Resurgence

Chapter 1: How It All Started

When we're young, we are indoctrinated the idea of growing up and having a career, a house, a spouse, and maybe some kids. The white picket-fence lifestyle is an unrealistic expectation that many desperately strive for. Many ultimately fail by realizing that their dreams or vocation differs from the norm. Yet, The simple idea of desiring something different can make anyone feel like they are in exile from society. Living with that abnormal and eccentric craving for something more is something that I struggle with. I felt trapped in the social construct of my world. But what if there was a secret escape? A literal escape to another world. To a world that could fulfill the void of wanderlust and adventure. Is it not selfish to believe that we are the only ones out there? I don't mean aliens, ghosts or even vampires. What if there are other worlds that are built with a different design. Worlds with different conceptualizations than our own.

*****

"So what are your plans for your week off, Iza?" I stare at the register for a moment as Natalie fixes her makeup across from me. I began to think of all the wanderlust and ambitions I had for my life. Reality set in as I responded to her.
"Nothing really. Just getting stuff done around the apartment and catching up on shows. I only asked to used vacation time to catch a break." I had a retail job at a luxury boutique where we didn't see many people on an average day. The most exciting thing in our day was when we gossiped about our lives to our small team. That in itself was the most exciting thing about my life. I was twenty years old, living with my mother in a small apartment, with a normal job. The constant questions of who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do with my life spun in my head like it would in any other person in their early twenties. While most my age dealt with their soul searching by focusing on school or parties, I buried myself in work.
"Don't have too much fun sitting on your couch" Natalie joked as we began to close up for the night. "You should come work out with me and my sister next Friday!"
"Sure! Let's talk time and place tomorrow."
"Kay."
We closed up the store for the night and went home.

I entered my small apartment in the uneventful city of San Marcos, Texas. I greeted my mom and talked about our day. We argued about bills and gossiped about family. The world was a lonely place for me. My parents had been separated for a few years now. My father lived his retired days out in the countryside with his dog. My sister and I were close but kept our distance now as she was living her life with her husband and daughters. I loved my family, but I was now only close to my mom. We fought often, as any mother and daughter would, but at the end of the day she was all I had. I had attempted to live on my own, but always found myself at my mother's, so we figured we might as well save the money and share an apartment. Neither of us were ever home anyways, with our jobs and all. We were more like roommates in a sense. But it was always nice to come home to a home cooked meal and a loving smile. Later that night we had dinner as we usually did and continued our conversations about future endeavors of home decor.
After dinner I went to get my outfit ready for my last day at work tomorrow before my vacation time. As I was looking through my closet I began to go over my late night questions that had been haunting my evenings. I wondered what I was doing with my life. Where was my job taking me? Was this really the life I wanted to be living? Am I happy with the choices I've made? What can I do to satisfy the craving of wanting more than a conventional life? These questions overcame my mind while my body went through the motions of preparing my things for the next day. I was then in bed, waiting for my travel to the dreamland. The only time where my mind could be at ease, and forget about the worries of a chaotic world.
The next day at work was just as mundane as the last. A few clients came and went. The other girls and I gossiped about everything and anything, and soon enough it was time to close up again. Thinking about going home and relaxing made cleaning up the store an eternal task. It also gave my mind room for the haunting questions to creep in. Why do I work here? I don't hate my job. I like the people I work with. I'm comfortable here, but I know I'm not content with myself. I pondered the thought that I was destined for something more. It was silly to think that I could be the next Katniss Everdeen, Tris Prior or Hermione Granger, yet I still felt like I was capable of something greater than myself.
I was taken out of my thoughts when two of the other girls left for the night leaving Natalie and I to finish up closing the store. We planned for our workout session for the next week and discussed the problems of the world as we were leaving.
As the platinum blonde and I walked out of the store and into the empty halls of the mall, we began to say our goodbyes, "Good job today, Iza. Jacob is picking me up here at the main entrance. You want us to give you a ride to your car so you don't walk alone?"
"No its okay. I didn't park far. Plus I'd rather avoid being the third wheel of you and your boyfriend even if it is for two minutes.", I responded.
"Haha," she uttered sarcastically at my jab, "Okay, well I'll see you next Friday. Text me when you get home. Enjoy your week off!"
"Thanks Nat. I will. See you soon! Goodnight!" I had a feeling I should've let them accompany me, but the parking garage was just under the main entrance and I had parked right by the doors. I had also seen a family walk down the stairs to the parking garage right before we stopped so I figured there was no harm in walking alone for a short minute.
I walked down into the humid parking garage. The family I had seen walk down earlier had just driven away. It was dark but the moonlight crept in just enough to tone down the creepiness of the florescent lights that illuminated the few cars that were still there. I began to hear a rumbling of thunder that echoed through the pavements of the garage. I didn't remember there being a forecast for the storm that was now brewing. As I approached my car I heard a faint 'bang' a few cars down from me. I ignored it, thinking it might be the thunder again. I set my purse in my car when I heard it again. Before getting into my car, I stopped and looked at my surroundings for any sign of what it could be.
"No! Give me back my purse! Somebody help!", I heard a woman exclaim. Running towards her cries, I found a middle aged woman with a small frame struggling over a name-brand purse with a scary looking man twice her size. I, being as small as the woman in trouble, decided I'd take my chances and play hero. I launched myself at the attacker who was clearly stronger than me. I clenched my hand into a fist and punched the side of his face. It didn't seem to hurt him and only seemed to take him by surprise. His hand still grasping the expensive purse, he swung his arm at me that I luckily and miraculously dodged. Kicking his leg with the heel of my bootie, he slightly lost his balance giving me an opportunity to swing my other fist at his nose. He stumbled backwards, loosening his grip on the purse as the lady pulled it back. The terrified woman stepped behind me either because she saw me as her protector or as her human shield. Despite it giving me a sense of fear, it gave me a rush of life. It made me feel alive, fearless and invincible- probably due to the adrenaline that was now coursing though my veins. Hesitantly the mugger came forward once again when I proceeded to knee him where it hurts most. I began to back away towards the lady, but as I turned to check on her I saw her eyes widen and her hands clench the purse in fear. The man was now pointing at gun at us. I pushed the lady behind me once again attempting to regather my bravery that was now seeming to fade away and turn into panic. My heartbeat now matching the beat of the storm that seemed to come out of nowhere. I tried to talk him down letting him know it wasn't too late to walk away.
"Hey, you don't have to do this. You can still walk away. No one has to know what happened here. We can all go our separate ways."
Consternation set in his eyes as he cocked the gun. The intensity of the storm seemed to escalate the intensity of the situation. Thunder now muffling the argument, we raised our voices which only made us both sound more threatening and fearful.
"I- Why didn't you walk away?" The man's voice seems unstable, "This could have been over. I didn't want to pull the gun."
With a hitching breath, I attempted to sooth his fear and my own, "You can still put it away. You can leave. We won't tell anyone. No one has to get hurt."
For a brief moment I saw regret and horror in the man's dark eyes, but then everything changed. As impossible as it sounds, what seemed like lightning stroke silently inside the parking garage around the three of us. We all turned every which way, turning to each other to see if the other had seen the same phenomenon, then faced other directions to see if we'd see it again. Before I could finish processing what was happening the man held the weapon tighter as if he thought I was responsible for the strange occurrence. His gaze never left me as the lighting surrounded us once again. He was ready to pull the trigger at any moment, causing me to jump between the delinquent and victim in attempt of saving her from the firearm. Another blue streak hit right in between the man and me. Screaming, thunder, and a gunshot was all I heard as the flash before us grew. I closed my eyes and threw my arms across my face in attempt to shield myself. Opening my eyes again I saw what seemed to be an explosion of a mystic blue light. Everything seemed to slow down. I saw the bullet fly towards me and disintegrate before my eyes. The man and woman flew backwards as my body stood still. Suddenly I felt like I floated upwards slightly. Gashes of blue still surrounding me until that was all I could see. My black hair was being pushed back from a sudden rush of wind. I closed my brown eyes once again hoping I was just imagining the implausible situation. Everything went from blue to black in a matter of seconds.

My mind awoke, thinking I had entered the afterlife I opened my eyes again. My body was now lying across a cold pavement of what I thought was still the parking garage. The sound of sirens, cars honking, muffled music, people talking and laughing, overwhelmed my ears. I picked myself off of what seemed to be an alleyway. I looked over myself for signs of injuries, but other than a sudden feeling of being cold I was unscathed. Terror and confusion overwhelmed my mind. Did I hit my head too hard? Was I kidnapped then dumped here? Did I die?' Planning to cry for help I ran out of the alley and towards the voices of people walking by. The sight before me was one I had never seen before. Tall buildings and sky scrapers. Lights from far off billboards and other advertisements reflected on the dark pavement, making me forget that it was the evening. The new sights and sounds brought out anxiety and even more confusion. This looked like what New York appears like in the movies. As I walk slowly trying to process what was happening, I bumped into a group of drunk women who seemed unfazed of my chaotic state. Backing away from them I collided with a sign that seemed to be an advertisement for a champagne bottle. I read the sign and saw that it said "New Year's Eve! Welcome 2012 with a glass of class!"
2012? New Year's Eve? It's the middle of September of 2020. Did I hit my head somehow? I walked backwards again bumping into a young couple taking pictures of the city in front of them. Clearly seeing the disorientation in my face they asked if I was okay.
"Where am I?" I managed to spit out.
"Like what street are you on? I'm not sure. We're tourists too", the concerned woman responded with a light heart.
"No. I mean- where- when- Is this New York?" I asked with a heavy breath.
"Yes, you are in New York. Are you Okay? Do you need a doctor?" the guy questioned me with uneasiness.
"I- What? Wha- what year is it?"
"Uh, 2011?" the woman said with bewilderment as she glanced at me and then at the man standing slight in front of her as if ready to protect her from me if needed. "Are you here with anyone? Jeff maybe we should call the cops or an ambulance she doesn't seem like she's in her right senses."
I'm not sure why, but I ran away from them and back into the alleyway I appeared from to catch my breath and gather my thoughts. Was this some kind of weird and crazy prank? This wasn't possible. I couldn't go from Texas to New York in a matter of seconds. I couldn't have gone back in time. I felt insane asking myself these questions.