Falk 1 Chase Falk Gardner English 2 30 August 2013 Two Worlds Collided I positioned myself comfortably on the small

bench, over looking Mount Tamalpais. I watched the fog slowly move away and uncover the bright and beautiful sun before I pulled out my book: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. It was my seventh time reading it and I dont think it would ever get old. As soon as I started getting into the book and old women suddenly sat next to me. Alarmed, I glanced over at her. I have never seen anyone sitting on this bench, except myself. I couldnt help staring, something was odd about her, she looked strangely familiar. I think she noticed me watching her because she looked over to me and smiled. I quickly looked away and started reading again. Even though my book was at the climax, I couldnt stay focused. I was getting weird vibes from this older women sitting next to me. I saw her reach into her purse and shuffle around in it. She pulled out a book. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. The elder woman was 75 years of age. She sat down on the small bench, overlooking the tall buildings and factories, towering over what used to be the beautiful sight of Mount Tamalpais. She looked over to the bright and young 15-year-old girl, admiring her wrinkle less face. Great book, huh? The women asked me, chuckling afterwards. Yep I said, glancing again at her worn out, bent, and discolored copy of my favorite book. She put the book down on the bench in between us and started searching through

Falk 2 her purse again. I started to continue reading again when something caught my eye. I squinted as I read the faded handwritten purple letters on the right corner of the cover of her book. It said Chase Falk. I abruptly sat up straight, a million things going through my head. I looked back in forth from my book to her book. The crooked cursive letters in the corner of my book matched hers exactly. She stopped looking through her bag and pulled something out, and I hurriedly looked back at my book, acting like I had been reading the whole time. She sighed and I couldnt help but look through the corner of my eye at what she was holding in her lap. I almost dropped my book. She was holding a calendar, but it wasnt just any calendar, it was one of the calendars that my family makes every year. The calendars have pictures of us in each month showing what we did that month and we would give them to our grandmas and uncles for Christmas. It was a family tradition that had been going on since 2004. She was holding the 2004 calendar that my Mom had made about 9 years ago. She looked at me once again, smiling. You know we stopped making these after Hailey went to college. With just me, I mean you and Dad around, there was no point. She said, looking down at the calendar sadly. I didnt know what to say. I was past confused at this point, I was more startled. She didnt wait for me to respond though, she kept going. Its probably the only memories I have from our childhood. She said shaking her head in regret. I really wish technology didnt take a huge jump. People stopped using cameras and stopped printing and framing photos. Instead we started taking pictures on our phones and posting them on every social media website there was. I cant even remember my password to those dumb websites, Im not even sure if theyre still active. ilovecats? I blurted out without thinking.

Falk 3 She laughed and said that she changed that password long ago. I nodded, stunned that I had just said that to her. I guess its because something about her made her so easy to talk to. It was like I was talking to myself...or was I? I shook this unbelievable thought out of my head, and looked around for any of my friends, or some hidden cameras. Thinking that this was probably a prank. You married a very nice and successful business man, She said, smiling to herself. And you had two daughters, one year apart in age and inseparable. Just like you and your sister used to be. Used to be? I asked, confused. Never mind that, She said shaking her head softly anyways your husband made enough money to support the family, I... you had no need to work, but you tried writing a few books, They were definitely inspired by this book, She said, pointing to my copy of Before I Fall which was resting on my lap. But they never got published, you never really tried to publish them, you were embarrassed of your writing. You never even told Joe about them. Joe? I asked Sorry- Joe, your husband she said, reassuring me. I can show you a picture of him, if you want She said. Uhm, sure I said All of a sudden a screen shot up in front of her. I jumped. She started pressing things and scrolling down on the holographic screen, I moved closer to her and studied it closely. It looked sort of like an iPhones screen, but just floating in the air. A photo shot up and she put her hand over it and dragged it over to me. I sat back in the bench, scared of this

Falk 4 strange hi-tech floating monitor. I looked around to see if any of the people at the park were looking at us, but they were just going on with their own business. A few glanced over to me because I was staring, but they didnt even notice the futuristic holographic screen behind me. Was I just seeing things? I looked back at the photo displayed in front of me. There was a tall man with dark brown hair standing next to a woman who looked just like my mother, but with lighter hair. The mans arm was around the women and they were each holding a toddler girl. The toddlers looked like they could be twins, but one was a little bigger than the other. They both resembled myself in this picture of me as a toddler hanging up in the living room in my house. I squinted, looking at the women who looked like my mom. I began to see some resemblance of myself in her. It unexpectedly started to pour rain. I must go The elder women said looking at her wrist, where there was no watch. The screen suddenly disappeared and she got up and walked on the trail surrounded by tall dark green trees without saying anything else. I didnt say anything either. I just watched her walk away as the rain grew heavier. I was left questioning this day for years and years. If this is true, if this was myself in the future, then in the future I will meet my 15-year-old self, and my 15-year-old self will meet her 15-year-old self in the future. Its an ongoing cycle. A confusing cycle that never ends. The young lady sat in the small bench watching the elder women walk on the small trail enclosed by trees and bushes. The elder women walked on the sidewalk surrounded by many buildings next to a busy street, she waited for the stoplight and crossed the street. The girl watched her disappear into the trees. I guess my book really did never get old.

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