Disoriented. Dizzy. Foggy(?). Take a rest, lean against a building.

Wait, I’m holding some things…

Some woman sees me, kindly offers to help me to a hospital. I wave this off, not sure why. She can tell I’m confused, mentally lost.

“Perhaps something on you can help? A medical card, in your wallet?”

Makes sense. I pull my wallet out. But when the wallet ID flaps open she gasps, steps back.

“What?” I look at it. Looks like me. Or what I remember. Name’s familiar, address too. Except…

She says, “How – how could you?!”

“What’s wrong?”

“That… picture!”

“So? Isn’t that me?”

“But why – I can see who you are – are you really so… vain? Idolater!” She spits at my feet and walks off.

WTF?

I’m just remembering the whole alternate reality thing when around the corner comes the lady trailing two cops.

Crap. I turn around and look for another door. Better luck next-

Wake. Groggy(?). What was I…?

I sit on stone stairs for a bit.

Minutes pass.

I remember.

Blinking, I stretch and get up. I’m about to explore when a chime sounds. Like a clock-tower, but different. And loud, jarring.

A somewhat empty street empties quickly, everyone still there freezes. An official van with lots of windows and some oddly uniformed individuals (cops?) cruises by, eyeing everybody.

A voice whispers to me, “Away from the steps. Pray. Or pretend to.”

I turn, see stairs leading to a big public building. Step away and bow my head. The “cops” pass over me. Gone, I turn and look for the voice.

An older man with head bowed, but still noticing me. “Wait. Still have 15 minutes.”

Of what? Enforced prayer time? Or, as I later find out, “compulsory sacred times,” when no work can be done, and many other restrictions.

Well, fuck that. I cross off the past worlds, including this one, and head for the next door.