3.04.25: Something’s “Off”

The alarm blares. 7:00 AM. Again. I shut it off, knowing what comes next—coffee spills, phone call from Jake, car won’t start. I’ve lived this day a thousand times. Screamed, broken things, even jumped off a bridge. Nothing changes.

Today, I sit still. No coffee, no answering Jake. I walk instead of driving. A woman drops her keys—new. I grab them, hand them over. She smiles.

The sky flickers. A ripple in reality. My heart pounds. Did I break the loop?

The alarm blares. 7:00 AM. Again.

But this time, the coffee cup is missing. Something feels different.