Young Writers Society

Hello everyone. Here is a new story of mine, based on and inspired by a writing prompt for English class. The prompt was: "Writing about science fiction - What if you took a nap and woke up fifty years later!" I added a little bit to it, the finished product can be seen below. Please let me know how I did.

Cycle

My eyes opened slowly as I struggled to wake from my nap. It was to note I had never felt so relaxed in my life, and I soon found out why.

A low beep was heard, and I could tell the source was passing close by. Too comfortable in my position at the base of the tree to get up, I simply looked over.

It was a robotic dog, simply trotting in front of his owner without a care in the world.

Wait… a robotic dog? I suddenly jolted upright, and eyed it was it went along. I have to be hallucinating… I thought to myself, this can’t be real.

But then I noticed the backdrop to the scene. In front of me was a wall of colorful skyscrapers every shape and size imaginable.

A flying car was spotted touching down on the ground, and I could not help but stare in pure awe as it did so.
Then I looked up to see a whole line of cars making their way across the sky.

I looked over at a nearby building; it seemed to be projecting a hologram. For a moment the image displayed was replaced by a string of numbers; a date and time.

That was when I knew. Fifty years! I’ve been asleep for fifty years! Unbelievable!

It was all so overwhelming; I couldn’t even begin to fathom what was happening. How is this possible?!?

I was run into from behind. I whirled around to find an android. I was immediately reprimanded, “Hey! Watch where you are going!”

I stumbled backwards and fell onto the grass. What the heck is going on? I looked around in disbelief, before giving a scream.

Everyone nearby immediately gave me a look. Someone said, “What are you doing? Are you crazy or something?”

“I have to get out of here!” I ran aimlessly, trying to get away. How far I ran I do not know, I just... ran.


I ran into an alley, my heart was racing, and I was sweating all over. What the hell is going on? repeated itself numerous times, though it wasn't my only thought. I slowly slid down the wall and curled up, wrapping my arms around my knees.

I heard a voice right next to me. "Fifty years huh?"

I immediately looked around, and at first I didn't see anything. Then out of nowhere someone in a white lab coat stepped it out from behind a dumpster. "H-h-how did you know?"

"It happened to me once, it wasn't pretty." they said. "I fell asleep and woke up in the future." They shrugged,
"Had the same reaction you did."

I wasn't thinking rationally at the time, so the only thing I had to say was, "Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter. I can help you out, if you wish to go back to your time, you'll follow me." The scientist turned around and walked toward the back of the alley.

With a little trepidation, I got up and followed the scientist. After all, if he said he could fix the situation, what course did I have but to believe the lab coat?


The lab was full of many machines, but a cylindrical chamber in the middle of the room caught my attention.

The scientist was over pushing buttons on a control panel. "What is this place?" I asked.

"My lab. I like to invent things, though I'm not known for my inventions you see." the scientist walked over to another panel. "I came up with the theory of time travel a while back. To tell you the truth it isn't used much but its changed the way we view physics."

I laughed incredulously. "What? You have time travel and you don't use it? That's dumb!"

The scientist nodded, "Indeed it is, in plain sight. It's actually a matter of alternate realities. Merely existing in the past changes the flow of history, so every time someone went to the past, a new universe would form. That wouldn't be good."

"And how do you know that?"

"Let's just say that things we've sent into the past have never returned."

I suddenly became scared. "Then... what's going to happen to me?"

The scientist raised an eyebrow. "Oh don't worry. You're a special case, you'll turn out just fine. I should know."

That was a relief. I had yet another question, "And... what about sending things into the future?"

The scientist turned to face me. "You might want to watch more movies. There's one from 1985 that got the idea right." the scientist walked over toward the cylinder, and motioned for me to step inside.

Hesitantly, I stepped forward into the machine.

As soon as I entered the cylinder, I poked my head out at the scientist, who had gone over to yet another panel. "I'm gong to send you back to the moment you took your nap."

"Wait! What will happen to you?" I asked.

The scientist smiled, "You decide."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I tried to ask, but the doors to the machine had already closed.

The next thing I knew I was lost in a swirl of white light as I traveled back in time.


I know exactly why sending me back was okay. This had obviously been in the works for a while. The reason the incident happened was a very complicated one.

I was sent in time so someone could send me back. This would get me interested in time travel, and later lead me to invent it. With that, I would then use the technology to send myself back in time, thus completing the cycle.

I still have yet to determine the nature of the initial incident with the nap, and I'll probably never know; it would be best to leave the time continuum alone.

These thoughts went through my head as I exited a building. I quickly shrugged them off, I had an important event to attend.

I walked into an alleyway, glancing at my watch. It's almost time.

A minute went by, and then a figure crept into the alley way. The figure was very frightened, and I knew why.

I peaked over the garbage bin to see myself, slowly sliding down the wall. Boy, have I been through a lot in the past minute or so, and all "I" did was walk down the street and into an alley.

Well, it's time. "Fifty years huh?" I said, stepping out from behind the garbage bin.

Complete cycle indeed.

Hi Rayquaza . I liked the story very much. It was so much confusing at the end. Now that your project is up, try to expand this into a longer story.

It was to note I had never felt so rested in my life, and I soon found out why.

You should put relaxed at its place.

A low beep was heard, and I could tell ht source was passing close by.

What the hell is going on? repeated itself numerous times, though it wasn't my only thought.

They ?? Are you sure? It was just a man in labcoat.shrugged,

"Had the same reaction you did."

"I came up with the theory of time travel a while back, and to tell you the truth, it isn't used much but its changed the way we view physics."

Glad you liked it. Sadly, I do not wish to expand on this story, as it is already complete. It isn't meant to be any longer than it already is, so... yea.

I looked at all the stuff, and I agree with all of them, except for:

shubhiloves2write wrote:They ?? Are you sure? It was just a man in labcoat.shrugged,

Actually it isn't a man in a lab coat. Nor it it a woman. I felt the reader would be able to better project themselves into this character if they didn't know anything about the scientist. If the scientist, the female population would be at a disadvantage at projecting themselves, and I didn't want that.

I will rephrase that though.

Thanks for the feed back,

EDIT: It is now as i got through the story that at one point I refer to the scientist as a man. My mistake.

Hi Rayqua:
Haha, loved the ending!
Onto the nitpicks:

A flying car was spotted touching down on the ground, and I could not help but stare in pure awe as it did so.

I don't think you need to put in this last part.

I ran into an alley, my heart was racing, and I was sweating all over.

Reword it to: "I stumbled into the nearest alley: my heart was racing, and I was sweating all over."

I heard a voice right next to me. "Fifty years, huh?"

"It happened to me once, and it wasn't pretty," they said. "I fell asleep and woke up in the future." They shrugged, (move this line down to the line after it)

"Had the same reaction you did."

Very good! More description is needed, but seeing as this is a short story, I'll let it pass.
-Maddy