• The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel. I watched as the caliginous view brightened little by little. The sun sprang into sight on the horizon, earlier than I had expected. I thought about how Felicity would react if I were late again and quickly shook the dark thoughts from my mind. I jumped up, disoriented, and ran away from the sun. I looked forward, knowing I should look back. Looking back was the only thing that bothered me. As the street became clearer, I noticed that no one was outside. Usually the street markets would be setting up by now... I slowed to a speed walk, confused. Where was the park? It should be right across the street. And the sign, there was a sign here yesterday! I fell onto the bench; where had it come from? Slowly, my eyes closed wet and sore.

    My lids opened unwillingly, and then I shut them. My skin burned all over, a reaction to the sun. “Good mornin’ Della.” A rough, masculine voice crowed as I rolled over. Who is this man? I surely don’t remember his voice. I stared at his face for a long moment. I don’t know him. “How do you know my name?” I croaked. The dryness in my voice surprised me. I sat up awkwardly. “Well, you have a wallet you know.” He whispered, a little too close to me. I have a wallet? Since when did I have a wallet? I looked around me, and saw nothing different than it was when I had fallen asleep, there was no park, the sign was gone, and there in the world had this bench come from? I did not recognize my surroundings, though when I was at the beach this morning, it was all in place, all the same as usual. What had I done different? I took the same street as usual. I couldn’t have missed anything, I knew the way to the park like the back of my hand! I stood up, angry that I was clueless. “The name’s Byron!” He yelled after me, I kept running. (NOT DONE YET)