Chapter 8: Loop
He was working intently. He was confident that what he was thinking was correct. If his work succeeded, he would be able to change the future. He needed a theory to back it up. Nobody would believe him if there was not a substantial theory behind it. ‘They will only believe it once it happens’, he had thought.
There was a knock on his office door. The door opened. The secretary said, “there is an applicant for the assistant that you wanted.”
Hiss office was huge. He liked walking while thinking and so he needed a big space to walk.
“Let her in.”
The secretary left and the door opened again and a beautiful young woman walked across the room.
“You may sit.”
“Thanks Professor.” said the woman.
“I forgot your name, what was it?” The truth was he had never paid attention on the name. It was her qualifications that had impressed him.
“Samantha Bishop.” She adjusted herself on the chair.
“So Sam, how much time can you offer me?” He looked intensely on her reactions.
She adjusted herself again.
“There are 24 hours in a day, I could offer all of them if required.”
“Well, then you are appointed. Just two more things. One, our discussions never leave this room. Second, I am Mike.”
“Thank you sir. I mean Mike.”
“You could get your things by tonight. We stay in campus. Ask my secretary for the details.”
As soon as Sam had closed the door, the room was filled with blazing light.
When Dr. West was finally able to see, he saw himself.
“Just tell me, it will be me.”
“Yes, it will be you who will lead us to the doomsday.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know it. You have always been afraid of it. Yet you do it.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Then why would I be here?”
“I can’t dump all my life’s work because of this.”
“You are young. In coming time you will become me. When you will see it through your eyes you will believe it.”
“But the paradox. If I don’t do it, then you will never be here to stop me. You don’t exist.”
“That is no paradox. I exist at this moment. If you take my word and not do it, then I stop existing the next moment. There will be a new future. But till the time I exist, the future is doomed.”
“So, you want me to separate myself from the project?”
“No. I want you to never let the project see the light.”
“I will be wasting myself.”
“For the existence of the human race. That is no waste.”
“You mean to say that from now on I stop working on all of this and instead work on misguiding.”
“Yes. Also I want you to have a life. The girl that just went will fall in love with you. You will also like her, but would reject her for your own selfishness.”
“How do I do it?”
“As soon as you are convinced that you are not going to do it, I will stop existing.”
He closed his eyes and thought intently. He said to himself, ‘for the existence of human race’ many times. He opened his eyes and the other Mike was gone.
He went back to his chair and closed his eyes again.
When he reopened them, “You are back again!”
“You changed your mind!”
I am really very thankful to everyone who followed the story.