2024-08-25 “I Have A Feeling” by Hannah

When Merritt and Emma’s posts from early July mentioned some metaphysical feeling drawing them to each other, I sort of scoffed. Now, after the dream we all shared, I know what they meant.

I woke up, and all I could think about was that it’s Emma’s day off and I ought to hang out with her. Admittedly, my second thought was that it would probably mean being with Merritt, but I think it is notable that Emma was the first thought.

I sent her a text and she said she’d be glad for my company.

I was getting ready to go to Brooklyn when the dream replayed in my thoughts—stronger than just remembering it, but I was awake. Something jumped out at me.

I’m, in 2024, not time shifted. But as far as Merritt and I could work out, Emma and he are shifted in all three paradigms that we know about. I’m not sure what to make of that.

I’m speculating now. If time shifting somehow creates that metaphysical attraction, I didn’t experience it until after the dream. Which means that I somehow connected with 1984-me who is stuck in 1880 with 1984-Emma, and the dream transferred the connection to me.

Backtrack a second: We don’t even know if the dream represents anything real. Whatever time-shifted them could have just given us all the same dream. But why? I know I went to sleep wondering about the 2024 versions of Emma and Merritt if they really were time shifted. Did that trigger the connection to 1880, and reveal that a version of me is a time traveler, too?

Back to now: It gets really strange.

I picked up some muffins after I got to Brooklyn and nearly bumped into some dude—might have been a girl—wearing black boots and black hoodie. I didn’t see the face.

“Tell Emma and Merritt not to quit their day jobs. Same for you…”

As the words trailed off, a muffin somehow fell from the bag. I looked down quickly, then back up and s/he was walking into a door a little ways from the muffin shop.

I picked up the muffin, put it back in the bag, and turned to follow him/her, but…

There was no door. 

Oh, and there was no hole in the bag, either.