[ WP ] You somehow acquire a time machine ; it 's about the size of a cell phone , has easily read instructions , and says that it has three remaining uses .

Joshua bolted awake. A pleasant sun was shining through his bedroom window. It ’ s rays caught and gleamed off little specks of dust floating in the air. Somewhere outside a robin chirruped it ’ s greeting to the beautiful day. 
 
 “ Shit-ass fuck! ” Joshua tried to exclaim. It came out as a groggy mumble while he rolled out of bed and clumsily snatched his cell phone off the end table. His shift started at 5:00 and the day had moved well beyond that. 
 
 *Where ’ s the alarm? Piece of junk phone can ’ t even do one thing... * His train of thought abruptly derailed as he realized: *This isn ’ t my phone. * 
 
 It was similar to his phone the way that every phone is similar nowadays; small, thin and sleek. On the screen there were no notifications. No angry calls from his manager or texts from concerned workmates. All it displayed was the date, time and the number three. 
 
 August 9, 2016. 7:37 am. 
 
 On the back of the phone a little folded pamphlet was secured with a strip of Scotch tape. He scratched at the chin stubble he wouldn ’ t have time to shave. The panic Joshua felt for being late was replaced by sheer bewilderment. He unfolded the leaflet and saw curt instructions written in several languages. He muttered the English version to himself. 
 
 “ Swipe up or down to select the time you wish to overtake. Press and hold the red button for three seconds to engage the transformation. The counter displays remaining uses. Held possessions travel with you. ” He glanced around his room. Looking for an answer and seeing only dirty laundry and old furniture. 
 
 *A time machine? What kind of a joke is this? * His thoughts this time where replaced with sudden melancholy. *Whatever. No matter what ’ s really going on I ’ m toast anyways. The boss man said this was my last chance and here I am sitting at home two hours late. Maybe my sister will let me move back in with her. * He idly scrolled the time to 4:00 am. *Not likely after last time. Another worn out welcome. * He pressed his thumb down. *If only this thing was real. All the mistakes I could fix. I could go back and do it all right... * 
 
 A sudden pressure hit him. A feeling like being inside an airplane as it takes off, but without the noise and from every direction. As quickly as it came it left. He was still sitting on the edge of his bed still holding on to what wasn ’ t his phone. His room was exactly as it was before, only darker. Like putting on a pair of shades or as if it was earlier in the morning... 
 
 *Holy sweet mother of everything it worked. * The sun wasn ’ t quite up yet. It was earlier. He had travelled back in time. Joshua slowly raised himself to the window. *Could it be real? How is this possible? * His mind raced with the possibilities. He could travel anywhere in time! He could do anything! 
 
 A hand shot from the gloom behind him. It covered his mouth while another arm wrapped his neck into a vicious hold. He struggled and tried to fight back. What was that trick his cousin showed him for getting out of headlocks? He couldn ’ t remember. 
 
 “ I don ’ t have time for this, ” Came a low graveled voice from behind him. “ Joshua, stop, ” Joshua did stop. The intruder dragged him back to the center of the room and loosed his grip slightly. “ Weird shit is happening to you right now. ” The voice whispered “ I ’ m here to fix it. When I let go, do nothing. Say nothing. When I leave, pretend I was never here, aye? ” Joshua nodded as much as he could while being detained. The stranger released his grip and Joshua remained stone still out of fear and shock. The stranger moved slowly, almost painfully it seemed, over to the bed. With one swift motion the stranger ripped the covers off the bed and clamped a dirty rag over the revealed sleepers mouth. 
 
 Joshua was dazed by the sight before him. There in his bed was another person, but not just any person; another self. That version of himself let out a muffled cry then quickly fell back into unconsciousness from whatever the old man had forced him to inhale. With surprising strength the stranger hefted the comatose clone over his shoulder and shuffled back across the room. He stopped next to Joshua and stared into him, holding out his free hand. 
 
 “ Give it to me. ” The stranger looked tired. More so then anyone Joshua had ever seen. His clothes were strange and ragged. He had several poorly healed scars on his face. His matted hair rolled down past his shoulders and mostly covered his eyes. The eyes told everything. They were the same eyes Joshua looked into when he looked in the mirror. “ Now! I don ’ t have much time! ” 
 
 Joshua slowly moved his hands to the stranger. Cradling the time machine like a precious artifact. The old Joshua hastily grabbed it from him and began sliding through dates with a practised efficiency. 
 
 “ Wish me luck, lad. Hopefully you'll never see us again. ” He pressed down on the phone and after a brief pause vanished. Joshua stood for a few minutes before his mind decided it could accept reality once again. Everything was the same. Normal. And there on his end table was his phone. Was it really his phone? It looked the same but it seemed shinier, newer then he remembered it. He picked it up gently just as it began to beep out an alarm. 
 
 August 9, 2016. 4:15 am. Get up. Go to work.
