June
That impossible. 20 years ago.
2017.
No. I checked the calendar before I left that day. I'm sure it was 2037. I couldn't forget it. I was supposed to graduate next month.
"What exactly is your reason for doing this?" I asked.
"Doing what? Why are you saying this stuff? Ok, so you are insane." This Hue kid was getting on my nerves.
"Let's go," I said.
"Where? My dad said you couldn't leave yet."
"I left my stuff in the cottage. Whether you come with me or not, I don't care. I'm going either way."
"How do you plan on getting out of here?"
"I guess I'll just walk out."
I found my shoes and jammed them on my feet. As I thought, Hue followed me like a puppy dog, pleading I come back. The nurses watched me as I walked out; they seemed scared of me. I didn't care.
"Wait. You don't even know where this place is." He pleaded.
"Ok. Then show me." I followed him the rest of the way.
"Stay here. I will get my stuff. Don't follow me." I needed to grab the book. There were still things that needed to be found.
I stepped in. Everything was just how I'd left it; My backpack against the wall, the book on the floor where it had fallen from my hands. Grabbing my bag, I quickly shoved it in with the notebooks. I walked over to the nightstand, opening the single drawer.
A key.
It looked old. I dropped it in with the book and started to head upstairs when Hue yelled for me to hurry. I guess his dad would be mad.
"Ok," I replied. This kid was getting on my nerves.
I came out to see him standing exactly where I'd left him.
He practically dragged me back to the hospital.
"Ok, now you will stay here." Hue asserted.
"Only if you tell me the truth."
"WHAT truth? Everything I've said is true, you're just a psycho."
I pulled my watch from my bag and tossed it at his feet.
"Really? That watch was given to me by my mum. Made in 2030."
"That's not possible. It's still 2017. How did you do that?"
"Do what? I didn't do anything; it was a gift."
"Then what else do you have?"
I pulled out the energy bar wrapper.
"There. Manufactured March 2037," I pointed,
"Now prove to me it's 2017." I got him now.
"Look" He turned on the TV to a news station I was sure went off air ten years prior.
The headline read, "August 17th, 2017- Man arrested in a robbery."
"See? Anywhere you look, I'm sure it's 2017. Do you believe me now?"
How is that possible?
I laid down. Ok. Lyle doesn't exist? It's 2017. I don't know where I am or why.
"Hey. Are you okay?" He seemed concerned as if he didn't just tell me that nothing I knew in my life existed. Not Lyle. Not home. Nothing
"June. June? Wake up? June?"
I could see him, hear him, but I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. And it all went blurry.
My ears were ringing.
Nurses and the doctor rushed into my room, Hue following closely.
They shook me, trying to get me to respond. I watched my vision blur, listening to the panicked, muffled voices. I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head as my eyes closed.
-----
It was a little while before I woke up.
A week?
I didn't care. It didn't matter to me.
The doctor told me there was a mass in my brain. It was aggressive and untreatable, but I could do some treatment to slow the progression down. I had a minor stroke which led to a seizure. Only then did they think to do a scan. Of course, they apologized profusely for not doing it sooner; they had thought it was a blood sugar problem the last time.
Hypoglycemia. My sugar dropped; that made sense because I had only eaten an energy bar.
People always ask what it's like to know you're dying. I didn't feel anything. Why should I? I'm in the year 2017, from the year 2037. Nothing I know is there or the same as I knew it. So it doesn't matter. Maybe it would just be easier to die.
Right?
-----
They discharged me a week and a half later.
"Do you have anywhere to go? June?" Hue had been there the entire time with me.
Good kid, annoying as all hell.
"Yeah, I guess I'll go back to the cottage.." I really didn't have anywhere to live other then there.
"You have no food there. That's why you passed out the first time, genius." Hue said.
"I'll buy-"
"Money? You have none."
Annoying.
"I have an extra room in my house. My sister moved out. I'm sure my dad would let you stay, especially with the way-"
"Shut up." I cut him off.
"I'm sorry. But please stay with us; we can eat loads of ice cream together."
"What does ice cream have to do with anything?"
I was puzzled even though the thought didn't bother me; I love ice cream, especially mint chocolate chip.
"You talk when you sleep."
"What the hell?" I hit him with my pillow. The smile stayed on his stupid face.
"What did I say? Just ignore it all; it doesn't matter."
"Calm down. You didn't say anything bad." He laughed.
I chased him out of the room with a pillow as he laughed, promptly running away.
"Damn, he's quick."
He walks back to me, his dad following.
"What are you boys doing? You can't run like that. You know-"
"Dad. I need to ask you a question."
I hit him in the stomach with the pillow.
"Dude. What the fuck? That hurt." Hue mumbled.
"Stop pouting. I didn't even swing it with both arms." I'm not going to lie; I laughed a bit.
The first in a while.
"Anyways, Dad, June doesn't have anywhere to go-"
"I do."
"You shouldn't lie, June. I figured you didn't have anywhere to go since you had been living in that place." His dad already figured me out.
"You are staying with us for the time being. I already have my daughter's room cleaned out. All you need to do is make yourself at home."
"You don't have-"
"June." Hue tugged my arm roughly.
I looked at his dad; he smiled. For some reason, his smile made me feel as if there was nothing else in the world except me. I wondered if this was the feeling of being cared for instead of depended on.
"Alright, let's go." Hue dragged me out into a cool September evening.
"Would you like to walk around?" He looked at me.
"I'm fine. I'll see some stuff as we go to your house. Where is your house, by the way?"
He waved over a taxi.
"159 Gin Street, please."
I recognized that address.
"That means-" I remembered something.
"The house across the street? Don't worry about it. It's all vacant now. We could explore it if you'd like."'
"No, it's fine. I know it."
Like the back of my hand
I sat there rigidly.
"I'm okay." I flashed a smile as Hue looked at me nervously.
"It's just an old house. I used to explore there with my friends. I'm sure it looks different now." I quickly covered up my uneasiness with a laugh.
He eased up.
"That's a relief." H
We approached the house. Looking, I realized it had been a year already.
June 1st, 2016
"Wow," I exclaimed to hide my nervousness.
"It's been a year now, hasn't it?"
Hue looked surprised.
"I didn't expect you to know since it happened before you were born. But yes, it's been a year."
His gaze and mine met the house. It still had the same feeling.
"We're here. That's 15 dollars."
"We're sorry." We had been staring at the house, not realizing we had stopped.
Hue tried to crack a joke, but the driver wasn't in the mood to laugh.
"Out." The driver grumbled, unamused.
He looked at me, holding back a laugh. I pushed him out and apologized to the driver again.
"Ow, you like hurting me, don't you."
"It's my new favorite pastime. Also, if you didn't do things that deserve it, I wouldn't do it," I said as I raised my eyebrows, staring at his face.
"You are so mean," he said in a joking manner.
"This one is my house."