Jeff faded slowly into expanded consciousness, he was at work. But shouldn't he be a student? No, he was nearing 20 years old. The realization stopped him in his tracks. He had taken for granted that he would have that time of awareness each day over the weekend but he didn't.
It was Monday again. It had been a week since getting the Chronivac and having something happen to him through it. At least, that was the most plausible explanation. He could have been targeted by someone else's device, or this all could be a mistake in whatever was meant to be set up, or even a glitch, it was sent to him for testing as beta software after all.
He did end up graduating, though just barely and he was over 19 and a half now, working a real job and living with a roommate for the last year. Upon reaching 18 and getting out of school he switched jobs to something that required him to be 18, have a high school diploma, and paid a little better for it.
Unlike the desk job he anticipated as a 16 year old, he capitalized off his years of working out which not only maintained his physique but continued to enhance it. His roommate was 24 and going to trade school part time which seemed like a good alternative for Jeff to consider once he saved up.
His new personal history was filled with one night stands and booty calls. Both giving and receiving the sexual summons, and this version of Jeff had zero qualms about it.
Living independently from his family let him explore his adulthood without external judgment or rules, and he did explore. He was invited to house parties, his physique and independence leading others to believe he was older. He drank, smoked, and bedded women when the mood struck him. Life wasn't lavish but it was enjoyable.
This new reality of hedonistic abandon left Jeff trying to sort things out while working. How did his values change so much? He was partying, smoking, getting stoned, sleeping with women he didn't know... At the very least he was using protection, but this was a long way from the college student living at home he expected to be. As he recalled the steps that brought him here it was just a logical progression of access and boredom.
Having become interested in sports led his grades to drop, keeping him from seriously considering continuing his education. Without school there weren't extra-curriculars like football, his schedule was no longer being filled to the brim and his job was a work out by itself. So his free time was his again and he no longer had his friends to keep him busy so he looked for new friends. His roommate was a no brainer, and his group was easy to integrate with.
The next thing to figure out, probably more importantly, was why he had no aware time over the weekend but still aged and could vaguely recall the alternate realities even though he wasn't aware of them being fabricated the day of... They were similar to this one but had him finding different rooms and roommates 6 months ago, and just recently, respectively.
With several alternate timeframes and things no longer being bound to the school schedule Jeff could tell that the 16.2 ish years of his life that he lived stayed the same, but his birthday is being moved back 6 months each day, and the post 16.2 time is being spent giving him experiences to lead him a very different direction in life.
It was fascinating, he would never normally have experienced being a jock or laborer, but the question remained, who was doing this to him and why? Actually, when will it stop and could he wake up tomorrow an accidental father? He didn't MIND exploring adulthood, especially since he wasn't actually the one needing to work out or hit on people, but figuring out what was actually going on and how far it will take him seemed pretty important.
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Jeff blinked as he realized for the first time he was outside. He is on break enjoying the September weather before it became uncomfortably chilly as fall set in. He was figuring something out, what was it? Oh, right, what job to look for after turning 21 in a few months. Wait, that's not right. He should be just over 20 now, not almost 21, and it should only be Tuesday.
His memories however told him it was Wednesday and of course he had yesterday off, he worked weekends after all and he still needed time off. Man, he'd love a 9-5 that didn't have weekend shifts. Maybe a factory? Don't forklift operators get a special certification and need to be 21? That would be a good job jump.
He looked around somewhat nervous, he caught shit from the guys if they caught him smoking but nobody turned him in, they just gave him crap that he's too young and should stop. That, or the older guys can't resist telling stories about when the smoking age was 18 instead of 21. It seemed ridiculous to him that 18 year-olds can go off to war, but can't have a cigarette or a drink without risking legal trouble.
He lit up and was half finished before he realized how strange it should be that this felt normal, but he started over a year ago and had been able to support his habit through his friend group, coworkers, and when work sent him out he wasn't carded while in his work shirt, the company truck, and a partner.
He finished his cigarette, or maybe it was his second, he was lost in thought and rushed back in to punch back in from break. He passed Mike who jeered at him. Sifting through his memories he noticed there wasn't significant changes to the older memories... meaning the ones from age 16 to 18. Yes, the characters changed but he still joined football, worked hard to beef up, claimed his independence at 18, and was forging his own path now.
Jeff paused for a moment, 'is that right?' He looked back over where he had gotten to and felt pride. He barely got through high school, didn't continue his education, found a mediocre blue collar job, was having friends support his occasional drinking and smoking habit, had a different girl for each night of the week, but he was proud. Part of him found this preposterous, part of him was beaming that he had been living alone for over a year and saving money. Jeff felt conflicted as to how he should feel about this and the rest of the hour was spent working while trying to figure out the rules of this game.
He becomes aware when working or previously, while at school. His personality and lifestyle are constantly shifting toward his physical capabilities and away from his mental ones. He has no idea how old he will get or if this will eventually send him to old age or possibly death. What if he took a workday off? Would that let him have an aware hour while at home since he is supposed to be at work? He doubted it, there were times between 18.5 and 20.5 that he started the day with chores outside the house and that age gap was completely unaware, also, if he was wrong he would end up being almost 22 instead of just over 21... Losing a chance to fix this while still in his 20's.
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Jeff's awareness crept in and for the first time, he was using the bathroom. Quickly assessing reality, Jeff was just a few months past 21 and did find a new, better paying job. Still blue collar, still working weekends. Jeff took an extra second to examine himself in the mirror for the first time since this started. He looked... exactly how he expected.
Part of the reality reset filled in all the gaps over the last 6 months so he remembered looking in the mirror this morning to wash his face and brush his teeth, he knew what haircut he had settled on and how long his beard was. It was his boring old face, however, he was a conventionally handsome, muscular man in control of his own life and able to do whatever he wanted legally. This thought, along with memories of sexual conquest, the tattoo on his large bicep, and seeing his pecs pressing against his shirt triggered an unexpected ejaculatory response.
After cleaning himself up he went outside and lit a cigarette, realizing that if he wanted one on his break he had to move fast. Where did he leave off yesterday? Oh yeah, taking a day off is an option... Messages to himself didn't work last time, so he could probably only secure the time off if he set it up now for tomorrow... after all, he might not even work here tomorrow since he is still in his 90 day grace period.
Jeff took a deep drag recalling what other jobs were open when he found this one... the weird way reality works means the same jobs are probably available from one day to the next, even if for him, six months is passing. Jeff shook his head as another guy came out and lit up. It was Carter, another newer guy who joined in spring where he joined mid-summer.
Carter was a couple years older than him and had been friendly and helpful while learning the ropes. It was strange for Jeff to consider that he knew Carter but really this was his first time meeting them, and technically, they had never even spoken before. It only took a few seconds before Jeff was sucked into conversation, and went back to work stopping by the breakroom for coffee. In the last minutes before the hour was up he bolted for his manager's office nearly forgetting to ask for time off tomorrow.
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Jeff was feeling excited it was Saturday though he asked himself why and realized he was at work and didn't have weekends off like when he was a school kid. Reality fully set in and he realized why he was thinking that way and took full stock of his new reality now that he was... 22. 'Huh? Yeah... that's right.' He was concerned that if he took a day off he would lose his awareness time for it but between splitting the planning across two days and Carter interrupting his thoughts, he forgot.
Not much changed except his seniority with this company. It was weird, Jeff no longer thought of Carter as the friendly guy who was showing him the ropes but the somewhat slower, newest guy who still made fuck-ups every now and again. Jeff remembered training him and walking him through all the ropes Carter had originally taught him when he onboarded two days ago. Carter popped out greeting him with a "Hey Boss." and sucking Jeff back into conversation rather than hatching his next escape plan from this shifting reality.
Jeff's bank account was a little more established having another year with this company. Having breached 21 more than a few months ago he can go out to drink now and could feel he had gained weight but it wasn't the lean muscle he was used to putting on.
Snubbing out his cigarette, Jeff ended the conversation with Carter and walked back to his post getting back to work. His mind working on how he could go about getting to the Chronivac. He was repulsed by it while not aware, didn't become aware unless he was working, and was expected to be at work while working. It felt like a catch 22.
Jeff considered that maybe he was supposed to be trapped. So maybe it wasn't his dad or a friend who did this to him, but maybe an enemy? Lots of guys were jealous of him in high school... Wait, no, that was only after he became a popular jock. Before this started happening to him he was more of a nerd and went mostly unnoticed.
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Sunday shift, Jeff's awareness expanded but he was only able to think about work, an order was backed up and the boss was on pins and needles trying to get things moving faster.