Chances Aren't by Luke Young

in the un-air-conditioned huge steel box of a structure. He's looking all around, mesmerized at the equipment, then he stops and his eye follows a single box until it disappears, turning a corner on its journey to the shipping area. We start walking again, keeping to the defined pedestrian path as workers rush around on foot and driving fork lifts all around us.
    "There it is," William says and picks up speed taking off ahead of me.
    "What?" I ask, but he doesn't respond. When we're twenty feet from the tunnel, which connects the new buildings to the older ones, I stop walking.
    Suddenly he turns and gives me a bright eyed look. "This is it."
    "Where are we going?"
    "Back in time. You do want to go back, don't you?"
    "Um... well, it depends on exactly what you mean, because I really hated high school and if I've got to go back and deal with all that crap again then forget—"
    "Would you just trust me?" He groans and waits for my reply.
    "Okay. All right."
    Nodding, he spins back toward the tunnel and heads off.
    I follow behind him and ask loudly over the hum of a vehicle pulling a pallet of boxes as it approaches. "But really, exactly where the hell are we going?"
    "To the old building," he says. I catch up to him and we walk side by side and he adds, "Do you know when they broke ground on this building we’re standing in right now?"
    "No."
    He stops walking and turns to look at me. "July third, nineteen eighty eight."
    He waits seemingly for that information to sink in. Seconds later when it does, I mumble, "Shit, that's, um, wow…" Smiling, my mind drifts away as I take a deep breath. Then I shake my head, confused. "But, how—"
    He shrugs. "All I know is that you can do this. I can help you do this, but only if you do it today… now. Are you in?"
    "Yes."
    He turns and heads into the tunnel, which is over five hundred feet long. It's about fifteen feet wide and passes over a stream and a wide valley that separates the two structures. He walks quickly with me trailing a few steps behind him, and midway through a scooter comes toward us driven by a warehouse manager. I nod without looking at the driver as he flies past us and quicken my pace to catch up to William.
    We turn the corner at the end of the tunnel and step into building four, which was built sometime in the mid-sixties. Suddenly a loud explosion rocks the building, the lights flicker on and off, and I raise my hands up in an effort to steady myself. Seconds later the lights in the building go out completely, but the floor still feels like it's moving.
    "William?" I ask.
    He doesn't reply.
    I wait while struggling to keep my balance then it’s over— the shaking subsides, the lights come on and I find I cannot see clearly. Everything's blurry; all I see are shapes and shadows. "What's going on?"
    "We're here," he says.
    I see a figure standing near me who I think is William and I reach out for him. "I can't see."
    "Really?"
    "Yes, I think you blinded me. Some angel you are. What the hell am I supposed to do now?"
    "Oh, I, uh," he says and I feel his hands on my arm. "Let me think a minute."
    "Great. This is just great," I mutter.
    "Do you wear contacts?"
    "Yeah."
    "Take them out."
    I remove my right lens and closing my left eye, I find I can see pretty well. "Thank God." After removing the other lens, I blink my eyes a few times and smile as things comes into focus. Everything looks so out of place; the racking is different and there are two warehouse workers dressed in clothes that don't look right, don't fit with what I know. I shake my head and take it all in.
    William stands next to me and when my eyes meet his, he simply smiles back at me. "Pretty cool, huh?"
    "What."
    "We're actually here."
    I grimace, confused before turning around and looking back to where the tunnel entrance should be. It's not there and I blink several times. The only thing there is a solid cinder block wall. I turn to William and he's wearing a silly grin.
    I rush to a door to the