Hot, humid air rushes over my face like little flashes of wind. I’m slowly becoming more aware of my senses, and I realize that the fast and steady gusts are partnered with a heaviness weighing over my chest. A strong pounding fills my head as I lift it off of the ground and sleepily open my eyes. I am met by the friendly gaze of my scruffy little dog sitting on top of me. Her dark chestnut eyes stare at me expectantly, and her tail wags to the beat of her panting breath.
“Get off me, Riley.” I grumble as I sit forward. Looking around, I realize that I am in a small, deserted alley between two tall buildings. The red bricks tower over me on both sides as the morning sun fills the alley. There is no reason I should be waking up on this empty side-street; the last thing I remember is dozing off in my own bed with Riley resting softly in my arms.
Looking to the far end of the alley, I see where it meets a bigger road. Through the small opening between the buildings I notice people meandering down the sidewalk or hurriedly walking across the street. The throbbing throughout my skull continues as I slowly get to my feet and make my way towards the sea of people. Riley follows me faithfully as we step out into the crowded city. Assessing my surroundings once again, I rise up on my tippy-toes as my head swivels left and right. Quaint little stores line the street on both sides like a scene from an old western movie. Keeping my eyes moving, the first thing I realize is that everyone is dressed alike. The women wear their own variation of the simple and solid black skirt and blazer, and the men wear their own black suits. If the little shops decorating the street didn’t resemble small town America so closely, I would assume I was dropped in the middle of business-oriented New York City. I have become acutely aware and embarrassed of how under-dressed I must appear; my light brown hair is resting in relaxed waves at my shoulders, as I take note that every woman in sight has her hair neatly secured in a tiny bun. My white, lacy summer dress hardly touches my knees, and my bare, bronzed legs and navy Keds don’t match the uniform of black tights and high heels.
This unfamiliar place urges me to ask so many questions. Where am I? How did I get here? Above all, how can I get home? Deciding to head down the street to search for answers, I quickly kneel down and pick up my puppy. Carrying her like a football in my right arm, it doesn’t take much muscle for me to swing all 15 pounds of her to my front so I can support her hind legs with my left arm as well. I turn to my right and begin walking down the sidewalk, weaving my way through a city of strangers. The women’s eyes scan me from head to toe as I walk past them, and I receive confused glares from the men. I clutch onto my dog they way everyone else seems to clutch to their briefcases, and it is obvious that I am an outsider.
I scan the crowd looking for any hints as to where I am, when I unexpectedly see my brother crossing the street about a block ahead of me. I swiftly put Riley on her feet and begin sprinting.
“Oh my God, Mike.” I’m out of breath as I approach him and wrap my arms around his tall, skinny frame. He tenses up as I hug him, and he quickly dodges around me to continue walking. “Hold on! I have to talk to you!” I shout as I struggle to keep up with him. He picks up his pace, and I need to take even bigger strides to remain behind my older brother. “I’m serious! You can’t walk away from me! I just woke up in an alley with Riley, I have no idea what happened!” Tears are now streaming down my face as the kid who once promised to always protect me is blatantly ignoring me in my time of need. Just as I consider giving up on chasing him, Michael quickly grabs my wrist and drags me into the nearest empty store.
“Okay, one,” he begins once we are inside, “I’m not Mike. Two, I don’t know who you are, and three,” he pauses to look down at my disheveled sandy-colored pup, “that has got to be the ugliest dog I have ever seen.”
This is so typical. Mike is the average big brother who would torment me just to see my reaction, and I am not in the mood right now. “You’re not funny.” I spit back.
“I’m not trying to be.” He responds matter-of-factly. As he says this, I notice that his eyes are not their usual deep blue; the same deep blue that mine are. Instead, they are a shock of electric green that cannot be mistaken. “My name is Eden.” He says sweetly as he extends his right hand. Confused, I stare at his hand and notice a small birthmark on top of his wrist that I’m sure I would have seen before. Suddenly, it occurs to me that although this person is identical to the brother I grew up with for the last 18 years; he isn’t my brother at all. Amazed, I gaze into his green eyes and introduce myself. Telling him I’m from Apple Valley and extremely lost, Eden gives me a response I was not expecting.
“Apple Valley, Minnesota?” He asks, dumbfounded. I nod. “That’s not possible.” Throwing him a confused look, he continues to tell me that the city I fell asleep in last night hasn’t existed for over 90 years.
“Okay, THAT’S not possible.” I retort. “I know for a fact I fell asleep in Apple Valley last night. So…” my voice trails off, waiting for an explanation. He sighs.
“Jessica, can you tell me what year it is?” Eden massages the bridge of his nose like he is annoyed. Well it will be my turn to be annoyed when I shoot the correct answer right back at him; I’m not an idiot.
“Yeah…2011.” I squint my eyes at him, waiting for his embarrassed reaction.
“It figures.” He sighs again, looking me up and down. “You time traveled. Apple Valley exists in 2011, but not today. It is August 2111.”A rush takes over me, and I am dizzy. Time Travel? Is he insane? I stare back at him, waiting for Ashton to jump out and surprise me. I surprise myself first and shove him as the tears begin again.
“Shut up!” I yell. “I’m serious, I just want to go back home!” As frustrated as I am, a distinct part of me wishes this strange man really was my big brother Mikey, playing another prank. “Mike this isn’t funny!” Now I’m sobbing, and Riley whimpers on the ground beside me.
“I promise you, I’m not Mike.” Sympathy floods his voice, and I hate to know he is telling me the truth.
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