This is a short story I wrote from thread of
short stories and scenarios. It borrows elements from
The Man in the High Castle and
Source Code. I decided to cross post it here.
All For One WomanIf You Could Go Back In Time What Would You Do Differently?
Present Day
November 10, 2020The young man sat in his dinner table alone. The pandemic had affected everyone around the globe. 1,300,000 have been killed by the virus while there have been a total 54,300,000 cases in a span of 9 months. The year had been boring as he was been on lockdown since March. While this time, he was in pain and in agony. Not because of the pandemic but because of a woman. A woman he believed he had a chance with. The pandemic caused him to dwell on some memories, good and bad. Unfortunately, it opened an unhealed wound in his heart.
As he looked back to that day he met her in 2016, he remembered how the past four years had been. He met that woman in his last five months of college at a college club and at that time there was seriously no way he could have been with her. The club rules forbade having intimate relationships among members but he did not that. Worse, there was already a guy who was making advances towards the girl. That guy not only knew her longer, but also better. He could only watch helplessly as they grew closer and closer until eventually they became together. He did not want to interfere because he's not the type to steal someone. He respects relationships no matter how painful it is to accept. He did accept it and it was pain to his heart. (Had he knew of the forbidden rule, none of this would have happened).
For the next several months of 2017 and early 2018, he tried to make himself distracted. He had to live life. Unfortunately life was not kind. The 10 months of medical school was Hell. He did not want to become a doctor. The life of a medical school student terrified him. Before he entered, he was already scared of the prospect of reading a mountain of books. That was his life for 10 months. The girl and his boyfriend broke up by November 2017 but he couldn't just waltz right in. Reality sucks: They were not able to build a friendship to be called "close". It would just be awkward all he could do was watch. They communicated sparingly but usual it is nothing out of the ordinary. He hoped that she would ace her accountancy licensure exams and that he would back her up. She was grateful. It was all he could do.
By May 2018, he had enough of medical school. The academic year just ended. She took her exams and aced it. He sent his congratulations. He had hoped he could see her in those times. Unfortunately life was not on his side once more. The girl had another guy and they could no longer meet. They remained as friends.
2019 came and to his surprise, she broke up with her second. However, she was no longer in the place so he just couldn't make a move. He could only do it via social media. It's something but not enough to shift the balance. He greeted her for 23rd and 24th birthday respectively.
He made her 24th birthday special by sending her more drawings and a long letter wherein he finally confessed to her. She appreciated it. They both looked forward to seeing each other. The same has been said ever since they parted ways in 2017.
Soon...
The word echoes on his mind.
He sighs. This soon would eventually take years due to the pandemic. He already knew she would return in 2021. The question was when. Most likely when the vaccine for COVID-19 has been released. It would take another six months at best. He knew it would not be easy. One of the worst feelings in the world was waiting for something and there is nothing one can do to speed its progress.
He drowned on his thoughts before drifting off to sleep.
*************
November 13, 2020Today was a special day for it marked four years since he met her. It is for that reason he chose this date to meet a man known as the "Time Keeper." He searched the dark web and came upon his sight.
He knew this guy had supernatural powers. He could rewind time. Not the typical time travel where one travels in his present self and see his past self. The Time Keeper could technically send one to the exact moment wherever they wished while being armed with knowledge of the future.
He came to meet him a non-discrete alley near an urban poor area.
"You sure about this?" The Time Keeper asked.
"I'm sure. Losing sleep over this woman for three years now. Always wanted to know how life would have been different had I met her three years earlier than our timeline?" He replied.
"Dude, that's like a simp." The Time Keeper added.
"That term didn't exist in 2013." The young man replied.
"Anyways, if I do send you back to the exact moment of 2013, keep in mind this will literally rewind your life alone. You would be armed with 7 years worth of knowledge of the future. It is totally up to you if you want to prevent all those disasters and mishaps. Keep in mind doing such would reset several timelines. The butterfly effect is a dangerous game to play with."
"What could go wrong? All I want to do is meet the girl of my dreams three years earlier. From there, I would form a friendship that would morph into a relationship."
"Sigh, I get that a lot. A lot of people came to me since they wanted to correct the mistake they did to save their relationship with their ex." The Time Keeper added.
"Well then, the choice is yours if you want to warn the your country about Typhoon Yolanda in November, or if you want to warn the Crimeans that Russia will take their peninsula, or if you want to prevent MH370 from disappearing or MH17 to be shot down by accident. Even then, you may want to influence who wins the 2016 elections. Or you could put your bet on a certain New York businessman who will become a President."
"Maybe I'll do it. However, all I want is the girl. Nothing else." The young man replied. "I've seen enough
Red Alert to know where this will go if I try to influence world events even with the right intentions. I rather not interfere. I rather just go on with my personal mission.
The Time Keeper approached the young man and held his palm in front of his forehead.
"I'm gonna have to ask you again. Are you sure you want to do this? Once I rewind time for you, you will relive those seven years as if it was undone to your own bidding?"
"No second thoughts. I just want to bring this replica night vision goggles from
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Dark Edition I got last year 2019. It would be ideal for the college party." The young man added.
"Very well. Good luck on your mission. Hope everything goes well. By the way, you won't be bringing with you your iPhone 8."
Suddenly, there appeared to be a swirl on the young man's vision. In a span of a few seconds, he could see all the memories of 2013 to 2020 replay right in his head in a very fast motion. He felt like Samurai Jack being sent back in time by Aku. The only difference was that he was not only sent back in time. He was rewinded back in time back to his 2013 self.
*************
The young man snapped into a different time. He saw himself sitting in a college classroom. He was 16 years old again (he would turn 17 this year). The ongoing subject was History 15. He was seated beside familiar faces. He knew them well. They were or are his classmates in college. He checked his pocket. His iPhone 8 smartphone wasn't with him. It was his cheap LG smartphone he got this April. He checked the date on the phone. It said
Friday, July 5, 2013.
He was on the right date. A freshmen welcome will be held on the other campus. He smiled for he knew what to do.
"Bide your time." He told himself. "I'll see her earlier than as destined."
*************
The college freshmen party began around dusk. A beautiful dark blue sky hung above the group of college freshmen. The dark was beginning to take over.
They gathered the quadrangle to have registered. The same quadrangle where in four years' time, he would line up dressed in a cap and toga. He eyed the crowd, knowing that majority of these people would either shift to another course or be the same people he would be marching on stage in the near future.
He wore the same outfit as he did in the original timeline. He even brought with him a tube of glowsticks because it was party. The only difference is that he brought some odd-looking night vision goggles that nobody in 2013 would have imagined.
"What's that you're bringing?" One of his classmates asked.
"Replica night vision goggles." He said. He had to make white lie for he did not want people to borrow it. In truth, the replica night vision goggles from 2019 did work to some extent. It wasn't the real $40,000 the U.S. Navy SEAL teams used during the Operation Neptune Spear raid. Heck, even then those will never be sold to civilians.
"It does not work. I just brought it here because it will be party tonight and I want to look funny." The young man replied. He was right. It was an excuse to go silly. After all, the crowd comprised of college freshmen ages 15-17 who were about to enter a different phase of life. This welcome party was the initiation for these freshmen.
For now, he waited. He blended in despite being armed with 7 years worth of the future. He knew what was gonna happen from all the activities of the event to the free wild party later.
*************
The events proceeded just like in the original timeline. By nightfall, there were gatherings, dance performances, and singing. He was with his original companions. He knew they would not stay long for they are not the type of people who like parties. Deviating from the original timeline, he excused himself from his group.
He approached where her known location was based on a picture he saw his friend from high school uploaded (yes, his classmate in high school was apparently classmates with that girl he's currently pursuing).
"Intel is accurate." He commented. "Time to approach Aurora now." He used the name Aurora to refer to the girl he was after. He did not want to use her real name.
Then he saw her. She was to the right of his classmate in high school. They were with their own group. In normal days, this would have been rude or awkward to approach. However, his classmate from high school was there. The classmate would serve as a mediator.
"Oh hi there Meg." He said.
"Oh how are you doing [name withheld]." Meg asked.
"I'm fine. It's party time. I finally get to party with you guys." He replied.
"What's that weird thing you are wearing?" Meg asked.
"Replica night vision goggles." He replied, being honest with the "replica" part. "It does not work though. I only wore these to look silly because hey college party is the time of our lives right?" He asked.
"Ah yeah you're funny [name withheld]. I'm gonna introduce you to my classmates in college."
"Sure."
Meg then started introducing him to her classmates. He already knew of their names based on the photo he saw from the future. Irony is in the original timeline he never met most of these people, while this other girl that would be his future Valentine's Day date by 2020; he met her now. Then it was time to introduce her to Aurora. He played it cool and acted normal as if he was just a naive college student on his first party this (which in actually it was, except he knew what he was doing).
"Hi nice to meet you [name withheld]." He said. He almost slipped calling her Aurora. It was merely a personal codename for her.
"Nice to meet you too [name withheld]." Aurora replied. "Meg is your classmate?"
"Yep. Small world isn't it? This college welcome party is basically one big high school reunion." He said.
Aurora simply laughed. "Haha yeah I can relate to that."
He then took out a notepad and declared the following: "Hey it's 2013. It's time to make connections. You guys are awesome. May I add you all on Facebook if you don't mind?"
They all nodded. They then wrote their names on the pad. Then he asked if he could take a photo with them using his handheld digital camera. First they took group pictures together. Then he made bold move.
He then asked Aurora if they could take a picture together. Just the two of them. Aurora's friends laughed and teased at her.
"Hey, [name withheld] found some guys. Ayeee." A short girl with long black hair wearing a black T-shirt and brown jeans said.
Aurora agreed, even though she would find it awkward. Meg took snapped the photo before handing the camera back to the young man.
"Thank you Meg." He said.
He then turned towards Aurora and said: "Thank you as well. I will soon add you all on Facebook." He added. "Enjoy the night guys. I hope to see you in the rave."
"There will be a rave?" Asked on the girls.
The young man knew there would be a rave because he got rewinded in time. Yet he played it cool. "Of course. This is a college welcome party. Let's dance the night away." He then returned to his original group.
"Mission complete. It's now time to add them on Facebook when I get back home."
Indeed he had completed step one of his personal time-travel mission.
*************
Once the performance in the stage was over, almost every college freshmen stormed the stage while
What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction played on the background. He followed just as he did seven years ago in the original timeline. He recorded the party with his LG smartphone and enjoyed as if it was the best time of his life. People started chanting the initials of the university. Others began spraying their water bottles to simulate to wild party. The weather was starting to drizzle.
He could eye Aurora, Meg, and the rest of the crowd down below. He knew it was the right time to party with them. He never got the chance to party with her in the original timeline. He snuck up behind Meg, donning his replica night vision goggles and said "Bravo Six, going dark."
"What did you just say?" Meg asked.
"A line I made up." He said, the night vision goggles now covering his eyes. In fact, it was from a line he learned six years into the future.
"Having fun?" He asked Aurora.
"Yeah." She replied enthusiastically.
"We better enjoy this moment. Time flies so fast. First time we are here on this quadrangle and the next thing you know, we'd be marching here on stage four to five years from now." He added, this time with experience from the future. To Aurora however, it was merely a statement of truth in the near future.
"Enjoy as it happens. You'll surely miss college once you work." He added.
"It's still far." Aurora replied.
"That's why each one of us should make every day of this four or five-year college course worth it." He replied.
"I'm gonna go ahead now." Aurora said. "It might rain harder tonight."
"Ahh sure. I'm gonna stay for a while. See you and hope we can communicate." The young man replied.
The party was still reaching its apex. Everyone was enjoying, making new friends, and making memories. Memories that one would wish would last forever. The young man smiled, knowing he got to re-experience something. Even better he got to meet his dream girl earlier by three years. He broke the rules of time and space or whatever destiny was surrounding them. He knew that while meeting Aurora at this exact moment would not change the timeline immediately, he now knows by keeping in contact for the next four years or so, something was bound to change. For one, they could probably be even closer in this timeline compared to the original. Ultimately, he knew he would meet her once more in that mountaineering college club by 2016.
A performer got on stage and began singing
Titanium by David Guetta ft. Sia. Every time the beat drop, the freshmen would jump and shout in unison. As this happened, the young man recorded it on his phone. He clearly remembers where he has been. Another student challenged him to a showdown. He merely recorded him on his phone just as it happened in the original timeline. When the dance ended, the speakers continued playing party music from 2011 to 2013.
"Hi." One of the student's friends said, albeit awkwardly.
"Welcome to college guys. I hope you had fun!" He replied.
His phone rang and it was time for his uncle to pick him up. He then ran outside the campus and got in the car as the drizzle began stronger.
"Glad I got out in time." He said.
As his uncle picked up, he stared at the busy Friday night streets. The traffic was bad as people were enjoying of the beginning of the weekend by going into malls or having nightlife. Him, a rewinded college student, was among them enjoying a Friday night freshmen welcome party. Watching the road and the traffic, he still could not believe the thought of being given a second chance by The Time Keeper. While having knowledge of seven years worth of events weighed heavily on him, he decided to keep silent.
He knew that a Pork Barrel Scam will occur.
He knew there will be a chemical attack in Syria in a month's time.
He knew that Zamboanga City would be attacked by separatists by September.
He knew that an earthquake and a typhoon would occur in the country by the -ber months.
He knew U.S.-Russia relations would deteriorate.
He knew he would eventually visit his relatives in the United States by the summer of 2014. He also knew it would be the best summer he would ever have and he knew it would be his last.
He knew what horrible terrorist attacks would occur by 2015 to 2016, along with two controversial elections by the time latter of one which included a certain mayor from Davao City and an entrepreneur from New York.
He knew how the rest of the 2017 and 2018 would be bad for him on a personal level.
Would he try to alter this?
"I'll see it when I cross the bridge." He said to himself. He would prefer to wait until 2017 when the next major thing would occur with his life. Right now, Aurora was the only thing in his mind.
Interfering with major events in a timeline may have major unforseen consequences. He only returned to 2013 for a personal reason. Greedy as it is, he did not want to alter any major events aside from his agenda.
He thought of Aurora, the beautiful Asian looking girl with long black hair. He knew that if he just let everything pass, it will more or less follow what has occurred in the timeline he came from.
"I just need to communicate with her often or frequently. Maybe give her a like on her post. Give a few comments. Or maybe ask her from time-to-time how she has been." He pondered on what his next moves will be.
He knew he would be visiting Bohol in October, just in time for her birthday. Unfortunately, he also knew the following day would be an earthquake. Now he had plans to meet her when that day comes.
He smiled. knowing that he would be writing his own personal history to his own liking.
