CHAPTER 2: Too weird to be true

This time, I was in a grey room with a desk, two lounge chairs, and many doors.

The same man from earlier walks up to me. “Arty. I think you made the right choice. Follow me.” We walk through one of the doors, only this door has my name on it. Inside is one of those one way mirrors that reveals what looks to be a hospital room. He looks at me. “Are you sure you want to do this?” I nod. I don't know what's gonna happen, but it’s a choice I think I should make. I walk through my second door, but never look back.

I entered the room where I was born. And, I lived my childhood. Again. I saw my parents, my brother, my sister, my dog. It felt like a dream I couldn’t wake up from. A good dream. Everything up until my parents divorce made me so happy. Then before I know it, I'm 11. But there's something special about that point in my life. When I was 11, I got my first crush.

It's happening the same way I remembered it. You know how you always remember those special moments in your life? For me, this is one of them. It was a Monday. The first day of of 6th grade. I had braces. A stutter. And was considered the teachers pet. For always being responsible, and overly polite. But, I didn't feel like acting that way anymore. As I got older I became more confident and therefore I thought, why not be more like myself. My real self.

I'm still a nice kid. I'm kind of sensitive and quiet. But I like to take risks every once in a while and make a joke or two. I'm walking in. I sit down rather than in the front of the room, more in the back. And coincidentally, so is she. Lori. There isn't much I can say about her. Besides, she’s a pretty, smart, kind girl. Who every once in a while, I'd talk to.

But this day was different than it was before. The first time I experienced this, I walked to the table closest to the teacher, sat down, and saw Lori’s face. Then I stared at her, until the bell rang. I was so cool. But this time, I walked in, said “Hi” to my friend Carter, sat next to him, and across from her.

She looked the same. The same as I remembered. And what made me immediately feel happy, was her smile. She smiled at me. She never did that before. She rarely even noticed me. And now she's looking at me, because I'm being myself. And it felt, great.

CHAPTER 3: A good different

I talked to Lori a lot more than I did originally. And she did too. We chose to be math partners, and sit next to each other a lot. “Arty has a girlfriend. Arty has a girlfriend.” Carter and my other friends said every time they saw us. And I didn't mind. Because even though she wasn't, I wanted her to.

And at the end of the year, I couldn’t have been more happy. One word. Yearbooks. Those stupid paperbacks with un - photogenic pictures and pages for signatures that define your popularity. I had 9 signatures in total. They were our teacher, the librarian, my mom, my 5 friends, and Lori. She wrote, "Arty, I had fun hanging out with you this year. Your a nice, intelligent boy, and you make me laugh. I hope we talk in middle school. Your fun to be around. And… I may or may not, think your cute. - ♡Lori"

One thing I notice about all of this is that, I act like a kid. Even though I have my memory of adulthood, I have the personality I had when I was younger. I'm that same quiet, gullible, sensitive little boy. Sensitive. That's funny because the second I read what she wrote, I blushed and walked away. And the worst part? All that I wrote was,

"Your a good Friend. - Arty"

I'm an idiot. But I got an urge of confidence. Or at least, I thought I did. I turned around, walked up to her and said with my puberty filled voice, “I uh, like you.” The immediate regret filling my mind was infinite. But she didn’t cringe or do anything at all. She just smiled. And it made me like her even more.

CHAPTER 4: Perfect

A couple years later, nothing’s really changed. I still go to school. I still hang out with Carter. But, one things different. I have a girlfriend. Lori. I had girlfriends before Sarah, but Lori’s different. I have never felt closer to a person than her. Even with Sarah. With Lori I feel happy and calm and safe. Like no matter what, everything's gonna be okay.

But what about Sarah? Aren't I supposed to be with her? My curiosity got the best of me so I decided to find out. Thanks to my life redo, I know Sarah lived nearby. On one Saturday morning I drove a couple minutes to see her. To as stupid as it sounds, find a, connection. After getting to her house, I knocked on the door. Her mom answered.

I bit my tongue before saying her name and instead I asked, “Is Sarah home?” The woman said slowly and steadily, “Sarah died in a drowning last year.” I had never felt an emotion more quickly in my entire life. I stopped thinking. Breathing. Feeling. I must have looked pretty bad because her mom asked, “Sweetie are you okay? You look like your gonna faint.” “I'll be okay. Thank you for your time.” I said before slowly walking to my convertible. I guess there was a connection.

CHAPTER 5: My Realization

I couldn’t exactly sleep that night. I didn't really eat or talk to my friends either. I just layed on my bed and thought. I thought about everything. Sarah. Lori. The Try Again Cards. And I couldn’t put the pieces together. How did she die? If I started my life over. With it being something completely the same, doesn't her death have to do with something I did? Or something I didn't do? I met her when I was 18 so it isn't because I didn't interact with her.

No. It couldn't have been me. I didn't cause her death. She wasn’t even in my reach. Wait. I stood up. The only person who knows she was apart of my life besides me, is him. That guy in the lab coat. He’s the only one who knew about her. And my other life. That jerk killed Sarah. “He killed her.” I whispered before my eyes shut, by force.

I was back in that room again. Only, I was stuck. I wasn't tied up, but somehow I couldn't get off the bed. It was like I was electrically glued to the room itself. That same man came back in. He looked nervous. “Arty. Nice to see you again.” “You jerk. You killed Sarah. I know you did.” He looked down.

“I did want I knew was best.” He replied. “Best?” I chuckled in anger. “You killed an innocent woman.” “Believe me Arthur. That woman isn't innocent.” He said seriously. He knew I didn't believe him. “Do you want me to prove it? Okay Arthur. Let's look more into your death why don't we. I tried to be vague for your own good, but clearly that wasn't good enough.” He gave me my death record. “It says right here you died by a car crash with a woman at fault.” “So?” I asked. He looked me straight in the eye.“Sarah killed you.”

No. Why? I stared In horror at the man in front of me. “Then why did you kill her now?” “The first time was a mistake I swear.” “What do you mean a mistake? It's my life. How was there a mistake in it that I didn't make?” He sits at the edge of the my bed. “What I'm about to tell you, will not make any sense. And you will probably be EXTREMELY angry. But I need you to be quiet and listen to all of it. Do you understand?” I nod. “Good.”

CHAPTER 6:  When it All Fell into Place

“This place isn't what you think it is. It's not a place for people who die to go. It's a place where people who never lived get to work. Think of it as, a life headquarters. A place where people help others lives.” I wanted to shout at him again for his use of the word, help. But as promised, I let him speak.

“Every human being. And every life lived, is watched and recorded. And sure, there are billions of people. Making It very difficult to watch everyone. And that's why there are watchers like me, and protectors. They're the two jobs here. I as a watcher, will watch people like you. The protectors are the Spies I guess you could say, that are apart of your life. And like you, every once living being here, had a mistake.

A mistake they didn't make, but rather the watchers did. I did.” I looked up at him. He lied to me before. The mistake was made by him. “I wasn't paying attention when watching your first life. After giving you your protector when you were 18 I accidentally made your protector, Sarah, kill you. It was a lagging malfunction I caused. And I had no idea you were going to fall in love with her.

And with that mistake I wanted to make it better. I thought if making up the concept of trying again, it would solve my problem. And then I remembered about Sarah. And the fact that she would probably follow orders again, and kill you. I couldn't let that happen, so I ended her life. Now I feel nothing but guilt and I'm truly sorry.” I looked back down sensing the tears in my eyes. “So everything I ever felt about her. My admiration. My loyalty. My love. She didn't feel back?” “No Arthur. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry.” “Is there anything you can do to make this better? Anything at all?” He looks at me. “No. But there's something that you can do.”

CHAPTER 7: Redo

“Arthur. If you can find a way to be happy at some point in this life, then we can free you of not only this, but your old memories forever. Do you understand?” “Yes. I do.” And just like that, I'm left back where I was. In my room thinking.

In that moment I decide to keep living. I do the things I enjoyed the most in my life. Hanging out with my friends. Golfing. And now a favorite thing of mine, hanging out with Lori. Before I know it, I'm 19, and we have been dating for 4 years. And been friends for 8.

We had graduated high school too. And somehow, we got into the same college. Amazing right. We are both going to UDUB with majors of her wanting to be a screenwriter, and I wanting to be a teacher. But that night of graduation I had to tell her how I felt. How I really felt.

Here's another moment I know I'll always remember. It was Saturday Night. Warm but cloudy. And beautiful outside. We were walking around Seattle when we took a break on a bench. And then in my same stutter filled voice, I said to her, “Lori. I have always liked you.

From the minute I saw you. You're the only person I've ever felt nervous around. You make me feel happy, all the time. And are the blast of joy in my life. Your the nicest, smartest, funniest, most beautiful girl I've ever met. And, and as stupid as It sounds, I'm crazy about you.

Your the only girlfriend I've ever had, but I've never been more sure of anything in my life of that fact that I - I’m in love with you.” I had never said anything more truthfully in my life. And I had never been more worried about how someone would react. But it was 4 simple words that came out of her mouth that made me feel pure happiness. “I love you too.”

CHAPTER 8: Happiness

What was about to be a kiss turned into being back with the lab coat guy. “What the heck man. I was just about to kiss her.” “I’m sorry I interfered with your make out sesh Arty. But this is far more important. You're happy right?” I respond. “I was, until you interfered.” “That's wonderful Arty. Now you can be free of all of this. Do you want to go back to your perfect life?”

“NO.”  I say firmly. “No? What do you mean no?” “I mean I don't need to be free of all this crap to live a happy life. But there's something I want instead.” “What else could you possibly want Arthur? No chance of diseases? To be rich? Infinite life?” I walk toward him. “I want all of this, to be over. You think your helping people lives, but your really ruining them.

Sure, a lot of people are stupid. And will make mistakes sometimes in their lives. But it's their job to learn from them. Your ruining the entire logic of it being, their life. Their choices. Their mistakes. Their continuing. And I can't live with the fact that this will still be going on. So if you want to help people. I'm begging you, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING. Please.”  He takes a step backwards and geausters me to follow him.

We go in an elevator. We arrive in a place I've never been before, but looks extremely high tech and of importance. He walks up to it and shouts at the top of his lungs, “EVERYONE BE QUIET.” Heads turn in shock of what one of their coworkers is doing. “Something needs to be done.” He turns in my direction and says, “Arthur. In order to destroy all of this, just flip this switch.”

He showed me a small but noticeable, green switch under a glass covering. Before I do it I ask, “What's gonna happen to everyone here? I know all of this will die, but will the people go with it?” He smiles. “You truly are a caring person Arthur. Everything in the Try Again Card coordinates with you. And no. Everyone here will live on Earth like you. I thank you Arthur, for I will have what I always wanted, a life.”

We smile at each other before he gestures for me to do it. And that's when I flip the switch to be blasted with a bright white flash just as before.

CHAPTER 9: Now

I grew up. I'm now 42 with a wife and twins. Their names are Martin and Marley, and they have a wonderful mother named Lori. Lori became a screenwriter, writing 3 award winning films. While I became a teacher, happily teaching my kids class. I can truly say that I've never been happier.

But there was one day that was completely different from the rest. My family and I went out for ice cream and I saw a familiar face...

CHAPTER 10: Them Again

“Hello I'm Simon. Welcome to Cold Boulder Creamery. What can I get you?” It was the lab coat guy. He wasn't wearing a lab coat, but he had the same glasses and the same bittersweet smile. I knew there was no point in saying anything, so I didn't. But before we left I heard a whisper of my name and turned to see him smiling. “Thank you Arthur. Thank you.”

That decision I made was one of the best decisions of my life. And everything that happened in my old life, I am thankful I got to learn from. I know what it's like to be happy. And I can't wait to keep living.

And with that this is Arthur Abraham, signing off.