Chapter 2: Well welcome surprise

------ Los Angeles – Family Home – Friday, January 14

The morning light filtered through the faded curtains of the room, casting pale rays on the peeling walls. I slowly wake up, feeling numb and confused. I blink several times, trying to shake off the stupor enveloping my mind. A quick glance at the clock shows 7 AM.

For a moment, I thought it was all just a strange dream. But quickly, the events of the previous day flood back into my memory: Karl's visit, the exchanged words, the memories surging in my mind like tumultuous waves. I am still William Anderson, but at the same time, I feel different, as if a part of me has changed.

I slowly sit up, running a trembling hand over my face. The sensation of smooth, youthful skin deeply unsettles me. This body is not mine, but I must get used to it. I observe the now familiar room, noting every detail, trying to etch it into my memory, as it is now mine.

A sigh escapes my lips as I leave the bed. I head to the mirror hanging on the wall; my reflection waits there, that of a teenager with tousled hair and eyes still clouded with sleep.

"William Anderson," I murmur aloud, testing the sound of my new name. It feels strange, almost unreal. I struggle to accept this new identity, to merge into someone else's skin, even though this is my reality now.

Raising my head, I meet my own gaze in the mirror. Despite all the uncertainties tormenting my mind, I know I must move forward, find a way to adapt to this new world, and make the best of this chance I've been given. With renewed determination, I promise myself to realize the dreams long buried in my former world.

A growling sound from my stomach reminds me of an immediate necessity: hunger. "I should eat first," I murmur with a smile.

After a quick cold shower, a habit kept from my old world, I descend the stairs and head to the dining table.

Elena, the housekeeper who has been with the family even before I was born, is surprised to see me up so early. She greets me with a warm smile.

William: Good morning, Elena. You seem surprised to see me.

Elena: Oh, good morning, Mr. William. Indeed, I am somewhat astonished. You're not usually the first to rise.

William: Well, I suppose I'm in the mood for changing habits today. I had a good night's sleep and feel full of energy.

Elena: That's wonderful to hear, sir. Do you have any particular plans for today?

William: Actually, yes. Karl will be visiting at 10 AM to discuss my parents' inheritance.

Elena: Oh, I see! And by the way, your smile… It's nice to see you like this.

William: Thank you, Elena. I'll do my best to make my parents proud; it's what they would have wanted.

Elena looks at me tenderly.

Elena: I'm sure they would be, Mr. William. Now, let me prepare a good breakfast for you to start the day right.

After savoring a hearty breakfast, I return to my room, letting my thoughts wander in this unknown world surrounding me. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I begin to study all the differences between this world and the one I once knew. It's like an alternative version of Earth. Familiar company names like Apple and Microsoft are there, as well as Coca-Cola and other brands I recognize. Yet there are also companies and brands I've never seen before. Their logos, their products, everything is both fascinating and new. I promised myself to do thorough research later, eager to understand the peculiarities of this world compared to mine.

My attention then shifts to people. Familiar faces pass before my eyes, celebrities I had seen on TV in my former life but who are less popular or even unknown in this world. And other people here are super famous while they didn't exist on Earth, at least according to my memories.

Finally, I glance at the world of entertainment. Movies, series, video games, everything is both strangely familiar and profoundly different. There is no trace of the franchises I loved in my previous life. No Marvel, no DC, no Star Wars, nor Lord of the Rings. Comics, mangas, music, and movies seem still in their infancy, as if this world hasn't yet discovered the true potential of these mediums. As for video games, they died in their infancy with the fall of Atari.

A spark of ambition lights up within me. Perhaps this new reality gives me the opportunity to achieve my dreams in the most spectacular way possible. A chance to create, or rather recreate, the stories and worlds that marked my old world in this one. Too bad I can't recall these masterpieces in detail.

As I lay back on my bed, annoyed, I noticed a poster of an actress named Alexia Ferlandaise in my room. The memories of this body confirmed she was a very popular actress in this world, but no echo of her existence resonated in my memory from my old world. This lack of reference prompted me to dig deeper into my memories, exploring every corner. And that's when a blue screen suddenly appeared before my eyes, with a search bar eerily resembling that of the Google browser.

Surprised, I tried to click on it, but my hand passed through the screen. "I'm crazy," I exclaimed after several unsuccessful attempts to touch it. I then thought of typing "Alexia Ferlandaise" in the search bar without touching the screen, which finally worked.

After two minutes of loading, it displayed that this person didn't exist. Intrigued, I then changed the search to "Coca-Cola" and was surprised to see all the information about the brand appear. After various experiments, I realized I somehow had the ability to access Google from my old world in 2064 for searches.

Excited by this power, I began to get carried away. After a good hour of experimentation, I quickly understood the principle. If I should summarize it, it's like having a phone with only Google as an app, but what's great is that I can access the entire web of Earth in 2064. I can see all the articles, websites, and even existing and publicly accessible videos.

Apparently, I even have access to Google's artificial intelligence, which is truly amazing. It's almost a dream; with this, I wouldn't have any problem transcribing all these franchises into this world. Just as I start to drool…

*Knock, knock*

Elena: William, sorry to disturb you, but Karl is here. He's waiting for you downstairs.

I heard her behind the door.

William: Oh, already? I said, glancing at the clock which showed 10 AM. Thank you, Elena. I'm coming right away.