Flash Fiction: Trapped in Some Twilight Zone

Help! I can't seem to escape this twilight zone. If anybody out there can help me, anybody who is also perhaps trapped in this copycat world…please!

Is all of this in vain? The blog posts? The ridicule from "friends" and "family"? Am I to ignore the subtle differences for the rest of my life? And how is the other me handling the changes? Will I ever be able to get back home?

It has been a year since I made that long drive to Camwell, and every attempt I make to reverse and retrace my steps ends in utter failure. I see the comments you people make on my posts… "crazy," "schizo," "don't forget to take your meds," "lunatic." I am numb to it all because I know the real reason why I feel the way that I feel. I do not belong in this dimension of existence.

August 14th, 2018 was the day that I had a meeting with one of my clients- Cecilia. We had planned to meet at the public library because that is where she felt most at peace. Being IDD and autistic, the quietness of the library soothed her. I had never met the ladies from the workforce commission who were going to help Cecilia. I was excited for her because this had been one of her goals for a very long time- to get a job and start earning some income for herself. When I arrived at the library, Cecilia was already there talking to one of the workforce ladies; her name was Robin. She seemed kind and was delighted that I was willing to assist and represent Cecilia- apparently, it was something that she was not used to seeing case workers do for their clients. Shortly after, delirium ensued.

The other workforce lady, who would also be part of this meeting, walked into the library. It was my old boss- Mrs. Jessica Tucker. To give you some idea as to why I was confused, well, she was the director of my last place of employment. She was well-loved by her superiors and I did not expect to see the day when she would be working in a position not fit for her callous ambitions. Also, she seemed to have gained a significant amount of weight. But her outdated, crooked glasses, unkempt, dry, nappy hair, and the birthmark mole below her right ear lobe imposed that I had underestimated her superiors.

I acted as if I did not see her walk in; I quickly made up my mind to be as professional as possible and ignore the circumstances we would find ourselves in. When she found our table, she shook everyone's hand, to my surprise she was not Mrs. Tucker but another woman by the name of Rachel Hanley. When she shook my hand though, she glanced at me for a few seconds longer than everyone else. At that moment, time stopped, for a few seconds I was able to get a clear glimpse into her bloodshot eyes and observe her dry crow's feet. The resemblance was uncanny, I was certain that it was Jessica Tucker but…this doppelganger was too good. All I said was, "Hi, I'm glad to meet you." I smiled through my teeth as her fake demeanor frustrated me with her viperous response, "I'm sorry, have we met before?"

I bit my tongue and just smiled insincerely. The meeting proceeded with Robin showing and explaining the services that the workforce commission could assist Cecilia with. Cecilia did not have my full attention; I was too busy wishing and daydreaming scenarios in which this Hanley would disappear from my sight. After the meeting, I walked out of the library, already scheduling my next appointment with Cecilia and expressing how proud I was of her. Before I could get in my vehicle and drive back to Oakphur, both Robin and Rachel wanted to speak with me.

"I think it went great," said Robin, excited to see Cecilia get a job and work toward independence.

"That's where I remember you from!" Expressed Rachel randomly interjecting Robin. "We interviewed you for the auditor's position."

I looked at Rachel, trying to control my breathing as I did not want to show signs of irritation or confusion, for this whole time I was convinced that this person was not named Rachel Hanely. Another thing was weird, and it should have been my first clue…I never interviewed for the Workforce Commission.

"Oh! You interviewed with us?" Asked Robin. "Well, we would have loved to have you on our team."

I was baffled at what I was hearing. "Interview?" I responded acquiescently.

"Yes! You were actually one of our considerations, but the woman we hired just had more years of experience."

"Well, we love Hannah," added Robin. "But I'm sure you would have done just as fine in that position."

"I mean, we do have some caseworker positions open if you want to come work for us," said Rachel.

I laughed and played along; I added a few more times into the conversation that Mrs. Hanley was confusing me with someone else, but she kept insisting that she wasn't. No matter, after a few more minutes of conversation, I finally started to drive back to town.

According to my previous posts, some of you do not believe me when I say that I have made the drive from Oakphur to Camwell and back multiple times. Many hours on that long two-lane road. Nothing of novelty over the years, so you can imagine my fright when the road started to curve slightly to the right instead of the left. I regained my focus and came to a complete stop when I arrived at an unfamiliar 'Yield' sign instead of the usual 'Stop' sign before heading west toward Oakphur. I thought to myself that in my trance-like state, I must have turned too early somewhere and was just too eager to get home without noticing it. No other vehicles were coming, so I wanted to make a quick U-turn and head back the correct way home. I then glanced at the road sign indicating the number of miles before the next town. It was the exact sign I would always see showing '70 Miles' beside the name 'Oakphur.' I could excuse the Yield sign as a replacement for a Stop sign. But… the road, curved in the wrong direction, the sign, it was the same sign. I rationalized that I had taken a wrong turn somewhere and this just happened to connect to FM1067. The landscape was quite the same, though, just a little off. The cornfields on both sides of the road were not cut into circular patterns earlier in the day on my way to Camwell. I disregarded it and drove back home, thinking this was just a path I had never paid attention to.

I noticed weird remarks from coworkers and family the following days about things I did not remember doing. Like, going out with some girl that I had never met yet they had picture proof from her social media accounts, the same girl calling me from a number I did not recognize asking me what I was doing that coming weekend. My parents talking about some tax forms that I had helped them with when I was not even aware that I had driven to their home a week prior.

That is when I started to write everything down, yet you all still don't believe me. To all my friends and family, NO! I was never or have never been part of the Community Connect for Young Adults. I didn't just randomly decide to stop volunteering at the Salvation Army, I never did it in the first place! I've never liked cod or have bought cod, yet I noticed that I had two bags of wild cod in my freezer shortly after that day. Yes! Darth Vader did say "No, I am your father." The version that you all watch where he says "Luke, I am your father." Is false and incorrect!

Odd things continued to happen and they still do. I don't remember buying the Spanish version of Don Quixote, I don't know Spanish. I bought and read that book in English! Yet I can't find the version that I remember buying. I have steak knives in my drawers that I do not recall buying. Subscription to a gaming magazine that I never subscribed to yet my credit card never shows being charged for this. I have brought up all of these concerns to my parents yet it doesn't seem to do me any good. I'm tired and I dislike this feeling that I get that I am in someone else's house.

If anyone out there has also experienced similar things or might have a clue of what is going on…please just help me get back home.