Journal

The sound of the keyboard can be heard in Peter’s entire room, indicating that he’s busy typing something on his laptop. He has been doing this since he turned 21. He writes down everything that he had done for the whole day, literally everything. 

Some of his friends laugh at him for writing a journal every day. Little do they know Peter himself hates it, but he has to for him to know what happened yesterday. The first second of his birthday changed his life entirely.

It is midnight, and the date is October 30, 2019. A minute more before Peter celebrates his 21st birthday. He is excited because he is going to throw a party, but the moment the clock struck 12:01 his memories of the past were deleted.

He was sound asleep when the phenomenon happened. When he opened his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar white ceiling. He jolted up from his bed and searched the whole place. “Where am I?” He whispered.

He stood up and started examining the room. Looking at every nook and cranny, but nothing seems familiar. He shut his eyes tight and tried to remember, but his mind showed darkness, emptiness. 

“What is happening? Why can’t I remember anything apart from my name and age?” He started to panic and walked around the room in circles. He bit his fingernails then an idea popped into his head.

He immediately went downstairs and head towards the kitchen. A woman in her late 40’s is cooking breakfast, while a man in his early 50’s sat on a chair with a newspaper at hand. 

“Are you my parents?” He suddenly asked, which made both the man and woman face him.

“Of course, Peter.” The woman said with a confused face. ‘I think they are my parents because they know my name, and I live here, I guess.’

“Peter are you on drugs?” The man folded the paper and placed it on top of the table. 

Peter doesn’t know what to say since he doesn’t remember anything. He doesn’t even know if he’s on drugs or anything illegal. 

“Peter I’m asking you a question. Are you on drugs?” The man emphasized the question. 

“I-I think no.” Peter hesitated, which made the man’s brow raise. 

“I swear to God if you are on drugs, I’ll kick you out of the house, you hear me?” Peter nodded.

“Take a seat, and I’ll prepare breakfast,.” The woman said. Peter sat in front of the man and started looking inside the kitchen. From the table to the far most corner, but nothing seems familiar. 

“Uhm. May I know your names?”

“What is wrong with you, Peter?” The woman suddenly said and put her hand on his forehead. “You don’t seem to have a fever.” 

“No, m-mom.” ‘Do I call her mom?’ “It’s nothing.” 

“Okay.” The woman left him and started serving breakfast on the table. 

*

After the incident in the kitchen, he decided to go back to his room and sleep. 

He saw himself walking to school with a guy and a girl next to him. Both were talking about random stuff. After minutes of walking, a school entrance came into view with the school’s name written on the highest building on the premise.

He opened his eyes and saw the same ceiling from earlier. “That dream felt so real. I was going to school with people, I think are my friends.” He scratched his brow, and a realization hit him. He has to attend school today. 

The caught a glimpse of a black backpack on the floor near the cabinet. He hurriedly went towards it and rummaged through it. He saw some test papers with his name written on them. “Uhm, not bad. I think I’m the average type of guy.” The school's logo caught his attention. “It’s the same as the one in my dream earlier, so that is my school.” He readied his stuff and left the house. 

After a few blocks, a guy with a brown bonnet approached him. “Pet bro. How was your sleep?” The guy hung his arm over Peter’s shoulder. 

“Who are you?” The guy acted hurt and held his chest. 

“We haven’t seen each other for hours, and you already forgot who I am?” Peter’s brow rose. “Are you kidding me? I am Jack. Peter, I am Jack. I am your best buddy.” Peter squinted his eyes and stopped walking. 

“Uhm, sorry ‘bout that. My bad. I’m just stressed out, I guess,” He hesitatingly said. The guy shrugged his shoulders and continued walking. After a few more blocks, a girl wearing a plain white shirt paired with washed jeans stopped in front of them. 

“Hello, guys!” She cheerfully greeted them with a big smile on her face. 

“Excuse me, I don’t know you.” The girl crossed both her arms in front of her. 

“Are you playing a prank on me again?” 

“I’m sorry, miss, but I don’t know who you are. Will you please move aside because I am running late for class.”

The girl covered her mouth with both hands. “You aren’t Peter.” She pointed Peter and looked at Jack. “Peter doesn’t care if he runs late for class or not.” She shook Peter’s shoulder. Luckily, Jack stopped her. 

“Pet might be playing a prank on both of us, Mel. Let him be.” The girl shrugged her shoulders and walked in front of them. 

Peter stayed behind the two and remembered the dream from earlier. The scene in front of him is the same. ‘No this is just coincidence.’ 

It happened more than three times, which made Peter believe that the dreams he is having are what’s about to happen for the day. Every time he woke up, his memory goes back to zero. After months of struggling, he decided to record everything that happens daily. 

It is now January 26, 2020. Peter’s eyes opened, and nothing seems familiar to him. He sat on the bed and saw a little notebook on top of the bedside table. Out of curiosity, he reached for it and scanned the content. 

Dear self, 

I know you’d forget about what happened today that’s why I wrote this detailed letter for you to read tomorrow morning. I hope you see this little notebook where I keep all the journals of what happened to me, us, daily. It sounds weird, but a scene will flash on your mind once in a while for the whole day. These scenes depict what will happen for the whole day though it only shows a glimpse of what will happen. 

Today is January 25, 2020. I just got home from school. Our school's name is Clark High, and we have friends named Jack and Mel. They don’t know that we always forgot everything once we sleep, so I hope you don’t tell them too. 

For today, Mel and Jack fought about where we should go tomorrow, that would be today in your case, Mel voted for mall while Jack voted for the amusement park. We were asked to have the final decision, and I told them to go to the mall first then go to the amusement park. It should be Saturday when you read this journal. The meeting place, for this bonding time with both of them, would be at the park near the house around 9 in the morning. I hope you wake up early so you won’t be late. Mel would be angry if that happens. She doesn’t like late people. 

Peter decided to stop reading and looked at the clock. It was already 8:49. He hurriedly stood up and readied himself. Peter wasn’t sure of the journal is true or not, but he still trusted his instincts.

He left the house in a hurry and was a few blocks away from the park when a truck hit him. His dream last night came into mind. 

He saw himself on the pavement. His body was covered with his pool of blood. People surrounded his body. A few policemen and some civilians trying to know what happened. He also saw his parents crying near his dead body.