Chapter 2: Solving the Maze

The week that was beginning would be crucial. My days, previously guided by the automated routine of work, now opened up like a fan of possibilities. It was time to chart a new course, build a new life. But first, I needed to unravel the mysteries that surrounded me.

Three urgent points hammered in my mind, like a mantra:

Money: My meager $25,000 would be enough to get me by for a while, but not enough to build the future I wanted. I needed to find a way to generate income, and fast. But how could a 14-year-old kid open a bank account? What kind of world was this?

Reality: The date on the notebook said 2007, but was that all that had changed? Was the world the same as I knew it, with the same companies, technologies and customs? Or had I been thrown into a parallel reality, with its own rules and nuances?

Wardrobe: The lack of clothes I had was an urgent problem. A pair of pants, a shirt and a pair of shoes would not be enough to present myself to the world. I needed to renew my wardrobe, and urgently.

With my mind buzzing with questions, I decided the best way to find answers was to step outside and explore the world around me. But first, a strategic stop.

"I walked out of the apartment and came face to face with a locked bicycle. 'Interesting,' I thought, as I took a set of keys from my pocket. 'Let's see if luck is on my side.' I tried a few keys in the lock, and to my surprise, one of them opened the lock with a familiar click."

"So this is my bike?" I thought, smirking. "It seems my intuition hasn't abandoned me." In the United States, a motorcycle would be essential for getting around, and bicycles would be great for touring but not for long distances.

"As I left the apartment complex, my eyes were drawn to a large sign that stated the name and address of the place: 'Reseda Apartment Complex, 787 Alvarez Street.'"

"Reseda..." I murmured, with a hint of familiarity. "So I'm in Reseda... Interesting." The landscape around me was simple, without luxury, but nothing that surprised me. It was quite possible that this was the same apartment complex as John Lawrence's.

"With my curiosity piqued, I got on my bike and started pedaling through the neighborhood streets. The morning sun warmed my skin, and the wind on my face gave me a feeling of freedom. It was as if I was exploring a new world, discovering every corner, every detail."

"As I cycled along, I noticed that the streets were almost deserted. 'Maybe it's work time,' I thought. 'It makes sense that there would be almost no one on the streets at this time of day.'"

"Suddenly, the image of ice cream came to my mind. 'It's hot,' I thought, 'ice cream would be really nice right now.'"

"After 30 minutes of cycling, I came across an ice cream vendor. The sight of the colorful cart made me happy right away."

"Hello," he said, with a smile on his face. "I'd like an ice cream in a cup, please."

"In the glass? What flavor?" asked the attendant, with a curious look.

"Strawberry and vanilla, with lemon frosting," I replied without hesitation.

"Okay, just a minute," the attendant said as he prepared my order.

"I paid for the ice cream and walked to a nearby park, where I sat down on a bench to enjoy my treat. As I enjoyed the refreshing taste of the ice cream, I watched the people around me."

"The world seemed to be the same as mine. The same companies, the same stores, the same technology... 'If this is true,' I thought, with a twinkle in my eye, 'I can make a lot of money quickly with all this.'"

The idea of ​​using knowledge of the future to build a prosperous life excited me. But before I could put my plans into action, I needed to make sure that the world I was in was actually the same as the one I knew.

With this question lingering in my mind, I finished my ice cream and headed back to the apartment complex. The afternoon would be dedicated to research.