Bite into a delicious chocolate, and see what it’ll do to you!
Julie is going deeper into the universe of memories she has been ignoring for too long. Evan pushes her to fight a goo monster she cannot even see in broad daylight. She’s afraid, yet willing to battle. But for what purpose?
The past wants to send a message. Since the breakup with Mark is so fresh, it’s understandable she still thinks of him often. But her former best friend, Kara? What message is she trying to tell? Unless, Kara acts as a residual memory that has nothing to do with Julie’s journey…
Killing the goo monster is just a way for Julie to put her guard down. Natural instincts that will prevent her from fully opening to her past need to be tamed – and fighting an imaginary enemy will help distract her from the real objective: reach a new level inside her subconscious.
But Evan shows an ugly side of his personality, and abandons Julie to her fate after he scolds her like a child for failing. The beast is dead, so what failure is he talking about? Could it have anything to do with Mark’s new girlfriend, Melissa? Or is there something else he’s pointing at?
It has become apparent throughout the story that Julie has a bad temper, and will let her emotions overwhelm her very quickly. The argument with Evan is another proof she cannot control her anger, and ends up walking away from her guide because she just has enough of his company. Impulsive reaction that will lead her to be taken by a group of mysterious beings she cannot identify because she’s once again drugged up.
The mind being blurred by the chocolates, and then the tranquilizing dart, affects Julie’s perception of her environment – which leads her to continuously undertake trance-like experiences. Important fact to remember: these steps are necessary for her to reach the most obscure areas of her subconscious, and to open the doors of what’s she’s repressed for so long.
The journey wasn’t supposed to be easy, and Julie’s obvious resilience to go under is expressed by her constant questioning of what’s real, and what’s not. Therefore the whole kidnapping scenario seems like a pretty good way to give sense to what’s happening. But this attempt is completely unnecessary. Just like Evan said, whatever she’ll try, she’ll end up in the same place. One way or the other, she cannot escape.
So what will happen after she’s taken from the forest? Read Chapter 5 to learn more!
The Manicheans 