A sort piece by one of our science fiction writers.

THE MACHINE

The machine was getting louder; more and more stem was being omitted from the top two funnels. Condensation started to appear all over the rigid metal body, pools of water formed at its base as the increasing shaking of the machine forced water out from the center. A small transparent plastic sphere of water fuel, a mixture of water and Doctor Bennett’s formula, made up the very center of the machine.

Picture frames and awards hung on the walls started to fall off, the ground started to shiver as if it knew what was coming. Dr. Bennett stood idly by and watched as his creation powered up and up. His colleague, Chase Forgo, was still slumped in the desk chair on the other side of the laboratory after the argument with Dr. Bennett. He had told the doctor the machine was not ready, it was years away from perfection and when experimenting with time travel on a level lower than quantum physics you need to be sure.

Chase felt the anger in Bennett’s eyes as they pierced across at him. He could feel the machine roaring in the background, shouting, almost like an animal telling them to turn it off before it was too late. Unfortunately that time had come and gone, there was no way Bennett was going to allow Chase to turn the machine off now. Emergency protocols had already started. The building was in lockdown, all windows were sealed shut with a metal shutters. Not just any metal was used in these, a combination of titanium and solidanium made up the concaved and complex shape of the shutters. Only a bolt gun from the Sacrum Colony would be able to penetrate the metal.

Chase wanted to rush over and turn the machine off, he knew, he knew this wasn’t going to end well. But no, Bennett had to rush things.

“Turn it off”, Said Chase.

“Ha, you and me both know we have come too far to do that”

The anger in Bennett’s voice echoed across the room, the machine still roaring in the background, deafening now.

“Turn it off!”, screamed Chase. The machine was far too loud at this point. His efforts were futile; Bennett was never going to hear him over the machine.

Steam and dust now started to fill the room, thick like fog but hot like boiling water. Luckily the building had been evacuated but there was nowhere for Chase and Bennett to go. They just had to wait it out, wait it out till either they died or time travelled.

How could Chase let himself die here? He already had experienced the loss that death brings too many times in this building. His mother had been trapped in a chemical fire in section 42; his dad burned trying to save her. Even his dog had passed away a few weeks prior. He had thought if he helped Doctor Bennett with the time project then maybe he could save them. He knew now he shouldn’t be meddling in the past, or the future.

Chase slowly lifted himself up off the desk chair, his back now aching more than ever. Falling slightly back to rest upon the desk behind him, his hands now placed firmly on the desk draws. He edged the top draw open while maintaining eye contact with the doctor. Reaching in he could feel it, an extended Cobalt C78. Not the best firearm but good enough for the situation.

“Step back from the machine Doctor Bennett”

Chase raised his hand, Cobalt aimed at the doctor.

“If the machine explodes then that fuel is going to be dispersed into the atmosphere, its toxic”, said Chase.

Bennett said nothing he didn’t even flinch. Either he still couldn’t hear Chase or he didn’t care. Either way he was making his way over to the machine, closer and closer. Chase fired a shot, purposely missing to try and stop him, but still nothing. Regaining some energy chase ran towards Bennett, reaching him just before he could touch the machine. Forcing him to the ground Bennett fought back.

“Get off me Chase, the machine is working”

“No it’s not doctor, that fuel is lethal. What were we thinking?”

Chase heard the shot, in his head it happened more than once. He stood up, the doctor still on the ground. Chase had fired accidently while they were arguing on the floor. Straight through the heart, Bennett lay there lifelessly. For a split second Chase had forgotten about the machine, the noise was drowned out by Chase’s guilty conscious.

The machine was terminal, Chase had maybe five minutes before it overloaded. No way out but also no way inside the building, until it hit him. Doctor Bennett’s ID card. Chase could possibly turn the machine off or at least time jump to a safe distance. Of course, that would mean Chase would time jump with the machine and only have a few minutes to get to a clear zone.

He knelt down besides Bennett’s body, lifted his lab coat up and ripped the ID card off from his belt. The ID card read “Doctor James Bennett, founder of the time jump project.” He had never heard the doctor’s first name, it sounded familiar, but he didn’t have much time left.

Leaping over to the machine, the room was now shaking more than ever. Dust and dirt continued to fill the room. Chase flipped the control panel down, but hesitated. The location selection menu had been damaged; only the year and time were available to change.

He ran back over to the desk, grabbed some paper and pen and started to write

My name is Chase Forgo; I am a junior scientist working along side Doctor Bennett. The machine cannot be fixed; I am sending it fifty years into the future with myself where it will self-destruct. This should give you enough time to figure out how to save me and the other people in the building.

Leaving the note on the desk he ran back over to the machine, two minutes left until the explosion. Entering the year and time meant there was only one more thing left for Chase to do, press enter. He was gone. The room stood still, silent.

END.