**March 5 2025**

It all started with the old cars hidden in the woods. My team has had tons of tips coming in about the small group of cars sitting in the middle of our local forest.

One man came into the station early this morning and loudly said, in a thick country accent

“Me and my Pa have gone deer hunting back there since I was a kid and we ain’t never seen those old things before.”

Then later, around 10:15, a concerned couple came in complaining about the vehicles. They stated

“My children have played back there longer then they could talk, and not once have they ever came across those cars.”

I too know that forest like the back of my hand, so does everyone else in this small town. The area has no clear trail for the cars to access the spot. But back in the 80s that same area had a small, thin, gravel road that led to wear the cars lay now. Of course it’s all overgrown now and the vehicles would have had to plow through the miles of thick brush and fallen trees. According to one of our oldest sheriffs it used to be quite the hang out spot.

“Yeah, back in the day me and my buddies used to drive down there. I haven’t seen anyone near that spot in a long time.”

The captain has given me permission to check out the area in question right after this. I’ll report back to the station on any of my findings, pick up my daughter from school, and be on my way.

**_March 5 1984

_**_I hum along to the tune playing on the radio as I head down the dirt road. I follow John towards the end of the trail and park next to him. When I step out he greets me with a smile._

_“How you doing Dave?” He says and shakes my hand._

_“Never better.”_

_Our friend Mike pulls in and parks next to me. We both wave him over and we make our way to our large group of friends. _

__

_Per usual there is a ton of lawn chairs and one big cooler in the middle. We all talk and laugh for awhile but after a bit folks start to head out._

__

_“Hey Dave!” Mike yells in my direction _

_I look up “Yes?”_

_“We’re going to head the store quickly? You wanna come.”_

_“No I’ll probably just stay”_

_“All right, we’re going to leave my car and take Joshes but we’ll be back in about twenty minutes”_

_“Sounds good.”_

_As they pull out I head to my car and step inside. I switch the radio on and decide to take a quick nap._

__

__

__

__

_When I wake none of my friends are near, the forest has filled with fog, and there’s a cop tapping on my window._

__

__

**March 5 2025**

****

I’m making my way through the forest with quick steps. Curiosity fills my head. For once this small town police station may have a eventful case.

When I make it to the clearing I see what everybody has been speaking of. Two cars sit oddly in the middle of the clearing. Though they are definitely old cars they don’t look old at all, they look as though they were just bought new a couple of months ago. Strange for a car that has been sitting in a forest for who knows how long.

I approach the vehicles and inspect them, when to my surprise, I discover a man asleep peacefully in the drivers seat. I tap on the window harsher and harsher until he wakes up.

When his eyes finally flutter open he looks at me with much surprise but opens the door and steps out. He looks like he stepped out of any old movie I used to watch when I was very young.

“Hello there sir. I’m detective Leisel Verring.” I make sure my badge is visible as I introduce myself. “I’d like to ask you a couple of questions if you don’t mind?”

“Sure” he says tiredly and slightly confused as he stuffs his hands in his jean pockets.

“What’s your name sir?”

“I’m Dave Smith”

“Well with a name that common I’m gonna need a birthdate.” I say with a laugh

He looks at me a little weird but reply’s

“October 9th 1960”

I look up quickly and chuckle a little bit. There is absolutely no way that a man who looks to be in his 20s was born 65 years ago.

“I’m sorry, I’m going to need your actual birthday.”

“That is my actual birthday, I’m 24.”

My heart rate spikes.

“Dave can you tell me what day it is?”

“March 5th 1984”

“Alright Dave I’m going to have to bring you in to ask a couple more questions”

He looks at me with fear in his eyes but doesn’t say a word as I bring him out of the woods and drive him to the station.

After I drop him off and make sure my partners now the deal about this guy, I return back to the same clearing to check out the two cars. There is a certain rush in my walk because school gets out soon and I have to pick up my daughter. The car that Dave was sitting in, I look at first. It’s a red Volkswaggen Jetta and is in very good condition. As I open up the driver door and step inside I am filled with a nostalgic sense and for a moment I let myself relax, but before I can think, the door slams shut with a gust of wind. I gasp as a pile of leaves off the forest floor blows up and covers all the windows.

I take it as a sign and quickly get out of the car. I take my final notes and dizzily start to walk back to my car. For some reason the woods feels thicker and the walk seems shorter but when I finally emerge from the forest I am met with a large group of construction workers.

I wonder how I didn’t notice them before, seeing as they have been doing work for hours. But when I can’t find my car I walk up to one of them, the feeling of being light headed only grows stronger.

“Hello there, have you seen my car anywhere, did you guys tow it?”

“Um nope, there was no police car anywhere near when we arrived.” One of them says

“Shoot, okay well, thanks anyway.”

I start to walk off but another worker calls out

“Hey! I feel like a recognize you from somewhere.”

“I don’t think so?” I say intrigued

“No, no I do! From when I was just a kid! What’s your name again?”

“Leisel Verring?”

“It is you!” He says pointing his finger “You’re the cop that went missing 40 years ago!”

“Wait, no, no, no.” I say losing my breath “Todays March 5 2025”

They all look at each other with sadness in their eyes

“I’m sorry to tell you this but it’s March 5 2065”