Like all movies/books, the middle section drags a little. In a related story (tangentially related, because everything here has to do with my life in some form or another), the sample chapter of my book will be finished this week, guaranteed. The time to shop it around is quickly approaching.
***
The next morning, the campus was abuzz with rumors swirling like the primordial soup. Wherever the good scientist walked, faculty and students alike whispered into the palms of their hands. He moved like water as he rolled through the cafeteria to purchase his morning coffee. In his office, on the top floor of the brown brick-faced science building, he wrote out a short speech on index cards. Mostly, he was excited to field questions from the press. One of his TA’s phoned to see if class was canceled. Living With Physics, a bird course that met three times a week for fifty minutes. He told the TA to lead the class, and recommended some homework to assign.
“Dr. Hymen?” The kid asked, “I want to help however I can.”
“Come to my office hours tomorrow,” Herman replied. “there’s much work to be done.”
“Tha-” Herman hung up the phone just as the kid was trying to utter his thanks. He closed his eyes and sat back in his chair. The image appeared behind his eyelids again, before melting away into nothingness.
The alarm clock on his desk burped at two-thirty, and Herman arose from his seat and straightened his tie. He slipped his arms through his suit jacket, slid the index cards into his breast pocket and locked the door to his office. Before leaving the floor he double and triple checked to make sure the door was sufficiently locked. You can never be too careful. The life of a college professor is filled with tales of jealousy, tawdry sexual escapades, and the occasional petty larceny. It would be fruitless to prop up the life-sized dummy behind his desk today, backlit by a small floor lamp. Everyone on campus knew where he was. In fact, Herman was convinced that everyone dating back to Adam knew exactly where he was right now, and what he was about to do. He took a deep breath, checked the locked door one more time, and descended the nearest stairwell. He was out the front door, walking into a throng towards his press conference.
“What can you tell us about the machine?” A bespectacled young man inquired. Herman has just wrapped his opening remarks and was set to receive questions from the armada that lay before him. The giant, circular room where everyone gathered, normally reserved for an introductory psychology class, was today doubling as a stage for Dr. Herman Hymen to address his plans to build the world’s first time machine. The place was packed with students, media and Dr. Hymen’s peers. Standing room only. A hush fell over the crowd each time Herman prepared to speak.
“Well, aside from the fact that it will be a stunning success?” The gallery erupted in laughter. Some of his students hooted from the rear of the room.
“It’s very simple, really. Dirac’s Derivation of Negative Mass Energy, and Lorentz’s Transformations aside, time travel has always been about one crucial question. If the theory itself is based on moving fast enough to slow the speed of light to a halt, how can one continue traveling once time has ceased? My formula answers this by ensuring one’s velocity surpasses the speed of light, thus thrusting them into negative time. But I don’t want to bore you with mathematical details.”
A blonde woman in a tight fitting red sweater with a name tag pinned to her chest that read “Margaret” stood and asked, “So when will the first machine be completed?”
“Pre-production will begin tomorrow morning. I have never been one to waste time. I want to share the possibility of time travel with the entire world. That’s why I would like extend an invitation to anyone out there who is watching or listening or reading to take part in the process. Send your name and contact information to me, care of the school’s science department, and some of you will be selected at random to be pioneers. Like Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrims or Magellan, I don’t want anyone to miss this boat. Together, all our names will be inscribed in the annals of history… and time.”
Just then a man with electric red hair rose from his seat. His aura alone cast an ominous silence over the crowd. He coughed into his hand before bellowing, “Aren’t you afraid of boasting this discovery?” Over a chorus of boos, he raised his voice and asked, “Have you thought about the implications of your theories? The consequences that could befall mankind? Governments would kill for this information. Innocent citizens could die!”
Dr. Hymen took a sip of water and cleared his throat before answering, “My friend. You are living in a fantasy. Your notion of negative consequences is laughable. Think of the lives that could be saved, not destroyed! Think of wars prevented. Alternative energy sources uncovered in time to prevent shortages. The benefits far outweigh any possible detriment you could foresee. As for the second part of your question, I have no problem with working in conjunction with the United States government. I intend to do just that. I will need federal grants. A professor’s salary alone cannot cover expenses.” The crowd snickered at this remark. “As for a deranged individual who may wish to maim me or a family member or friends in order to steal my notes or prevent me from seeing my dream become reality, I have only one thing to say. Kill whoever you want. You will never get what you want!” The crowd came to its feet and roared.
An hour outside of town, in a small cottage, in a family room with two leather chairs (one currently unoccupied), Lenore Hymen looked up from her knitting and slapped herself on the forehead. “Herman, you insipid fool,” she whispered.
***
to be continued…
