Freaky Future

Johnny had recently moved into a new home with his parents and his little brother, Mark. Moving from the city to the countryside, they weren’t very fond of the change. “Okay, but what are we going to do in the middle of nowhere? Look at each other’s faces?”, asked Mark. “We can always explore the area and find something exciting to do.”, Johnny replied. As the family was getting settled in, the boys began to bicker on who got what room. “You boys are to share rooms. We need the spare room for some office space for your father.”, their mother replied. Johnny and Mark sigh and then take their belongings and walk upstairs. They find their room at the left end of the hallway. “Dude, this house is so creepy and it’s so cold.”, Mark states as the hairs in his arms rise. “Well looks like we’re gonna have to get cozy and start calling it home.”, says Johnny. 

Johnny and Mark finish up setting up their beds and putting their belongings away. As the boys get ready for bed, Mark blurts out, “Hey John. Wanna explore the house a bit more? I feel kind of creeped out not knowing what the house exactly looks like. Have you seen those horror mov-?”, as Johnny cuts him off and muffles Mark’s mouth with his hand, they both hear a noise coming from downstairs. It’s a noise that almost sounds like a rattle, yet very haunting. “Dude tell me you just heard that…”, Johnny says as he stares at Mark with a face of shock. “We have to go check it out!”, Mark suggests.

The boys make their way down the stairs and into their corridor. “We have to follow the noise, but let’s split up. I’ll go to the kitchen and you go to the living room. Call me if you find anything.”, Johnny suggests. The boys split up and Johnny enters the kitchen, but soon realizes the rattling noise has gone faint. “Mark! Have you found where the noise is coming from?”, Johnny shouts, but to no response. As Johnny grows suspicious, he makes his way to the living room where he finds Mark, mysteriously staring at a glowing door in the wall. Both of them stand in front of the wall for what feels like hours until Mark breaks the silence as he clears his throat. “What do you think that is? Should we open it? Should we tell Mom?”, Mark curiously questions. “Maybe we should head back to bed, Mark. Curiosity kills the cat.”, Johnny refuses and makes his way slowly towards the staircase as Mark remains frozen in front of the glowing door. “Johnny. I’m not going to be able to go to bed if I know this door is here. I have to know. Please come with me…” Mark says as he looks at Johnny with puppy dog eyes. “Fine…” Johnny says hesitantly and shrugs his shoulder. Mark turns back to look at the magical glowing door and open it, and soon they enter. 

“Mark...wake up! You need to wake up!”, Johnny screams as he’s shaking Mark’s body furiously. Mark wakes up and observes his surroundings. He realizes their back in their old town where they grew up before the big move. Then, he looks at Johnny and realizes that something is definitely wrong. “Oh my god. Johnny… Why do you look like that? Why do you look like dad?”, Mark says as he looks at Johnny with a face filled with shock. “Wait, Mark. Why do you look so much older? I’m confused. What happened to us?”, Johnny questions. “Why are we grown now? Do you think we’re in the future or something?”, Mark asks. “I don’t know what happened to us, but we need to go back in time. This can’t be happening right now!”, Johnny demands. “Okay! Okay! Johnny you need to calm down. Do you think for us to go back we need to revisit the house we live in?”, Mark says with confidence. “Yeah, we can try that. But, the house is pretty far. We’ll have to walk because we didn’t bring our wallets with us.”, Johnny says with a frown. “It’s okay. We need to do whatever we can to get back somehow. Let’s go now before the sun sets!”, Mark says with enthusiasm. 

The two brothers set out on foot to find the house that they just moved into. After a few hours of walking, a few breaks, and definitely soon-to-be sore legs, they arrive and they spot the house. “Uhm… Johnny, you need to see this. Look over there.” Mark says as he points over to the house. “A new family is moving in. Mark, how are we going to get in there if they’re moving in? We can’t just barge in and say ‘Oh hello, we need access to that secret portal in your living room to go back to being young again!”, Johnny states as he grips his hair in a fist. “Maybe, we can just say that we used to live there and that we forgot something…”, Mark suggests. “That’s a good idea. But since you came up with it, you go do it.”, Johnny says with a chuckle. “Dude come on! You live here too!”, Mark yells as he drags Johnny towards the house. 

The boys slowly approach the door as Mark wipes his clammy hands against his jeans and then knocks on the front door. The front door of the home opens and to the dismay of both parties. The younger version of Mark opens the door and looks at older Mark as he tilts his head in confusion then proceeds to stare at Johnny. “Uhh… hi? Who are you guys?”, younger Mark asks hesitantly. Older Mark scratches the back of his head as he responds, “We used to live here and I think we forgot something very important in the house. We were wondering if we could get the item.” Younger Mark hesitantly opens the door wider to allow the boys in before he asks, “How we met before? You guys both look very… familiar. Almost too familiar.” “I don’t think so, we aren’t from around here so there’s no way.” Johnny answers as he adds an awkward chuckle at the end of his response.

The boys enter the house and enter the living room. As younger Mark enters the living room to observe what they’re doing, the boys crawl on the ground and try to locate the door. But to their luck, the walls are not glowing and there’s no rattling noise. They become carried away as they start tearing at the wallpaper and end up finding the door which is not glowing. “Hey, what are you guys doing to the walls! My mom is going to kill me!”, Younger Mark yells. Johnny and Mark ignore them as they try to pry the door open. “Listen, we have to go! It was nice meeting you, but when you get older, remember us.” Mark says with a smile as he and Johnny enter the door once again.