[spoiler]as the title suggests, this is a short story I’ve written based off a recent dream. For the sake of storytelling some elements are fabricated or redacted, but for the most part, this is what I saw. This is the third time I’ve made a dream based story like this, I hope to continue unless my dreams suddenly decide to get boring[/spoiler] “Evening 2. It’s good to see you. You ready?” “You ask me that every year.” I set my duffle bag down in the corner of the room. 4 behind me did the same. “What’d you bring this time?” Asked 3. “300 grand and two fresh bottles of wine. Figured I’d drink one and sell the other.” I answered “Huh. I’ve aged wine before but I never thought to sell it.” remarked 4. He had already started putting his suit on. “Hundred year old wine goes for a lot. I should know, bought a bottle in Turn 4. Say 5, what’re you crying for?” Seated on the stone steps, 5 had his head in his hands, sniffing back tears. “It’s just-I don’t wanna..... I met someone” 3 heaved an apathetic laugh “You say that every year! Go on, what was this one like? Breezy and sweet as a summers night? The ultimate woman?” She mocked “No!... well she was but that’s not the point. She was different. Special.” “Not special enough for you to stay.” I said though a slight smile. “You’ll find another girl exactly like her next Turn. You always do.” “If humanity is still around by then....” 1 had entered carrying two duffles. She had a large gash at the crown of her head. Blood streamed down the side of her face. “What’d you do 1?” Inquired 4, seemingly without concern. “Broke up with a guy. He didn’t take it too well. I called the cops and bailed. Told them he was threatening to kill me so now that I’m gone he’ll probably get charged.” “So you stayed in the area?” Asked 3. 1 threw down her weather proofed duffles and pulled her suit from within. “I typically pick a different location to settle down, not much to do around here except,” she waved her hand vaguely at their surroundings “this.” “This Turn yeah. It wasn’t so bad, the locals are nice enough. Thinking about Russia next Turn. One of their universities recently had a breakthrough in genetic biotech. We’re looking at procedures that can break your genes and rebuild them how you want. I’m excited to see where that’ll be in a century. I would kill to be taller.” 5 had pulled himself together and was now stuffing his clothes into the brazier in the grass outside the entrance arch. “I really liked this jacket.” He lamented, pouring in lighter fluid and striking a match. “We’re about an hour off. Where’s 6? It’s unlike him to be late.” Said 4 “Maybe this Turn was his last. Maybe he’s really happy now.” Sighed 5 1 clapped him on the back “5, if I didn’t know you better, I’d tell you to stay and live your life with that girl, settle down with a family and a fortune to keep your comfortable. But I do know you better, so pluck up and burn my clothes. She’s a waste of your tears.” 1 stuffed her bundle into his hands. He mournfully fed them to the fire. “6 will be here. He was more hooked than all of us, impossible to believe he’s found something better.” I tossed my balled up clothes to 5 and fixed my shoulder pads before pulling on the overlayer jumpsuit. “It’s 7 who might not show. She barely seemed to care after last Turn. If she’s found something, she’s not coming. _________________ An hour passed. 6 arrived, he had recently escaped from prison with little enough time to retrieve his suit and travel here without being apprehended. 7 showed up, already in her suit, no bags, crying bitterly. “You’re alright? You really want to go on? You know you can stay, right?” I awkwardly patted her on the shoulder. I’m never any good at this sort of thing, even though it happens every year. “Stay?!” She blurted. “I’d do anything to leave.” “Almost time” said 6. We strapped on our gas masks and helmets and gathered around the stone table in the center of the room. The writings on it were otherworldly, a perfect beam of sunlight moved with the setting sun, slowly down the center of the table towards a circular etching in the middle. We all placed one bare hand on the slab, and with the other gripped a strap on the shoulder of the person to our left. It was hard to believe how long it’d been. We were just teenagers when it first happened, completely by accident. I still wonder if my family looked for me, what life could’ve been like had I not gone on a silly trip with my friends and found myself a hundred years out of place. But I suppose that’s the point isn’t it? We do this to find our place in time again. At least I do. Some present do it for the feel. It’s addicting. Like nothing anyone’s ever felt, and we won’t find it anywhere but here. “Here’s to a hundred more years! To turn 14!” Cried 6 We shouted in return, raising an excited trill. The sunbeam has reached its destination, and we had left the year 2059 Euphoria. Gentle waves of sweeping light, skies of ember and gold, rushes of glistening sweet water and scents of growth and comfort. It was overwhelming. This was the feeling we return for. Only for an instant you are one with everything and nowhere at all. And in the blink of an eye it is gone, you feel uneven again, and returned to the same place in a new age. It took me a moment to move. As always, I linger for a moment after it’s over, like it might come back, or maybe I’m just mourning the feeling, knowing how long it’ll be before I’m back again. 7 had already left the circle, removing her gas mask. “No toxic fumes, no wildfires, no fiery hailstorms or mass flooding. I think we’re safe to take these off.” After a few tears were shed, together we stepped outside and made our way up the winding steps of the temple, all the way to the top. We stood there, overlooking the city. It had expanded in our absence. It all looked violently unfamiliar. Cold. It always does, takes a little getting used to. One hundred years had changed so much, but humanity still thrives. “Well. I’ll see you all in one year.” 1 had recovered her bags, now dusty but intact, and slung them over her shoulder. “Have a good Turn everybody.”