Time is The Essence (the pals time travel au)

Corl

Braden Welsh (2022 self)

Emotion: ???

There's a door here. It's been here for some time now.

It's locked.

I can't pick locks, and I can't unlock the door from the other side. Breaking the door would probably ruin the whole thing too. Is this a symbol for something? Do Denis or any of the other pals have the key? Am I stuck here because it's my fault I'm not talking to them-

Find the key. 

....

I can't see anything. How am I supposed to find the key?

You will find it when you have reached peace with yourself.

....

Then, the world around me expands. It's like opening my eyes, except my eyes were open the whole time. I'm standing on soft grass, the night sky surrounding me. A tent is positioned next to me with a mesh roof to look at the stars. A few trees decorate the land, which is making me think I'm in some sort of park.

The most notable thing is a few meters away from me. It's a gazebo. It's decorated in solar powered fairy lights that faintly glow in the night, and a radio plays songs by the band "Seals and Crofts" inside. Wind chimes hang off a hook from the side of it, calmly making music in the gentle breeze.

I open the gazebo door and step inside. Something's drawing me to it, but I'm not sure what. I lean over the edge and close my eyes. The music and wind chimes playing as I think. The peaceful atmosphere begins to calm me from my anxiety, although I still feel sick to my stomach. 

I open my eyes and turn to look at where I came from. The door is still there, except it's now a door to a flower garden, with tall fences that block you from going around. I was so interested in my surroundings that I failed to look behind me.

Just then, I see Past me stepping out of the open tent.

"Wow." He says as he looks around.

He spots me and smiles. I clear my throat and hope I look presentable.

Past me enters the gazebo.

"Hey." We shake hands.

"You've changed a bit." Past me says, noticing the fact that my hair is now about shoulder length. "It looks good on you."

"Thank you." I say, looking at his deep blue eyes. MY deep blue eyes. It's as if it's a mirror but... Alive. 

"This is an interesting setting, isn't it?" Past me says. 

To past me, this place doesn't make a whole lot of sense for us to meet here. I guess he expected something less serious, but it makes sense from my perspective. The perfect place to tell deep secrets. 

"Sure is, but it's peaceful." I say.

"So how's life?" Past me asks, a more serious glimmer in his eyes.

"Different." I say.

"Oh. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." He says, easing up on the subject. 

"That garden looks cool." Past me says, referring to that door. 

"Yeah, but it's locked." I inform him. 

"How come?" Past me asks as he slightly tilts his head. 

"Well, something said I have to make peace with myself in order to unlock that door" I admit.

"I feel pretty peaceful." Past me says, now looking even more confused. 

"Well that's great, but......"