His mind flinches, a skip in the tape, deja vou.... Donnie grabs the branch of a nearby tree to steady himself as he steers his bicycle towards the main path, he mounts it uneasily, summoning what strength he had into powering the pedals. It almost seemed to him like the trees were moving past him and not the other way around... as if he couldn't control the fact he was moving. His uncontrollable fate. It was his life that he had already lived. Already fucked up... and he needed to put it straight. As Donnnie pedalled faster his thoughts kept in pace with his speed, every contradiction and possible outcome spinning inside him like his own demons toruring his soul of what he may be capable of.

Morning sunlight illuminated Middlesex when Donnie Darko went by, the houses and people welcoming him to his horrific destiny as his past sealed behind him. Two women speedwalking with weights smiled and passed and Donnie blinked when he saw an a familiar red car speed towards him on his left. He breathed steadily knowing that nothing he could do should mess up what was supposed to happen.

All at once, it all came crashing down.... his plan, nothing should change, he repeated in his head. His stomach muscles tensed, his eyes froze on a figure he had not seen before, at least not then... until now and Donnie fluctered and swayed. He looked warily behind him. Gretchen Ross had just passed by on her bike. It was for that second only, Donnie considered turning around.. just following her for a bit, but no, how dumb would that be? It was almost like his kismet was tempting him, determined to toy with his future. Still he continued weaving unevenly onwards as he gaped over his shoulder and proceeded to crash into the kerb and then fall off his bike and hit a tree. It made a loud thud as he hit the ground and cursed quietly, muttering to himself about how he should never have looked in the first place and he desperately tried to get up, rubbing his injured leg worriedly, because Gretchen had seen him.

She stopped pedalling, got off her bike and turned it around heading towards Donnie.
Fuck,' he mumbled, limping hurriedly away, but it was too late.
Hey,' Gretchen called out, now a couple of metres apart, Are you ok?'
Donnie paused and turned around slowly. He looked at the ground and then up to her. He looked into her eyes. The same eyes that had looked out to him hopelessly as the wheel of the car had....
Yeah, I'm, er... fine. Really. Thanks...'
...crushed her unanimated body.
She smiled at him, now very much alive. He turned to go.
I'm new here,' she continued, Who are you?'
And her wishful stare took in the sight of a very uncomfortable Donnie.
Donnie....' he replied wistfully, Donnie Darko..'
Gretchen walked closer, she tilted her head to the side.
Sounds like some sort of Superhero.'
Donnie bit his lip and grinned, in a knowingness that his future was manifesting itself in his present, but not sure whether it was good or bad, he found it impossible to resist, without hesitation, like a line from a film he was sick of watching he found himself say
How do you know I'm not?'

And Donnie heard echoes behind him in a distant memory of what should have been yet to come.