Ask Alice

Future, Past, Present.... The looping reels all playing out right now. Every second, of every moment.

Some very badly misguided people had been gaslighting anyone who began to see through the tenuously maintained illusions.

We knew, because the windfall of the 21st century was directly affecting our reality.

In the Year 2122 we did it. We created a device that would allow us to retrace our steps...To find out where it all went so, so, wrong.

Waking in the fog of confusion, inevitably encapsulated within the volunteer agreements. It was after all, rather important that we could navigate, through this sleepy density. If we had any hope of sheparding the souls that were born in the 21st century on Earth, towards the highest, best outcome.

One that is not rank with transhumanism and devolution.

We had seen a resurgence of darker forces at play taking root in this time frame. They were by no means initiated there.

No, that all started long, long, ago...as we have all been told as little children. Through the myths and stories whispered by hearths for millennia.

Something sinister was intent on removing the spirit of humanities potential. Something without ethics. Something devoid of love.

"Alice, did you remember to walk the dog before you leave for work?"

My Mom called timidly from the kitchen.

I was weird. I knew it. The banality of daily life, forever enmeshed in the insistence of this reality to be mundane.

But was it? was it really? Walking dogs, being a good citizen, believing in our self proclaimed leaders as if they were our trusted elders?

"Trusted Elders? Where do you come up with this stuff Alice??"

I spoke out loud to myself, as I put the leash on our dog Rabbit. A very happy, and bouncy Jack Russel, & my best friend.

I had this persistent and nagging feeling that i had forgotten something.. Something so very, very, important.....

With unkempt hair, and crooked glasses, I stumbled down the driveway muttering to myself about the mental midget I was. How I couldn't think my way out of a wet paper bag, if my life depended on it. Sweet Rabbit seemed completely unconcerned with his predicament. Bless him.

A sense of awe, or, stupefied incredulity, often made me laugh out loud at myself, and of course...everyone else.

This only added to my weirdness...Obviously.

At 22 years old, I held down a job with a law firm as an transcriptionist.

It really was all I had going for me. No friends, boyfriends, or social life to speak of.

I lived in my alcoholic Moms basement. She lived a quiet, antisocial life, having never recovered from my fathers sudden and unexplained disappearance.

Occasionally, totally uncharacteristically, lucid thoughts would pop into my mind.

Thoughts like,

"It would be so much nicer here if everyone would wake up."

And, -

"What happened to our trusted elders?"

Sometimes it felt like I had literally just arrived, even though my 23 birthday was quickly approaching.

That afternoon, when I returned from my lunch, a strange man waited in the lobby. He was just sitting there, but his back was impossibly straight. He looked like...like his thoughts were far, far, away.

I stumbled, he turned his head as my entrance snapped him out of his rigid catatonia.

A wave of recognition seemed to dance across his face before he could mask his disbelief.

Confused, I proceeded to my cubicle at the back of the offices.

What on earth was that?

I thought to myself. I had gotten pretty good at keeping my inside voice, inside, at least while I was at work.

Before I could shuffle my self, and the disarray of papers on my desk into some semblance of order, there he was.

"Alice?'

"Alice what are you doing here?"

My mouth must have been hanging open, as an expression of disdain began to emerge on his very expressive face.

"My name is Alice, but you must have me confused with someone else"

I said. pushing my escaping spectacles back up my nose.

"No... I think it is you who is confused. Dear Alice"

"My name is Warren, Warren Downing, sound familiar?"

"Oh Dear, you really have no recollection then?"

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and flipped through a series of images before resting on one. He showed it to me, it was a very beautiful women, with long flowing blonde hair and perfectly fitting 501's, black t-shirt & Doc Martins, looking at a pocket watch.

Baffled, I just gazed at the image in disbelief.. He could see I was beginning to panic.

Taking his phone back, he handed me his card.

"We need to talk. Please call me after work."

With that he turned and left without another word.

I spent the rest of my day in a kind of reverie that I usually reserved for my free time.

Then it dawned on me.

That was me.

In the photo. A way cooler and more together version, but it was me.

What on earth did it mean?

Cascades of memory, melting with flashes of lucidity bombarded me for the remainder of the day. I didn't even remember leaving work, or arriving at home.

Sitting at my kitchen table with a cup of earl grey, it all snapped back into focus. The steamy scent of bergamot and roses clearing my mind. Straight through, how did I get home, to where did I put that card?

Standing up from the table, I reached for my purse, in its customary spot on the counter by the back door.

"Autopilot is a powerful state of being isn't it?"

I said to myself.

I felt like I had just experienced a crash course in life, the universe, and everything...ala Ford Prefect...or my current realities version of him...

Warren Downing.

Examining the card brought another succession of realizations. Crystal clear memories, and awareness's of things that I had not recalled until this moment. Shame crept up my neck in the form of a scarlet blush.

Oh My God.

I had been so confident. So assured that the temporal jump would not erase the memory of my mission.

That my advanced spiritual gifts, and cognitive abilities could withstand the density of illusion in this time and space.

Warren seemed so shocked. Was I alone in my amnesia? I knew I was part of a team, and likely one of the team leaders...How many of us were there? How many were lucid?

I had the sinking sensation that I would be the one expected to answer these questions.

Questions like, "We are here, now, WHAT ARE WE DOING?"

I took my phone out of my purse, and dialed.

"Hello Warren speaking"

"Hi Warren, I need to se you."

"Alice! oh Thank God! "Meet me at the bodega on 7th avenue."

"On my way."

Hanging up, I rushed to grab my purse, and put my shoes on again.

A wave of excitement washed over me, and I knew.

We were on time. We were about to proceed.