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This is a draft which is subject to revisions.

Recommended for ages 13+.

The following is a work of fiction. All names, characters, incidents, and places are either the product of the authors' imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, business enterprises, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Have you read any science fiction books lately? Our imagination sometimes distorts reality and shapes our lives in bizarre ways.  

Am I me? 

You’d expect a simple yes or no answer. What if I said that I wasn’t sure. Are you confused? Well don’t be. The truth of the matter is I’m bewildered by strange recurring flashbacks. No I’m not putting you on, and just in case you’re wondering, I’m not mentally insane either.

During the last few weeks I’ve had several vivid flashbacks. They are quite puzzling. I see myself in strange places, talking to people that I have no recollection of, and find myself doing peculiar things. I am quite frightened by these visions. They seem so real. Other times, they resemble places that I’ve seen before, such familiar faces, like people that I once knew, and the events seem so close to home, like my own personal experiences. I finally went to see if there was anything wrong with me. My doctor ran a series of tests, merely as a precaution. The results came back negative. My doctor said I’m in perfect health. He gave me a rather peculiar look, before stepping out of the room. It was almost as if he believed that I was playing games. 

I have no idea what is happening to me. My life is quite simple. Every day I have the same routine. I shower and shave, get dressed, and finally energize before heading out to work. I don’t recall the last time that I was ill or suffered any pain whatsoever. For that matter, I’ve looked the same way as far back as I can remember. My one hundred and twentieth birthday is just around the corner. Yet I am considered quite young, many others are over four hundred years and counting.  

Upon arriving home, I made my way over to the sofa to relax for a while, then I reached over to the end table to check my moisture level. I placed the hydroscope against my right palm, which gave me a reading of 94, indicating that I needed to rehydrate. The water dispenser then poured out the exact amount of liquid for me to consume. I gulped down the drink, and being a little stressed out decided to get some shut eye. Sure enough, it happened once again. I saw myself in a strange surrounding, washing and peeling these strange looking items, then placing them in a pan, and finally stirring the contents. After a short while, I saw myself placing these items on a white surface. Then the most bizarre part of the vision occurred. I saw myself along with others performing these strange rituals while seated at a table, Next we placed these items in our mouths using a shiny utensil. Mouthful after mouthful the contents magically vanished, along with other items already present on the table. I woke up in an agitated state.

I don’t know what to do anymore. Society doesn’t tolerate any nonsense, or rituals of any sort. Section 498 of the social etiquettes strictly prohibits this. We’ve been taught that we are all responsible for each other’s well-being, and that everyone needs to do their fair share for the benefit of all. I haven’t a clue as to what to do next. There were no abnormalities in my test results. Going in for further consultation could result in serious consequences. I could lose some of my privileges in society that I worked so hard to attain. Even more frightening is being placed in solitary confinement. Others that were sent there were never seen again. Are you beginning to understand my conundrum? Yet these bizarre visions are quite disturbing. I don’t know if they will stop or continue intensifying? Despite my predicament, it’s wise for my sake to try and suppress these thoughts, rather than face serious consequences. The only question that keeps perturbing me is what does all of this really mean?

More to follow…