Laplace's Demon

-02-

"Hey, dude!" a distorted voice shouted, my consciousness was blank, all I could see was darkness, "Wake up already!"

I opened my eyes with a gasp, my vision was a blur, all I could see were black, yellow and red spots of lights. My breathing deepened, as if it was the first breath I had in a while.

"Thank god, Jaxon," the person sighed, I looked towards the voice and my sight cleared and focused, In a red and black football jersey was a black hair boy with bright blue eyes, Alex.

"You're weak as heck, man," he teased, throwing a football at me, probably expecting me to catch it but I swatted it away instinctively, he frowned, "What's going on with you?"

I sat up with a wince, "Alex," I said, grabbing the bed railing to pull myself up, "W-what happened?"

He bent down to pick up the ball back, "I don't know, man, you tell me. We were talking and you suddenly passed out," he paused for a while and sat up with a grunt, "totally freaked everyone out."

I took a quick glance at my surroundings, realising I was in the nurse office, "We were talking? When?"

There was a silence where stared at me like I was crazy, "What do you mean when? It was just now, at the game. Don't tell me you don't remember--"

I eyed the jersey he was wearing, "Didn't you just quit football? And-- why are we even here? The school year ended."

"Not funny, Jax." he stood up, brushing his clothes, "I'll go get the nurse, tell him you're awake."

I watched as the he left the room, I pulled away the covers and reached into my pocket, searching for the photo, it wasn't there. Instead I brought out my phone, unlocking it and opening the calendar app.

Today was September 11, 2019. No that wasn't right, it was June 20, 2020. What was going on?

The door opened, Alex and the school nurse, Raymond, entered the office in mummers. Alex crossed his arms as Raymond pulled out a chair beside my bad, "So, Mr Williams, how are you feeling?"

He had tan skin and brown eyes, his wore his usual oversized white coat with a name tag hooked over his neck. 

"Okay," I said, straightening my posture, "I think."

"You think?" he slid a small notebook out his big pockets and sketched something on it, "Do you remember what happened before the blackout?"

I sneaked a panic glance at Alex, who was on his phone and wasn't paying attention to the conversation, "Talking," I said abruptly, repeating what Alex had told me, "with Alex, at the game."

He nodded his head in approval, putting the notebook back into his pocket, "Alright, Jaxon, you're free to go. Turns out it was just because of dehydration and overheat, quite common in the season. I'll call someone to get you home, take care of yourself, 'kay?"

"Thanks, Raymond." I stood up to leave, my leg felt like jelly the first couple of steps, I almost collapsed but managed to balance myself against the wall before I fell.

"Woah," Raymond jerked his hand out in attempt to catch me, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I raised my arm, "I'm fine."

He sat down reluctantly, and I hurried to the door, pulling Alex out with me as I left.

"Bro, what was that?" Alex nudged me, shoving the football into my chest, he sighed, "Nevermind, you joining us in football?"

At that time, my phone rang, 'Mom', I answered it.

"Jaxon, I'm coming to pick you up right now." her voice sounded urgent, "Quick, I need to finish the draft for my latest story soon."

"Alright, Mom. I'll be ready."

She hung up.

"Sorry," I returned the football to him, "my Mom's coming."

"Aw man, that sucks."

I waved to him, "See ya."

I turned around and swung my bag over my shoulder, walking to the main entrance of the school. Everything was ordinary, the noisy corridors, students talking in front of lockers, it wasn't supposed to be like this, I was going to look for universities tomorrow, and yet I'm stuck back in last year.

The second day of school, how is this possible? Was there a glitch in the system? Have I done something wrong? I shook the questions out of my head, maybe tomorrow it'll be back to normal, things can't stay like this, can they?

I exited the school, spotting mom's old black truck in the driveway. I opened the door and heaved myself in shotgun, "Hey, Mom."

She had a pair of sunglasses on, grey sweater with pink house shorts, "What's going on with you? Fainting out of nowhere."

"Drop it, Mom, I had a tough day."

She pulled out of the school's driveway, heading home in silence, when we reached home I immediately entered my room, shutting the door.

I slammed myself on my bed in exhaustion, this was too hard to process, do I need to go through the entire year this way, knowing what will happen?

What happened that made it this way?

I recalled the photo I got from the memorial table, where I blacked out before I woke up in the office. I dropped out of bed and scrambled through the bottom drawer of my side table, I felt the smooth surface of a polaroid picture and pulled it out.

I studied the picture, it was a sneak picture I took of Eliza in class a couple years ago when I first got my instant camera. It was strange. I found this photo a week ago-- or should I say next year-- after she died, I looked for it.

And now, I'm looking at it too, the photo that was forgotten until the day we lost her. She's alive now, I reminded myself, I can get her back. 

The reason I was here became so clear.