The Lost Glitch

Tequila, lime, and salt littered the floor, sticking to the bottom of Lena’s shoes. It was margarita night at Molly’s and people came from all over town to sing karaoke like it was the end of the world. Lena took a long drag of her vape, hoping it would cleanse her fatigue and give her the motivation to get through her shift.

The regulars order their usuals. Maggie chugged AMF buckets to relive her days as a 22-year-old college student. She looked 22 because she was, sort of. She confided in Lena that she was actually 38, but she went back to her 2005 body every weekend to forget about her current mid-life crisis. Leonard and his wife Jean ordered Old Style cans, both in their 1963 bodies when they were newlyweds, before they had grandchildren or back pain. 

Lena spent her ten-hour Saturday night shift pouring drinks, popping tabs, and learning about people's lives. Although Lena wasn't allowed to change bodies while on the clock, she wondered what year she would want to turn back to. Lena was only 29, and she couldn't remember a time that was so amazing she would want to go back. 

Lena thought about her closest friends, who never came to Molly’s to visit anymore. Angela was an electrical engineer, on her way to a big promotion. No time for fun. Rebecca was a stay-at-home mom with newborn twin girls and a rich, loving husband. No time for drinks. David was studying abroad in Spain, a PhD candidate working on his dissertation. No time for travel. They’d all found their calling, Lena thought. No time for her. What was her calling? Her life’s purpose? Was it working at Molly’s? As that was how she spent most of her waking hours. She hoped not. She had worked there almost 6 years, since all four of them were in college. When they all finished college, they started their own lives and moved away with their degrees, careers, and their families. Lena was left in the dust, in crippling debt for a degree she never received. Lena said after she saved enough to go back to school, she would quit Molly’s. But the years went on, the economy grew worse, and Lena never left.  

“You seem a little down today, sweetie,” said Jean, her strawberry blonde hair curled and pinned up into a beehive. She didn’t look a day over 25, but her voice held the tone of a loving grandmother. 

“I’m okay, just tired,” responded Lena, brushing it off. She was tired, but not just from fatigue. She was tired of her monotonous days, her lonely hours in her apartment scrolling through Instagram watching the world burn, people getting engaged, and not knowing what to do about any of it.  

She wiped glasses clean as she watched Jean and Leonard laughing on the other side of the bar, noses touching with smiles that filled her with both happiness and longing. She knew that with The App they could only stay in a past body for 24 hours at a time, but she wondered why that was a regulation. When Leonard and Jean woke up tomorrow morning, they would be back at the nursing home barely able to remember each other’s names.  

She walked over to them, “Can I ask you a personal question?” 

They both looked at her smiling sincerely, “What is it, dear?” asked Leonard.  

“When did you know that you were doing it right? That you were on the right track, I mean?” How did you know that your lives were... how they were supposed to be?” 

They looked at each other, smiling with love glossed over their eyes, as if in that moment they were reliving their entire lives in their minds. “Well, you never really know for sure,” said Jean. “It’s more of a feeling.” 

“Exactly, when I was in my early twenties, like I am now,” Leonard winked, chuckling, “I had no idea what I was doing with my life, other than I was marrying my Jean. And at that time, that was enough. Eventually I got a job, and we started a family, but it never happened all at once.” 

Jean reached over the bar and grabbed Lena’s hand, “Fate is resourceful, Lena. You will never have it all figured out, and that is the beauty of life. Every day, every year is a new adventure.” Lena smiled and thanked them, not sure how to make this next year a new adventure. 

The next day, she woke up to a banging on the door. It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Lena went to the door with dried drool on the side of her mouth and hair like a bad 80’s perm.  

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OLDIE!” Her baby brother Johnnie went right in for a hug the moment she opened the door. He smelled like the cologne of a man, which was weird to think. He wasn’t such a baby anymore. 

“Thank you,” she smiled sleepily. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were coming.” 

“Of course!” Johnnie yelled, “You only turn 30 once! I actually called you like ten times this morning, but you didn’t pick up. I couldn’t remember which apartment was yours, so I had to knock on a bunch of doors. It was pretty embarrassing.” 

“I’m so sorry, I was dead asleep.” 

“I can tell,” Johnnie said snickering at her visage. “You look your age, that’s for sure. How about you take a shower and then we go out? I make adult money now, so my treat!”  

Lena got herself together, but she really didn’t feel like going out. 

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Johnnie handed her a brown paper bag with a pink bow on the side. “Maybe this will inspire you.” Inside Lena found a handle of Tanqueray and a case of tonic water. 

Lena laughed, “My favorite, thanks. I’m surprised it’s not UV Blue.” 

Johnnie scoffed, pretending to be offended, “Uh, sis, I am grown now. I have matured past my UV Blue days, thank you very much.” 

Lena laughed, “Sure, Johnnie.” Lena grabbed 2 glasses and they clinked cheers to thirty years. They sat on the couch and finished nearly half the bottle.  

“How is work going?” Lena asked.  

“Let’s just say, I really needed this time off.” Johnnie had recently graduated from college with his degree in Artificial Intelligence and Technology. He now worked as an engineer for The App. 

“Is it really that bad? I thought you enjoyed it?” 

“I did at first, but they recently just moved me to a different department. They called it a promotion, and I mean I do get paid more than I did when I was sitting behind a desk, but now I am more hands-on.” 

“Wow, a promotion! That’s amazing!” Lena gasped, “And didn’t you want to be more hands-on, since you were kind of bored behind the desk?” 

“Well yes... but I didn’t realize what I would exactly be doing if I was more hands-on. I’m working in a lab... which is new and scary to me.” Johnnie gulped.  

“Oh, I’m sure you’re doing great! It is normal to feel scared, but they gave you a promotion after only working there for like what, 6 months? You must be doing something right.” Lena was excited for her little brother, but she couldn’t help but think about his success in comparison to her lack thereof.  

“Yeah, I guess that’s true...” Johnnie abruptly stood up, “Alright, it’s time to party!  I’ll order the Uber; you finish your drink and then we’ll be off!” 

“I’m not sure if I’m up for it, why don’t we just stay in and order takeout?” Lena hadn’t been out, at least as a customer, in months.  

“Oh c’mon! Just because you’re middle aged now, doesn’t mean you have to be lame.” 

Lena smacked him, playfully. “Middle-aged?” she scoffed. “Lame?” Johnnie gave her a convincing look. “Okay fine, we are going out!” 

They went out to dinner and, of course, ended up at Molly’s. It was Lena’s comfort bar, and also the only bar she’s been to in the last few years. She said hi to the regulars, and they all bought her drinks. Within an hour, both Lena and Johnnie could barely sit up straight. 

“It’s so interesting to me to see how people use The App. Like, psychologically why people choose to go back to certain bodies,” Johnnie said, looking intently at one of Molly’s regulars, Maggie, deep in her AMF bucket. 

Lena rolled her eyes and got his attention back. “Do you ever use The App on yourself? Like, when you’re not on the clock?” 

“Hardly ever,” he said, in between a burp. “Being only 22, there isn’t much I would go back to, since The App only allows you to go back to age 18. Plus, we’re still researching the long-term effects of using The App. So, I’m waiting to see the findings.” Lena nodded, understanding. They ordered another round of drinks.  

“Actually,” he whispered, leaning in closer to Lena. His breath reeked of liquor. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone yet, but we’ve been working on adding a future feature to The App. It’s still in the testing stages, but it’s available to a select few.”  

“So, if I wanted to change into my 40- or 70-year-old body, I could?” Lena’s eyes lit up inquisitively.  

“Yeah, that’s the goal! It’s crazy, honestly.”  

“Do you think you could download the update on my phone?” 

“I mean, that’s technically against policy... and there are still a lot of risk factors and tests we haven’t run yet.” 

“C’mon, as a birthday gift for your big sister. If it doesn’t work, I’ll go right back!” 

“I don’t know...” 

“Johnnie... could you imagine if it did work. You’d be able to tell your boss and maybe get that promotion you’ve been wanting...” She nudged her brother with puppy dog eyes. “Not to mention, Johnnie! You would literally make history if it worked!” 

“I mean... we have done almost all the tests, and it’s gone perfectly so far...” Johnnie thought to himself for a moment. 

Lena looked over at Maggie in her low-rise jeans and Juicy crop top. “I’ll get Maggie’s number for you,” Lena told Johnnie, “She’s really only 38, but she is back in her college body, so...” Lena looked at her brother with conviction, smiling.  

Johnnie asked the bartender for 2 more shots. “What the hell!” 

They took the shot, and Johnnie updated Lena’s App. “Thank you so much!” she said, pulling him in for a sisterly squeeze. 

“Just don’t go too far into the future, I’d say ten years max. We haven’t entirely figured out what happens if you go to a body that’s past your death date.” 

“Of course, of course. I’m thinking I’ll go to 36. Not too far, but enough that hopefully I’ll have some of my life more together, right?” 

“We’ll see,” Johnnie laughed and helped Lena set The App to her body 6 years from now. Lena shut her eyes tightly. The same blue glow that took over her body when she went to her past bodies covered her. When she opened her eyes, she felt dizzy. Her mouth was dry, so she chugged her glass of water.  

“How do you feel?” Johnnie had a concerned look on his face.  

“Just thirsty, otherwise, I feel... okay.”  

After a few minutes passed, Johnnie noticed, “You don’t look any older, if that makes you feel any better? Are you okay?” 

“Honestly, I feel great!” And she did. She felt euphoric, as if the stressors of her life had magically disappeared. Her chronic neck pain was gone, she felt like she was breathing air again for the first time. 

“Great! Do you remember anything? Like, from the last 6 years?” Johnnie scooted closer, excited and curious, like a kid.  

“I don’t think so. The last thing I remember is talking with you about The App on my 30th birthday. Is it still my 30th birthday, technically?” 

“Okay, that’s what we were expecting! The App can only predict your future body, not your future mind. And yes, it’s still August 30, 2019. No actual time has passed.” 

They spent the rest of the evening putting down drinks, recollecting childhood memories, smoking, and discussing the implications this discovery had on the world. Lena couldn’t remember the last time she had such a bad hangover. Or the last time she had so much fun. 

She spent most of the following morning crouched over the toilet, trying to collect herself enough to go into work. Johnnie was still dead asleep on her couch at 4 p.m. when it was time for her to leave. As she was walking out the door, she realized she never went back to her present body. She scrambled for her phone and tried to reset it, but when she scrolled to her present age, it kept going back to 36. 

“Johnnie, wake up!” She shook him, but he wasn’t budging.  

“5 more minutes,” he said, rolling over with the blanket over his head. 

“Johnnie, you need to get up! We have a problem!”  

“What is it?” Johnnie slowly sat up. “Man, I feel like shit.” 

“Yeah, same but look!” Lena sat next to him on the couch and showed him The App.  

Johnnie sat with her App for what felt like hours. He finally said, “I have no idea.” After a few Google searches and a bit of social media scrolling, they discovered The App wasn’t working for anyone. Anywhere. Headlines read: “The App is Under Maintenance, What Now?”, “Going to Work in my Teenage Body”, and “Over 800 Hospitalized Due to The App’s Glitch.” 

“How did this happen?” Lena felt herself building with anxiety.  

“I’m not sure, I’m going to call my boss and see what’s going on.” Johnnie went onto the patio with a pack of cigarettes and his phone pressed against his ear. He looked as stressed as she felt. 

All Lena could do was lie on her couch and stare at the ceiling. She texted her boss. She couldn’t possibly go to work. Did she cause this? Was this glitch caused by her going to the future? One person couldn’t possibly make such a big impact, right? 

Johnnie came back in, defeated. “The Emergency Investigative Team found that there was someone who went to their future body without authorization. They are calling it the Lost Glitch. Well, they’re calling you the Lost Glitch.”  

“What does that even mean?” 

“They suspect... that you went too far. Because this never happened in any of our tests.” 

Lena sat, frozen. “Too far? Like... past my death date?” 

Johnnie nodded solemnly.  

“What happens now?”

“I’m not sure. Well, the whole company isn’t even sure. They said they’re going to start by trying to fix the app. But I’m not sure what that means for you.” 

Lena wept hysterically, pacing around the room. She wasn’t ready to die. How was 36 too far?

Johnnie sprung up at the sound of his phone ringing. Lena watched him pace around her studio apartment, creating figure eights around the room. He just nodded and grunted in response. He eventually said, “Oh, that’s great!” with a grin of relief. He kept pacing and nodding, this time with a pep in his step. Until suddenly, he stopped, and Lena watched the color leave her brother’s face. The only thing Lena heard was, “Are you sure there’s nothing else you can do?” 

When Johnnie hung up, he sat next to Lena with a tear streaming down his face.  

“What happened? What did they say?” 

Johnnie said nothing, but reached for the T.V. remote, clicking to the news. Lena saw her own face on the screen. The headline read: “The App Fixed! Suspect Lena Montez Charged with Felony. Lifetime Sentence Expected.” 

Lena felt her ears ringing, “What the hell did they say, Johnnie?” 

“They said they fixed The App, but our company can’t take this kind of bad publicity. So, they are telling the media you caused the glitch on purpose.” 

Lena threw her hands in the air, exasperated, “God, of course a billion-dollar company cares more–” 

“Lena,” Johnnie reached out and grabbed her hand. “There’s something else. They fixed The App for everyone else, but they couldn’t find a way to set yours back to your present body without... well, without killing you, essentially. And they’re not sure if you’ll stay in this body forever, or if you’ll die whenever your death date was meant to be.” 

Lena took a deep breath, “Well, I don’t mind staying in this body–" 

“Lena, you need to listen to me. You need to leave now.” Johnnie stood up abruptly and started packing a bag full of Lena’s clothes. “My boss claimed the Lost Glitch to be a great subject of study for the company. You’re not going to jail, Lena. They’ll send you to the lab. You’re only an experiment in their eyes now. I’ve seen what they do... to the current inmates. You need to run.” 

“Where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to do? What about you? Aren’t you at risk now too?” 

“Don’t worry, last night I used my admin’s login to update your phone, so they won’t know it’s me. And I’m not sure where you should go, but you need to go, now. They can trace your phone, Lena. Leave it here and go off the grid. I will come find you when the dust settles.” Johnnie handed her the bag of clothes and snacks, bringing her in for the tightest hug Lena had ever had. She felt tears drip from his face onto her shoulder. “I love you. I will find you.” he said. 

Lena returned the sentiment and ran through the door, in search of her purpose.