Atlernate Calendar

Fantasy

Written in response to: "Start your story with the line: “Today is April 31.”" as part of From the Ashes with Michael McConnell.

Today is April 31st; YES, this is what

I‘ve discovered when I had woke up this morning and everything in sight was somehow had held a hint of inexplicable differentiation, yet most of my surroundings seemed to possess a lot of familiarity. At first, I really think much at that precise moment, but I had subconscioulsy knew that something had been certainly altered, but why did I feel everything was slightly off than usual???

The last event that I remember is getting up in the middle night to get something to eat. Once, I had returned my bedroom had suddenly became comfortable warm during a cold April evening. I always remembered racing back to bed to get underneath the covers to stay warm, but the bedroom seemed to be well-heated for unusual reason.

As for my entire existence had been living a single and discouraging life where I had only expected to confront one ordeal after another. Being a stoic individual, I’ve been able to overcome manyof these thwarting issues, but not like this one that I had just encountered.

For one forebodding some reason, I was immediately drawn to the kitchen calendar. It had been a heavily Friday snowy morning where I had thought it was this event had been quite a normal issue in the region where I was living. The stormy weather meant that I had to turn on the radio to listen to the updated weather forecasts. All public venues were still open, but offices and schools were deemed to be closed because the delays in traffic and snow removal.

The date of the 31 on the calendar was teasing my reasoning for some rational motive. I just couldn’t put my finger on it, yet. While I sat down, yesterday was certainly dated April 30th. That meant for me that a new month because on following day, but it didn’t. I somehow found myself a day early, andwhy? This enignomatic feeling that I was holding had become controversial. In the back of my mind, I had always known that only four months out the year had only held thirty days, seven months held thirt-one and oddly February held twenty-eight and twenty-nine for every leap year.

I have reviewed all of the months on the calendar of the same year, then I had noticed there was still 365 days, but each month held a different amount of dates. January, July and October were possesing each thirty-two days; February, March, April, June and November each had thirty-one and May, August, September and December had each twenty-nine. This had been a total of only 366 days. Did I miscount or was this right? Or was it a Leap year? I just couldn’t figure it out.

As I stopped to momentarily pondered upon what happened last night when I got up from the bed to walk to the kitchen; I distinctly remembered hearing a mild vibration and felt a filmy texture laying upon my skin. At that point in time, I had only assumed that someone else in the building was obsessively making noise and I had never bothered to to make an issue out of it.

Then a thought struck me like an arrow in the brain; while I was up last night; could I have unknowingly penetrated some form of ‘time-slip’ or a randomly displayed portal and inadvertently walked into another dimension or parallel universe??? Was this accidental or was it due? How are these phenomenons really function? I’ve always heard of the theories and hypothesis than some people had recounted their experience when they were one day mysteriously sent back home. Was I being entertained as I was listening to these fictional narratives or actual events?

Somehow, this new reality that I had entered has become a very horrific sight to me. What was I going to do? Who I was going to encounter? Who am I and what identity do I now hold? What am I heade for? During my panic attack, I had completely no idea what to do next; I was utterly bewildered. The first thing that came to mind was a search for my identification. I had found it where it was always that I had always kept it; the right back pocket of my pants.

All of my cards left behind were similarly looking as before. Yet there were some which I wasn’t able to quickly recognize. Once I began reading them; it was like a piece of memory was strangely returning to me. Why didn’t I remember the reasons which I had them? My residing feelings seemed to be habitual, like nothing ever happened to me. But, why did I pecurlialy still possessed a subconsious residual of a formal life?

Within my further research, I had discoveredthat I was engaged to be married, soon. There was woman’s photograph found in the depth of wallet. I had no idea of her name, who she was and what am I getting myself into?This had to be a wild dream that I was having and I crucially needed to wake up, fast!I had initially thought someone tried to poison me with a psychotic or hallugenic drug.

As my level of fright was beginning to increase, I was trying to think hard and remember what I did within the last twelve hours to arrive to this unusual outcome in time. Frustrated and confused, I wasn’t able to arrive to any formidable conclusions to which I could think about how and what could I’ve possibly done to involuntarily provoke these circumstances. I was stuck with more questions than answers.

With no remaining alternatives available to me for any these resolutions; my last resort that was left to me in figuring anything out for myself was to make an attempt in playing detective. On my own, the loneliness had begun to be overwhelming. The first person that I had needed to speak was the woman in the photo, but her name hadn’t come up to my mind right until I had reached the nearest coffee shop.

This is when the name of Deidra had swiftly popped into my head. Once I sat down for a coffee and danish; just trying to wrap my head what was currently happenning to me. In accordance to my personal ID; I had also found out that I was working at my dream job that I always yearned to do, but, at the previous day; this kind of opportunity had constantly eluded me with exasperation. This is entire situation was so confusing that I thought I was losing my mind.

Fifteen minutes later, in comes Deidra as she drops in at the shop, as if I was pre-empted to meet her there at that precise monent. Her eyes were gleefully opened wide with joy; I was paralyzed in my seat when she saw me at a distance and waved at me excitement. She was absolutely happy to see me, but what was I going to say to her? My first instinct was let her do most of of the talking.

Once she trotted towards me and wrapped her arms around me; immediate data came swirling into my mind like a sudden avalanche. Abundant details were being instilled into like some kind of computer base; as if, I had already our history history, together. Now, another discovery was I had a Love of my life; yet I could ripely remember at time in my existence that I couldn’t buy a date. Let alone have the great pleasure to speak with a beautiful intelligent woman.

Internally, I was silently going into shock. Everything occurring to me so explosively, my apprehension to speak to her had me feared that I could say to her a wrong word. Yet, so far I became inexplicably comfortable in her presence. How did I know to correctly express myself with her? I just couldn’t tell her outright what swiftly happened to me in order for me to be here at this very exact instant and place in time. I felt that my scattered mind was still caught between two worlds. What was now my role in this existence?

A part of me was hurriedly seeking an antidote to wake me up from this psychosis. Could this be real or too good to be true? This episode had been a swift moment for me to take in at such short span of time. In one manner, the few wishes which I had forever longed for (in my previously life) had all shockingly been realized at all once without having any such foresights.

Overwhelmed with excitement, these events were certainly rendering my miseryinto oblivion; yet unfortunately, I still had doubts because when I had closely wondered what if all of this that I had subconciously yearned for was being retreived from a conceived mental imagery???? How was I able to find a manner in order to permanently harness this reality without ever going back? Also, I was definitely in no mood to be casually teased, either.

Somehow my life here in this siamesed-formed world either had me either transferred or switched with someone’s else identity caused by some unknown cosmic faux pas or was it ‘wishful thinking’ on my part to actually materialize this new realism? Again, here’s another cryptic message that’s been sent me without neither any real details nor any questionable insights. What this my new mission in life or am I supposed alter somebody’s else mishap before being sent back my to previous humdrum existence?

Even though with all of the updated data downloaded into my mind; yet confusion was still a realtive issue with me. I had to clearly focus my bearings and properly about think this through before ever asuming that this situation is now permanent. Was this event a temporary issue? Or is it now a solid fixture? Gawling apprehension was still tormentating my brain.

As far as I was concerned, I had readily agreed to permit this wind of time take me on for this journey. Deidra’s contagious aura becamea gleem of hope in my eyes. It was exhilirating to believe like my old identity had never existed. Happiness had been amid my grasp and I didn’t want it to end.

Admittingly, this experience may have been shockingly swift to deal with at first, yet it was certainly worth it for me. Everything in my past life that I had secretly fantasized had all came true. Subsconsciously, I had remained in mentally struggling to figure out was has happened me??? What kind of wild revery is this for me to analyze as well to know why had I initially deserve this kind of treatment? Is this a reward from a redeemable action that I previously committed and completely forgotten about?

Within my present position in time, I definitely intend to make the best of it. My heart was silently jumping for joy and clearly enjoying Deidra’s amorous company. We were making plans for the future and began learning more from one another. It was a wonderful time for both us. I’ve never remembered a time in my past life that I ever had held any kind of sustained joy.

There were no heavy emotional feelings to bear and no constant anxiety that was permeating. My confidence level has sub stantially risen higher than usual. I didn’t want to let go of this form of jubilant aliveness. If it was an illicit drug that I inavertently taken to feel this way; I wanted to absolutely and steadily keep up with this situation.

Deidra’s kindness and companionship became additictive properties. As a bystander, I always felt excluded where others had it come to them, so easily. I also remember a time that I would have done anything to be able in accessing this luxury. Now, my only thoughts were to come up with an idea for me to refrain from returning to my previous life?

As we were both currently revelling and being delighted in our loving moment; we had arrived at another street corner where she was asking me which street should be taken to continue our journey for our plans??? While feeling inebriated with joy, I had randomly said to her that I chosen the right one where the sensation of good fortune seems to be emanating from. She agreed, then we gladly proceeded.

The instant that we stepped in that direction, I slowly began to feeling physically heavy. Something strange was transcending into my conscious. Deidra’s appearance began to fade from me. Her aura had been quietly dissipating into a streaming metaphorephosis. I couldn’t understand what was happenning to me? Why was this reality escaping from me?

Was it my overconfident decision had lead me to my despair? Would have the left street been a better choice for us? Is something that I’ve done to cause this consequence? Was it the effects of the unadministered drug wearing off that I may have intentionally taken? I just don’t know. I had kept falling and collapse to the ground while an entire scenery had utterly evaporated right before my eyes.

The illusion was over and it was the morning of May 1st and was again found myself in my own kitchen. Distraught, disappointed and devastated, feelings of sorrow and anger had begun to were emit from me. I knew it was too good to be true! I couldn’t believe that I was clearly deceived by some possible hallucinogen or a so-called time-slip. I just didn’t know what really happened to me??? I was definitely fooled.

Suddenly like nothing had happened to me, my phone begun to ring. From the moment that I received the morning call, I had not remembered anything, the night before. While I was staggering to reach the call, I had reluctantly answered it. It was somehow strange to hear from an employer who wanted to immediately taken me on.

Being definitely caught off guard, I was shocked and confused. I had never expected that this day would ever come with all the misfortune that I had previously had. Once, I had arrived at the employer’s office; he said that he had a hard time in getting a hold of me. My name had been referred by someone else to fill this availability. Contently, I had found myself to reorganize my entire setting for this new opportunity. I was to start in two days.

As, I got ready to drive home; a woman had slid into my parked car. Surpringsly, this pretty lady had gotten out of hers and was quite upset to see what she had done. Why did she look familiar to me? Why was I quickly drawn to her, instead of me getting angry with her? What was going on in my life? What happened to me, last night? What did I consume?

It was a terrifying feeling that completely overwhelmed me to notice that the many things which I had once been asummed were out my expressed reach; have all unexpected been realized. Did it happen subconciously or was it meant to be?

Posted Apr 07, 2026
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