce blush takes ahold of Jezee as she hastily puts a few feet of distance between them, just as embarrassed as she is startled,

  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

  "You're fine- Er...it's fine- I- I mean..." Joab lets out an exasperated sigh as he finds his composure, "It's alright, it's okay. What made you back up so suddenly?"

  "Oh, um...Lily's room is coming up...we should probably go the other way."

  Without offering even a second to respond, Jezee quickly tries to take off back the way they came, only to be caught around the waist as the young man grabs her,

  "Well, just hold on, you flighty little lady; what's the big deal?"

  Her nervous expression speaks volumes,

  "Um- Lily is...well, she...she isn't a nice girl...at all. Being around her is exhaustive."

  "You mean 'exhausting' ?"

  "W-well, yeah...same thing, isn't it?"

  "...yeah, I suppose."

  "I just don't want her to notice us, that's all."

  "How many of you live here, anyway?"

  The entity thinks for a second, counting on her fingers,

  "Five...at least that I know of."

  "...and you represent sensuality?"

  "Yeah!"

  "Do all the others under this roof represent different behaviors, too?"

  "Mhmm."

  "...including Lily?"

  "...y- yeah..."

  "Well, then I'm gonna have to meet her."

  "W-what? C-can't we just skip her? Please?"

  "No can do, Jezee; it needs to happen. I'm on a mission, here."

  "...ohhhh." The woman groans worriedly.

  Joab, finally beginning to feel something other than pure annoyance, attempts to reassure her,

  "Hey, don't worry about it; you can brag about not being crazy and being the first to see me...right?"

  Jezee's tone seems to shift a little more towards optimism,

  "...I guess that's true..."

  "Right then. On we go."