The Case of the Missing Reality
The Case of the Missing Reality Scene: The Courtroom of the Mind The protagonist blinks, and suddenly, they are in a courtroom. They don’t remember walking in. They don’t remember being charged with anything. But here they are, sitting in the defendant’s chair, hands gripping the wooden table, while a sharp-dressed figure with piercing eyes and a permanent scowl paces in front of them. The Paranoia Prosecutor. “Your honor,” the Prosecutor begins, “we are here today to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the defendant has fabricated a crucial memory.” A murmur spreads through the jury. A few members shift uncomfortably. One of them—a garden gnome —nods solemnly. Another, who appears to be the protagonist’s childhood teddy bear , shakes their fluffy head in disappointment. At the judge’s bench sits the protagonist themself. This is their mind, after all. But it doesn’t make things any easier. How can you fairly judge your own reality? They clear their throat. “Uh… Defense?” A ...