Dylan Hecker

Ms.Gardner
English 10/Period 0
September 4 2014

Dylan 1

Warped Mirror
I walked over and sat down on the grass facing the steep cliff. The location was visible
near a hillside that overlooked a small natural reserve followed by human civilization. No
abnormal or outstanding qualities were present like most places on Earth, and this decimated any
saturation of nature, leaving the few beautiful areas to be fully appreciated. Below, all the trees
swayed in the wind, leaves flew off and bustled in the roaring current sometimes even branches;
in any case the base of the trees stood firm forming a strong resistance against the wind. The
outreaches of the town seemed to almost touch the tip of the reserve, making a strong contrast
between the two. Everything near me seemed neat and orderly, not another soul was in sight.
Recently, nothing had been interesting, so I chose to hike to this exact spot, one that was
hopefully more eventful; however, it was only a small change in a monotonous cycle. All at once
everything froze, I looked over and saw someone, had my eyes deceived me? He looked old but
oddly had many resemblances to myself.
Hello there Dylan hows your day been? The stranger spoke as if he was acquainted
with me well.
Im sorry do I know you? I asked the question in a more fearful tone due to the
intimacy he showed for a random stranger.
He sat there looking up into the heavens as if he would receive an answer. He ruffled his
beard and glanced at me momentarily. After contracting a long sigh the stranger continued to
speak.

Dylan Hecker
Ms.Gardner
English 10/Period 0
September 4 2014

Dylan 2

You know me better than anyone else in the world Dylan, as I am you Dylan, Dylan
spoke as he grinned and the wrinkles of old age touched down laying waste to his faces
composure.
I sat in awe at his statement, he looked similar but could he really be telling the truth?
Before unraveling the turmoil this statement created, it was important to decipher if he was true
to his word first.
If youre truly me, then tell me something only I would know, I said staring at him
waiting for a response.
I knew something like this would come up so I composed an answer beforehand, you
prefer to never speak in public, but incessantly in smaller groups, you also keep your yearbook
on the second bookshelf down to the very far left. Dylan smiled and looked back up into the
stars roaming for unknown thoughts.
Those selective choices, whats the reasoning for them? Do they play a role in my future
endeavors? I rubbed my temples and concentrated on this whole phenomenon.
I chose those aspects of your life individually to show your thought process, tangled
with little to no consecutive progression. Dylan looked over at me for an instant before
returning his gaze back to the distant stars.
How he knew this conversation would come up lead to a linear thought process on my
part. To see this situation arise must mean he was the younger man in the situation previously.
This gave rise to the final conclusion that this was a continuous loop, our lives all carrying out
the same way they did before, except for this moment, this moment could change and break the
loop.

Dylan Hecker
Ms.Gardner
English 10/Period 0
September 4 2014

Dylan 3

If youre me then can you tell me useful information I may need to know? I said
glaring out my older self with heaps of curiosity.
I would tell you my youthful past, but it would ruin the point of living life. Whats the
reason behind working and thriving if you already know what your achievements will be?
Dylan chuckled as if reminiscing about his achievements he kept hidden.
All the literature I tolerate in school, will it ever be useful? I asked Dylan as it seemed
like a viable subject.
Literature as a whole will aid you in every which way Dylan, I would suggest touching
up on it. Especially Shakespeares plays like Romeo and Juliet, the poor lovers had an identity
landslide from joyful and upbeat behaviour to depression and death. Dylan seemed to become
more stiff in posture and solemn.
I may want to consider leaving soon, it will be for the better of us both Dylan looked
like he might stand at any instant, glancing back and forth quickly.
Whats the use in leaving? You just got here! Any information you can spill could
tremendously help me! I spoke in a frantic hurry; this session couldnt end at this moment. It
would ruin the opportunity for a greater me, a greater future.
This conversation represents the mythological hydra, whenever I chop off the head of
one question two will grow back in its place! Dylan got up and rustled about in his pocket
before taking out an item and handing it to me.
I saw the front face of the card and it looked sleek, shiny, and impressive. It had dates and
locations written down and looked like a business or personal information card. I picked it out of
his hands and examined it more thoroughly. I refrained from looking at anything other than the

Dylan Hecker
Ms.Gardner
English 10/Period 0
September 4 2014

Dylan 4

picture and name. In return I pulled out my personal information card and handed it to Dylan. We
exchanged looks before finally opening our mouths to speak.
I must be going now it was fine getting a refresher of my past Dylan walked away in a
scamper in the uncoordinated way that resembles me internally.
I stared down at the card for a moment. It involved all the information that made up my
future identity; did I really want to know that? I decided quickly and ripped it up and let the wind
carry each part over a different direction. Walking away made me feel considerably different
than I did from the start, similar to the trees we had both changed from a gust of wind. Little
parts of my identity shredded and regrown just like the leaves swept away with the windy
weather, in any case my firm stalk should always allow me to consistently hold a firm grasp of
who I am. To know oneself too well would bring misfortune though as a lack of mystery towards
life would ensue.
After the encounter like a painters palette, ideas and thoughts merged to create a large
scale realization. Time was once thought of as linear behaviour going in a constant direction,
rubbing shoulders with an older man identical to yourself distorts and warps this perspective. No
longer can time be seen as a simple cognitive thought but more as a web where multiple
identities may converge. In this regard it represents identity, something built upon from a base
and spun outwards like a web in itself, or in regard to the Romans their empire built roads as
there came a need for them, just like the identity of a young man or woman. Seeing both time
and identity as similar concepts cracks any warping the meeting of yourself can create.

Dylan Hecker
Ms.Gardner
English 10/Period 0
September 4 2014

Dylan 5