As Alex settled into his cubicle, the familiar surroundings seemed to swallow him whole. He fired up his computer, and the login screen flickered to life. The usual day's tasks awaited him, a never-ending stream of reports, meetings, and emails.

  The morning passed in a blur of monotony. Alex's mind wandered, his thoughts drifting back to the dream. The image of the child and the car lingered, refusing to fade. He pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the tasks at hand.

  At lunchtime, Alex grabbed a sandwich from the deli downstairs. He ate alone at his desk, scrolling through his phone just like he did every working day. The world outside seemed to move at a different pace, people rushing to and fro, each with their own destination.

  As the afternoon wore on, Alex's thoughts began to drift again. He wondered what would happen if he took a different path, if he chose a different life. The what-ifs swirled in his mind, a tantalizing glimpse of possibilities. The supposedly dream made him think of all that. Death sure is scary; he thought.

  The clock ticked slowly, each minute feeling like an eternity. Alex's eyes glanced at the time, willing the hands to move faster. Finally, the day drew to a close, and Alex packed up his things, ready to face the evening commute.

  As he walked out of the office building, the cool evening air greeted him. Alex took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. The day was over, and he could finally relax.

  As Alex walked home, his mind troubled by the lingering memories of the dream, he saw the child again. The little child AGAIN, no more than four or five years old, was chasing after a balloon that had slipped from his grasp. Alex's heart sank as he realized the same scene was unfolding before his eyes.

  The child darted into the street, and Alex's instincts kicked in. He couldn’t even start to process everything. He had so many questions. Reflexively he sprinted toward the child, but it was too late. In that split second, he was in utter bitterness. The car hurtled down the road, its horn blaring.

  Alex felt a sense of déjà vu wash over him. This was happening again. He tried to push the child out of the way, but it was too late. The impact was immense, and Alex felt his consciousness slipping away.

  He died again, the same crushing force, the same sense of regret. Alex's mind was filled with questions. Why was this happening? What was the purpose of reliving the same moment? What the actual hell in the world is happening to him?

  As his consciousness faded, Alex felt himself being pulled back, rebooting like a computer program. When he opened his eyes, he was met with an unfamiliar ceiling.

  He sat up with a start, his heart pounded hard. Where was he? This wasn't his bedroom.

  As he looked around, he saw a woman in her 20s lying beside him. She was fast asleep, a towel wrapped around her body. Alex's eyes widened in shock as he realized he had no idea who she was or how he had ended up here.

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  Panic set in as Alex scrambled out of bed. The woman stirred, her eyes snapping open. When she saw Alex, her face contorted in shock.

  She screamed, a loud, piercing sound that sent shivers down Alex's spine. The woman jumped out of bed, her towel precariously wrapped around her body. She rushed out of the room, leaving Alex stunned and confused.

  Alex stumbled out of bed, his mind reeling with questions. Where was he? Who was the woman? And how did he end up here?

  He staggered toward the balcony, pushing open the curtains. What he saw took his breath away.

  The world outside was unlike anything he had ever seen. Towering skyscrapers stretched toward the sky, their exteriors a mesh of neon lights and futuristic architecture. Flying cars zipped through the air, their hum filling the atmosphere.

  Alex's jaw dropped as he stared at the unfamiliar landscape. He screamed out loud, the sound echoing through the room.

  "Where am I?" he shouted and screamed, but there was no answer.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Alex POV

  I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on the unfamiliar world outside. The scream still echoed in my mind, and I felt like I was losing my grip on reality. The scream, the futuristic cityscape, and the sense of déjà vu all swirled together in a maddening vortex.

  My mind reeled with questions. How did I get here? Who was she? And what was this strange new world? I felt like a pawn in a game I didn't understand, being moved around by forces beyond my control.

  As I stood there, my eyes began to take in more details of the city. The skyscrapers seemed to stretch on forever, their neon lights reflecting off the dark glass surfaces. Flying cars zipped through the air, their hum filling the atmosphere. People moved through the streets, their faces a blur as they went about their business.

  My gaze fell upon a massive screen hovering above the city. It displayed a countdown timer, the numbers ticking down with alarming speed. My heart sank as I realized I had no idea what the countdown was for.

  Suddenly, her voice echoed through the room. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice firm but trembling slightly. I turned to face her, and our eyes met for the first time.

  She stood in the doorway, her towel still wrapped precariously around her body. Her eyes flashed with anger and fear as she took a step forward. I wondered what made her come back.

  "Answer me," she said, her voice rising. "Who are you?"

  I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. I didn't know who I was anymore, not in this strange new world. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat.

  "I...I don't know," I stammered finally.

  Her expression softened slightly, but her eyes still narrowed. "What do you mean you don't know?" she asked, her voice a little gentler.

  I shook my head, feeling a sense of desperation wash over me. "I don't know how I got here," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know who you are or what this place is."

  Her expression changed, filled with confusion and surprise and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes. "You really don't remember?" she asked, her voice filled with skepticism.

  I shook my head again, feeling a sense of frustration. "No, I don't remember. I just...I woke up here, and I saw you, and...and this city."

  She nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. "Okay," she said finally. "Let's start with the basics. My name is Maya."

  I processed the information, trying to connect the dots. "And I am...?" I asked, hoping she might know.

  "You're...with me, apparently," she said, her voice trailing off.

  I took a deep breath and introduced myself. "I'm Alex," I said firmly, determination rising within me. "And I'm going to figure out what's going on here."

  Maya's expression changed, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Okay, Alex," she said. "Let's figure this out together."