A Lack of Lecture

Isaac was there. He was waiting for me.

I need to start at the beginning. I decided to check out that "Snapshot Simplicities" class, because it looked so weird. I like seeing weird things - that's why I've seen almost every David Lynch movie.

So, Sunday at 4 p.m., I went to the public library. It's only open until 5 p.m. on weekends, so I figured the class must be very short. There was a sign next to a room that said "The 4:17 class," so I opened the door and walked inside.

And there he was. He had his back to me, but I could tell it was him. He was writing something on an old-fashioned blackboard. I was going to walk out, but he said, "Hello, there. I knew you would come."

"How?" I asked. "How did you know I would be here?"

"Because," he said and turned to me. "You are the narrator, after all. Of course you would be here." On the blackboard was written "PANTHEISTIC SOLIPSISM." "I'm sorry I had to deceive you. This is not a class, there will be no lecture here on mind or body. I merely wanted to meet you again. To see  you and tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"All things are real," he said and smiled. "Even if you made them up, they are real. Your monsters, your Fears, they are real. They exist."

I stood there and clenched my fists. This cryptic bullshit was really starting to get on my nerves. "Do they exist like I exist?" I asked.

"You do not exist," said Isaac. He turned back to the blackboard and flipped it upside down. On the opposite side of the blackboard was written in large block letters:


NOTHING EXISTS. ALL IS A DREAM. GOD - MAN - THE WORLD - THE SUN, THE MOON, THE WILDERNESS OF STARS - A DREAM, ALL A DREAM. THEY HAVE NO EXISTENCE. NOTHING EXISTS SAVE EMPTY SPACE - AND YOU!


I turned and ran from the room, from the library, and kept running until I was blocks away, my breath lost, sweat streaming down my cheeks.

Why is he doing this? Why?