The Author's Spotlight ??

Hi everyone! This is the final posting for the week 3 participants of the weekly contest, with week 4 coming next. Closing it off with a bang is Emily's powerful short story that will make you question yourself as you read this trippy and emotionally impactful piece!

Written by emilypoole977

It was snowy outside, and you were watching everyone gather around Big Ben, England's Clock Tower. Everyone was gathering to celebrate the New Year.

You were there too, watching the clock count down, frozen in place, when you heard a whisper in your ear.

"I think we can do so much better, so how about we start again?"

Before you could ask questions, you were jolted out of your thoughts by the ding of Big Ben and the shouts of people cheering for the New Year.

Pulling out your phone, your eyes widened when the date was 2020.

"What the hell is going on?"

You wake up in bed in a cold sweat; fumbling for your phone, you check it.

To your surprise, it says 1st of January 2020.

You laugh and lean back on your pillow. "No, this can't be happening."

"Get a hold of yourself!"

You lay frozen after the shout; you sit up and look round your room. "Hello, who is it?"

You listen for a minute, and then when there's no response, you laugh, "Geez, I need to stop watching paranormal things before bed."

You get up and make your way to the kitchen; while making a cappuccino, you switch on the TV.

While you're making a drink, you hear something that confirms you're back in the worst year of your life.

Your eyes get fixed on the TV, and you realise what the news is showing—the start of the year when the world stopped making sense.

You sighed, but again you heard the voice, "Forget the main event, but you need to get to that place."

You gasped; whatever it was, it was right.

You quickly drink and eat up and get ready, and afterwards you go out.

You pulled up outside work, and before you go in, the voice speaks again, "Go in and act natural."

Your side-eye even though you don't know what you're side-eyeing and get out of the car.

In the office, you are doing your job when he turned up Joseph Lee.

He was the most beautiful man you ever seen, and you want to ask him out, but you never got the chance.

Maybe that was why you were taken back in time to ask him out.

You.

You wait for a free moment to be near him, and when you have it, you ask him to go outside.

"So what's up, Lily?"

His smile shines in the sunlight, and you feel yourself giggling, "Mm, I was wondering if you would like to go out this weekend?"

He smiled and held your hand. "I would love to."

You feel so happy but try to play it cool. "See you Saturday then."

He nodded and went back inside; you went to your car and got inside. You screamed with excitement; luckily, there was no one around.

"Yes, I did it."

You celebrated by yourself, and afterwards you went inside the building and got on with work.