The Man Who Died Before He Was Born

“ANDREW, DO YOU COPY? OVER.” Kenny shouted over the radio.

All Kenny could hear was the static noise the radio made.

BANG BANG BANG as Kenny heavily pounded the desk full of rage and guilt.

His eyes started to fill with tears; staring into the dark camera feed on the monitor, he mumbled “What have I done.”

THUD as Kenny’s body collapsed like a falling tower.

Later that day, Kenny woke up to the warm sunshine glazing on his face while lying on a hospital bed. Suddenly something blocked the sunshine; everything became dark and cold. He noticed a black-suited agent was standing to the right of the bed and introduced himself, “Hello, Professor Kenny Lee, my name is classified, and I work with the FBI. We’ve noticed that you’re working on a project that involves time traveling in the quantum realm?”

“Yes.” Kenny replied with grief. “I’ve been working on this project for quite some time. But after this incident I had today, I’ve decided I will shut down this project. I cannot face the guilt of having a graduate student die for my project. Let alone maybe more fatal incidents if I were to continue.”

The black-suited agent then put a folder containing a thick layer of paper on Kenny’s tray and stood at the corner of the room. Kenny started looking at the files in the folder, and his eyes grew like an expanding balloons after viewing the first file. It was the camera feed of Andrew in the quantum realm. He couldn’t believe that part of his research succeeded, but he was still in grief after remembering what happened to Andrew. Later, he noticed one of the files contained other governments also working on time-traveling technology, and the US government didn't know what they might do with it. He then notices a letter attached to the file, stating that on behalf of the US government, the government would like Kenny to proceed with his research and make America the first country to have this kind of technology. Thus, making the world safer by gaining a significant advantage over the other governments. Kenny started thinking about returning to his project; he felt that if he could just figure out what went wrong from the incident, his life work of time traveling in the quantum realm would become reality. And he could greatly help the US government and maybe save the world from harm. But Kenny was scared he might cause another fatal incident, but the black-suited agent says, “We don’t know the consequence of a time-traveling war happening between countries. What we do know is that it won’t be pretty for anyone. Professor, I know it’s hard losing a colleague. But think about what Andrew would want you to do right now! Would he want you to lie around and not do anything, or finish what you started and make his death worth it?”

“You’re right! I need to make Andrew’s death worth it, not just lay on this bed out of pity!” declares Kenny!

After the black-suited agent’s inspiring words, Kenny was ready to continue his research and make Andrew proud. It was a few weeks after the incident, Kenny had fully recovered from his injuries and reassembled a team to work with. Day by day, the team made progress and all went well. After a few weeks of hard work, Kenny stood before his whiteboard and stared at his math for a decent amount of time. He couldn’t believe it, the math worked out, he figured out how to navigate through the quantum realm! Just when he’s filled up with joy, a wave of insecurity blows on him after remembering what happened when he tested out his math for this project. He thought to himself,

What if I cause another fatal incident? What if nothing works out this time? What if my math is wrong once again?

BANG, as the laboratory door swung open, standing firm at the doorway was the black-suited agent.

“Greetings Professor Lee; I see that you have figured out the math for time traveling.” says the black-suited agent.

“I wish I could say yes.” chuckled Kenny. “The only way to find out is actually to try it out with our prototype time traveling machine.”

“Well, what are you waiting for then Professor Lee? Get to work and prove to Andrew his death wasn’t just for nothing!” replies the black-suited agent.

“You know what, you’re right! Let’s do this!” Shouted Kenny.

“And while I have you here professor, may I have a copy of your work for this project?” asked the black-suited agent.

“Um…sure, and may I ask what it’s for?” replied Kenny.

“It’s classified” answered the black-suited agent.

Kenny turned around to see his team as he decided who was fit to do this experiment. He then sees a reflection of himself from one of the windows, he decides he will do the experiment, making sure no one gets hurt this time. He and his team started to assemble the equipment for the experiment and geared him up for the experiment. As Kenny geared up, he mumbled, “For Andrew and our world!”

He entered the egg-shaped vehicle and gave a thumbs up to the team. With the black-suited agent standing at the corner of the laboratory holding a grim smile on his face.

WOOSH, as the vehicle, transformed into a subatomic state and disappeared into thin air.

“Well, that’s it for me.” As the black-suited agent walked out of the laboratory with the time traveling files.

“AHHHHH!” As Kenny screamed while the vehicle made its charge into the quantum realm. The vehicle started to slow down and when it came to a complete stop, Kenny couldn’t believe his eyes. A world where Tardigrades seemed like giants, mitochondrias shining across the surface and surfaces trembled with cells’ splitting motion. He couldn't believe he was in the quantum realm.

“Professor Kenny, do you copy? Over.” The operating team at Caltech asked.

“Copy. You won’t believe what I’m seeing right now! Over.” Exclaimed Kenny.

“Don’t get too excited yet professor, we need you to move to this coordinate we’re about to send you. And once you get to that coordinate, launch the hyperdrive and blast yourself back to the normal world. Except you come back to the real world, you’re going to be in Washington DC, the year 1980. Do you have any questions? Over.” The operating team instructed.

“Wow, 1980! 8 years before I was born? Wow! Anyways, no questions, heading to the coordinates now. Over.” Kenny Replied.

Once Kenny reaches the coordinates, the operating team orders, “Professor Kenny, you are go for launch! Over.”

“Copy that. Over.” As Kenny replied and got ready for the launch. “Launching in three, two, one, GO!”

WOOSH, as the vehicle, transformed itself back to its normal state. Kenny exited the vehicle and walked for about 30 minutes and saw a guy with a flip phone. He asked, “Kind sir, where am I, and what year is it?”

The man glared at him and answered, “It’s 1980 and we’re in DC! You ok man?”

“I’m better than ok!” exclaimed Kenny as he happily skipped away.

As Kenny started to walk back to his vehicle, he gasped in excitement and realized his time traveling method worked!

“For Andrew and the world,” Kenny mumbles to himself.

When Kenny got close to the landing area, his heart started to pound, there was another egg-shaped time-traveling vehicle next to his. He ran towards the two vehicles and the same black-suited agent from the hospital appeared from the rear of the vehicle.

“How in the world are you here?” Asked Kenny.

“Quite simple actually, the US government has been monitoring the laboratory every second after you agreed to continue the project after the incident. And we built a replica of your time traveling machine using our footage. Also using the files, I acquired some time ago to make sure all was right.” replied the black-suited agent.

“How dare you steal my work!” Protested Kenny.

The black-suited agent handed Kenny a note, the note read, “Professor Kenny, the US Government is amazed by your talent and skill to produce the world’s first time-traveling vehicle. However, this vehicle you produced poses too great of a threat to the government. Therefore, we cannot have anyone have access to this kind of technology or anyone with the knowledge to produce one.”

“What does this mean!? I produced this machine because in the files it stated that other governments are also developing this kind of technology and we don’t know what they’re going to use it for! I thought the enemy was the other governments, not me right?!” Kenny angrily shouted toward the FBI agent.

“Well yes, the enemy is still the other governments. However, you also pose a great threat to the US government, given that as of right now you're the only person who knows how the math works for this kind of technology; we don’t know what the other governments will do to obtain you and the information.” replies the black-suited agent.

“This is absurd; I can protect myself! If anything, the government should protect me!” Kenny argued back.

“As I mentioned before, you pose too great of a threat to the government right now. And the government concluded that the best way to deal with this problem is to have you eliminated.” States the black-suited agent.

“What? What does this mean?” Questioned Kenny.

“It means that not everything the government says is true and you must die.” The FBI agent replied.

“What?” Kenny confusingly asked.

BANG!

Birds flew high into the sky as the gunshot echoed through the timber of the woods. And vultures came swooping in for their meal of the day.