Emily
Is this the Rhys Lakes University "Scohlarship Line?"
Emily
Sorry, I know that sounds weird.
Emily
I was told to text this number at 3:15pm with my essay reponse.
Dr. Kline
nothing weird about it
Dr. Kline
my name is dr. kline, "head of admissions"
Emily
Oh sorry. Emily Tyler. Nice to meet you!
Dr. Kline
emily: real quick....you don't have to write these messages with perfect punctuation and capitalization
Emily
I've never done something like this before.
Dr. Kline
not many students have
Dr. Kline
i want to read the real you
Dr. Kline
stop apologizing please
Emily
I can do that, I'm just really netvous
Dr. Kline
now...if you're writing to this #
Dr. Kline
you must be following the instructions in our new catalog
Dr. Kline
which means the essay question on the table must be: "How will your education at our University make a difference for society?"
Emily
First, let me discuss the main issue I am focusing on. In my opinion, our most important issue as a society is the struggle to come to terms with diminishing global resources.
Dr. Kline
let me stop you there
Dr. Kline
that's nice and all but is it really what you wanted to say
Dr. Kline
anyone can write a "perfect" response
Dr. Kline
and say the "right" things and jump through the "right" hoops
Dr. Kline
we're not looking for a trained show dog
Dr. Kline
we're looking for something different
Emily
Not sure I understand, then
Emily
Uhhh Like, really stand up? For real?
Dr. Kline
yes for real. don't waste my time and i won't waste yours...not a sec to waste
Dr. Kline
if you're at the address I think you are, i want you to look out that small window on the far right side of your house that's facing the street
Dr. Kline
1141 maplecrest drive
Emily
No no I mean yes that's my address but what are you doing?
Dr. Kline
DONT waste my time, emily
Dr. Kline
look out the window and youll see a woman in a black dress across the street
Dr. Kline
with an umbrella
Dr. Kline
are you looking
Emily
Are you messing w me? don’t particularly like pranks
Dr. Kline
you're the one that texted us, does our school seem like a prank to you
Emily
i always heard freaky rumors about your school
Dr. Kline
we do things a little differently, but that's what it takes to be on the cutting edge
Dr. Kline
DO YOU SEE THE WLMAN
Emily
Jesus, yes. I do. What do you want
Dr. Kline
emily. this is where I'm putting you to the test a little...you need to go with me on this journey, okay
Dr. Kline
you play along or you can fucking forget it
Emily
some "administrator"
Dr. Kline
i don't think you're thinking clearly, don't think you want to "f this"
Emily
uhhh why am i putting up with this? why wouldn't I just go somewhere else
Dr. Kline
RLU offers an unsurpassable program for an individual like you
Dr. Kline
You know this to be true
Dr. Kline
if you do as i say, dearest emily, and you PASS this...examination...you get in free
Emily
why should I believe you? I don't even know you
Emily
you hardly seem creditable
Emily
and i’m a lil suspicious of these overly “ominous” messages
Dr. Kline
i can give you the names of about ten other places that'll eat your PLAIN VANILLA RESPONSE right up
Dr. Kline
YOU called at your appointment time
Dr. Kline
YOU are looking at the woman i said would be there
Dr. Kline
it's not up to me, the head of admissions, to prove to you, Random Emily, that im "creditable"
Emily
Ok...so I'm looking at this woman, so now what?
Emily
Do I need to bring anything?
Dr. Kline
actually, that's a good question
Dr. Kline
i want you to grab a roll of tape
Dr. Kline
and grab whatever's the first knife you see in the kitchen
Emily
Ok nm this is not for me
Dr. Kline
perhaps not...well then goodbye
Emily
OK I'm going to the kitchen
Emily
I have all that stuff
Dr. Kline
she can't see you have it
Dr. Kline
if she sees its over
Dr. Kline
if you show any sign of fear it's over
Dr. Kline
just follow my instructions
Dr. Kline
cross the street and go talk to her
Emily
Crossing the street to the lying lady
Dr. Kline
her name is brigitte
Dr. Kline
tell her you have something for her
Dr. Kline
she can't speak, she has paper and she will write down what she has to tell you
Emily
thought she was a liar
Dr. Kline
mutes can still lie
Emily
Her handwriting is terrible...
Emily
I don't know if I can make it out...
Emily
The way she looks at me
Emily
But this looks like a map
Emily
there are a bunch of arrows
Dr. Kline
do you trust the arrows
Dr. Kline
even in most lies theres some kernel of truth
Emily
Well I recognize this square of benches i think
Emily
And she drew a bunch of trees, one of them...
Emily
It looks like a knife's sticking out of it
Emily
The arrows are all wrong though
Dr. Kline
she thinks she knows people like you but she’s wrong about you
Emily
Well I know these benches and trees
Emily
It's in the little park right by here
Emily
I can almost see it from here, but there's mist everywhere
Dr. Kline
you don't have much time
Dr. Kline
txt me when you get there
Emily
The fog is hanging over everything
Emily
Like it wants to swallow me up
Dr. Kline
what do you see
Emily
the tree she drew is the tree I always used to climb
Emily
when I’d play in this park with my grandpa
Dr. Kline
do you miss him?
Emily
How would you know he’s passed
Emily
yes, he was an adventurer
Emily
anyway, pretty sure this tree never had a door painted on it before
Emily
it looks like a door
Dr. Kline
if it looks like a door
Dr. Kline
well then make it a door
Emily
Giving away like play-do
Emily
Theres no more wood inside, only darkness
Dr. Kline
only gets crazier
Dr. Kline
emily, you should not feel obligated to continue this examination
Dr. Kline
only if you dare
Emily
Dr. you’re not my dad
Emily
I can make decisions for myself
Emily
tbh it was always the normal world that felt crazy to me
Emily
at least I have a purpose right now
Dr. Kline
just it’s important to mentally prepare you for the unpleasantness ahead
Dr. Kline
this world as you believe you know it is about to become stranger than youd ever imagine
Emily
I like you dr., with your vaguely threatening msgs
Dr. Kline
ok before you go into the tunnel
Dr. Kline
you're going to have to feel along the walls
Dr. Kline
down into the stomach of the passages below
Dr. Kline
but i tell you now you must keep your phone off
Dr. Kline
it must be off until the room with the red candle
Dr. Kline
the people there...
Dr. Kline
you will hear them snuffling about in the dark
Dr. Kline
they react to light
Dr. Kline
the glow of a phone
Dr. Kline
if they see the light they will catch you and it's over
Dr. Kline
one more thing:
Emily
I'm at the red candle
Dr. Kline
really? that's excellent
Dr. Kline
not many have made it
Dr. Kline
didn't you smell it?
Emily
and don't tell me stuff like that
Emily
abt ppl not making it
Emily
Anyway the candle, there's these bits of rolled up paper on the table
Emily
I think it's another map, but they won't stay flat
Emily
But I have the tape so I'm gonna use that
Emily
It's a map of...sounds I guess?
Emily
I've never seen anything like it
Emily
"For Those Who Are More Than More" it says, then it’s arrows to words and words to arrows to...sounds
Dr. Kline
i can see you are
Emily
You’re watching me? Where?
Emily
I’ll let you know when I get to each word, ok
Emily
The “drip drip” it leads to a river
Emily
the river leads to these grinding stones, which
Emily
Where is whistling wind coming from so far down? anyway
Emily
This flame, I'm looking at it but it sounds like no fire I've ever seen
Emily
but it matches the map
Emily
I don't know what's making this rustling
Emily
Or this gloppy flapping above me
Emily
I don't want to know
Dr. Kline
some creatures have no manners
Emily
OMG they're terrible
Emily
The little faces, shriveled
Emily
I hear the “echoing” voices, sounds like humming
Emily
I'm walking over it
Emily
Sounds like the center of the earth
Emily
I don't understand at all
Emily
The sounds lead to this gaping canyon, I guess
Emily
But there's no way across
Dr. Kline
there's no time to think
Dr. Kline
just time to act
Dr. Kline
two different kinds of time
Dr. Kline
it's ok to be scared, just don't let that be what stops you
Emily
Why should I trust you?
Dr. Kline
trust you, not me
Emily
OK I really don't understand now!!!
Dr. Kline
what do you see
Emily
these marble statues all around me
Emily
There must be hundreds
Emily
They have blindfolds, with the RLU logo on them
Emily
On stairs, in pits, on the ceiling
Emily
How can that be possible?
Dr. Kline
following the torches path
Dr. Kline
but yours to take
Dr. Kline
i, for one, am proud of you
Dr. Kline
and a little surprised ;)
Emily
so full ride tuition, right?
Dr. Kline
don't discredit yourself now
Dr. Kline
this has very little to do with what those on the outside think of as education
Dr. Kline
once youve stopped thinking of money and structure and what people want you to say you start to realize just how much you can do
Dr. Kline
you see that door with the large black circle on it at the end?
Dr. Kline
you walk through it, you can never go back to your old life
Dr. Kline
but your purpose is for something greater
Emily
Will I ever see them again
Dr. Kline
a different you will see them
Emily
I don't know if I'm ready to be a different me
Dr. Kline
you don't realize
Dr. Kline
you made that choice a while ago
Dr. Kline
you always felt like you were different
Dr. Kline
and just like you know about us
Dr. Kline
we know about you too
Dr. Kline
we've always known...
Dr. Kline
we watched you grow...your grandfather’s death...
Dr. Kline
the way you never fit in...the times you did the impossible but pretended it didn’t happen
Dr. Kline
Rhys Lakes University isn’t what they think it is
Dr. Kline
the world needs you now
Emily
I'm opening the door
Dr. Kline
welcome to your new life
Dr. Kline
now the real work can begin
