Exposition: the workings of the actual past + the virtual past may be illustrated by a well known to collective history, such as the sinking of the Titanic. The disaster as it actually occurred descends into obscurity as its eyewitnesses die off, documents perish + the wreck of the ship dissolves in its Atlantic grave. Yet a virtual sinking of the Titanic, created from reworked memories, papers, hearsay, fiction-in short, belief-grows ever "truer." The actual past is brittle, ever-dimming + ever more problematic to access + reconstruct: in contrast, the virtual past is malleable, ever-brightening + ever more difficult to circumvent/expose as fraudulent.

The present presses the virtual past into its own service, to lend credence to its mythologies + legitimacy to the imposition of will. Power seeks + is the right to "landscape" the virtual past. (He who pays the historian calls the tune.)

Symmetry demands an actual + virtual future too. We imagine how next week, next year, or 2225 will shape up-a virtual future, constructed by wishes, prophecies + daydreams. This virtual future may influence the actual future, as in a self-fulfilling prophecy, but the actual future will eclipse our virtual one as surely as tomorrow eclipses today. Like Utopia, the actual future + the actual past exist only in the hazy distance, where they are no good to anyone.

Q: Is there a meaningful distinction between one simulacrum of smoke, mirrors + shadows-the actual past-from another such simulacrum-the actual future?

One model of time: an infinite matryoshka doll of painted moments, each "shell" (the present) encased inside a nest of "shells" (previous presents) I call the actual past but which we perceive as the virtual past. The doll of "now" likewise encases a nest of presents yet to be, which I call the actual future but which we perceive as the virtual future."

Stars shine brightly in the night sky. A man sits on a log, the fire burning in front of him, makes shadows dance on his features.
"How I do enjoy, nights such as this." He said quietly. His messy red hair moved in the breeze.
"Quiet and peace full. I remember the first time I experienced a night like this. Right before I the woman from another world was sent to us by the gods."
The man looks down to the fire in remembrance. His face more illuminated to see the scars that rested on his wrinkled face, now faded over time. "I still remember meeting the woman...eye to eye."

"Lianna!" A young raven haired girl turned her head sharply, her black hair whipped behind her.
"Yes!" She called. Another raven haired woman, looking to be older than her popped into the room. "Its time for breakfast."
Lianna smiled. "Alright mom, I'll be there in a moment." Lianna turned her attention back to her suit case, almost finished being packed. She stuffed a few more items inside before making her way down stares. "Are you excited?"
Her mother asked smiling. Lianna nodded. "Yes, I have been waiting for this trip for three months!"
Lianna took a few bites of her French toast. "Umm...this is good mom." Lianna's mother smiled.
"Glade you like it. Now hurry your suppose to meet your friends in a few minutes." Lianna finished her toast and kissed her mothers cheek before grabbing the keys to the car and making her way out the front door, "Bye!"

Lianna drove down the street to meet her friends Cara, John, Mike, and Molly. They were going on a five day road trip to Florida for spring break. Lianna looked down at her lap to hear her cell phone ring. Lianna picked it up and held the phone to here ear.
"Hey…I'm on my way I'll be there in like 10 minutes…No I didn't think we would need it."
Lianna continued her conversation and drove with ease. Suddenly the clouds stared to roll in and Thunder made itself known. Lianna looked up out her windshield.
"Oh fuck, looks like its going to rain…Molly? Hey can you hear me?" Rain made its presence and hard. Lianna frowned and turned on her windshield wipers. "Shit..."
She cursed squinting out the window. "Where the hell did all this come from?"
Lianna looked out her side window as she came to the Riverdale Bridge. She looked down at her phone once more as it rang, quickly reaching to answer it. "Molly? Hey, yeah it cut out, I don't know what happenen-"
HONK! A semi-truck horned at her, wanting her to speed up while going down the very wet and narrow bridge.
"Nothing some asshole is honking at me. I'm almost to the end I'll see-"
BOOM!
The semi hits her car nearly knocking her off the bridge. "What the fuck!"
BOOM! Another hit. Lianna tries to control her car but the rain makes it impossible, her car dips off the bridge. Lianna tries to hold herself together as the things in her car go flying. Her head slams into the airbag and she hits the water knocking her out.

Lianna groans and wakes up a few minutes later. She looks around and starts to panic. She is surrounded by water. Lianna unbuckles her seat belt and tried to open her side door but it won't budge. A cracking noise grabs her attention to the windshield as she notices it beginning to break. Lianna's eyes widen as the water breaks through and crashes in on her.

"Robb look!" A young boy shouts. Robb looks toward the lake and notices bubbles.
"What in the hell…" A girl surfaces, and she gasps for air.
"Oh my." Robb runs to the lake and jumps in, the water is freezing. He swims until he reaches the girl and grabbed her.
"Hold on miss! You're going to be alright." Robb struggles, but is able to make it back to land with the girl in his arms.
"Who is she Robb?" Another boy asks. Robb shakes his head.
"I don't know Jon, but we need to get her warm."

Lianna awoke with a start. Sitting up quickly and grabbing her throat. She is out of the water. Looking around Lianna became confused. Where was she? Looking down she noticed she no longer wore her own clothes, but a night gown of some sort. The room itself came off as strange. The walls were made of stone, and everything looked very old fashioned.
"I see you have wakened." A calm voice said. Lianna looked over to see a red haired woman standing in the door way.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Lianna asked. The woman stepped closer.
"I am Catelyn Stark. You are in my home in Winterfell. My son Robb found you in the lake, but my dear child, whatever where you doing in there? That water is freezing."
Winterfell? Lianna shook her head.
"Where is Winterfell? I have never herd of such a place?" This statement seemed to cause an odd look on Catelyn.
"Its in the North? How is it that you have never heard of it? Where are you from?" Lianna shook her head.
"Chicago." Catelyn raised her eyebrow.
"Well it appears we are even in confusion, for I have never heard of the land of Chicago. What region is it in?" Lianna swallowed.
"The north American region? Catelyn looked at her with little expression.
"Hum. Well we will worry about that later, let us get you dressed. The clothes you were wearing are still wet, so I will have to loan you something, though I must say we don't have anything like what you seem to wear."
It wasn't until then that Lianna really took in the rest of the woman's appearance. She wore a dark green gown, that looked like something you would find in the medieval times.
"Um, ok." Catelyn peaked her head outside and waved. Two women then came inside the room holding a light blue gown.
"You are as tall as my eldest daughter Sansa, but you figure seems to be one of someone more mature. How old are you dear?" Lianna looked at the gown and felt its softness.
"I'll be nineteen in a few months." Catelyn nodded.
"I see. Well, these handmaidens will help you dress and the escort you to the dinning hall so I may introduce you to the rest of my family." Lianna nodded.
"Alright. Thank you." The women helped Lianna get into the gown. It was lovely but Lianna still wondered why they wouldn't have any modern clothes. Where exactly is she, who are these people. Lianna only hoped her questions would be answered soon.

"Nora, there you are." A dark blonde woman looked up from her book to see her father approaching.
"Hello father." Her father sat on the bench she sat on, sitting in the middle of their garden.
"How are you my dear?" Nora smiled slightly.
"I am well, Ben has been getting taller, and is learning very quickly in his lessons." Her father nodded.
"Yes, this is good, and how are you feeling?" Nora sighed.
"I am feeling alright father, really,, you shouldn't worry so much." He father gave her a small smile.
"It is my job dearest. I know how much you loved Daniel, and when he died, you were so devastated." Nora nodded.
"Yes but that was two years ago, I miss him dearly father, but I have come to accept it." Nora's father put a kind hand on her leg.
"I know. Listen though, you know Clara is of age now, and its time for her to start searching for a husband." Nora nodded.
"Yes, I am aware." Her father nodded.
"I need you to help. If your mother were still alive she would, but she isn't, and it is not something I myself or any male that is, are good at doing." Nora laughed.
"Fathers make arranged marriages all the time father." Her father nodded.
"Yes, but don't you want your sister to have the option of who she is to marry, just as you did?" Nora smiled and nodded.
"Yes, I do. Alright do you have any place in mind?" Nora's father nodded.
"Yes actually, in a few weeks in Winterfell, the Stark family will be hosting a party for the royal court. I think it would be wise to make connections there." Nora nodded.
"Alright father."

Lianna followed the maids to the dinning hall, to find a large group of people. They were all dressed the way Catelyn is. The whole house from what she could tell was old and made of stone.
"Ah Lianna my dear. You look wonderful." Lianna smiled.
"Thank you." Catelyn grabbed her hand wand walked her over to the others.
"This is my Husband Ned," She said pointing to an older man, who nodded.
"Nice to meet you miss." Lianna smiled.
"This is my oldest son, and the one who saved you Robb." Lianna thanked him for saving her.
"It was no problem m'lady." Catelyn moved on.
"This is my eldest daughter Sansa, and their younger siblings Arya, Brandon, and Rickon."
Lianna smiled at the smaller children who looked at her curiously.
"And this is Jon and Theon." Lianna smiled.
"Its nice to meet you all." Ned stepped forward.
"It seems we all have a number of questions that need to be answered." Lianna nodded.
"Yes, it does seem that way." Robb moved next to his father.
"Some things floated up the surface of the lake, I would only assume they are yours." Lianna gave a hopeful look.
"My cell phone?" Robb gave her an odd look.
"I am sorry, but I don't know what that it. Lianna sighed.
"Where the hell was she?