5 Years Later

2) The Day I Remembered

I hear my alarm blaring. I roll over and see its 08:01. Great. It's Friday, March 14, 2025. I lay in bed for another two minutes. I get up out of bed and I immediately feel scared. Why? What was I scared of? The world. That's weird. I've never felt scared of the world, considering I rarely see it. 

I walk downstairs and halfway down I remembered today as the 5th anniversary for when we got out of school for the coronavirus. Weird. I don't remember ever going to school. I walk all the way down and see the advertisement they play a hundred times a day. I didn't feel fazed by it. Usually, when you see it you feel dazed or in a trance. 

I went to the kitchen and got breakfast, a piece of toast and strawberry jam, and I went back up to my room so I could go to class. I opened Canvas and clicked the link to join my first-period class. 

I hate ELA with a burning passion. I don't hate to read, I actually love to read. I just hate learning about the same things over and over again. The curriculum never changes. We're doing Edgar Allan Poe for the 5th time I've been in school. I get it at this point. He had a messed up life and wrote a bunch of good short stories. Can we move on now?

The day went on as it normally did so I tried to block out this morning. I'm probably just going crazy. When I got to my fifth-period class, math, I heard my friend, Amy, talk and I remembered something again. 

I spaced out trying to wrap my mind around what I was remembering. All I could hear was faintly in the background Amy was talking about the Pythagorean Theorem. 

"...I remember from eighth grade that one triple is 3, 4, and 5." Amy said, I looked back at the screen for a moment and then back down at my lap. I was completely zoned out.

"That's right, Amy," My teacher, Mrs. Carlor said, "Delilah, do you know any other Pythagorean triples? Delilah? Delilah!" My teacher yelled.

My head snapped back up at my laptop and I looked at my teacher, "I- what were you saying? Sorry, I spaced out." 

"That much is clear," Mrs. Carlor grumbled, "Do you know any other Pythagorean triples?" 

"9, 41, and 42."

"Very good. Oh, would you look at that? It's 15:15. Class and school dismissed. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!" Mrs. Carlor said, stopping the online class. 

I closed my laptop and let out a breath. I sit at my desk for another 5 minutes before I move to my bed and contemplate what I remembered. I heard Amy's voice and it took me back to when were 13 and 14 years old. 

It was the Tuesday after we got out of school for the virus. March 17th, 2020. We were sitting in a cafe in downtown. We were working on math for school. I don't ever remember going to this cafe. I don't even remember the name of it. 

I laid in my bed as more memories continue to flow through my mind. Hugging my best friend, Stella. Us going to Lake Right RV Resort for my birthday. I remembered going to school and seeing my small friend group that consisted of only three people, Amy, Claire, and Maria. 

By 18:02, I remembered almost everything about my life before being locked indoors. I continued to lay in my bed and stare at the ceiling, still trying to process everything when I heard my mom call for me to come and eat dinner. 

When I got downstairs she asked the usual questions, how am I doing, am I okay, how was school, etc. I give the usual answers, I'm doing fine, yes, good, etc. Today she seemed to not believe me. I don't blame her, I wouldn't either. Because in all truth, I don't think I'm okay. I'm not supposed to remember. 

"Del," Mom starts, calling me by a nickname, which I hate, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" 

"You seem a little off." 

"I'm just a little tired, stayed up late, and such," I told her, hoping the conversation would end. 

"Are you sure?" My hopes didn't come true

"Yes," I said with a tone I know she doesn't particularly like.

She sighed and handed me a plate of food. I sat down at the table and ate silently while my parents talked. I didn't catch a word they were saying, all I could think about was me remembering. Am I actually remembering or am I just crazy? More than likely the latter but the first might still be the case. 

After I finish eating, I excuse myself from the table and run up to my room. It's now 19:13 so I decided to start getting ready for bed, despite it still being daylight out, as the sun was setting. I wanted to be in bed early because I am hoping that sleep will drown out the memories. After I showered, did a facemask, and got into my pajamas it was 20:16. 

I didn't want to go to bed too early so I decided to read a book. I read for about an hour before I decided to finally put it down and actually go to bed. It was around 21:23 when I got into bed, but I didn't fall asleep until around 21:45. 

Was what I remembered actually real or am I making up memories? I'm scared, no terrified. I'm terrified of what I remembered, not that it's bad but the fact that I did remember when I'm not supposed to. I'm terrified of what the world has become. But most of all, I'm terrified of myself.