All You Zombies by Robert A. Heinlein

2200-VII- 12 Jan 1993-Sub Rockies Annex-HQ Temporal DOL

2200-VII- 12 Jan 1993-Sub Rockies Annex-HQ Temporal DOL:
I checked in with the duty officer and went to my quarters, intending to sleep for a week. I had fetched the bottle we bet (after all, I won it) and took a drink before I wrote my report. It tasted foul, and I wondered why I had ever liked Old Underwear. But itwas better than nothing; I don't like to be cold sober, I think too much. But I don't really hit the bottle either;
other people have snakes-I have people.

I dictated my report; forty recruitments all okayed by the Psych Bureau-counting my own, which I knew would be okayed. I was here, wasn't I? Then I taped a request for assignment to operations; I was sick of recruiting. I dropped both in the slot and headed for bed. My eye fell on 'The By-Laws of Time,' over my bed:
●Never Do Yesterday What Should Be Done Tomorrow.
●If at Last You Do Succeed, Never Try Again.
●A Stitch in Time Saves Nine Billion.
●A Paradox May Be Paradoctored.
●It Is Earlier When You Think.
●Ancestors Are Just People.
●Even Jove Nods.

They didn't inspire me the way they had when I was a recruit; thirty subjective-years of time-jumping wears you down. I undressed, and when I got down to the hide I looked at my belly. A Cesarean leaves a big scar, but I'm so hairy now that I don't notice it unless I look for it.

Then I glanced at the ring on my finger.

The Snake That Eats Its Own Tail, Forever and Ever. I know where I came from-but where did all you
zombies come from?

I felt a headache coming on, but a headache powder is one thing I do not take. I did once-and you all went away.

So I crawled into bed and whistled out the light.

You aren't really there at all. There isn't anybody but me-Jane-here alone in the dark.

I miss you dreadfully!