New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight

2017, 10-27

The Dark Tower – Split Timelines

I am at a campsite. It is dark out, and I am there with several other people. I see Roland, Eddie, Susanna, and MoSh. Roland seems to be having some difficulty. He says he’s going crazy. I remember in the books this is the result of a paradox orchestrated by the man in black. Roland is telling stories, one that he says is real and one that he says was supposed to be real. I do not interrupt his telling. Mosh also stays quiet during this time. Although he seems a bit distracted. I wonder if he sees something out in the darkness. Those strange cloaked figures maybe… After Roland has finished his story, Eddie gets part of the concept correct. He draws a line at the beginning for the timeline before Roland met Jake. Then he skips a space and draws a line after Roland parted ways from Jake. He draws a circle in the middle and says that that is what we’re going to has to just ignore. Roland says that won’t work. He can’t just ignore it. I tell Eddie I can add a bit more detail to this.

I set to drawing in the circle. I draw the two separate lines that represent the two separate timelines that now exist. I point to the one on top and say this is the timeline where you met Jake. I point to the one on the bottom and say this is the timeline where you did not meet Jake. Both of these things are true at the same time. The only thing that got it all fucked up was the man in black. I draw a few extra things on the timeline. I draw the door where he met Eddie, the door where he met Susanna, and last the door where he interfered with Jack Mort. I tell him at this point, the man in black created the paradox by arranging for him to save Jake. This is where Jake was transported to his world. But he prevented that. So then I draw a line backwards to where he had met Jake. And I don’t technically he’s on the wrong timeline right now. He has memories of the other timeline because he experienced it, but he’s on this one so he’s also got memories of this timeline now.

He says the only thing that keeps him arguing in his mind about this is the jawbone that he took from the man in black. He throws the jawbone into the fire. It flares up as if it was made of something flammable. Eddie stares into the fire, and I remember that he is now seeing the shape of the key that he will need to help properly draw Jake back into this world. That will fix the timeline. But that doesn’t seem to have eliminated Roland’s issue. I tell him that I think I can help with it, but the only way to fix it permanently will be to fix the timeline. He asked how to do that, and I said it is coming in the future. I feel that it is. I actually know that it is. So I use the song on Roland to help stabilize his mind which is the same one I taught Eddie to use on Susanna. My last breath by Evanescence.

“Hold on to me love, you know I can’t stay long. All I wanted to say is I love you and I’m not afraid.” I have taken a hold of Roland’s hand, and he seems now focused completely on me. “Can you hear me? Can you feel me in your heart?” Now Roland is holding onto me, he actually has tears coming from his eyes. Frustration? I’m not sure. “I know you hear me, I can taste it in your tears. Closing your eyes to disappear, you pray your dream won’t leave you here. And now you’ll wake to know the truth, he still there. Say good night, don’t be afraid. Call on me, call on me we can face the night. Say good night, don’t be afraid.” That seems to have Roland in a more focused state when the song is over. Now we can present him with facts. Eddie remembers Roland telling him about traveling through the mountains alone. Without Jake. But both MoSh and I remember Jake. So obviously he is real. Susanna can’t say either way, she hasn’t heard any of this before.