By Ben Coppin
Time has no meaning out here, but according to our shipboard computer, it is two minutes before noon. In a few seconds, my copilot and I will be the first humans to travel through a wormhole—a black hole, which is kept from collapsing by the greatest feat of engineering the universe has yet witnessed. My feat, and mine alone. When the history of interstellar space travel is written my name will be given top billing.
“What if it doesn’t hold?” my copilot asks. He is an athlete, a former long jump champion. Perhaps an imprudent choice. Too saturnine, too, well… jumpy. He had the nerve to accuse me of hubris before we launched.
“It will,” I tell him. “My calculations are flawless, my engineering perfect. Nothing can go wrong.” At least not on this side of the wormhole. Not even I know what will happen on the other side. We could end up anywhere in the universe, at any time in the past or future.
He is clearly not convinced. He has one of those faces that always looks miserable.
“It’s safe,” I tell him again. “Like long jumping. You never broke your legs jumping into that sand pit, did you?”
“No,” he admits.
My argument makes no sense, but I think it’s enough for my copilot. He’s not very bright. In any case, it’s too late now. The wormhole has been steadily and irrevocably pulling our ship towards the point of no return, the event horizon. My heart pounds. My copilot closes his eyes. I keep mine open.
It’s the smell that I notice first. It’s like the modeling clay we played with in primary school. My arms have switched sides, I think, and space is no longer black but bright. Musical. Deafening almost.
My eyes still aren’t closed, but I see nothing. I reach—I reach for…
Time has no meaning out here, but according to our shipboard computer, it’s two minutes before noon. In a few seconds, my copilot and I will be the first humans to travel through a wormhole…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This was great–and eerie! Time loops and wormholes are nothing to mess with!
@Arlan Gerig — thanks so much for the comment — glad you enjoyed it! And yes, I suspect the protagonist could have used your advice before embarking on his adventure…
Nice! This one was short, sweet, and slightly scientific. I enjoyed the voice of the main character, the ego came through in spades! I’ve always wondered what horrible fate would befall someone going through a black hole, but getting stuck in a time loop might be one of the worst.
Thanks for the kind words, Ryan!
Neat twist!