Jillian - part 1

Fiction Friday: Theme: Pick an adult character (it can be a new character, an established character, or even a famous character from fiction) and write a scene where the character demonstrates one of the following child-like habits.
1. Drinks chocolate milk when (s)he has a bad day
2. Constantly twists hair around finger
3. Often makes sound effects when talking to themself
4. Stomps foot when angry
5. Hoards personal belongings (books, CDs, etc.) in their bed
6. Sleeps cocooned in bedsheets or blankets
7. Pulls the crust off of any sandwich they eat
8. Must sleep with a particular stuffed animal or blanket
9. Overuses Ketchup (both too much, and too often)
10. Loudly, and badly, drums of books, tables, etc.


Jillian lies in a cocoon of white sheets, from head to toe. Through her blur vision, Jillian, sees only the darkness. A sliver of light sneaks through the sheets, waking her from her dazed state. She can see the sliver of light dancing in the darkness. She watches as it moves back and forth.

She wonders why her life was going so badly. Why did she had such bad luck? She was not a bad person. She was always nice to everyone. So why did all the bad things had to happen to her? Her job's gone, boyfriend's gone, can't barely pay her rent or her car insurance. What reason has she left to live? How can she face the world when she feels so bad?

"Jillian!" Someone calls her. It's coming from her answering machine by the bed. Jillian sits up in bed, letting the sheets falls off her head. It's Liz, her voice all high and loud. "Jillian, I know you're there. It's time to face the world. Jillian! Why won't you pick up? It's not the end of the world. Things will be okay soon enough. Alright then, call me when you're ready to get out of your slum. I'll try to come by tomorrow morning to see if you're still alive. Bye." Beep. Jillian falls back to bed, covering herself with the sheets. It wasn't long before she fall asleep again.

A pounding noise shocks her awake. Jillian opens her eyes to the semi-darkness. The pounding continues as she sits up in bed. She yawns and stretches her arms. The noise was coming from next door.

Still sleepy, Jillian wanders to her kitchen. Outside the window, she can see the construction trucks moving. What's going on? Jillian remembers the construction wasn't suppose to start until 2010. Isn't is still July 2007? They must be early she thought. Jillian turns to the right, to turn on her tv but it was not there. She makes a 180 around the kitchen but could not find it. As she leans down to look inside the lower cabinets, she realize her hair had gotten longer. It used to be just below her ears, now it's down to her shoulders and her hair had almost grew back to its original hair color. She opens the fridge, completely full. She doesn't remember going grocery shopping this week. She takes out the orange juice and looks for her blue coffee mug. But it was gone. Where did it go? She checks the cabinets again but only found clear tall glasses. She takes one out and pour herself some juice.

As she went through her closet for something to wear, she finds unfamiliar clothes. They seem like new. Where did these come from? She decides not to wear the new clothes and instead found her sweat pants and her old white shirt with the flower print in front. That's strange, she thought. Why does she have new clothes in her closet, she didn't even have enough to pay her rent. Better go see Liz, she thought.

Jillian looks for her car keys but could not find it. As she puts on her makeup, she notice the mirror in her bathroom is new. When did she install that? After finishing her makeup, she went through her bags to find new ones that she had never seem before. She choose a brown hobo bag and dumped some stuff inside.

She searches for her keys again but could not remember where she last seen it. At last, she notice it hanging by the door. Where did those hooks come from? As she looked around her apartment, a strange feeling came over her. Nothings out of place and yet there are furniture that she does not recognized. Where did that new tan couch come from? When did she change the curtains? And who is that guy in the picture standing with her in a dark frame on her old bookshelf?

She went to check her answering machine but there was no machine in the bedroom. She could not find it. Her once dark colored walls is now replaced by a nice shade of minty green. Her work desk is now all white and shiny, just the way she had wanted it. In fact it was the exact desk she had been saving up to buy. When did she brought it? Again, who's that man wrapping his arms around her in the picture by her desk?

Outside, she looks for her green BMW but find it was not in the spot where she had parked it. Where is it? She felt strange as the view in front of her was not the one she remembered. Everything's different. The corner deli is now a barber shop. The park that was abandon is now clean and is occupied with kids playing. The grocery store where she always shop is now redecorated with fancy new window display.

How long has I been sleeping? Am I in the twilight zone? These thoughts run through her head as she stands in front of her apartment building.

"Jillian!" It was Liz with a new haircut and new clothes that she had never seem her wear. "Jillian, I thought maybe something had happen to you. What are you wearing? Is that your old sweat pants? Feeling fat today, Jil?" Liz, her best friend, that she is sure of. Jillian smiles at her. "What's wrong?" Liz asked, with concern on her face. "Are you worry about the wedding? Don't worry, if Joel doesn't behave, I'll whip him into shape." Liz takes out a gold compact to pat her the shine on her nose.

It was as if everything's the same but different. Jillian asked Liz what year it was. Liz's face twist in confusion, "What do you mean? It's 2010. Still feeling daze after last night? Oh, I knew I shouldn't let you drink so much. But it was your bachelorette party. Forgive me?" Jillian nods her head. "Good, let's go get breakfast, then." She loops her arm around Jillian's and they start walking towards the cafe that used to be a butcher shop. Jillian, still unsure what's going on decided it's best to just go with the flow for now.

Read part 2 here.

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