By: Liv Zhang

years—crackles to life. But it doesn’t play music. Instead, it broadcasts a conversation between two people from decades ago, discussing events that seem eerily familiar to your own life. The voices talk about choices you’ve made, challenges you’ve faced, and even secrets you’ve never shared. As the nights go on, the conversations begin to hint at a future event that could change everything for you.

She walked down the stairs, fearing what would happen if her mother found out, for she had not finished her homework, a hoarse voice said from the radio.

Reagan Fries had not done her homework. In fact, she also forgot that she was supposed to finish her chores before her mother returned home.

Reagan sat on the woven rug, listening to an old radio which strangely only turned on at 2:14 PM. Her mother had come home, screaming, “WHY IS THE FLOOR STILL DUSTY?!?! Why are the tabletops…CRUSTY?” another voice said from the radio.

Then Reagan remembered. “Oh no. Mom’s coming home in 30 minutes, and I forgot to do my chores and homework! I’m cooked; rather burnt like Dad’s cooking!” she said, frantically cleaning and scribbling down random numbers on her English homework. Yes. English homework.

The next day, she would find her mother on the ground, unconscious, said one of the voices from the radio.

Reagan didn’t hear that sentence, for she was too busy mopping the floor. When her mother came home, Reagan feared what would happen if her mom had discovered she didn’t finish her homework or chores.

“REAGAN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why is the floor dusty?!! Why are the tabletops CRUSTY?!?!?!? You’re grounded!!!” Reagan’s mom yelled as she started an angry rampage through the kitchen.

The next day, Reagan woke up to silence. She didn’t hear the usual sizzling on the frying pan that her mom made breakfast with, let alone her mom’s thundering footsteps that usually woke her up.

Reagan knocked on her father’s bedroom door, but he was still fast asleep. She decided to check in her mom’s room. Nobody was there. Then she went downstairs and saw her mom, lying on the kitchen floor.