The Experiment

“Today’s the day” David thought to himself staring nervously at the door leading into the lab. It truly would be a monumental day if everything went well, but even so David was nervous and even frustrated. Only a few days prior he told his parents about the experiment he was taking part in, hoping they would be excited. Instead his father had merely scoffed at him stating “We shouldn’t play with the Lord’s powers.” While his mother looked worried as ever.

David’s job at the science lab was always a sensitive subject with his parents, with his father’s disapproval and his mother’s worry. Standing up and pacing about the room in a meager attempt to relieve his nerves, “If this works, I’ll be way more successful than if I was a doctor!” He thought with the hopes of throwing it in his dad’s face. His entire life his dad wanted him to be a doctor and his mom agreed as it was a ‘safe choice’ in her words, but it had never appealed to him as science had always been exciting.

The fervent thoughts stopped for a moment as his mind wandered to the possibility of being famous, standing on that platform he’d smile down at the scientists and lock eyes with his crush Amelia. Shaking his head, he came back to the real world, “That would be the perfect moment to ask her to dinner.” Amelia was one of the lead scientists on the project coming straight out of Harvard with perfect grades and a dozen theories to back up the company’s future growth, and she was only 26. David always stumbled over his words or froze up when she talked to him, I mean how could he not she was gorgeous with her golden hair, bright blue eyes, curves in all the right places, While he was rather average with brown hair, brown eyes, and the slimmer side of average for body type.

The white doors slid open with a kind of whirring noise as a rather stereotypical nerdy scientist stuck his head in. “It should only be another few minutes and it’ll be ready.” His voice was even stereotypical David thought as he disappeared, the doors whirring shut behind him. “Only a few more minutes.” David mocked, “You said that last time over 20 minutes ago!” His nerves were shot he tried his best to calm himself with thoughts of how best to ask Amelia out. Minutes passed each feeling longer than the last, till his pacing stopped and he settled down, sitting on the edge of the bed that was provided to him for the duration of the stay.

The lab was set up in a half circle around the platform dozens of workstations filled the floor space and bullet proof glass was between them and the platform, ‘Can never be too safe’ is what one scientist told David when he asked about it. After giving him a brief rundown of how the experiment was going to proceed, they made him change into a pure white jumpsuit with white boots, white gloves, and what looked like an astronaut’s helmet so that not an inch of skin was uncovered. Lead into the room they directed him to the stairs where another scientist gave him a rundown of the procedure again, before retreating out of the area and back behind the glass.

David’s legs felt like jelly as he stood there on the platform looking down at all the scientists with their clipboards and computers. Stage fright had always been a problem, and this was even more nerve wracking than his public speaking class last semester. David’s mind began to race thinking of all the things that could happen as the intercom sparked into life as the head scientist spoke out about the test.

“Test number 1037,

Transtemporal travel, 12 hours into the future,

Test Subject, David Zweider the Second,

Date, June 28, 2024,

Time, 12:37:52 PM

All systems are optimal,

Powering up device now.”

A loud buzzing sound emanated around them as the lights flickered momentarily and the machine lights pulsed red slowly for a few seconds before turning green. David felt like he was going to vomit, his body barely standing as sweat beaded his forehead. “I don’t know if I can do this.” The thought repeated over and over. Looking down the lead scientist, Amelia, and 1 other were looking at him intently, before the one in charge gave him a thumbs up as if asking if he was good to go. Without realizing it his arm was up giving a thumbs up back.

“Test initialize in

3,

2,

David felt his heart drop.

1,

Initializing.”

The lights all went out in the room before the dimmer lights of the backup generator flickered on.

There was frantic motions and lip movement from the head scientist.

“Test 1037 failed, blown fuse.”

David was relieved but before he could do anything a scientist replaced the fuse, bringing the main power back online and they all took their places again.

“Test number 1038,

Transtemporal travel, 12 hours into the future,

Test Subject, David Zweider the Second,

Date, June 28, 2024

Time: 12:44:32 PM

All systems are optimal,

Powering up device now,

Test initialize in,

3,

2,

Fear surged through David’s as his instincts told him to get off the platform immediately.

1,

Initializing.”

Before he was able to act on the thought the world around him turned white brighter than anything he had ever seen. Squeezing his eyes shut he was still able to feel the bright light and a strange heat against his jumpsuit, there was a strange spinning feeling accompanied by the feeling that he was floating. The ground below him came swiftly and his already gelled legs gave way as he slammed to the floor landing on all fours. David felt nauseous his head spinning, lights dancing

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 07.10.2020
ISBN: 978-3-7487-5997-3

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