The First Last Day by Dorian Cirrone Read Free Book Online

hallway, turned the corner into the living room, and nearly fell over the couch.
    Kevin was gone!
    I dashed to the kitchen to look at the calendar. Swallowing hard, I stared at the number 26 and the words: A mayfly has an average life expectancy of twenty-four hours.
    Although I was more confused than ever, I decided not to wake Mom this time. What would I say?
    I headed back to my room and examined the painting. It was still shiny and wet. Bringing it closer, I inhaled the smell of the paint and linseed oil.
    My pulse raced. Could I be getting another do-over?

CHAPTER 16
    I studied G-Mags from across the table and tried to think of how to warn her.
    As I laid the rubber spatula on the spoon rest, an idea came to me. “Next week before school starts, I have to get a physical,” I announced.
    â€œI already went,” Kevin said. “I grew two inches since last year.”
    I looked at G-Mags. “When was the last time you went to the doctor?”
    â€œAt my age I’m at the doctor’s office more times a year than I can count.”
    â€œMaybe,” I said, “it would be a good idea to go today.”
    Kevin gave me a weird look.
    â€œDon’t I look well?” G-Mags said, patting her curls. “Maybe I’m having a bad hair day.”
    â€œOh, no. It’s just that . . . my mom has an appointment at the doctor when we get home, so I’ve just been thinking about good health.”
    â€œShe’s in great health,” Kevin chimed in. He turned to G-Mags. “Aren’t you?”
    â€œDon’t you worry about me.” She placed the last cannoli shell on the counter to cool.
    I took a deep breath and blinked until my eyes stopped stinging.
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    As I pushed through our cottage door, my frustration grew. Dad’s notebooks and papers were scattered all over the desk. I hated to disturb him, but I had to.
    I tapped his shoulder, and for a second he was startled.
    â€œSorry,” I said. “I was just wondering . . . have you ever had a day where you felt like you’d lived through that whole twenty-four hours already?”
    Dad swiveled his desk chair toward me. “You mean like déjà vu?”
    â€œIt’s more than that. It’s like the whole day is almost exactly the same as yesterday.”
    Dad stroked his beard. “You mean like a time loop?”
    â€œWhat’s a time loop?”
    â€œI guess you could explain it like a clock that goes backward and keeps resetting itself.”
    â€œIs that a real thing?”
    â€œI read a short story once about a man who kept experiencing the same hour over and over again. It was called ‘12:01 P.M.’ No matter what the man did, after an hour the clock would spring back to 12:01 p.m. and he would live that hour over again.”
    Was that what was happening to me? “How long did that go on?”
    Dad shook his head. “I read the story about fifteen years ago. I don’t remember the ending.”
    My skin prickled. “Could people go back in time in real life?”
    Dad leaned back in his chair and laughed. “No. But according to Einstein’s theory of time dilation, timewould run slower for someone traveling close to the speed of light. So, if you were in a spaceship traveling that fast for four years, when you came back to Earth, more than sixty years might have passed for everyone who stayed on the ground.”
    â€œWow. That would be weird. I’d be sixteen, but you’d be more than a hundred.” A twinge of dizziness came over me. I wasn’t sure if it was Einstein’s theory or the thought of Dad being that old.
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    Later, when I played Scrabble with Kevin and the Damicos, I got another idea about how to help G-Mags. When no one was looking, I lifted the receiver off the landline in the kitchen and punched in 911. I knew the number could be traced,