I’m awful at cleaning. I spend nearly all the time just playing with old junk, which was why I was currently sitting in the corner of the apartment I lived in with my mom, charging her old phone.

Okay the phone isn’t that old but she got a new phone last month so I was curious to see what was on this one.

I scrolled through the apps only to find nothing of any interest. Dang. I really thought my mom might be some super cool witch lady.

Until I opened the photo gallery.

I was scrolling through pictures and I found one of an ultrasound picture. It dated back to when she was pregnant with me.

But something was off.

I couldn’t tell what and was about to turn of the phone and try again to finish cleaning before my mom got home from work. But then I noticed.

The photo contained not one but two babies.

I was an only child.

My mind was full.

Stress and anxiety filled the glass tank.

The weight of my responsibilities.

The pressure.

Cracks spiraled and spun.

I desperately tried to hold it together but it was to late.

The glass was broken.

The piercing shards crashed through my mind.

Piercing everything in its path as it’s destructive shards pushed through my mind.

The flood waved through my mind wiping out all logic.

It poured out of my eyes, the uncontrollable wave of salty tears.

I was broken.

“How about truth or dare?” I suggested to my very bored best friend. “Fine, I dare you to order a pine tree” Mia said and I rolled my eyes. “What kind of dare is that?” “Just do it,” She snapped and I sighed. She had been on edge all night after her grandmother had disappeared. Nobody had seen her in a month and Mia had always been very close with her. They bonded over their shared love of cooking and hoped to one day open a restaurant together. In an attempt to distract her from the angry stage of grief she was currently in I suggested going out to eat although it was proving to not be as smart as I originally thought. “What would you ladies like tonight?” The waiter asked. In an impulse decision I said “A pine tree please,”

The man looked at me in panic and whispered, “come with me,” I wasn’t sure what to do but Mia immediately got up so I followed.

We walked into the back room which was a large kitchen that smelled strongly of cinnamon. A women stood with her back to us facing the stove, her silvery grey hair tied up in a bun. “Nana?” Mia asked and the women turned around to face us revealing none other then Mia’s grandmother. “Nana what are you doing here,” Mia whispered, a tear slipping down her face. “Mia what are you doing here?” Nana asked skeptically. “What are you doing here?” She retorted, tears falling faster now. I quickly moved towards my best friend hugging her as her grandmother started confused at us. “These nice people asked me to make them some food,” Her grandmother said quietly. Breaking away from Mia I said “Mrs. Perks if you don’t mind me asking how long have you been here?” “Just an hour. Why?” Her grandmother responded and all of a sudden everything clicked. “Wha-“ Mia started but I interrupted, “Mia we have to go,” “Wha-“ “Trust me,” She nodded as I pulled her out. Running of the restaurant feeling the cold November air burn my throat. “Emma, Emma where are we going?” Mia asked “Far away from there,” “But Nana is there.. what about Nana and why did she think she was only think she was there for an hour- Oh Emma what if she-“ I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers. Feeling her cool lips press against mine for a brief moment before we pulled apart.

She stared at me and suddenly started giggling hysterically. “What? What’s so funny?” I asked “Nothing just- what happened back there” Mia responded “Uh well I think she might be caught in a time loop,” “So how would we get her out,”. “I don’t think we do,” I responded, “But she’s happy, did you see her in there?” “Yeah I guess,” Mia responded “I’m sorry Mia,” I said and she smiled softly back at me, “it’s alright. She’s way happier then I’ve ever seen her,” Mia said.