The most difficult and still unresolved question remaining regards the status of Ram-Ram, who I assure you is a very real person with a traceable history. The interview as recorded in Chapter Twenty-eight, was the last one we had. I never saw him again, and he left no forwarding address. By all reasons of logic, Ram-Ram cannot be a future self of mine, since his history exists in my present and well into the past. So, in those terms, I can’t grow into who he is. Yet I am certain that Ram-Ram is a different person now than he was before these adventures began; as I am, of course. It wouldn’t surprise me to find myself in my future growing into the kind of man he would be, had he in his younger years written this automatic manuscript instead of me.

As to whether or not Cyprus and Oversoul Seven are independent entities or personifications arising from highly creative elements of my own psyche, I have no answer. It’s possible, I suppose, that some unforeseen future events might shed light on that basic question. Perhaps I will be suddenly urged once again to write down words not my own, producing a script that lives now only in probability. Or perhaps this book was a one-time boost, arising in response to my problems; in which case I suppose I shall never feel that bizarre and fascinating rush of creativity again. Or perhaps in a few months, I may look back and find the entire episode unbelievable. If so, I shall be far poorer than I am now.

The patients in the mental institution were quite real, of course. I personally met Queen Alice and the girl who thought she was Christ. It wouldn’t surprise me terribly if in the future some odd manuscript of Queen Alice’s came to light, perhaps prepared with Ram-Ram’s assistance.

So this manuscript raises more questions than it answers, which is really the whole point of it, I imagine. Most certainly I will live the rest of my life examining reality in the light of what is written here.

Epilogue

Seven said, confused, “I do understand that Jeffery did write the book. But from another perspective, you and I both know that Jeffery’s a character in a book, too.”

“Precisely,” Cyprus answered.

Seven was quiet for a moment, pondering. He really didn’t want to say what was on his mind, but Cyprus said, “And … ?”

“Well,” Oversoul Seven said, “what bothers me is this: We both know that from still another perspective, we’re characters in a book, too.”

“Precisely,” Cyprus answered, smiling.

“But we know that we exist!” Seven shouted. He was beyond exasperation.

“Then what are you so concerned about?” Cyprus asked. “We created the book that we’re in. We created ourselves, and a dazzling reality that does exist. We create the physical world in which the books have meaning.”