Cael sat on his bed, staring at the small, leather-bound diary in his hands. It had come earlier that afternoon, wrapped in silver paper, to which one note was attached: "Write in this diary a message for your future self." No name, no address-just that bizarre request.
He smiled, wondering if it was a prank from one of his friends, but something about the diary felt odd. It was old but untouched, its pages crisp, ready to be filled with words.
He grabbed a pen as evening was about to grapple and deepen into night. "What do you even say to your future self?" he whispered. After a moment, he scrawled on it, "I hope you're happy-whatever you turn out to be. Make the right choices." He paused after he placed the pen down before adding, "Also, don't forget your dreams. And don't lose this diary."
Satisfied, Cael closed the book and flung it onto his bedside table. He slid under the covers and began to sleep.
That night, everything changed.
He awoke abruptly in a gasp, but it was not morning. He was chilled, much too chilled. His mother shouted from outside his room His room seemed different-familiar, yet so far away. He attempted to rise, but he felt an unexpected, searing pain in his chest. Like a heart attack. And then. nothing. He was swallowed up by the darkness.
The next thing Cael knew, sunlight streamed through his window. The day was bright as any before. He blinked, confused. It felt like he'd only just woken up, except. something was wrong.
His gaze strayed to the silver-wrapped package on his desk. He smiled, wondering if it was a prank from one of his friends, but something about the diary felt. familiar. It was old but untouched, its pages crisp, ready to be filled with words.
Cael stepped over and unwrapped it, again, having the eerie sense of déjà vu.
He sat down and opened it, expecting to find blank pages. On the first page, in his handwriting, were words: "I hope you're happy whoever you become. Make the right choices. Also, don't forget your dreams. And don't lose this diary."
His heart quickened in his chest. He didn't remember writing that. How could he?