Authorsnote:ThisstoryispublishedunderaCreativeCommonsAttributionNon CommercialShareAlike3.0Unportedlicense.Thatmeansyourefreetodownload, shareandremixit(Yes,youcanremixastory,andifyoucantthenyourenot tryinghardenough.Becreative!),providedyoudosoinanoncommercialmanner. Thefulllicensetermsareviewablehere: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/byncsa/3.0/ Ifyouwanttofindoutmoreaboutthelicenseterms,thestoryormywritingin general,youcanfindmeonTwitter(@charleswrites).Enjoythestory.

LITTLECHANGES
BYCHARLESW HEELER

Littlechanges,changesinanything,cansetyourwholedayonadifferentcourse. Thecerealboxisdifferent,andyoudidntrealisewhenyouboughtit.Thatdog shitonthepavementsfinallybeencleaneduporwashedawayintherain. Someoneatworkswearingatiefornoreason.Smallthings,inconsequential,but theypushyourdaysidewaysandchangeyourwholeperspective. Now,bigchangesdontdothat,oratleastnotinquitethesameway.Bigchanges makeyouclingtoamentalityandsticktoyourroutineallthemore,asyouclaw andgraspateverythingthatsstillnormalincaseyouwakeuponemorningand everythingelsehasgoneaswell.Bigchangesdontjustsendyouonaquirky tangentforfivehours,theypushyoutothebrinkandgiveyouanultimatum: hangon,orridewithit.Eithernothingchanges,oryourlifechanges. Thischoiceiseasiertomakeifyouknowthebigchangeiscoming,ofcourse.You mightnotknoweverything,sure,butyougetachancetobreathe,tobrace yourself.So,yknow,makesureyoudothat.Beprepared.Informyourselfwith titbitsofknowledgetogetyoustartedwhensomethingincomprehensible happens.StaynearabloodyTV,attheveryleast.Everyonewhowasneartheir TVknewwhatwasgoingon. Asforme,Iwasnearalake.ItsnicerthanaTV,andmuchcalmer,butgenerally notasinformativeonmostsubjects.SoIhadnoideathatinthemiddleofmy littlegetaway,mylittletriptoUncleRichshuntingcabinintheStatestohelpme focusmymindbeforeUniversity,Iwouldlookupintotheskyonenightandthe moonwouldntbethere. IwenttoAmericatogetawayfromsomething,butnowIhavenoideawhatit was.Morethanlikelyitwaseverythingpeople,money,sounds,bedclothes, whatever.IjusthadtobeawayforabitbeforeIwentofftobeawayforyears.So UncleRich,dualcitizen,nonhunterbutstillintotheideaofhuntingandall simulacraassociatedtherewith,saysIcanusehiscabin,andtheresashitloadof foodinitanywayandhecantgetthereatthemomentbecauseofwork,soI went.Iwent,andIsat,andIthought,andIdecidedthatevenhere,eveninthe

peace,Istillfoundeverything,suchaspeople,money,soundsandbedclothes,a bitdistasteful.Rathertrite,really.ButIalsodecidedIdletitsimmerandjust buggeron,beingsuperiortoitateveryturn,andtakingwhatIcouldget. Allhopeofaprofoundoutcomewasabandonedatthispoint,becausecomeon, howpassareprofoundoutcomes? Andthen.Andthen. Ithappenedintheafternoon,localtime.Naturally,Iwasasleep,havingspentthe previousnightandmorningstaringatthesky.AtleastIgotmymoneysworth outofthatlastnight.IstilldontknowmostofwhathappenedasImswornoff news,TVandpapersuntilIgethome,andthelastthingIwanttodoinAmerica isfuckingtalktoanybody.ButfromwhatIveoverheard,theressomething calledit,whichisntthemoon,whichcameclosetoEarth,anddraggedthe moonoutofourorbit.AndIfindoutbylookingupintotheskyandseeingitsnot there.Theskychanged.Abigchange.Aprofoundchange. Andofcourse,thatchangedmyperspective. Ilookedoutsidemyself.Probablyforthefirsttimeinyears.Maybeforthefirst timeever.AndIsawtheworld,andIsaweveryoneinitbeingsubjecttothe samemassiveshiftinreality,andonlyonethoughtcrossedmymind. OfcourseeveryoneelsefuckingknewbeforeIdid. Ofcoursetheydid!OfcourseeverymeanderingnimrodwhoIdcomehereto escapewasreplicatedasanAmericanoverhere,andeverysingleoneofthem sawthebiggestthingintheworldhappen,andImissedit. Andeveryoneelseknewthatthiswasnttheonlybigchangetocome.Thesky wouldlookdifferent,yeah,butthatwasntall,thereweremuchworsethings. Sillyme.Howsuperficial.Everyoneelseknewthatthelengthofthedaywas goingtochange,andthatflightswouldbecancelledbecausenobodyknewwhat thefucktheoceanwasgonnagetupto,andthateveryonewouldbegoingapeshit abouteverything.Luckilymycravingforsaltyprocessedmeatinajarpassed whenIsawtheshopkeepertipexingnumbersoffhisclock,andluckilythere wasenoughfoodinthecabintolastmethenextfewdays,andluckilythosedays weregettingshorteranyway,sometimesbysevenhoursatatime!How thoughtfulofthemoontoknocksometimeofmylengthyholidayandsaveme somefoodmoney.Thanks,bigguy.Andthanksfordisappearingandgiving everyoneelsesomethingmeaningfultotalkwistfullyaboutwhileIstagger aroundasshallowandcontemptuousasever.Andthanksforuni,moon. ThanksforthefunImgonnahavebeingtheonlyguyontheastronomydegreeto missthat.