A rendezvous across time

There is no such thing as coincidence. Everything in this world revolves around two basic concepts of the cosmos- the lie and the truth. Life is a lie and death is the truth. And until we enter the realm of the latter we all are simply trapped inside a lie. Sometimes we witness things which are hard to explain. Things which are beyond our understanding. But then we have to embrace them and move on. After all, it's all just a lie and anything can happen here.

30 October 2019- It was raining that day. The day it all happened. The rain was unexpected. Cold wind kissed my face and my body went numb. I found shelter under the awning of a flower shop. I was shivering with cold and waiting for the rain to stop. All of a sudden I spotted harebells inside the shop. Mrs. Davis loved harebells and always asked me to get them for her but I never found them. Mrs. Davis and my family; the santiagoes had been neighbours for six years. She was a very old lady of eighty seven perhaps, who lived alone. I bought the harebells and headed home as soon as the rain stopped.

I went over to Mrs. Davis's first to deliver her flowers. I knocked on the door but nobody opened it. That was strange because Mrs. Davis never missed a chance to have guests. She usually opened the door at the first knock. I knocked again and this time a young man opened the door. He had black hair and brown eyes. He looked as if he was in his early twenties.

" Hey Hazel, " he said

"How do you know my name?"

He gave me a confused look and said,

" Because you are my neighbour and friend so, I should know your name. Never mind! Come on in. "

I went inside and saw that the house was changed. Instead of a dinner table at the centre of the lobby, there was a sofa set. The kitchen had become long and the house was full of paintings hung on the walls. I was confused and surprised. I had no idea about what was going on.

" who are you again, " I asked.

" Tyler Ashley......we were in high school together. Why are you acting so weird."

" Wait! What do you mean were in high school. I already am. I just started my junior year."

"Okay! So, if this some kind of joke, you should know that it's quite creepy and......"

" Where is Mrs. Davis? " I interrupted

" Sorry, who? Oh! The old Mrs. Davis. Yeah, she kept the house really well. So bad, she didn't get to see the developments I did to the place. She'd be pretty impressed, you know. "

I raised my eyebrows in confusion.

" what? She died ten years ago. What do you expect me to say?"

This time my face beheld the expression of bewilderment. I was completely and utterly taken over by the shock.

" Are you alright today or is it something at home?" he asked.

I stood still for a while and was trying to process the chaos around me.

" Oh! I see, so you came to give me the invitation card for the wedding?" he continued.

" What wedding?"

" Your brother's wedding! common! give me the card."

I looked at my hands and there was an envelope in them. But the last I remembered I had brought a bouquet of harebells.

" I am sorry, " I said, " but something isn't right here. I have to go."

I opened the door and stepped outside. The sunlight hit my face. It was warm outside as if it had never rained. Something was very wrong. I went home and to my surprise my house had turned into a gift shop. There were gifts everywhere and my brother looked quite grown up. Mom and dad had also grown older. They were helping my brother select a suit. My mon saw me come and called me over and said,

" Hey sweety! It's good you are here. Tell me which suit looks better on him, blue or black."

" Suit for what mom?"

" His wedding dear. Did you get enough sleep last night. You look stressed."

I pushed on a smile and went around the house. Things had changed. I passed by the mirror and came back to see myself in it. It wasn't me. I had become a grown woman. I panicked and checked the date on my cellphone. It was 30 October, 2032. Thirteen years! It had been thirteen years. I could barely breathe at the relevation. I saw a photograph kept on the table of my graduation day. I picked it up and my mom came to me and said,

" Are you alright? You look a bit tired."

"Mom, when did I graduate? It is like yesterday I started my junior year."

Tears came rolling down my cheeks. She smiled and said,

" I know high school always feels like yesterday. All those memories never go away."

" But I never made those memories. It is like I missed thirteen years of my life."

She looked at me puzzled and said,

" you look exhausted. Go back to your apartment and have some sleep. It's just the wedding."

I had no idea that I had my own apartment. My brother dropped me to my apartment. I went in but nothing looked familiar. I cried bitterly the entire time and looked at my photographs; some with people I didn't even recognise. That night I fell asleep on the floor.

I woke up next morning and looked at the date. It was 31st October, 2032. My eyes were swollen. My mom had left me a hundred voicemails. I had to get ready for a wedding. I went to the church and the ceremony had already commenced. I went and sat next to Tyler Ashley, apparently a friend. He smiled at me and I returned it. The priest announced them man and wife and the two happy love birds flew out of the church. Everybody went out but I kept still. Tyler looked at me and asked,

" You okay? You seemed a bit off yesterday."

" Do you believe in time travel?"

He thought for a moment and replied,

" Maybe. Why?"

" Funny thing, time. It rushes past you and sometimes you are not fast enough to run along with it. So, you miss out a large part of your life. Make any sense?"

"No! I don't know what happened to you but I know that you will get through it."

I chuckled,

" Yeah.... What happened to Mrs. Davis?"

" She had a heart attack. They took her to the hospital and she never came back. I live there since then."

He Paused and continued again,

"Is something wrong? Why do you keep asking strange questions? "

" Everything is wrong. Nothing's right. When did we become friends?"

" Junior year! "

" I see....maybe mom's right. I just have to get more sleep. This is some kind of temporary amnesia."

" so, you don't remember. "

" No I think it's just the wedding. A mere coincidence I guess."

" There is no such thing as coincidence. It's life. It is a lie. Anything can happen here. I will see you later. Bye!"

He left but I sat there all day. I just needed some time to digest all this chaos. Maybe, I needed to see a therapist. I got up and saw that Tyler had left his phone on the bench. I picked it up and went outside. The sun was setting. I had been inside for very long. I walked down the street and went over to Tyler's to return the phone. I knocked on the door once and then I saw that my shoelace was untied. I bent down to tie it and while I was tying my shoelace the door opened. I got up and was startled at the sight infront of me.

" What beautiful harebells, " said Mrs. Davis, " I knew you would bring them to me someday."

I stood there speechless. I could not think of anything for a moment. There was a bouquet of harebells in my hand instead of Tyler's phone.

" Why are you standing outside. You are completely drenched. Come in. Fast!" She continued.

I entered the house and it was like what I remembered.

" Are you well Mrs. Davis?" I asked.

" Yes dear. Why do you ask?"

" No it's nothing."

" Tea?"

I sat down with her for tea. I was trembling with cold. The hot tea felt really good and warmed me up.

" Can I ask you something Mrs. Davis?" I asked.

" Yeah, sure."

" Do you believe in time travel"

She shrugged and said,

" Doesn't matter what I believe in. My life is almost done. What do you think?"

" I think that life can be full of surprises. You never know what's going to happen next."

Eeverything went back to normal. I slept well that night. Next day I went to school and my first lecture was physics. That day Mr. Anderson, my physics teacher was late. He came in after a while with a new student.

" We have a new admission this year," he said, " This is Tyler Ashley and he is going to be in this class. Umm....Tyler go sit next to Hazel."

He Looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. He came and sat next to me. He looked thoughtful for a few minutes. Finally he said,

" Do I know you?"

" No, I don't think so."

" You look familiar. And it's weird because I have never been to California before."

" It's merely a coincidence, I guess."

" There is no such thing as coincidence. It's life. It is a lie. Anything can happen here."

Mr. Anderson started his lecture. He said,

" Today, we are going to study about time travel. How many of you think it's real......."

I couldn't stop smiling the entire lecture. I don't know if time travel's real or not but there is this one thing I am sure of that no matter what time we are in, our lives are linked across time. I did meet Tyler in my junior year. There is life and there is death. Our life is a lie and has no limits. That is why it is so special. That is why anything can happen here.