Submitted for the April 2024 prompt: Meta-Sci-Fi

Your alarm sounds and you wake. It's too early. It's always too early.

 

You get up, pad to the bathroom and back, start your coffee, and wish it wasn't so cold in here. Feels like I barely slept. It's another Tuesday morning, and you need to leave for work soon. God I hate my job.

 

The hot water runs out two minutes into your shower. You make a mental note to call the landlord greedy bastard never fixes anything never misses a rate hike that's why I later today, maybe during your first break.

 

Somehow, even with your abbreviated shower, you're still running a little behind. You skip the morning paper nothing in it anyway just more bad news and gulp down scalding coffee on the way out the door, leaving the dirty mug for tonight.

 

You catch the bus at the corner thank Christ for small miracles and ride it downtown. Your desk is one of two hundred in the big office, where you add figures with the assistance of an adding machine. It's a Burroughs with a hand crank Wait what? Whenever you finish all the columns on your page, you hand the ledger forward to be checked by the next man. What the hell, man. Where's the Excel spreadsheet? Something's not right here.

 

It's not very fulfilling work no shit Sherlock but someone has to do it no they don't. Besides, your work is almost always free from errors and you'll be due for a promotion soon. Why do I doubt this too? What the hell's going on here? Some kind of dream?

 

You remember to call the landlord on your break. Lunch is at the automat downstairs Holy crap, these places are real? I thought they were just in movies, like... like... Why can't I remember the name? where coins in slots produce sandwich, soup, and your choice between terrible coffee or stale tea. The tables are full so you eat standing, forgoing your spoon and drinking thin soup from its bowl. The coffee you leave for the next schmuck. Maybe he'll save a nickel.

 

As you head back up the elevator Wait a second. Coffee's only a nickel? That can't be right. I paid four bucks just the other day to your desk right before the bell rings and it's time to start work again. The pages flow past seamlessly, all except one where you can't quite make out the figure. You call your supervisor over for help. He brings his big lighted magnifier. You wish you had one, but they're quite expensive my cell phone can do that. After a short discussion you both agree that it's a two and not a crossed seven.

 

Your afternoon break consists of an urgent trip to the bathroom, and the rest of the day goes by in a blur feel dead inside. You trudge to the elevator. The operator deposits you all at the ground floor without making any other stops, which is nice for a change. At the sidewalk, you see the city's quite dark Dark City! That's the movie. The one with the aliens, doctor messing with your memories, Sutherland, and William Hurt, and oh yes Jennifer Connolly beautiful woman counter at the diner, where the waitress brings you the blue plate special. Two bits for a meal, can't go wrong. You're ravenous and clean the plate.

 

Time to catch the bus home. After dinner they're less crowded. You stare out the window into the dimly lit I was just thinking about Dark City. What happened there? Why did I... And Loki, the room that only had key lime pie. What the hell? Why can't I keep my mind on Your stop, sir.

 

"What's that?" you ask.

 

"Isn't this your stop, sir?" asks the driver again.

 

You smile and nod. "Must have dozed," you say, stepping down to the curb. It's your corner all right.

 

No, it's not! Dammit, this isn't where I live at all. It's not even my city. I'm from Chicago, fer Chrissake, by the Marina-

 

You walk to your door, then up the steps to your apartmeNOT MY APARTMENT! I OWN A CONDO! You're exhausted. Taking only enough time to clean up this morning's dishes Wait stop what's happening here no I can't I can't and throw away the unread paper not real it's not real it's not you hurry toward your bed got to stay awake got to figure out what's going on got to stay awake not going to sleep not going to sleep not go

 

Better set the alarm back five minutes. You were almost late today.