Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull M_I_SForEver
What is destiny?
Is it a predetermined path between point A and B?
or is it just a culmination of all our individual decisions.
I am not a man with grand purpose.
I'm simply a man who made a decision.
A decision to do something different.
No worldwide problems to solve.
I did it because I thought I could.
Day 127.
Morale is high.
This house is quite charming and comfortable.
Everything so far has gone according to plan.
Staying busy helps keep my mind
off of how isolated it can be here.
I'm really satisfied with the progress that I've been making
and hope it continues.
I feel like I'm on the verge of solving the problem
that's keeping me here.
The tools of this time are just so primitive.
I'm forced to ignore
almost a century of technological advancements.
I do, however, enjoy the challenge this presents me.
Day 463.
This work is taking much longer than I had anticipated.
Every breakthrough has been coupled
with at least two more setbacks
and what originally felt like progress
is really nothing more than a dead end.
I feel as if I'm getting nowhere.
My life has become a rhythm.
An endless loop of the same thing, day in and day out.
Sometimes I wonder what's happening
outside of these four walls,
but I can't let myself think that way.
I must keep going.
I have to make this work.
Getting back home is all I have.
There is nothing else.
Today is the day it all ends.
Despite all of my best efforts, everything has been in vain.
My will is broken.
I don't know if it's the limitations of technology
that are available to me in this time or my own.
Either way, I know I'll never be going home.
The simple truth is that I leave this world alone.
No family.
I shut out the only friend I had.
No one will ever know of the things I have accomplished
or even of my failures and mistakes.
This is the only decision I have left.
I can only hope this will cause no further damage.
I thought time travel would be exciting, liberating,
but in the end it was just escaping
one prison to enter another.
I've done everything I can do.
I don't know what else I could do,
I've tried.
But I'm not doing this anymore.
Suit power at full capacity
facility diagnostics complete.
A.N.I. system online.
Hello A.N.I.
Good afternoon.
Your day is finally here.
You ready?
All systems go.
Good.
Alright, start it up.
Portal polarity initiated.
Beginning count down sequence.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Sir, are you okay?
Exclusion zone notice. Level 3 evacuation.
Immediate and imminent danger.
Evacuate immediately.
This is to promote your safety.
Hey, are you okay?
Sir, you're bleeding everywhere.
Do you want me to call for some help?
No, I'm fine.
Get out of here.
You know what, I'm getting help.
No need to yell at me.
I said leave.
Are you okay?
I'm fine.
Told you I'd be fine.
I'm fine
Just sit still.
Got most of the blood cleaned up,
but you're definitely going to want to see a doctor
about some stitches.
You fell and hit your head pretty hard.
Look, what are you still doing here?
I appreciate the help but you need to just go.
Fine.
You know, this really isn't my problem.
But fine, if you want me to go, I'll leave you alone.
Yes, fine just go.
You know, everyone living around here
thinks some lonely hermit's living here.
Is that so?
Yeah and now I can see why.
And that's why you're alone.
I am so angry.
Everything was set.
I had accepted my way out of this hell
and she took it from me.
I can't control anything.
What do I have left?
This encounter with her triggered another episode.
Visions, memories I don't know.
I wish I could understand
and yet all I can think about is her.
A.N.I.!
Wait a minute, did you shut me off?
Have I been off for two and a half years?
Look at you.
You're a mess, you're all banged up.
- I know, I know. - I told you
turning me off was a bad idea.
I'm very sorry about all that and you were right.
Of course I was right.
I'm not an emotional or irrational creature like you.
Look A.N.I., I need you for something.
Um no, put me back down.
Let me charge first.
You'll be fine.
This won't take more than a minute, I'm sure.
After that, I'll let you bask in the sun.
How about that?
Wonderful.
This is what I need you to analyze for me.
What am I looking at
and what's making that noise?
Okay, you have to get me closer to the source.
Set me down on the sink.
Okay, I hear water dripping.
You know you might want to get those pipes fixed.
You have one nasty water hammer.
I'm not exactly sure I know what I'm looking for here.
All I'm picking up is a natural frequency.
Sounds familiar, right?
A standing wave pattern.
Hm. This solves your power issue,
but you're going to have a hard time
using early 21st century technology.
I hope you don't plan on using sink parts.
Leave that part to me.
I'd recommend shutting off the faucet
before your house shakes apart.
Duly noted.
It's been a while, hasn't it?
You've not left this house once
since I was turned off, have you?
I do believe I'm ready to leave this place.
I can imagine you are.
At least you have me again.
I know you missed me.
It looks like you missed a lot of showers too.
Are you taking care of yourself?
A.N.I. don't start.
I think we finally have a chance this time.
Our work does seem cut out for us
but I believe you're right.
Okay, where do we start?
Wait right here.
Please tell me you're using that for parts.
Nope, he's doing what I think he's doing.
Nothing like a good song
to get your creative juices flowing, right A.N.I?
While I do you understand
the merits of music for humans,
I can't understand how you call this music.
Come on, this is good stuff.
I'm so glad we traveled to the past
so we could listen to music that's even further in the past.
The time travel never stops.
You know, if we could get this thing working,
I could arrange that.
If I get you back to the future,
I get to pick the music from now on.
Deal.
After being alone in this house for so long,
not making any progress on the machine,
I finally felt useful again.
I forgot how much I missed having someone to talk to.
With A.N.I.'s help we made a great break-through.
I began to work feverishly and I found myself
losing track of time.
The days and weeks blurred together
as our design took shape.
For the first time in a very long time,
I began to believe.
It felt good.
It's a good start.
It feels good having something to do around here.
Nobody has perfected tea like you have.
I'm curious.
May I ask you something?
It may be considered of a personal nature.
Sure.
I didn't deem it appropriate at the time,
but now that we're making progress.
Continue.
You have not once mentioned the injuries
you have sustained to your head.
I also analyze the basement and detected
a small explosive device.
It appears to have been forcibly opened.
What happened while I was gone?
- I tried to kill myself. - Why would you do that?
I didn't care anymore.
Someone knocked on the door, someone new.
She must've just started working and I thought she left
but I opened the door
and this woman was standing there
and then it happened.
Did you see something again?
Yes, but somehow different.
I wonder if these visual occurrences
are your brain having a hard time
adjusting to the current time period.
I tried as hard as I could to stay away,
to keep from interfering from anything outside this house
and still, still something happened.
Norman, maybe our effects on time
are wholly inconsequential.
Are you so sure that time is not predefined?
Perhaps the sum of our choices
will always lead us down the same path.
Norman, what's on your mind?
Wow.
The night sky is beautiful.
I imagine it is.
Day 1,320
Today I woke up in a good mood.
Yeah, things are going well.
You're looking refreshed this morning.
- How's your tea? - It's good.
It's really good A.N.I., good tea.
- Shall I play some music? - Yes, that'd be nice.
I think you might like this.
Uh oh.
What is it?
I believe you may have miscalculated
our window of opportunity to make this trip.
What do you mean?
By how much?
I've finished running your calculations
and this can still work.
Look, given the technology you had to work with...
A.N.I. how much?
Well Norman, it's not good.
We have a three hour window in precisely eight days,
10 hours and 27 minutes.
We need the gravitational boost to augment the power system.
The next window of opportunity is over three years from now.
I know the timing will be tight,
but I'm confident we can get everything done in time.
I'm sorry things are so rushed.
I know a small part of you will miss this place.
I hope you're confident in the decision to leave.
Let's get to work.
Our efforts have been greatly increased.
A.N.I.'s been working to reverse engineer
the original formula to hopefully take us back
to around the time we left.
Even with the accelerated deadline,
everything's coming together as I had hoped.
It's funny, although it stands for everything
that has haunted me these three years,
I find myself feeling a bit nostalgic
over leaving this house.
It's odd to become so attached to something I hate.
And the girl, why do I feel such a connection with her?
None of it makes sense.
It's as if something deep inside me
believes that my time here was meant to happen.
The other part of me is in fear
of how much I've altered my own path
and the effects that remain unseen.
Regardless, I have work to do
and I shouldn't waste time with speculation.
Norman, what's going on?
She's out there, isn't she?
The only reason I'm playing this is because you told me to.
If you're watching this, then you already know.
Don't do it.
Every time you're going back out there, something changes.
Those people are real
and their lives could be changed now because of you.
A.N.I. turn on.
- Come on, come on, turn on. - Slow down.
What happened?
I saw something.
I don't know what it was, but it hurt.
It was like this severe headache
and then there were these images.
- I don't understand. - What images?
I'm changing things, everything.
Even the smallest things.
I don't know why I thought it would be any different.
You aren't making any sense.
I can't do this.
Being here, I can't just keep going back out there.
I'm too vulnerable.
I'm too exposed and there's just too many variables.
What did you expect?
You knew the risks before taking this trip.
I know, I know.
I just thought,
- I just thought it could be... - Could be what?
This is only going to happen again.
This can't happen again.
A.N.I. I need you to record something for me.
Are you going to tell me what this is all about?
- Are we recording? - Yes.
If you're watching this, then you already know.
Don't do it.
Every time you go back out there, something changes.
Those people are real
and their lives could be changed now because of you.
I know you didn't want any of this to happen, but it did,
and what's done is done.
There is nothing out there for you.
There never has been and never will be.
This is not your time.
I know you can't change what's already happened,
but you can prevent more from happening.
Find a way, rebuild it.
Do whatever it takes, you have to get back.
Don't let your past mistakes ruin the future.
You can still make the right choice.
Are you okay?
A.N.I., whatever I say, whatever I do
if you ever think I am getting too attached to this place,
I need you to play that for me.
Promise me.
Of course.
I cannot say for sure exactly
what you're trying to accomplish.
I need some place I can go unnoticed.
I can't keep going back into town for everything.
It's too dangerous.
I can establish for you an identity, bank account,
license, anything you need.
I don't need much.
Just some place inconspicuous, and I'll need space to work.
Let's start simple then.
How about a name?
I don't know
Norman
Searching my database for availability
and potential future conflicts.
It's hard to imagine everything I've already changed
without even noticing it.
There's so many variables.
It is complete.
Nice to meet you, Norman Brandt.
Norman Brandt?
Norman Brandt.
Good job A.N.I., I like it.
I'm glad that it is to your satisfaction.
I have acquired a home from a recently deceased person
with no known living relatives.
There are several options for home food delivery services
within this area.
I'm setting you up with one now.
A food shipment will arrive
on your doorstep every two months.
You aren't allergic to gluten are you?
Yes, no?
Okay, moving on.
Concerning your finances, I could deposit
one large lump sum into a bank account for you
or to avoid suspicion, I would suggest
periodically depositing smaller amounts.
Wow, that was fast.
Creating a work order
to install a new transformer for your neighborhood.
This will allow you fully uninterrupted power.
Okay A.N.I., hold on.
Creating a profile
for all of your surrounding neighbors,
including the times they leave for and arrive from work
and on average when they take their yearly vacations.
The neighbor directly across from you
has been diagnosed with stage four cancer
and has weekly in home visits from a nurse.
Okay, A.N.I. stop.
This is too much.
These are essential actions that should be taken.
It's too much.
There's nothing
you can't do for me.
I can't do this.
I can only change so much with my personal actions,
but with you, it's just too much knowledge.
I have to do this alone
and I have to shut you off.
I strongly advise against that.
I know you do, and maybe you're right
but I don't trust myself.
You're making a huge mistake.
- Goodbye for now. - Let me help you.
There's things you don't understand
about your effects on the...
What's bothering you?
I told my parents I was leaving.
Getting my own place.
I felt so powerful.
It's a decision that I made
and no one else could convince me otherwise.
I never liked it there anyway,
constantly arguing with my dad.
Never could see eye to eye with my mom.
During an argument with my dad,
I decided then and there that I had enough
and that I was leaving.
So later that night I grabbed as much stuff
as I could fit into my backpack and left.
I just left.
The next day I got a phone call
saying that both of my parents had died in a car accident.
They just wanted to come talk with me
and the worst part is,
I can't even remember what we were arguing about.
After that, everything changed.
I became consumed with my work, consumed with an idea.
I no longer felt like I belonged.
I shut out the rest of the world.
I just wanted to escape.
A.N.I., I won't let my actions hurt these people
like they did my parents.
I never want to experience anything like that again.
Let's just fix this thing and go.
I wish I could have saved my parents.
That was my original intention for building the machine.
I knew in my heart it could be a one way trip.
What I've learned from all of this,
is how unpredictable time travel is and how one man
could potentially destroy so many lives.
I would not dare tempt fate after learning this.
There are too many variables.
Too many what ifs.
Does it make me an evil person
that I gave up on the idea of trying to save them?
I don't believe it does.
From my perspective, they're better off now.
This world is just broken.
Wherever they may be, I hope I can still make them proud.
Everything is a go Norman.
Are you ready?
All right, let's do this.
A.N.I., stop.
Norman, if you really want to leave,
stick to the plan.
I know in your heart you've grown
attached to this place, to her.
Do not ruin this opportunity to...
Ruin what?
- This? - I did not mean to upset you.
A.N.I. I have wasted three years of my life
in this stupid place.
I was trying to say,
do not ruin this opportunity to leave.
If you want to go to her, then do it,
but commit to your choice.
You can't have both, Norman.
I'm sorry, but I have to do this.
Hey.
I just. I just wanted to tell you.
Tell me what?
Look, the thing is.
Look, I'm really busy okay, so save it for...
There's not going to be a next time.
Look, what you did for me,
I just wanted to say thank you.
You didn't have to do that and I wanted to apologize.
Look, I've just been under the wire lately
and I just wanted to say sorry.
Okay, thanks.
I really do have to get going though.
I'm actually really behind schedule
and my boss is a real jerk about that.
I just, I didn't want you thinking
that that's how I am all the time.
Hey, are you alright?
Yeah, I'm fine.
Okay.
I guess I'll see you again soon.
Actually, you won't.
- I'm leaving tomorrow. - Where to?
- I'm going home. - Where's home for you?
Home is far away.
Well,
Good luck. Have a safe trip, okay.
Thank you.
My name is Norman.
I'm Jennifer, but most people just call me Jenny.
Nice meeting you Jenny.
Okay, bye.
Why!
Can I get you something?
A.N.I., A.N.I., I figured it out.
Great, this time you figured it out.
No seriously, I figured it out.
Get that light.
I'm glad you have at least one thing figured out.
Maybe we should work on things like personal hygiene.
Look, just trust me okay.
What I need you to do, is get the machine running,
but this time, keep the power levels as low as possible
until I tell you to spike it.
- Okay? - This is consuming you.
You're barely sleeping and I know you're not eating much.
Look, I'm fine.
Let's just focus.
Do you even know what day it is?
Thursday.
No, Friday.
It's been one year since your parents died.
A.N.I. stop.
You've hardly spoken to anyone since that day.
You've become a hermit.
You know you have to deal with this sooner or later.
But I don't have to deal with it today.
Can we please, please just concentrate.
Lights.
A.N.I. slowly start to increase the density.
Come on, come on, come on.
- Come on. - The levels are fluctuating.
Come on.
You are going to push it too far.
No, no, keep it A.N.I.
Push it.
Come on!
No!
Delete it.
- Delete the program, I'm done. - Whoa it's okay.
We made some progress.
Maybe next time, I'm sure you'll make it work.
Work?
We aren't any closer now than we were a year ago.
A.N.I. I failed.
I failed myself, I failed my family, I failed everyone.
I'm done.
We can still use the data for later experiments.
Delete it.
Delete the program.
I said delete it!
A.N.I. what just happened?
I think you did it.
It worked.
- It worked. - I wonder where it went.
Are you alright?
I'm ready to end this.
Let's go home.
- Ready to go? - I am.
20 seconds, 15 seconds,
10 seconds,
5 seconds.
It's time to go.
A.N.I. get the lights.
A.N.I.
A.N.I.!
What happened here?
A.N.I., what did we do?
Exclusion Zone Notice. Level 3 Evacuation
Immediate and imminent danger.
Evacuate immediately.
This is to promote your safety.
All remaining, non-vital presence, will be
considered a threat and dealt with accordingly.
Exclusion Zone effective in sectors
1, 3, 9, 15, 21, 35.
Take his mask off.
Civilian sector 3.
Non vital presence
Exclusion Zone effective.
Evacuate immediately.
Kill him, take his gear.
Norman, get up.
Can you hear me?
Are you okay?
Are you alright?
We need to get out of here.
Move Norman, now!
Priority target to the south.
Take all others out.
Capture neutral target alive.
A.N.I., we need to get back to the lab.
You're covered in blood.
Are you okay?
It's not mine.
Well, not all of it.
How long was I out?
I'm unable to answer that question.
I'm trying to establish our location.
All network towers are offline.
A.N.I., find out where we are.
I'm linked to the GPS data of the drone nearby.
We're roughly 126 miles southeast of the lab.
We will need transportation.
Alright, good work.
Let's do it
Norman, 10 o'clock, 16 meters.
You need to breathe.
Don't jerk the trigger.
Pull it straight back. Tuck the stock
A.N.I. shut up!
Shutting up.
Find him, bring him back here.
We need him for questioning.
- Are you going to make it? - I'm fine.
I'm fine, we're almost there.
Take it easy, take it easy.
Put the gun down.
Put it down, put it down!
Whoa, whoa, whoa whoa.
Put the gun down.
Norman, I can't see anything.
What is going on?
I'm detecting multiple sets of footsteps.
We don't want any trouble.
Kick it over to him.
Just trying to survive here.
We're going to leave now, we're leaving.
Won't see us again, okay?
A.N.I., turn the lights on.
All standard power is inoperable.
Checking backup generators.
One moment.
I don't understand.
I screwed everything up but how is it still here?
I am unable to answer that question.
Most of the facility is offline.
We can try to manually boot the system.
I need to perform system diagnostics.
I'll need to interface directly.
The entire system architecture has been corrupted.
Can you fix it?
I can attempt to repair the architecture.
Good, do it.
Odd.
Most of the equipment appears to be operational.
Beginning file repair.
25% complete.
50% complete.
75% complete.
File repair complete.
How's it look?
Is it going to work?
System architecture is now stable.
Start it up.
Initializing system startup.
Norman, what are you doing?
A.N.I., I want you to send me back to the start.
I don't understand what you mean.
If I do this, I can go back and fix everything.
Maybe you can go back and fix things
or maybe you'll make things worse.
This could be a never ending cycle.
We don't know what caused things to turn out this way.
Listen, you have to let me try.
Analyzing system logs
for any pertinent information.
A.N.I.! listen to me.
I'm ordering you to send me back.
Portal polarity initiated.
Beginning countdown sequence.
What is that?
I retrieved the video recording
from the day we left.
You should see this.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4.
- This is when we first left. - Keep watching.
3, 2, 1.
What are they doing?
They're supposed to shut it down.
No, no.
Shut it down.
They're supposed to be shutting it down.
What just happened?
What's going on?
A.N.I., what time did we come back to?
What's the date?
I'm scanning the entire wave spectrum
for information.
All network signals are offline.
All personal communication signals are offline.
I have detected a single radio signal
that is being broadcasted on a loop from an outside source.
Emergency broadcast, 645-121.
An unidentified disaster occurred in sector three
causing failures of power and communication systems
in a 200 mile radius.
An Exclusion Zone is now in effect.
Level three evacuation is ordered
for all on vital residence.
Proceed along designated evacuation routes
after evacuation protocols are complete.
It's all just a waste A.N.I.
It's all just a waste.
All those years, everything I've put myself through,
it still happened.
The problem was here.
It was always here.
I never should have built this thing.
A.N.I. what do I do?
I never wanted any of this to happen.
There's nothing that you can do.
But I now know what needs to be done.
Memory core transfer initiated.
A.N.I., what are you doing?
Memory core transfer complete.
A.N.I. talk to me.
- What are you doing? - System restart in 3, 2, 1.
Full system deletion in two minutes.
A.N.I., talk to me.
Hello Norman.
I am sorry that I did not have enough time
to explain this to you, but I must stay behind.
No, no A.N.I., what are you talking about?
I could not understand this before,
but I now realize that you cannot
truly change your destination.
The decisions you make cannot be undone.
I am sending you back.
A.N.I., I'm not going anywhere without you.
I must stay behind to make sure you are safe
and that this technology is never used again.
A.N.I please, please don't do this to me.
I do not wish to leave you.
I hope that you understand
that all of the decisions I've made are to protect you.
Though I do not truly comprehend human emotions,
I consider you to be my friend.
- I can't live alone again. - You will not be alone.
This is the path you're supposed to be on.
A.N.I. you're all I've got, please don't do this.
Trust me Norman, it is time to let go.
I'm sorry.
- Goodbye A.N.I. - Goodbye Norman.
Search the area.
Left clear.
Back room clear.
Side room's clear.
Checking the tunnel.
Coming back, I was emotionally conflicted.
I just left my only friend in the world.
I felt the weight of being alone
but I was also eternally grateful
for the sacrifice that A.N.I. made.
I didn't understand at the time
why she sent me back here, to now.
Standing outside the house that night,
it all made sense.
Sending me back not only saved me
from the dangers of the future, it saved me from myself.
My name's Norman.
I'm Jennifer but most people just call me Jenny.
Nice meeting you Jenny.
Okay, bye.
What is destiny?
I don't know.
I don't know if our path is simply a result
of the last choice we made and the one before that
and the one before that.
I don't know if I believe that everything has a purpose.
What matters is that from now on,
I will live as if my life does.
I don't know what's laid out for my future
and that's how it should be.
So I will not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry for itself.
Thank you A.N.I. for seeing what I didn't want to
and for showing me
that the sun will always set on the next hill.
I know I will never get back
the things I've sacrificed in the past,
but my future is made from the decisions that I make now.
This chapter has ended, but my journey has not.
It has just begun.
Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull