The sun was shining as Jonathan pulled up into his parking spot and turned off the car. He took a sharp breath in and checked himself quickly in the rear view mirror, making sure he looked presentable.

It was a big day for him, and he was very excited about it: internal job interviews were always exciting. A promotion was something he always desired, and now, all that stood in between him and it was two interviewers for half an hour. He had practically danced his way through getting ready in the morning, mentally preparing himself as he dressed, as he drove to work, and even as he sat there in the rapidly cooling car.

With one last sharp inhale of air, he unlatched the door to the car and got himself out. In just a few moments, he was inside the building, walking down the hallway to his desk and greeting people as he went. A couple of people complimented him on his attire; he normally didn’t dress this formal for work, but today it was fitting.

The day seemed like it just flowed by easily for him as he commenced his work as usual. Soon, Jonathan glanced at the clock and realized that it was time for his interview.

“Good luck, Jon!” said his cubicle neighbour Kelly enthusiastically to him.

“Thanks,” Jonathan replied politely; truth be told, he only semi-believed in luck. The rest was shaped down to his own destiny. Walking away, he looked back once on the desk that had been his home for the past six months and smirked before heading out.

The walk didn’t take long, but it was an opportunity for Jonathan to get his nerves settled. He smiled at the people he passed in the hallway – which was surprisingly empty for this time of day and for this main of an artery of the building, he mused softly to himself – and soon was standing in front of the door that would be where he was to be judged about everything.

With one last breath, he put on a smile and grabbed the doorknob, turned it and walked in.

**********************************************

The interview itself didn’t take long, and soon, Jonathan was walking back, smiling even more than he did when he walked into the room. His mood had brightened considerably; a great weight had come off of his shoulders after this interview, and he felt like he was dancing down the hallway back to his desk.

Kelly, his cubicle neighbour, looked over at the very happy Jonathan and said, “So… how did it go?”

Jonathan looked over and smiled widely. “It went… very well,” he said. “They were impressed… I think I nailed the job.”

Kelly nodded. “Congratulations!” he replied. “You deserve a promotion for all the work you put in here!”

Jonathan nodded humbly. “Thanks,” he replied.

This same basic conversation was repeated a few times over the next half hour, and Jonathan couldn’t remember having any of them in a half hour of work. He continued with his work, which just seemed to be melting away under him in a blur of easiness, the stress of the job bearable if it meant that he was getting it done and out of the way so he could get that promotion.

“Hey, Jonathan?” Kelly called out soon enough.

“Yeah?” Jonathan replied, swiveling in his chair to look at his friend’s inquiry.

“You know this is a dream, right, and you’re still in bed?” Kelly asked.

Johnathan smiled. “Yeah, I know,” he replied. “I don’t think my conscious mind realizes it yet, though.”

“Just checking,” Kelly replied, then he nonchalantly turned back to his work as Jonathan turned back to his work as well-

*************************

With a start, Jonathan sat straight upright in bed, blinking in the darkness and with a greater confusion than he had ever felt in his life.

He glanced over at the clock, noticing it was well before he had to get up for the day, and just said to himself, “That was just weird…”