[ WP ] A woman accidentally discovers that anything she does to a photograph of a person happens to that person in real life exactly 74 minutes later

Amber squeezed the middle of her forehead with her fingertips and sighed. She had woken up with the strangest headache. She poured herself a cup of coffee, grabbed her Nylon magazine and slumped into the couch. She flipped the TV on, sipped her coffee and flipped through the magazine. More violence in the Middle East. The Juicy Couture perfume on page 50 was too flowery. She checked the clock: 7:12 am. She ran her fingers through her short auburn hair. She should wash it, but then it would just sit flat. Fuck it, it's not that dirty. She refilled her coffee. The co-anchor on the morning news show was not pulling off her tight yellow dress, even with the obvious Spanx. Salvation appeared on page 79, Pixie Play Crafting Cream. She tore the corner quarter page out. The other side of the page had Vanessa Hudgens's shoulder and upper arm. Crap. That was why she bought the magazine in the first place. `` Sorry Vanessa'', Amber said to the torn page. She folded it up and slipped it in her phone case next to her coupons. 7:23. Time to get ready. 
 
 
 12:23. Amber was checking her email before heading out to lunch. She was going to meet Marissa at a cafe down the street. Her headache was still there, and Joyce was n't helping. Did she even read her emails before sending them? Amber logged out of her computer and headed to the elevator. In the elevator she tapped open the news app on her phone. A headline jumped out: Vanessa Hudgens severely injured in auto collision. She tapped the story but nothing happened, lost in a zone between wifi and cell coverage. Finally at ground floor, she trotted out and reloaded the story. She skimmed through the article ``... initial unconfirmed reports that the actress's right arm was torn off at the shoulder in the collision...'' Amber dropped her phone and stood gap-mouthed. What were the odds? A man picked up her phone and handed it to her. `` Thanks'', she smiled. 12:31. She was late for lunch. 
 
 
 1:12. Marissa, who was playing with her long dark curls sat across from Amber who was picking at her fries. `` Trust me Amb, it's just a coincidence, you do not have magical powers'' She laughed and tossed the folded up piece of magazine on Amber's plate. 
 `` Fine, I'll prove it'' Amber said, putting the paper in her pocket. `` Do you still have the Mardi Gras photo in your purse?'' 
 
 `` Yes'' Marissa burst out laughing, `` but you're not going to tear that!'' 
 
 `` I wo n't, I wo n't, just let me see it for a sec.'' 
 
 Marissa produced a small 4x6 photo album from her massive purse. Tucked behind a photo of her cat Mittens, was the Mardi Gras photo. In it, Marissa and Amber had massive drunken smiles and their shirts pulled up, exposing their breasts. 
 
 `` Do n't ruin it though'' Marissa said. 
 
 `` I wo n't'', Amber said grabbing her fork and wiping it clean. `` Anyways did n't you print like 50 fucking copies of this that one time?'' With the tip of her fork, Amber made a tiny indentation on the photo where Marissa's left elbow was. `` There'', she said, handing it back. 
 
 Marissa examined the photo, looked at her elbow and showed it to Amber, `` See? No dents. No voodoo magic''. 
 
 `` Maybe it takes time, anyways, it'd be your left elbow'' Amber said, `` What time is it?'' 
 
 `` 1:15 why'' 
 
 `` Shit, I'm late. Can you wait for the bill?'' Amber asked, handing Marissa two twenties. 
 
 `` Yes ma'am'', Marissa winked. 
 
 
 4:32. Amber was just returning to her desk. The meeting had run long by an hour. Joyce's meetings were almost an incomprehensible as her emails. There was a red light on her phone, indicating she had a message. She picked the receiver up and punched in her pin number. It was Marissa. 
 
 “ Okay you got me Amb. You're fucking hilarious. Seriously, how did you get a bike messenger in on it? Anyways call me tonight. ” Amber hung up the phone, picked it back up and dialed. 
 
 “ Marissa, it's me ”, Amber said “ what exactly happened? ” 
 
 “ Oh queen of the pranks, calling to make sure it all played out perfectly? ” 
 
 “ Just tell me! ” 
 
 “ Fine, fine. I had just left the cafe and was walking down the street when out of nowhere some bike messenger whacked me in the elbow with his bike. ” 
 
 “ Your left elbow? ” 
 
 “ Yes my left, if fucking hurt! Listen I'm going through the tunnel, I'll call you later. ” 
 
 Amber hung up the phone and tapped her fingers on her desk. She logged on her computer and after a flurry of typing and clicking found what she was looking for. She hit print, twice. She dashed for the color printer one floor up, taking the stairs. Luckily no one was near the printer, and she snatched her printouts just as the second was coming out. 
 
 Back at her desk, after some very careful cutting and a bit of tape, she admired her work. It was a picture of Amber and Marissa cut out and taped down on a picture of a beach with teal water surround by high cliffs and lush vegetation. She checked her phone: 5:12 pm. 
 
 
 6:25 pm. Amber was waiting in line at a drug store with a bottle of water and bottle of Excedrin. The smell coming from the elderly woman in front of her was making her nauseous. She thought she heard someone call her name and she turned to look and 
 
 – 
 It was Marissa. And they were at the beach. Marissa looked at her wide-eyed, her mouth open but not saying anything. Amber looked around. She felt the warm breeze and inhaled the salty sea air. A great big smile crossed her face. 
 
 “ What the fu, where the fuck - What's going on? ” Marissa blurted out. 
 
 “ We're in Baia do Sancho ”, Amber said turning to face the water and spread her arms wide. 
 
 “ Brazil? ” Marissa asked. 
 
 “ Yup. I taped a picture of us here and look what happened. Voodoo magic. ”, she smiled at Marissa. 
 
 “ So the elbow think was n't a prank? ” Marissa started walking up the beach towards the cliffs. 
 
 “ Nope ” Marissa took her pumps off and followed her. 
 
 “ What's with the pills? ” Marissa pointed to the bottle in her hand. 
 
 “ Oh these? I've had a weird headache all day. You know what? It's gone now! ” Amber threw the bottle high into the air towards the thick blanket of plants ahead. 
 
 “ Do n't litter Amb! You know how I feel -- ” the bottle seemed to hit an invisible wall and fell straight down. 
 
 Amber and Marissa looked and each other and jogged ahead. Marissa picked up the stretched her arm out forward. “ There's nothing there ”, she said. 
 
 Amber tried taking a step, lost her balance and fell down. Marissa helped her up and slowly leaned forward, taking miniscule steps. She could not advance. “ It's not like a wall, but it's like something is holding me down. ” Marissa reported. 
 
 “ Fuck. ” Amber said. She took a few steps back to the beach, collapsed into the sand and began sobbing. 
 
 “ What? What is it Amb? ” Marissa said, kneeling beside her and rubbing her back. 
 
 “ I taped the fucking picture down ” Amber said between sobs, “ we're stuck, literally stuck here! ” 
 
 Marissa looked around and sighed. She sat in the sand next to Amber and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “ Well I ca n't think of anywhere I'd rather be stuck or anyone I'd rather be stuck with. ” 
 
 

