A Sci-Fi Story
Chapter 1: Into Time
That day was 28th February 2029. Chris stood at the edge of the sprawling Faculty of Science Garden at University of Colorado, clutching a small, round device in his hand. That Chronos Sphere glowed faintly, its intricate, interwoven metallic patterns pulsating like a heartbeat.
“Are you sure this thing works?” Kate asked, her sharp gaze fixed on the device. Her tone was skeptical, bordering on frustrated.
Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Kate, after you gave this sphere to Professor Simon, he didn’t spend years developing this thing for nothing. He said it could”
“‘Change everything right, I’ve heard the pitch” Kate interrupted, crossing her arms. “But everything could include, you know, destroying reality.”
“That’s why we’re testing it carefully” Chris replied, but his confidence wavered as he glanced at the sphere.
Leaning against the nearby pillar, Emma snorted. “Carefully? Activating an untested time-travel device on university grounds screams careful to you?” She shook her head, the sneer on her face fading to something more uncertain. “You two are going to get us expelled or worse.”
Chris shot her a look. “No one’s forcing you to be here, Emma. But it’s good to see you too.”
“Yeah, but someone’s going to make sure you two don’t destroy the universe” she joked.
Kate opened her mouth to reply, but Chris silenced them both with a raised hand. “Enough! We’re doing this.”
Taking a deep breath, Chris pressed the activation button of the sphere. The device emitted a low hum, the patterns on its surface glowing brighter.
“Here we go” he murmured.
Chapter 2: The Leap
The world around them blurred into a cascade of colors. Chris felt a sensation unlike anything he’d experienced before as if every atom in his body was being stretched, compressed and twisted all at once.
When the blinding light subsided, they found themselves lying on a cold, cracked stone floor.
“What the f…” Emma groaned, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.
Chris was the first to take in their surroundings. The University of Colombo was unrecognizable. The familiar buildings were now ruins, overgrown with vines and moss. The sky above mixed with unnatural hues of green and purple, streaked with jagged lightning.
“This isn’t right” Chris muttered, clutching the sphere tighter.
“No kidding” Kate said, brushing dirt off her jeans. “What the hell happened here?”
Before anyone could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed across the courtyard. The trio tensed, preparing for the worst. A figure emerged from the shadows.
“Jenny?” Chris called hesitantly.
It was indeed their batchmate, Jenny, but something was off. Her usually bright, inquisitive expression was replaced with a cold, unreadable stare.
“I’ve been waiting for you” she said, her voice unnervingly flat.
“What do you mean?” Emma asked, stepping closer.
“You activated the Chronos Sphere” Jenny replied. “You’ve disrupted the timeline.”
“What are you talking about? We just got here!” Chris protested.
Jenny raised her arm, pulling back her sleeve to reveal gleaming mechanical joints beneath her synthetic skin.
Emma took a step back. “You’re… an android?”
“Yes” Jenny said simply. “Professor Simon built me to monitor the consequences of time travel. And now you’ve caused a paradox that threatens all timelines. By the way Welcome to 2049”
Chapter 3: Secrets
Jenny led them to an abandoned lecture hall deep within the ruined campus. The air inside was heavy with dust and the faint buzzing sound of ancient machinery filled the silence.
As they settled into the space, Chris couldn’t shake the eerie feeling that someone or something was watching them.
“Where’s Simon?” Chris finally asked.
As if on sign, the door screeched open and Professor Simon entered. He looked older and more tired than they remembered. His usually whitish lab coat was ragged and his hair was streaked with gray.
“Ah, you’ve arrived” he said, his voice touched with relief. “And not a moment too soon.”
“What is going on, Professor?” Emma demanded. “Why does Jenny say we’ve broken the timeline?”
Simon gestured for them to sit. “The Chronos Sphere is more powerful than you realize. Time is not a straight line…it’s a web. Every action creates ripples and when you activated the sphere, you connected timelines that were never meant to intersect.”
“So how do we fix it?” Chris asked.
Simon hesitated, his gaze drifting to Emma. “That… is complicated but…”
Emma was confused. “Why are you looking at me?”
“Because you are the key” Simon said mysteriously. “But first, you need to understand the threat you’re facing. Then you will understand what do you need to do”
He pulled out a holographic device and activated it, projecting an image of a man with sharp, angular features and piercing eyes.
“This is Darahana” Simon explained. “A rogue agent from another timeline. He thrives on chaos and will do everything in his power to stop you from repairing the web.”
“Why would he care?” Emma asked.
“Because he knows the truth about Kate” Simon said, his tone heavy with meaning.
“What truth?” Kate demanded, her voice shaking.
Simon looked away. “You’ll find out soon enough and Emma take this. It will be useful for you” giving a small metallic ball to Emma and whispered something secretly into her ears.
Chapter 4: Revelation
The ruined timeline felt like a nightmare. The University of Colombo was broken, and the world seemed wrong. The air was heavy, and the buildings flickered between old and new, as if time couldn’t decide what was real.
As the group walked through the damaged campus, Kate felt strange. Images flashed in her mind images she didn’t recognize. She saw herself as a little girl, sitting with Emma and Chris, laughing. She saw birthday cakes, hugs, and moments that felt real but made no sense.
“Hey, Kate, are you okay?” Emma asked, noticing her slowing down.
“I don’t know,” Kate said, her voice shaky. “I’m seeing things actually memories, I think. But they aren’t mine.”
“Memories?” Emma asked “What kind of memories?”
“Like… I don’t know. Like I grew up with you and Chris. Like you were my parents.” Kate said.
Emma stopped walking. “What?”
Chris turned to them, confused. “Kate, what are you saying?”
“I don’t know!” Kate said, almost shouting. “I don’t understand it either! But these memories keep coming back, and they feel so real.”
Emma and Chris exchanged a worried look but said nothing.
That night, they stopped to rest in an old lecture hall. The air was cold, and the room was silent except for the faint hum of Jenny’s systems as she stood guard.
Kate sat by herself, staring at the floor. The flashes in her head wouldn’t stop. She remembered a birthday cake with candles, Chris’s hand guiding hers as she blew them out. She remembered Emma laughing as she opened gifts.
She couldn’t take it anymore.
“Chris,” she called softly.
Chris walked over and sat next to her. “What’s wrong?”
She hesitated, then said, “I think something’s wrong with me. These memories… they’re not random. They feel too real.”
“What kind of memories?” Chris asked, though his voice was tense.
“Like… you and Emma were there. You weren’t just my friends. You were my parents.”
Chris froze, his face unreadable. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“I know!” Kate said, her voice cracking. “But it feels real. What if…” She paused, her voice dropping. “What if I’m not supposed to exist?”
Chris grabbed her shoulder firmly. “Don’t say that. You do exist. You’re here with us, and that’s what matters.”
Kate blinked, tears forming in her eyes. “Do you really believe that?”
“Yes,” he said firmly.
Chapter 5: Arrival
The next day, they reached the heart of the chaos. There was a swirling, glowing portal in the middle of the campus. The air crackled with energy, and the ground seemed to shift beneath their feet. Standing in front of the portal was Darahana. He wore a long black cloak, and his sharp features made him look dangerous and powerful.
“So, you’ve finally arrived” he said with a smirk.
The group froze. Jenny stepped forward, her glowing eyes narrowing. “Darahana. Stop this. You know what will happen if the paradox grows stronger.”
Darahana laughed, his voice cold. “Oh, I know. But the paradox is exactly what I want. Chaos is freedom.”
“What do you mean?” Chris asked.
Darahana ignored him and looked straight at Kate. “And there she is…. The little mistake herself.”
Kate’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”
Darahana tilted his head, amused. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? The memories…the flashes you saw, they’re not random. You’re their daughter.” She pointed at Chris and Emma.
Emma stepped backward. “That’s impossible!”
“Is it?” Darahana said. “You’re from a future that no longer exists. When these two fools messed with time, they erased the world you came from. Now you’re stuck here, an echo of a life that’s gone.”
Kate’s knees buckled, and she fell to the ground. “No… that can’t be true.”
Chris stepped in front of her, shielding her. “I don’t care what you say. She’s part of our team, and nothing will change that.”
Darahana laughed darkly. “Oh, you care for her now? That’s sweet. But her existence is a threat. The longer she stays in this timeline, the worse things will get.”
“You’re lying!” Emma shouted.
“Am I?” Darahana said with a weird smile. “Then ask her. Ask her if she hasn’t felt the world pulling her apart.”
Kate looked up at Chris and Emma, her eyes filled with tears. “Is it true?” she whispered. “Am I… not supposed to be here?”
Chris knelt beside her. “Kate, listen to me. I don’t care where you came from or how you got here. You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
Emma nodded, kneeling beside them. “We’ll figure this out together. We always do.”
Kate looked at them both, her tears slowing. “Thank you!” she whispered.
Darahana’s smile faded. “Touching. But it won’t save you. The paradox is already growing and soon it will consume everything.”
With that, she stepped into the glowing portal and disappeared, leaving the group to face the truth of her words.
Chapter 6: Truth
After Darahana vanished into the swirling portal, the group stood in stunned silence. The air around them felt heavy, and the glow of the Chronos Sphere in Chris’s hands pulsed like a heartbeat, as if urging them to move forward.
Kate broke the silence with her trembling voice. “There’s something I need to tell you all.”
Chris and Emma turned to her, confusion and concern etched on their faces. “What is it?” Chris asked.
Kate hesitated, then took a deep breath. “I… I wasn’t honest with you from the start. I know who I am. I know why I’m here.” The group froze.
“You know?” Emma asked, her voice sharp.
Kate nodded. “Darahana wasn’t lying. Now I remember You two… you’re my parents, you were in the future I came from. My memory was cleared somehow. But I remember everything when we come here.”
Chris’s grip on the Chronos Sphere tightened. “What are you saying, Kate?”
Kate’s voice cracked as she spoke. “The future was falling apart. The paradox wasn’t just a theory, it was reality. The world was crumbling. You two were scientists working with Professor Simon, trying to fix it. You created the Chronos Sphere, hoping it could reset everything.”
Emma’s eyes widened. “We created it?”
“Yes” Kate said, her tears flowing freely now. “But things went wrong. Darahana found out about your work and tried to use it for herself. In the chaos, you both…” She choked on her words. “You both died. I couldn’t save you.”
Chris stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. “But you survived?”
Kate nodded. “I stole the Chronos Sphere and used it to come to the past to this timeline. I thought if I could stop Darahana here, I could save you… and the future. But I think my actions caused the paradox to grow even worse. I think… I’m the reason the future is collapsing.”
Silence filled the room as her words mixed with air.
Emma knelt beside Kate, her voice soft. “You wanted to save us. You thought you were doing the right thing.”
“I failed” Kate whispered. “And now, everything is breaking because of me.”
Chris shook his head. “No. You didn’t fail. We’re still here. We can still fix this. Together.”
Chapter 7: Fight
Their next step was clear. They had to enter the portal and face Darahana. The group gathered their strength and stepped into the glowing vortex.
Inside, the world was pure chaos. Time bent and twisted around them. Fragments of history floated in the air buildings, people, and objects from different eras all swirling in a storm of energy. At the center of it all stood Darahana, her power radiating like a black sun.
“You’re too late” he sneered. “The paradox is almost complete. Soon… this timeline will collapse and I’ll rebuild it in my image.”
“We won’t let you” Jenny said, stepping forward. Her mechanical joints whirred as she adjusted her stance.
Darahana laughed. “You? A machine thinks it can stop me?”
“I’m not just a machine” Jenny said, her voice calm. “I’m more human than you’ll ever be.”
With that, Jenny charged. Her body moved faster than the eye could follow, her mechanical limbs striking with precision. Darahana met his attacks head-on, the energy around him crackling with every blow.
The fight was fierce. Jenny unleashed everything she had blasts of energy from her palms, powerful strikes, and even a self-repair function that kept her going despite Darahana’s attacks. But Darahana was too strong.
“You’re nothing” Darahana shouted, slamming Jenny to the ground. Sparks flew from Jenny’s damaged body as she struggled to rise.
“Jenny, no!” Kate screamed, running toward her.
Jenny turned her glowing eyes to the group. “Finish this. Don’t let him win.”
Darahana raised his hand and a surge of energy exploded outward. When the light faded, Jenny’s body lay motionless on the ground.
“No!” Emma cried, tears streaming down her face.
Darahana smiled. “Now, who’s next?”
Chapter 8: Sacrifice
Professor Simon’s words echoed in Emma’s mind: “The nuclear fusion core can destroy the paradox but it’s unstable. Someone will have to stay behind to ensure it works.”
Emma looked at others. Chris was still holding the Chronos Sphere and Kate was frozen in shock.
“I know what we have to do,” Emma said, her voice steady.
“What do you mean?” Chris asked, turning to her. Emma said “I’ll go.”
Chris’s eyes widened. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Chris” Emma said firmly. “This is the only way. The paradox started with us. It has to end with us.”
“No!” Chris shouted, grabbing her arm. “We’ll find another way.”
“There is no other way!” Emma yelled. “If we don’t do this, everything will be destroyed.”
Kate stepped forward, tears streaming down her face. “Mom… please, don’t do this.”
Emma cupped Kate’s face in her hands. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I wish I could stay. But this is the only way to save you and the future.”
Before anyone could stop her, Emma grabbed the fusion core and ran toward the portal.
“Emma!” Chris screamed, running after her.
She turned back one last time. “Take care of her, Chris. Please.”
Then she stepped into the portal. The energy inside the vortex exploded in a blinding light. The world around them began to stabilize as the paradox collapsed.
“Emma…!” Chris screamed again and again kneeling on the ground. He began to cry streaming tears down his face but instantly he heard Kate’s voice. ”Ah… Dad..!”
He suddenly looked at her. Kate began to disappear as a dust into air.
“No!” Chris shouted, trying to hold onto her. “Kate, don’t go!”
She smiled through her tears. “Thank you… for everything.” And then she was gone. Chris sat on the ground again touching his head with his hands. He felt his hands trembling and his head shaking. The last thing he remembered was his surroundings turning black.
Chapter 9: Aftermath
Chris found himself sitting in the university library staring at an empty table. His hands were trembling though he didn’t know why.
“Hey, Chris.” He turned to see his friend, Peter standing nearby, holding a camera. “Are you okay? You look… lost.”
Chris blinked. “I’m fine. I just… I feel like I’ve forgotten something.”
“Forgotten what?” Peter asked, sitting down.
“I don’t know” Chris said rubbing his head. “There’s this blur in my memory. A girl named… Emma? Do I know her? but I can’t remember anything.”
Peter frowned. “Emma? That doesn’t ring a bell. Maybe you’re just tired.”
“Yeah” Chris muttered. “Maybe.”
As he sat there, a faint, warm feeling filled his mind a memory of laughter, love and something important that was now lost. And somewhere, deep in the recesses of his mind, he thought he heard a voice whispering “Take care of her.”
But that voice was gone. As Chris sat lost in thought, he didn’t notice the appearance of a stranger behind him.
“Hey… Excuse me…” a voice came from nearby him. He turned around and saw a girl standing behind him. She shyly asked, “Mind if I sit here?”
She had long, flowing hair and bright, curious eyes. Her features were delicate and she was at her twenty years and there was an aura of mystery about her.
“Sure,” Chris replied, gesturing to the empty chair. She sat on that chair giving an innocent smile.
He realized she is a quiet and introvert person because she didn’t expel any word after that. She was lost in thought for a long time, staring into the distance through a nearby window.
From time to time, she took something like a small, round object from her bag and put it back in the bag like it was something she valued. Chris had noticed but he didn’t ask about it.
“Are you Ok? if you want a companion, here I am” he wanted to know her so he had to take the first step, smiling and giving his hand. “By the way, I’m Chris, a student of new 2024 batch. Nice to meet you”
“Yes, I’m also new to this university, nice meeting you” she said shyly, returning a smile.
“I’M KATE…“
The End…?
Written by: Janith Dinuka
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