Another morning. Same routine. The sun still rises from the east…Rachel Taylor wakes up to face yet another day with this constant feeling – that something in her life is just…missing. This feeling of void had intensified since that horrific incident… her memories had begun to turn into nightmares.
Rachel and Amanda – they were best friends forever since the first summer they met. There was Rachel, the fiery Redhead and Amanda, the shy and quiet blonde. Rachel was the one with creative and crazy ideas and Amanda was the one who broke them down logically and implemented them. Though Rachel was sharp, logic never worked for her. She always lived in the present moment! On the other hand, Amanda longed to be a scientist and logical reasoning was her mantra. She had a love for science-to discover new things. They say opposites attract and it was undeniably true in this case.
As they grew from kindergarten to high school, time witnessed some of their best friendship moments…countless sleepovers, deciding each other’s clothes, painting each other’s nails, setting each other’s profile pics & watching every possible series on Netflix together in their own cinema hall – Amanda’s garage. They did everything together, held no secrets and loved each other more than anything else.
But, between high school and college, distance between the once inseparable friends started to grow bigger slowly. Amanda started spending more time in her ‘stupid science box’ as Rachel called it. Her area of focus was now on performing experiments and inventing new gadgets.
Amanda had found a new interest and the box was now turning into her habitat. And that was getting to Rachel.
On an unusual day, a frustrated Rachel, who just lost her student council elections went to Amanda’s house. She vented her anger out on Amanda and slammed the door as she ran out of Amanda’s house. Worried about her friend, Amanda followed her in her car. The traffic was unusual that day. It was unusual for a thirty-ton overweight truck to be passing from the other side of the road. It was unusual that Amanda was driving fast. It was unusual that the truck suddenly tripped exactly beside Amanda’s car, and crushed it. It was unusual that this time something happened to only one of them.
Rachel could not muster the courage to attend the funeral. She never cried and never spoke of the awful incident again. She insisted that she was fine, but everyone knew that she was carrying the burden of guilt of what had transpired on that fateful day. She had concluded that it was her fault…and what pained her most was not that “she was gone”, but that “I wasn’t”.
But today was harder than usual for Rachel. It was the first death anniversary of her soulmate and she would have to listen to all the “I’m sorry” and “time heals” again. So, she did what she had been doing for quite a while now – sat in her car and drove away. There was never a
specific place, she just went with the flow and that day it was some place unusual, someplace she didn’t want to go. The signboard read – “The Imperial College Science Lab (Dedicated to Amanda Monk, A lovely student, a caring human being and a great scientist. Her memory will stay with us forever, so will her interesting inventions)”.
Welcome to the ‘stupid science box’.
The lab was dark and dusty, like no one had been there for some time. It had a lot of different kinds of equipment, chemicals and metallic objects. But there was something about this place, like it was hiding a secret.
Rachel explored the lab, a certain creep running through her spine. Then she saw a large white wooden door behind a curtain as if someone didn’t want you to see it. It was covered with photos of her and Amanda’s. Tear swelled up in her eyes, as did the curiosity to see what’s behind the door. As she opened the door, she saw a shining black & silver colored box, covered with dust.
This shining black and silver box was going to change her life forever.
She felt her heart pounding as she opened it. Inside the shining black and silver box was a UFO shaped object that she had seen in movies. It was glowing like the summer sun. As she looked closer to figure out what the object was, she saw something engraved on the surface.
“EUREKA”
The protector skin of “Eureka” was made of Titanium Steel & was covered in a glass case. The UFO shaped beast had strings falling out, like an Octopus. One of the strings had a camera attached to it – so intricate that it had to be at least 50 petabytes. It was getting power from what looked like a quantum cloud reactor – she had seen the photographs of the reactor in Amanda’s room.
After an hour of effort, she was able to put the UFO shaped machine together! It was a weird design though – like an upside-down Octopus, with a camera on the top and a holder carved out in the shape of a hand.
“Should I place my hand here?” she contemplated. And she did.
For a moment, it felt like someone was trying to suck her brains out – it hurt. A moment later, she found herself standing in Amanda’s garage!!!
It had been a year. It hadn’t changed a bit.
“How did I reach this place? I was in Amanda’s lab trying to figure out the UFO shaped thingy.” thoughts flooded Rachel’s mind.
As she was grappling with her thoughts, she saw something that left her flabbergasted. A girl wearing shorts, was standing behind the refrigerator in the garage with braided blonde hair.
“It can’t be. Am I dead?” Is this even real? No” a flood of thoughts hit Rachel as she struggled to identify the difference between a dream & reality.
“Hey Sista!” said a familiar voice. It was Amanda!
“Why so shocked? You’re the one who’s dreaming about me! Anyways, I see that you’ve got Eureka to work. Good job for someone who studies on the last night for a test! So, how does it feel like seeing me?” Amanda bombarded Rachel with questions.
Rachel was tongue tied and couldn’t utter a word.
“Relax, I am not real. We are in your mind. You imagined this scene so many times in your head that Eureka recreated it as your alternate reality” said Amanda as if they were watching a movie.
“A..Al..Alternate reality ?” Blabbered Rachel.
“That’s right…pure science…no magic. There exist many realities besides our own. After one gets past the home of subatomic particles in the quantum realm, one can derive many alternate realities by putting particles together. What you see around you is a reality but not your original one!!! So, in plain words, currently you’re in your subconscious mind and everything around you is just particles. This alternate reality has completely different concepts of time and space. This became possible because Eureka accessed your brain data as soon as you put your hand on it, and performed it’s default function – to shrink you, get you past the quantum realm and in your greatest dream. Your deep attachment to me has made your mind to believe that this is now your reality. And you know what the interesting part is? You can derive as many timelines as you want as you have infinite dreams and attachments” said Amanda with an ease of an Einstein.
“Pure science girl. Amazing. Isn’t it” laughed Amanda as if mocking the shocked Rachel. “Why didn’t you tell me about this project?” asked an eager Rachel.
“Ra , do you know that when someone has a Eureka moment, it means that they have discovered the extraordinary. Twenty years ago, dad had such a moment when he realized that behind the perception of our senses, worlds are hidden of which we were unaware. He never got the support required to execute the idea as nobody was ready to believe in him. His frustration led him to shut everyone out as he descended into deep depression. As I grew up & understood the concept, I looked at his old plans and research and started working on this unfinished device with the intention to provide a closure to Dad’s soul.” Explained Amanda.
“You said that this place had different time and space concepts?” asked Rachel as she calmed down.
“That’s right. This reality is much slower – meaning that every minute spent here is equivalent to an hour in your original reality. And space is different because when you move here – in your reality you wouldn’t move till quite some time. And because time is slower here – to store these memories, your mind will start letting go of the previous ones – meaning the more time you spend here, the more real memories you lose” explained Amanda.
“Well, by the sound of that it ain’t good”, said Rachel. Silence.
And then out of nowhere, both burst out laughing, uncontrollably and it was a split second when this turned into crying – the happy crying. Rachel needed to cry, she couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Amanda, I am really sorry for what happened to you. It was my fault” said Rachel crying as her guilt surfaced.
“It’s not your fault. The universe wanted this to happen. No one could have stopped it” said Amanda smiling & consoling her friend.
They danced and sang and clicked photos and laughed and then cried some more. “You should go, you can’t get used to this – it’s dangerous” finally whispered Amanda.
“But I am fine here, I am fine in making this my reality, this is so much better!” exclaimed Rachel.
“Ra, whatever happened to me there, will happen to me here as well. And it hasn’t happened yet because this reality is slower, and because you haven’t accepted fully that I am gone. The day you accept it, is the day I will depart in all forms” said Amanda.
“But I don’t want you to leave ever, I can’t bear the pain again” said Rachel with her eyes wet.
“Ra, I will never leave your memories or your soul or your heart ever. Forever together, remember? Toggling between alternate realities might turn out to be dangerous, because there are infinite timelines and if something goes wrong – you won’t know which reality you are in, because they all look the same to your mind” declared Amanda and added with a pause “And to be honest, this was just a prototype that I was working on. I hadn’t tested the equipment fully!!!”
“What? I need to come back one more time. Please. For the sake of our friendship” begged Rachel.
“Ok. Just one more time. And for the last time. And do it at least a week later so that there are no side effects. I don’t want you to lose any more memories than you already have” Amanda agreed although with some amount of hesitation.
“Okay I think I am ready; how do I go back?” asked Rachel.
“It’s your mind darling – it’s your wish when you come and when you leave. You rule it” said Amanda with a sparkle in her eyes.
Both smiled as they looked into each other’ eyes…conversations without words.
In a moment she was back in the lab – well not the same place she left. This looked like a bathroom beside the secret door. And well, it was midnight! She took Eureka and drove home. It was after a long time she was feeling so much lighter. She reached her house with the sweet memories of today.
As she was entering her house, an idea struck her!!!
“Where were you? We looked everywhere. Don’t ever do anything like this again!” said Rachel’s mother angrily.
Rachel couldn’t hear what her mother was saying as she ran towards her room to research her brilliant idea.
“It has to be possible, I mean if that reality is slower and I can control it, I can bring her back. I’d just need to alter Eureka to make time travelling possible-easy!” Said Rachel while thinking aloud.
After a long time, Rachel was happy. Her creative imagination was telling her that there is a way to bring Amanda back somehow. But here’s the problem – she wasn’t a scientist and she couldn’t figure it out herself. She needed Amanda.
“Looks like someone’s back early. I thought we talked about this Rachel. You can’t keep coming like this. It’s dangerous. When 2 same people are in the same reality, trust me it doesn’t end well. Plus, it also affects your reality. Remember what happened last time you returned. I know all about it because I live in your brain and I can see everything that is happening because it all gets stored in your subconscious mind referring to Rachel returning into the bathroom instead of the lab at midnight” exclaimed Amanda angrily.
“If you’re done, I have an idea which is literally mind blowing. We. Can. Bring. You. Back” said Rachel literally jumping out of sheer happiness.
“No. Rachel I was afraid you would get this idea. I can’t go back.” Said Amanda.
“Why not? All we need is for you to work with me to create new particles that help us reverse the effect of the Quantum realm. It’s possible.” Explained Rachel.
“Don’t you remember? I will die in this reality. How am I supposed to come back?” questioned Amanda.
“That’s easy, all we must do is keep you safe, not let the truck hit you. Simple” said Rachel.
“Ra, if you travel to the past of your reality, that past becomes your then future, and your former present becomes your reality’s past, which can’t now be changed by your new future. Meaning saving me here, doesn’t mean that I’ll appear there” said Amanda trying to explain the complexity of the idea.
“You are coming back with me. We will build the particles and then we can get back to normal, and I am not taking any answers” said Rachel, who was now getting frustrated & uneasy & sad.
“Rachel Taylor, you are one of the happiest people I have ever known and the strongest. I know it’s hard, but you must accept that I am gone. That you will no longer sleep over, that you no longer have someone to choose your clothes or paint your nails. You have to hear all the “I’m sorry” every year. No matter what, you can’t stop living your life Ra. You need to get out there and you need to start talking to real people and not just to memories. I know it hurts but darling you must accept your reality. It’s okay to cry and grieve sometimes but not forever love. Go out there! Be the girl I first met and live with the same passion. I am there with you in spirit…you can’t get rid of me anyways” said Amanda with a smile as she hugged a crying Rachel.
The girls cried, then laughed a little and then cried again. Rachel knew that it was time. She could feel the clouds of sadness and guilt lifting and moving away and she could breathe freely now.
“I love you forever” said Rachel one last time.
“Right back at you squirt. Now go before you reach Mexico this time” said Amanda as the girls laughed their heart out.
Eureka was now spinning at its full power. Rachel closed her eyes and accepted something she never could. “Amanda has gone, and I accept it. I love her and that she is always with me.
Forever Together” thought Rachel feeling light as a feather.
Well, she didn’t reach Mexico, but she was back in the lab and something seemed familiar.
“Wait am I wearing the same dress I was wearing on the anniversary date? Wait the time’s the same! I am back to 3 days ago?” said Rachel pleasantly surprised.
Amanda did not exist in any form in both realities due to Rachel’s acceptance of the universe’s will. The alternate reality was slower than the original timeline, but now it has caught up – meaning Rachel was back to where it all had started.
Also, due to extreme emotions of Rachel’s brain it had led to the destruction of Eureka.
Even if Rachel was alone now, she wasn’t. She knew whatever happened was for a reason, that she needed to learn, and she needed to accept.
“Happiness can only be achieved through acceptance” and it was. She was happy again and it felt good. It felt as if she was reborn.
“This acceptance will lead her to developing an incredible fertile soil where the seeds of change will now grow, and the flowers of blissfulness will blossom” as if the universe was speaking.
She was now finally feeling full, the empty feeling finally disappeared. As Rachel walked towards home, she crossed the church graveyard, not feeling horrible anymore.
But then she noticed something,there were a lot of people dressed in black standing near a coffin. “Duh! I am back so obviously I am gonna have to attend the anniversary grieving.”thought Rachel.
As she walked towards the grave, she was confused as to why people were not noticing her. I mean she was the best friend, how can people ignore her? As she moved closer she saw something that changed her life.
It was Amanda, who also seemed to ignore her. She was crying uncontrollably. “Manda! Hey..what’s wrong? Why are you crying? Wait! How is Amanda here!? What? What is happening? I am not supposed to be here! Which reality is this? Manda..” asked Rachel,feeling helpless. And then she saw it.
The girl in the coffin was not blonde, she was a red head.It was not Amanda in the coffin, it was Rachel.
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