7 years ago

  Cassia Valerian - Jay’s wife - was packing her bags when Jay entered their home.

  "Cassia… what are you doing? Where is our son Victor?"

  "We talked about this earlier. I asked you not to join this Proxima mission. It looks like suicide."

  Jay gently gripped her shoulder and asked her to sit on the couch. "Hey, calm down. You know about Morgan, right?"

  "Yes… your old crewmate."

  "He is my friend, and I trust him. Do you want to know something more… please."

  Cassia hesitated for a moment. "Fine…"

  "Morgan has no one in this world. He lost everyone long ago. He is still in this dangerous Proxima mission even though he could just enjoy the rest of his life with his money."

  Cassia’s eyes widened. "But it’s his choice. I’m your wife. You have a son. If you fail and die…"

  "Shhh, listen to me… please trust me. And I trust Morgan. Do you want to know why?"

  Cassia nodded.

  Weeks ago,

  "You don’t need to do this, Morgan. Also, your head hurts. I think it’s physically not good for you to do this. What if something goes wrong?"

  "Thanks, Jay, for pointing that out but… no need to worry," Morgan answered as he stared at nothing.

  "I insist you tell me…"

  "Huh… I don’t have any reason to do this. But you have one, and I feel like the others do too. They’re enthusiastic. But I don’t seek benefit. I don’t seek any reason to do something for others. I want to save the people who aren’t at fault for this pandemic. I try to sleep and think about the people who have great desires but can’t fulfill them. I should feel lucky to stand with people who are ready to put their lives on the line to protect someone."

  Jay felt proud. "But… don’t you have anyone to protect?"

  As Jay asked that, Sofia’s image flashed before Morgan’s eyes.

  "No… no one."

  Back at Jay’s home a week later, as he explained what Morgan had told him, Cassia’s eyes filled with tears.

  "Jay, I always trusted you. I always knew you would do everything you could and return to me and Victor. But this mission… you’re dealing with something unknown."

  "I trust Morgan. He says he understands it. He will surely find a way… and I’ll come back to you."

  Cassia nodded. She stood up and unpacked her bag. "I’ll wait for you."

  At present, everyone except Jay rests inside their Habitat module, unsure what to do next. Jay sits alone in the cockpit.

  He opens a paper note he brought with him. It is from Cassia.

  "My dear Jay, I had a dream where you returned and we spent our remaining days together. No matter how ugly the world looked in my dream, it didn’t feel like a nightmare because you were with me."

  At this point, Jay falls to his knees, the paper crumpling in his fist.

  "W-Why do I regret every decision… for how long can I keep using false encouragement…"

  He wipes his face and continues reading the letter.

  "Jay, all I want to say is... I supported every decision you made, and I always will. I know you're trying so hard to hold everything together. It's okay to lose yourself sometimes - but don't lose your reason for coming home."

  Jay’s inner conflicts grow louder, speaking through both sadness and rage.

  "Why did I blame Morgan? I shouldn't have done that."

  No. That man doesn't have any reason, so of course he failed.

  "But for years Morgan was with us. He tried so much. I can't give up on him."

  He's the reason you're far from your wife. You trusted him and now you're lost.

  "Why can't I consider his feelings after failure?"

  Morgan is at fault.

  "I TRUST MORGAN AND I KNOW WE CAN FIX THIS TOGETHER."

  Inside the Habitat module,

  "From the agency… who made this Hyperfield Aperture?" Sofia asks.

  Morgan sits there with his gloomy, pale face. "Alex."

  "Wait… so Alex built this from the blueprint? He said it’s based on brane cosmology. If he engineered it, didn’t it seem wrong to him?"

  "This thing was clearly never tested, and we tried to break the laws of nature," Harrison says.

  "But… he actually did it," Sofia replies.

  "The Hyperfield Aperture was launched before the Proxima mission was once abandoned. The strangest thing is that without needing fuel, it quickly traveled to the L4 point and stabilized itself there. We didn’t want to launch it that far, but it felt like it got pulled by some external force," Morgan says.

  "Nothing surprises me anymore," Sofia says.

  "The blueprint was made by James… what does he look like?"

  "Random question, but to be honest, I don’t know. Alex is the one who claimed that he knows him. Rarely anyone in the agency talks about him," Morgan answers.

  ---

  4 years ago

  "Is that guy still in the Quarantine Bunker?" Alex spoke on his phone to Reed.

  "Finn? Yeah. You said you were sure it was that guy. I tried to get some information out of him, but I failed. There’s no information about him. It feels completely alien."

  "Huh… Finn… Let me handle this mission first. Once they cross the Hyperfield, I’ll be free."

  The day arrived when Morgan and his crew disappeared after entering the Hyperfield. The moment they crossed it, the screens went black and every connection was severed.

  Then Alex started laughing. He fell back onto the floor, clutching his stomach, unable to stop.

  The CAPCOMs stared. The flight director stepped back, unsettled.

  At present, in space, silence hangs inside the module. Morgan knows he has already said more than he should have.

  "You don’t find it suspicious?" Sofia asks.

  "Yes. I used to. But things were always normal. This Hyperfield Aperture acted strange, yet it felt familiar somehow. There are worse things I keep feeling. No matter how far I go from Earth, there’s this feeling… like I’m still bound to it."

  Back on Earth, inside the agency, Alex meets Reed. They walk together toward the bunker.

  "I saw footage of you laughing that day like a maniac," Reed says. "What was that about?"

  "Nah… I just discovered something ridiculous."

  "What is it?"

  Alex quickens his pace.

  They reach the bunker. Reed unlocks the door and they step inside. The lights flick on suddenly, making Finn squint his eyes against the brightness.

  Back in space, Jay suddenly joins the conversation. He intends to apologize, but hesitates. He floats nearby in silence for a moment.

  "So… you’re talking about Alex. I want to share something. I discovered something about him… and he hid it from me. When I tried to talk about it, he politely threatened me… talking about my family. But now we’re completely disconnected from them. So I think you all should know."

  "What do you know?" Harrison asks.

  "I once talked to him and shared how hesitant I was to join this mission. But he insisted. He wanted me specifically to join. There were other options - better ones - but it felt like… he was hiding something."

  On Earth, inside the bunker, Alex stands in front of Finn.

  "So tell me, Finn. I already know a lot. You’re not from here… and i know James sent you. Now, let’s get to the real question. Do you know the truth of our world?"

  Finn is barely conscious. His vision blurs as he struggles to process the words.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "I… wh… who are you…?"

  "Reed, Bring him back to consciousness quickly."

  Reed nods. "Why are you rushing?"

  Alex looks at him with narrowed eyes.

  "Reed, you’re still far from the truth. But your weak organization took in a traitor like Finn. I’ll say this once. Something is about to happen."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Something that will bring chaos. Or change the entire universe. Or even destroy it all. We can’t comprehend what’s about to happen. But I know someone is responsible. And I’m still looking for him."

  "Who? James?"

  "No…"

  Back in space -

  "So, Jay. Tell us more about it," Sofia says.

  Jay nods, his face pale. He tries to speak but can’t even look at Morgan.

  "I’m sorry, Morgan."

  "For what?"

  "Uh… for earlier. That."

  "Oh, that yelling? I had a few dogs at home and they barked a lot, so I don’t mind."

  Jay smirks slightly and mumbles, "Tch… trying to act nonchalant."

  "Okay," Harrison says. "We still have enough power to beam the Hyperfield and escape again."

  "We need to land here," Morgan says in a cold tone.

  "But this Earth is clearly different. It only looks similar."

  Morgan stared at the planet below. A parallel Earth.

  "I thought about it," Morgan replies quietly. "And now I’m sure. I want to see if that’s true."

  ---

  Consciousness defines the present.

  The future is a set of infinite possibilities—until it is observed.

  Consciousness gives continuity to reality.

  Consciousness holds events together.

  Consciousness gives birth to time.

  Memories are the past.

  Possibilities are the future.

  Observation is the present.

  One who goes beyond it…

  can go beyond time.

  In Timeline A - Earth -

  “It’s way too common to hear fake stuff like this everywhere.”

  Sofia slid into the seat across from him, setting her bag down. “I hate this man the most. Too idealistic.”

  Moments later, alarms across the city erupted. A sharp alert tone cut through the air.

  Immediate Lockdown.

  A Volcanic Eruption Warning has been issued.

  This is not a Test.

  Within minutes, chaos began spreading across the world as Plinian eruptions were reported. Ash clouds billowed into the atmosphere, cities descended into panic, and emergency sirens howled endlessly.

  In space -

  “No. I don’t trust you with this decision… I have a theory,” Jay interrupted.

  “Jay, I know you’re still mad at me, but we need answers and we’ll get them from there.” Morgan pointed down toward the Earth below them.

  “Listen. This Earth might be from six or seven years ago…”

  Morgan cut him off immediately.

  “NO! Believe me, this is not our Earth at all.”

  Sofia and Harrison floated a short distance away, silently listening while also monitoring the surroundings for any system faults.

  “Okay,” Jay said slowly. “Tell me what you think.”

  “This has something to do with the Hyperfield Aperture. Normally it’s impossible to travel to the past. At some point we might reach the future

  ... but not the past.”

  Jay nodded slowly. “But this planet is structurally identical to Earth. Are we in a different timeline or something?”

  “But Hyperfield can’t create a different timeline. The energy required would be impossible. I think it only connects to another timeline for mere seconds.”

  “So you’re saying we didn’t go to the past… and the machine didn’t create a timeline.”

  Morgan nodded. “Which means… this Earth always existed.”

  For a moment, Morgan’s expression froze.

  Memories suddenly flashed through his mind -

  The same words repeating again and again.

  “I’m James. I know the truth of my world… They believed it was Earth, but it wasn’t. You and your crew fed them lies. You turned Proxima into another dystopia!”

  Morgan screamed suddenly, grabbing his head.

  Jay, Sofia, and Harrison rushed toward him, trying to steady him as his body shook violently.

  The voice inside his head grew louder.

  “We believed it was Earth…”

  “They made us believe it…”

  “It is Proxima…”

  “You are the one at fault…”

  “DIE… DIE… DIE… DIE!!!”

  Morgan’s scream abruptly stopped.

  His body went limp.

  The crew stared in horror.

  “Is he… dead?” Sofia whispered, her voice breaking.

  "He's alive. Barely."

  Sofia pulled Morgan against her chest, holding him like he might disappear.

  In Timeline B - Earth -

  “Reed… be prepared,” Alex said quietly.

  “This Earth will be destroyed in a few days.”

  Reed’s face turned pale instantly.

  “W-What?!”

  “I’m not joking,” Alex continued calmly. “We never tested the Hyperfield Aperture. If it activates… it will destroy the entire world.”

  He paused.

  “…with volcanic eruptions.”

  ---

  Alex laughs again as he leaves the agency without notice. Reed is left in despair. He panics and informs the agency about what Alex said. It is hard for them to believe, but the scientists begin observing certain anomalies and form a theory - tidal forces.

  Reed connects it with the UFO sighting a week ago that appeared out of nowhere at L4. When something massive passes near a planet, one side of the planet is pulled more strongly than the other. This phenomenon is called tidal flexing. They realize this quickly because Jupiter’s moons experience strong tidal flexing. Within two days, the pattern becomes clear.

  Day 2 - Earthquakes begin across the world.

  The news spreads rapidly and people panic. Reports of the coming apocalypse flood every channel. Almost everyone gathers in the streets for different reasons. Some believe it is a test. Others blame the government.

  A massive crowd gathers, shouting accusations at modern society.

  “In this era, humans have committed so many sins, and they don’t fear God anymore. So God is punishing us.”

  Alex passes through the crowd wearing a mask. He chuckles quietly to himself.

  "They speak about God? God doesn't care about you. The gods you invented were born from your misery and hope - gods that forgive, that care. But the real God? The real God only stabilizes nature. Even if it means crushing you like ants."

  He pauses for a moment.

  “But wait… wasn’t I the one who caused all this?”

  Alex pulls his hood lower and walks into an abandoned park. He lies down on the grass in the center of the empty field.

  “Maybe… I have become a god.”

  Day 4 - Every supervolcano on Earth erupts almost simultaneously.

  Lava fountains blast violently through the surface. Tectonic plates begin cracking, triggering massive tsunamis and relentless earthquakes across the planet.

  The agency descends into chaos. Reed is in utter despair as their predictions prove accurate. Panic spreads further. Crime skyrockets as many people accept their fate. Some hunt down people they hate. Violence spreads everywhere. Rape and murder rise sharply.

  Entire systems collapse.

  People abandon their jobs. Transportation halts. Essential services fail. Soon the entire world falls into blackout.

  Day 6 - Inside the agency.

  “Sir… there are no spacecraft left. Every agency is desperately trying to build something, but I think it will take months before any spacecraft could be prepared for launch,” Reed says to the Administrator.

  The Administrator collapses to his knees, crying.

  “I’m willing to give up all the money I have… but I still can’t save my wife… my children…”

  “Sir, it’s not about money anymore,” Reed replies quietly. “There is no other option except accepting our fate. We are powerless before nature.”

  The planet’s outer shell -the lithosphere - begins fracturing. Gigantic rifts tear across continents as magma floods outward. Entire nations become uninhabitable. Soon the cracks widen further, exposing parts of the mantle directly.

  Oceans of magma, filled with superheated gas, spread across land and sea alike.

  Meanwhile, Alex still lies in the same field. He sleeps despite the violent earthquakes shaking the ground.

  “Hahh…” he yawns as he wakes up. “When is it going to end? I’m bored.”

  Reed stands behind him with Finn.

  “You are the reason for this.”

  “Actually… I didn’t think it would be this bad.” Alex replies.

  “What do you mean? I want an explanation.”

  Finn looks at both of them with a pale expression.

  Alex sighs.

  “I was the one who started the Proxima mission decades ago. I had a strange vision. When I was building the Hyperfield Aperture, it felt like I wasn’t from here… like I came from somewhere else. Somewhere worse.”

  He looks up at the burning sky.

  “I saw a vision of Earth being destroyed like this… and I enjoyed it.”

  Reed clenches his fists. “Speak in simple terms.”

  “I know I’m not from this Earth. But I know my purpose now. My plan was to end all of this long ago. I knew about Finn, and that he came here for something else. But I was the one who planted the pathogen and caused the pandemic.”

  Finn’s expression freezes.

  “I believe James wanted the same thing from Finn. But when Finn discovered that someone had already planted the pathogen before him, he ignored it during inspection.”

  Alex shrugs.

  “To put it simply… I was frustrated. They kept talking about risks and almost canceled the mission after I spent years of my life building the Hyperfield Aperture.”

  He pauses and exhales slowly.

  “But now I don’t care about anything anymore.”

  Alex pats the grass beside him.

  “Well… do you two want to sit with me?”

  Reed stares at him in shock. Finn shows no reaction at all.

  “…Sure,” Reed mutters. “There’s nothing better to do anyway.”

  Hours later, inside a collapsing building -

  “M-Mom… I’m… scared,” Victor whispers, his voice shaking.

  Cassia pulls him tightly into her arms.

  “Don’t worry. Your dad is a hero. He will definitely save us. Keep believing until the end, honey.”

  In Timeline A - space.

  Inside the spacecraft, Jay enters the cockpit. His hands tremble. Tears fill his eyes.

  “W-Why do I feel so… gloomy… I miss her so much…”

  Back on Earth, the cracks expand further as magma floods through the planet’s surface.

  Cassia holds Victor close to her chest.

  The building suddenly distorts. The ground collapses beneath it, opening a massive magma-filled rift.

  Cassia tightens her grip around Victor. She gently covers his eyes.

  She begins singing a lullaby softly.

  “Your dad used to sing this…”

  Her voice trembles as tears run down her face, but she keeps singing, wanting Victor to hear her voice until the very end.

  “Victor? Honey?”

  There is no reply.

  The building collapses completely as magma consumes everything.

  Far away, Alex still lies in the grass.

  “Just one more day…” he murmurs lazily.

  “…and then… Nihility.”

  ---

  Day 7 -

  The Earth begins to tear apart. It distorts as enormous chunks of land rise upward, pulled by external gravity.

  “You look really calm. I expected some panic from you,” Alex mocks Reed.

  “I panicked a couple of days ago. Then I realized no one can save anything now. So I searched for you… and found you here.”

  Reed answers in a calm tone. Even the field beneath them starts to crack, but neither of them moves.

  “So… I see many people turning themselves to God, believing this will save them. I have faith, but I lost all hope because I know the reality,” Reed says.

  Finn stands nearby, staring at the sky without any reaction.

  Alex chuckles. “Humans are fragile and stupid. They named God, they decided how to worship him, they decided his emotions and his nature. And still they act powerless and pray to him daily while destroying the nature for the God they created.”

  “This is something built over thousands of years. People feared unknown phenomena they couldn’t explain, so they started worshiping something superior. That made them feel safe, and it continued until now,” Reed replies.

  The land cracks further. Alex lies down on the grass again while Reed sits near him. The sound of Earth slowly tearing itself apart echoes through the air.

  “You don’t know how much joy I feel dying with the world. It feels like nothing will remain after me,” Alex murmurs.

  “Is this typical god complex the reason for your actions?” Reed asks.

  “You don’t know about reality… everyone is bound, and I’m trying to set everyone free.”

  “Free from what?” Reed questions.

  “The reality you and everyone think you are in is untrue. The reality we are in… is a ■■■■■.”

  Reed freezes in shock, completely speechless. The ground beneath them cracks wider, but they still do not move.

  Finn listens silently to their conversation and finally speaks.

  “If that’s true… it explains everything. There is no timeline, no time travel… everything we thought and theorized is wrong.”

  He pauses before turning toward them.

  “I can now guess who might be the real reason… Mathews.”

  Alex smiles widely.

  Suddenly the ground collapses beneath him. Alex falls into the crack with a loud laugh, slowly sinking into the magma as he continues screaming.

  Finn and Reed remain still at the edge, silently waiting for the same end.

  In Timeline A - Space -

  “Look, there’s some strange data on the infrared spectrometer. Heat levels are rising—more than usual, and very quickly,” Harrison reports.

  Sofia examines the readings. Then she checks the optical camera. Her eyes widen in shock.

  “T-This is… unreal. The land… the oceans… everything is falling apart down there…”

  Jay checks the optical camera feed as well, his heart pounding.

  “I’m glad it’s not our Earth.”

  Sofia looks at him for a moment. “Wait… why is this happening now?”

  “I think Morgan will know better. But Harrison, maybe you can figure something out.”

  Harrison studies the spectrometer again. “Okay… give me some time.”

  Sofia returns to Morgan, who is still unconscious. She sits beside him, staring at his weakened state.

  I wish there was some place where we could live together normally… away from all this chaos.

  Morgan remains unconscious, but visions continue flashing in his mind. Sofia’s voice reaches him faintly. He wants to reply, but he still feels bound.

  Trapped inside a lucid dream, he stands in the middle of nothingness or complete darkness.

  The sounds around him slowly drift farther away until everything fades.

  Until he feels blind…

  and deaf.