Her eyes opened, but she didn’t remember falling asleep. The room was still dark, she could make out the minimalist feel of the room, the few pieces of furniture had a smart design and everything in the room was the same shade of white. She got out of bed, that seemed to start some of the technology in the room; the lights in the room turned on and now casted a dim glow over the room like the cabin of an airplane. She stood out of bed and made her way across the room to a door, opening it she found a bathroom.

She stood in front of the sink and looked at herself in the mirror; she had long, thick black hair, equally thick, but nicely shaped brows, and full lips. Her skin was a warm brown, it felt soft and moisturized as she grazed her fingertips over her forearm. As she continued to stare at herself she felt like she had done this before, her head tilted to the side as memories began to surface. The memories were flashes of her in different mirrors, she didn’t always look the same in every memory, she had dreads in one, a big afro in another, her hair short and dyed blonde in the next.

A loud pinging started from somewhere in the bedroom, she left the bathroom quickly to investigate. The noise was coming from the computer on her desk, she sat down in the chair and touched the screen settling the alarm and waking up the computer. A message was on the screen already,

Simulation over.

What would you like to do?

[Start Over] [Go Back to Menu]

She stared at the message, she didn’t remember anything, should she start over again? If she decided to go back to the menu what would she see, could she never redo the other simulation. What was a simulation anyway? She winced as a sharp pain irrupted from her neck, thankfully it lasted a second before passing. Taking a deep breath, she refocused on the computer, she tapped the screen.

Everything went black.

--

The team of scientist observed the subject from the time she woke up until she chose an option of the computer screen, no one talked, the only sounds in the room were keyboard clicks, pens scribbling on paper, and the various machines printing information. In the back of the room, the lead scientist was writing away in a worn leather journal,

December 19, 2084

Day 2, 492

Subject A302 continues to impress. We believe it’s processing simulation trials as various life experiences, projecting themselves as memories and/or dreams according to the data analysts. Still the only subject to remember simulation trials, recognizing faster on average three wakes. Move benchmark test to next week, subject still hesitating at start screen, need to know why.

 The scientist capped his pen before closing his journal, he looked back up to the floor-to-ceiling window that looked into the subject’s room. A screen appeared on the window, they were now seeing what the subject was seeing. The scientist opened his journal once more and made another note,

She chose start over, again.

Rhiannon took a deep breath as she brought a lighter up to the bowl of the bong she had cradled in her hand. Letting her lungs fill up with smoke and holding it until she could no more, coughing as she passed it to her left to her friend, Alex. She leaned her back against the shed,

“I can’t believe in a few hours; I’ll be in the car headed to fucking New Mexico.” She stressed as closed her eyes. The thought of her new summer plans giving her a headache. Alex bumped her shoulder, signaling to pass the bong over to Nina, on her right.

“They really are making you spend the summer before senior year with your grandpa?” Alex shook her head, “You’re going to miss out on everything!”

“I know, ugh, but my dad had me when he said if I go I’ll get a car.” Rhiannon groaned, taking the bong from Nina. The weed was finally hitting her system; her limbs were feeling heavy.

“Shit,” Nina cursed, “A car! Yeah, my ass would be out with grandpa Henry too.” The girls laughed, maybe a little too loud as the light to Nina’s back porch turned on and heard the screen door slam shortly after.

All the girls reacted quickly, whispering curses as they stood up, “Shit, shit, shit,”. Rhiannon placed the bong in an empty Homes Depot bucket and placed the lid on. Alex quickly spraying the trio with air freshener.

“Bo-bina, if I was daddy all y’all asses would’ve been caught.”

“Oh my god, Derek, I thought you were daddy coming back early.” Nina sighed, a hand to her chest. The hearts of all the girls began to beat at its normal pace as Nina’s older brother appeared in view of them behind the shed. The tall, nineteen-year-old had a shit-eating grin on his face as stared into the wide, deer-in-the-headlights eyes of all the girls.

“I told your dumb ass stop smoking in the backyard,” Derek paused and smelled the air, “and spraying Febreze outside doesn’t do shit.” He looked at them disappointed. “Did I not teach y’all anything?”

“Shut it, it’s Rhi’s last night and daddy is doing a grave shift haul. You just scared us, you spend all your free time at ‘Nessa’s, we weren’t expecting anyone to come home.” Nina eyed her brother.

Derek grimaced at hearing his girlfriend’s name after the argument he just had on the phone with her in the car, “Well, I’m here and I brought food. Y’all asses bout to have the muchnies, especially if you copped that shit from James.” The trio perked up at the thought of food, Derek worked at one of the best local burger shops in Miami, “Now that you mention it, I am a little hungry.” Rhi said, stepping her way around both girls and began walking back into the house.

--- 

The small group was inside the kitchen, eating cheeseburgers and steak cut fries, telling Derek about Rhiannon’s summer plans. “Damn… but I mean a car.” He said. The girls nodded their headed at him, “Right.” They responded simultaneously.

By the time they finished their food and conversation, the microwave clocked displayed 3:38 am, “Shit, we got to go to bed. My dad will be here in the morning and a two-day trip to New Mexico.” Rhi said. Derek bid the girls goodnight before leaving the kitchen and making sure the house was locked up and going upstairs to his room.

In a straight line down the small hallway into Nina’s room, the trio opened the door and spilt into their sleeping areas; Nina and Alex on Nina’s full sized mattress and Rhiannon on twin daybed across from them. The girls were dead asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

---

“Rhi baby, we got to get going and on the road” Rhiannon groaned at whoever was asking her to leave this bed and turned her back towards them and pulled the blankets up on her shoulder. “Uh huh, you can sleep in the backseat. The longer it takes you to get up the more time you have to spend in the car.” She began to recognize the voice as her dad and turned back around in the bed.

Forcing her eyes open, she slowly got her bearings together. Her dad left Nina’s room once she sat up and was confident she wouldn’t lay back down and back to sleep. Rhi shook her friends up, both of them unwilling at first as they had just gone to bed a shy 4 hours ago, “Don’t get into too much fun without me this summer, I’ll call y’all sleepy asses once I get in.” She said pulling them into a hug.

“Bye, bye,” Alex said giving Rhi a kiss on the cheek, “Love you.” Nina finished before flopping straight back into her pillow.


Rhi walked into Nina’s kitchen finding both her and Nina’s dad sharing a cup of coffee, “I’m ready.” She announced as the dads’ eyes turned towards her. Rhi walked into the open arms of Nina’s dad, Greg. He might as well be her second father as they lived 4 houses down and she was here every day for the past 5 years her and Nina had been friends. “Bye Papa Greg, don’t miss me too much,” Rhiannon said as he gave her a hug and forehead kiss, “I won’t, but I’m glad I have one less mouth eating all my snacks for the summer.” Greg laughed.


Once her dad finished his cup of coffe, they were both walking out of Nina’s house and into the grey Toyota in the driveway. “Our first stop will be when it’s time to fill up again, maybe around Gainesville. Think you’ll make it?” Rhiannon’s dad, William, looked towards the backseat when he heard no reply. His daughter was already back to sleep. He turned back around and pushed a play on the CD he put it before pulling out the driveway.

The beginning of Rhiannon’s summer in New Mexico was officially underway.