Narrative Shift

Dread filled Alisa's footsteps. The door opened onto a room with a long table. There was a steaming cup of unidentified tea on a table to the right of the door. It had her name on it.

6 people sat to either side. Their images were blurry, dark, yet distinct. For want of a better term, Alisa thought of them as demons. The opposite end of the table was still empty.

"Please, Alisa, we've been expecting you. Welcome to take the tea. It is a special brew," a deep voice intoned. Alisa was unable to determine the gender or the person who said it.

Arching an eyebrow with wariness, Alisa shook her head. Alisa did not trust the tea.

"Please, Alisa, we assure you, there is no harm in that tea." Another disembodied voice came through. It was telepathy.

"You've been expecting me because you summoned me to this meeting," stated Alisa, flat.

A flurry of darkness moved at the end of the table. Nothing but a void. "Yes. That is right. I summoned you."

"What do you want? You've made my life a living hell since birth. You lied to me. You used me. You tortured me. You experimented on me. You stole everything I have. You've been trying to kill me for years. You lied to the entire world about me to get them to do your dirty work. The world was too stupid to see that if you were in the right, you would have never needed to lie or bribe them."

"We did all this."

"What is the purpose of this summons them? Let's get this over with." Alisa took a dainty sip of her tea. The flavors were unfamiliar. It was sweet, nourishing. It was as if a glowing light was being poured into her parched soul. "You drink this?" Alisa queried.

"No," The head Demon disagreed. "It would destroy our makeup. We would cease to be what we are and become something different. Something unknown. Please, drink. There is more if you need it."

Alisa felt uncomfortable, standing before them. There was no chair for her.

Noticing her discomfort, the head Demon mentioned, "There is no need to sit. This is not a long interview."

"What's it all about then? You're going to kill me?"

"No. We would like to make you an offer, for a new life."

"What kind of an offer?"

"The offer that you have been asking for. The narrative shift. We scripted your life narrative to be negative. It's continued the entire way. We would like to script your life from behind our scenes for something positive. Something you aren't used to."

Alisa was suspicious. "Why? Why would you want me to live a good life?"

"We don't. We have, however, realized some things. You are a good person. We have done a lot of wrongs for no reason. It has come to our attention through you that without ensuring your survival, our survival is no longer assured. Others have confirmed this. It is as the messages you have been sending us."

"Why have you waited so long to come to me with this? I thought I was wrong. I thought you weren't hearing me."

"Ah, the problem has been with some of our communicators. They felt threatened by you. They did not verify the messages because they thought they would we would dispose of them if we listened to you. It is unfortunate for them because they are on the confirmed payroll. Their insubordination will deal them the fate they had wished to avoid."

Alisa smiled. Karma.

"Exactly."

Excitement thrilled through Alisa. "What is the offer, then? Will I be rich? Will I be famous? Will I be one of you?"

"No. You will remain yourself on the spiritual path you have chosen. We will give you the support you need. We will stop trying to kill you. We will stop trying to destroy your precious soul and a beautiful mind.

We ran some models on what would happen if we shifted your narrative to something positive. We ran models on keeping it the way we have been. We were quite surprised to find out, that every model we ran where we kept you oppressed turned out bad for us in the future. We ran models on what would happen if we shifted the narrative to the positive, gave you support, and made you a spiritual leader, doing your own thing. It turned out we have the best chances for survival in our future if we render you assistance and stop oppressing you.

This isn't how we operate as a norm. Your circumstance is unique."

Alisa considered what the head Demon revealed. It was incredible for her to receive confirmation. Alisa's intuition had been correct. Alisa attempted to take a dainty sip of the tea. Instead, she gulped it down. With immediacy, the cup filled back up with the glorious liquid.

"What is this?" Alisa requested.

"It is living water. Living water kills the dead. This is why we can't drink it."

"Ah."

"As part of the deal, we will also uncurse you." The head demon completed his offer.

"Good."

"So what do you say, Alisa, to the narrative shift we are offering. We must have your decision today."

"I have questions. How will you get humanity to fall into line with your proposal? There are things you aren't telling me." Alisa pushed forward. Another cup of tea rolled down her throat. It was the most splendid thing she had ever tasted. The cup refilled itself.

"We control humanity. We will nudge them. They will change. Even the most resistant of our creatures will shift their perspective on you."

Tapping her foot with impatience, Alisa eyed the head Demon.

"This is what we like about you. You aren't afraid of us. Yes, there are things we aren't telling you. We can't. We want your rise, your success, to seem natural to both yourself and the world at large." Came the coy reply.

Spluttering, "The world already knows the truth."

"The world only thinks it knows the truth. We tell them what we want them to believe. You know our methods, how we work. There are very few minds as strong as your own."

Silence ensued in the room. 13 powerful Demons on the planet were waiting to see whether she would accept their proposal. It was something she had wanted for a long time.

"Yes, I accept your help," Alisa agreed.

"Good. It will be slow, to begin with. The wheels we are operating have already started shifting in your favor. It will take time for you to witness it in your reality. You will see it manifest." Darkness coalesced for a brief moment at the end of the table. Huge horns, tipped with red, smoke flowing from the end covered the room. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Alisa. We will not meet again. Put in a good word to your Lord for us. Tell him, we are adjusting your situation. Dismissed."

Alisa awakened with a start. Sick, with Covid-19, in a hotel room, in Mombasa, Kenya, perspiration saturated the sheets. Alisa was sure she had been awake, not asleep. The dream, so real.

There was so much bureaucracy, paperwork, and uncertainty concerning her return trip to Australia. Anxiety filled her every pore.

The next several days passed without incident. Miracles happened. Alisa was able to board her flights home with her documentation. There were no problems with the airways, authorities, or governments. It was as if all the Demonic oppression she had been facing disappeared in an odd dream.

Never The End