The alarm woke him suddenly, and he flailed in the darkness to silence it. He tore back the sheets and stood up violently, breathing heavily. Something wasn't right. Where was he? He looked over to where the alarm had come from, and saw a familiar-looking smartphone. After peering around though darkness for a few more seconds, the realization came to him.
'What that fuck...?'
He moved quickly to the light switch and clicked it on. Around him was his old bedroom, from his apartment back in Wisconsin. Nausea began to swirl unpleasantly inside him. Everything was as it had been, two years ago. He moved slowly through the room, taking in every detail.
The pile of dirty laundry; His computer, disassembled and midway through a hardware upgrade; The corny posters. It was all here. He after taking a few steps, he looked down at his knee in shock. It felt great. No ache, no tingling. Frantic, he pulled down his plaid pajama bottoms and found his knee was devoid of all scar. His was beginning to feel strange, like he was looking at his life through a movie screen. This wasn't now, it couldn't be. He didn't live in Wisconsin anymore.
A knock came at the door, and he let out a small yelp. He violently pulled up his pants and rummaged for a shirt. He walked to the door in a sort of haze, the sights of his old apartment evoking waves of unpleasant and disorienting nostalgia. He looked through the peephole and opened his mouth to scream, but the figure in the fisheye lens had taken breath away. He pulled the door open violently, the warmth of tears already growing around his eyes.
'Good morning sleepyhead! I thought-' She stopped smiling when she saw his tears and frantic face.
'What's wrong Simon? Are you okay?' She began to step through the door, but Simon stopped her with his embrace.
'Oh, I-' She stammered.
Simon's fear and confusion melted away as he held her. The smell of her coconut soap washed over him, and even her raincoat felt like it could be made of velvet. He pulled his head back and held hers gently, looking deep into her green eyes. At this, her face broke into a smile that seemed like it should only exist in the world of pure forms. Simon was overcome with passion, and he kissed her with a gentle power such that she grew soft in his arms.
And then Simon put his head on her shoulder and cried. For a moment she did nothing, only holding him. But then she spoke.
'Simon, please tell me what is wrong. You're worrying me...'
Now it was she who brought his face gently towards hers, looking at him with eyes already going red. It was too much for him. Simon moved back into the apartment and sat on the sofa, his head in his hands. She came and sat beside him and held him.
Simon's mind was a hurricane of memories, thoughts, and emotions. He struggled to speak, but did after a moment, he did.
'I'm not okay, Julia. I-'
Simon paused to steady his breath, and Julia reached and gently wiped away his tears.
'I love you so much. So much. I'm so sorry, I couldn't...'
He turned to look at her, and his heart seemed to fall twenty stories. Tears flowed down Julie's cheeks, and she held a hand to her mouth. It broke his heart to see her in fear and sadness like that. He steadied himself.
'What day is it?'
'What?' Her voice cracked.
'What's the date today.'
'January 29th.'
'Two thousand and...?' Simon asked.
She looked more puzzled. 'Twenty-eight. Twenty twenty-eight'.
Simon looked towards the ground again. 'Okay,' He began slowly.
He looked back to Julia. 'I'm going to tell you something, and you have to believe me, okay? You have to listen.'
She nodded frantically and pulled him closer.
'The last day that I remember is in Twenty-thirty. June fifth, I think. And then I just woke up here.'
He looked into her bright green eyes again. 'I missed to you much. Oh God, I missed you.' He hugged her again, but this time Julia stiffened.
'So what, we're not together in two years?'
'What?' Simon choked on the words. He couldn't believe the look of contempt on her face.
'You died Julia! You fucking died!'
Simon stood up quickly, prompting a look of fear from Julia. 'It was in a car accident! And I fucking-' tears where now streaming down Simon's face as he fought to articulate. 'You were asleep, and I just glanced down at my phone and...'
Simon fell to his knees, losing all strength. 'I'm sorry Julia.' he sobbed. 'I should have been the one to die, it was my fucking fault! I'm so sorry...'
Simon looked up at her, desperate for even one more look at the woman he loved so deeply, but his vision was strange and distorted.
'What-?'
Suddenly everything became grey, and Simon found himself laying on a hard metal table with a bright light overhead. He was confused for a moment, but memories quickly returned to him, along with a feeling of terrible and sickening dread.
The table pitched down, and Simon got a view of the room. It was bland and sterile, with a small variety of technical devices neatly arranged along the walls. A man in a white coat walked towards him from out of view.
'Mr. Echivey, can you look towards the screen please.' Simon did so.
A large screen appeared on the wall and showed what he had just experienced. He saw himself crying on the floor of his apartment, with Julia on the bed. Then he heard himself speak.
'I just glanced at my phone...It was my fucking fault...' The screen paused.
'Mr. Echivey, do you find any errors with this recreation?'
The phase echoed in Simon's mind.
'No, I do not.' His voice was weak and cold, but did not waver. The machine to Simon's left pinged brightly.
The man turned to look at another who was coming around Simon's right side.
'Your honor, the defense is finished with the evidence collection.' Said the first.
'Thank you.' Began the second man. 'Now Mr. Echivey if you would kindly...Mr. Echivey?'
Simon was staring at the paused screen, his body tense. 'What was that, your honor?'
'If you could follow me back to the courtroom, please.' The man said, with a grin plastered on his face.
Simon looked to him. 'Oh, yes. Of course.'