Observation of The Fates

Year: 1978, I think.

Location: Unknown.

Unknown country.

A grey, dark room, dripping water from the ceiling.

The light flickers.

Wait—no door.

No windows.

How long have I been here? Too long, if you ask me. This dark grey room is horrible. Who would have thought I could end up in a place like this?

To be honest, I don't even know how I got here.

Okay, wait—let's think for a moment.

I was on a plane to Japan from LA.

A bit of turbulence—nothing new with that. I travel a lot.

Then a huge bang—wait. I remember a bump to the head, then I was here.

Could it be a dream?

Am I dead?

This room has nothing. How could I have gotten here?

Okay, I need to figure this out. Think, Andrea, think.

"Hellooooo!!!"

"Can anyone hear me?"

"I can hear you," a voice on the left side of the room cried out.

"Who's there? Are you trapped too?"

I rushed over to the damp-looking wall to see who was there.

"Who are you? Are you trapped too?"

The voice replied ever so softly,

"Yes. I just woke up. One minute I was on a sunny beach, then I'm here. I remember something hitting me on the back of the head, and suddenly—darkness. And here I am."

"What's your name?" the voice muttered through the wall.

"Me? My name is Andrea. I'm from LA. I was actually on a flight to Japan, and I had the same experience—a bump to the head."

The girl in the other room let out a huge gasp of shock.

"Wait—your name is Andrea too? That's so strange—so is mine."

These walls must be very thin because I could hear her so clearly.

Hearing this girl have the same name really freaked me out. I couldn't get my head around it.

Could we be connected in some way, or is my mind playing tricks on me? I had to find out more.

"So, tell me—where are you from?"

I could hear a pause. Suddenly, it was silent.

"Hello? Are you still there?"

After a few minutes, I heard her voice once more.

"I'm here. I'm sorry—I had to think about that. Honestly? I actually have no idea where I'm from. I'm definitely American, but I've lived in Japan all my life. It's funny that you were actually coming here... Maybe we were meant to meet."

I remember thinking how strange that was—the place I'm flying to... a girl with the same name.

"Wait—tell me what you look like."

I was beginning to sweat. The temperature in this place was really starting to rise.

I placed my head on the cold, damp wall to hear her voice. She sounded so much like me.

"Blonde, curly hair. Green eyes. 5 foot 7."

She even told me what she was wearing—a polka-dot dress with red spots.

And a steel bracelet on her right arm.

The strange thing is—I also have the exact same features... except my bracelet is on my left arm.

I began to cry as I realized—my mother always said I was a twin, but I never had a sister. She always said, "Somebody you will meet one day will look exactly like you."

What could this mean?

I had to ask her.

Andrea from the other room also came to the same conclusion.

"My mother always said the same thing to me. She was from America but moved to Japan when she was young.

She was very beautiful and kind.

Also blonde with green eyes. She always had this great big, happy personality and made amazing bacon and pancakes with maple syrup."

I remember jumping back from the wall.

That girl just gave the exact description of my mother.

"Oh my God... what is going on?"

"Get away from me! I don't know who you are, but stay away! Don't talk to me again!"

In my anger, I began punching the wall until my knuckles bled.

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!"

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!"

I screamed so loudly.

When suddenly—the ground began to shake.

I saw a crack running down the wall.

"What's going on?! Oh no! Andrea, are you okay?!"

The shaking got worse. Parts of the rubble in the room began to give way.

Then suddenly—the big, damp wall to my left just collapsed.

I could see her face. Her body.

Everything.

She was me.

The exact same likeness.

Then—a huge chunk of rock hit me on the head.

I was out cold.

--

I remember waking up with a bright light shining in my face.

It was a doctor.

"Are you okay, miss? You've been sweating for hours. I thought at one point I was going to tell the captain to make an emergency landing."

Wait—I'm on the plane?!

I sprang up and saw all the people staring at me from their seats.

It was just a dream.

"I'm okay, doctor. Thank you—just a bad nightmare."

I sat back down in my seat.

I couldn't get over how a dream could affect me like that.

What was it even about?

At least I would be landing soon.

I remember, after baggage claims, seeing an older Japanese man holding a sign with my name on it.

I didn't organize anything like this... What's going on?

The man actually spoke in English.

"You better come with me. Andrea wants to meet you."

WHAT?!

She's real? It wasn't a dream?! It was real?!

What's going on?!

He took me to a huge, black, expensive-looking car and drove me away from the city.

I remember admiring how beautiful the Japanese countryside was—springtime was always the best time to visit here.

I got so lost in the beauty that I didn't even notice when he stopped.

"Hey, girl. Get out."

Quite aggressive, I thought.

I remember getting out and noticing a huge graveyard right in front of me, with a center path.

Why am I here?

What's going on?

I looked into the distance—and saw Andrea standing there, looking at me.

"ANDREA!!! IT'S ME!" I shouted as I began to run.

"ANDREA!!!"

As I got closer, I saw her body gradually disappear into the ground.

She was gone.

When I got to where she had been standing—so out of breath—I noticed a very old grave, completely overgrown with weeds.

I got down and pulled away the messy overgrowth.

The name on the grave shocked me. I was shaking.

I could not move.

I was frozen in fear.

The words, in English:

Andrea Daniels

Died: 1978

Place of Death: Pacific Ocean

"The brightest girl in the world."

As I finished reading, I looked up at the tree next to the grave... and saw another bracelet.

The exact same one on my left arm.

Could it be Andrea's?

Wait—could I be Andrea, too?

Then suddenly, I heard the footsteps of someone sneaking up behind me, a hand placed on my left shoulder.

It was the driver. He then looked me straight in the eyes.

"Welcome home, Andrea."