“That immortal day is only a few hours away. As soon as tomorrow dawns, I will try out my greatest invention. I have a strange restlessness. After twelve years of continuous effort, I finally discovered the secret of immortality. Even though I presented my discovery to other scientists and doctors, they ridiculed me and dismissed my discovery without even examining it. Remembering it gives me great pain.
Starting with small animals and ending with mice, my research was also tried last year. The growth of those rats stopped from the day I gave them the medicine, and they are still healthy. But I feel that those clear results are not enough for scientists, and they dismiss my tests because I am still 34 years old. Even if my drug is tested using a monkey, it will take a long time to observe its results. But I have observed that the cells of the monkey that I injected with the drug regenerated rapidly. I strongly believe that my medicine is perfect.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sudden ringing of the front doorbell. It was just past eleven o’clock. This unusual sound startled me, as no one came to me even in the afternoon. I went downstairs and lit the lights and opened the front door slightly. I was seen by what could be called a young man of my height. His face was not clearly visible as he was wearing a cap, but I opened the door fully as I could see some familiarity from him.
“Yes,” I asked him in a questioning tone. The stranger slowly took off his cap and turned his eyes towards me. I took a few steps back. This is impossible. I stared at him in disbelief. The guest is a perfect reflection of me.
“Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything,” Hai called me in my own voice, scaring me even more. I did not hear what he said after that. I know very well that I don’t have a twin brother. For the first time in my life, I fainted. I, a man of science, had no reason to explain my own reflection calling to me in my own voice. I barely remember Hey catching me when I fell.
When I regained consciousness, I was lying on my comfortable sofa on my own verandah. Opening my eyes, I looked around to see if the person who scared me was there. Although I liked to think that it was all an illusion, I realized that he must be the one who brought me to this sofa. Confirming it, he came from my kitchen with a glass of water and came towards me.
“Don’t worry, drink this first. I’ll explain everything.” Kei Hae forced the glass into my hand and sat on the other side of the chair. Looking at him, I drank all that water and placed the empty glass next to it. Now my thoughts are somewhat clear.
It was clear to me that his appearance and voice were exactly like mine. His style of clothing also reflected my style.
“Who are you?” Finally, barely able to raise my voice, I asked the question that had been haunting me until then.
He smiled at me. “Haven’t you guessed it yet? I’m you. But 2435 years from now you’re the future,” he said.
I was amazed. My mind was racing. After another 2435 years, I? A clear thought appeared in my head. But can it be? Yes. Living proof that it can be is right in front of me. So my test is successful. I have become immortal.
He, the future me, says that even though more than 2400 years have passed, I have not aged a bit. It didn’t even take two seconds for me to realize that he was coming from the future. The passage of time.
So the future man including me has been able to solve the time travel. The light of understanding in my face may appear to the future me. Hey treated me with my best smile.
“Yes. You will be successful tomorrow. And I came after discovering the time travel itself. I see that you understand it. and I know very well how you think”.
I was very happy. Finally, I can teach the old idiots who mocked me a good lesson. My discovery will do precious things the day after tomorrow. This is fantastic news.
But then a sudden thought occurred, and my happiness began to fade. If I am successful tomorrow, why did the future me find me today? What would my immortal future be like? What would have happened in 2400 years? As more and more questions came to mind, the previous happiness turned to doubt and fear.
“Why did you come?” I finally managed to ask. Hey looked at me for a while and started talking slowly.
“I’m not sure how to say this either. Even though I have a plan when I leave the future, I’m not sure about it now either. I know you. So I know you’re thinking about this openly. So listen to me. I came to you today to say one more thought before I become immortal tomorrow. Wait. Don’t interrupt me. Listen to what I have to say first. I am already doing something that will greatly affect my future and yours. It is absolutely against the laws of science. But this has to be done.”
He looked up and let out a long sigh. Then he looked at me, who still couldn’t believe what he said, and started talking again.
“Yes. As you already know, tomorrow you will be successful. But immortal life is not as easy as you think, or as easy as I thought. I have to tell you about what you did not think.
You have to wait for some time to tell the world that your test is successful and you are immortal. The world needs to see that you are ageless. Since your tests are over during that time, you will get freedom like never before. That’s when you start socializing with others after a long time, and truly living in my opinion. You will meet new friends. You will meet your first and only love. But you can’t be with her. Because even if you don’t age, they will. You can make her immortal. You ask her that. But she does not like eternal life.
There will come a time when you are ready to share your discovery with the world. But you will realize that the world is not yet ready to discover you. Think. The world population is 8 billion. How to choose the immortals among them? Those with wealth and power will become immortal and always crush others. Can the world be made immortal? But not possible. Where are the resources they need? Eventually you realize that the world is not ready yet.
Listen till the end of my story. I can’t stay long. You will have to let go of your love. Hardest thing, you will have to wait for your friends to grow old and die. You cannot stay in one country. They will discover your secret.
Let me briefly tell you the future of the world. You can’t make the same mistakes I did. Fossil fuels will run out in another 50 years. The world is a battlefield for the last few fuels because alternative energy is not enough for such a large population. That war will cause great destruction. In the 1000 years after that, there will be many famines, epidemics, genocides, etc. But don’t lose hope. Science is greatly developed at that time. The most important thing is to preserve humanity. I
can see you are scared. Don’t be afraid. During that time, you and I can call it a happy time.”
Even though he said that, I was very scared. All this is too much for my mind to bear. I can’t raise my voice to give him an answer or even ask a question. He wanted to say this bluntly, but curiosity overrode the fear. He paused for a moment and resumed his speech.
“After 1000 years from today, the world will finally be in some peace. At that time, we have light-speed planes, but we have not found a planet similar to Earth. Even if there are different human settlements on different planets, they are not suitable for humans to live after Earth.
In the meantime, he is the biggest disaster in the world. Even though it is so technologically advanced, a receiver that missed previous calculations collides with the earth. After that, less than a million people were left from every country on Earth. I am one of them. The earth is destroyed beyond recovery for a long time. Those million people will soon die.
At that time, I decided to share my immortality with all of them. Earth has limited resources. So, we decided to stop having children until the earth is suitable for a new population. It took almost another 1000 years for us immortals who started building the earth from scratch again to bring the earth to a livable level. After that, people tried to create a new generation, but then we realized that people have lost that ability. It is a side effect of our medicine. None of us understood that before.
My remaining 400 years are very miserable. Everyone’s hopes are dashed. I spent those 400 years trying to solve the time warp using limited resources. Human settlements on other planets had perished without Earth’s supplies. We realized that there was no hope for the future. One by one, people started destroying their lives. Finally, I built my time machine. I have come here now and told you a little of my mistakes and what lies ahead. I will give you all the data about that receiver as well. You can save the earth from it in another thousand years. So enjoy your life after tomorrow.”
He glanced at my watch. “I have to go now.” With that, he stood up and held out his hands. He shook my hands before I got up and whispered to me, “Don’t make the same mistake I did.
He was gone before I am realizing. I can’t even understand the thoughts inside me. Is this a dream? I looked down at my hand slowly. No. It is not a dream. I lay down on the sofa and thought for a long time. Did he really time travel to tell me to save the world from the receiver? Isn’t it easy for him to go on those days, and do it? Or did he have to say that to the Immortal Me? In the end, the only conclusion I could come to was that he didn’t say what he came to say.
One part of his description kept repeating itself in my mind. “You will meet your love.” What could she be like? Didn’t I ask her name? Since childhood, I had no friends or relatives. It became clear to me that I had not really lived until now. I can do as he said. He said disasters can be remedied. But I did not understand what he said and what he did wrong. As he said, even if I live for thousands of years, what will it gain me? The world will have to wait quietly for me to pass.
Is there a way to prevent the destruction of the earth and find peace for me?
Yes. Finally, I made a decision. I will not be immortal tomorrow. I will start living my life from tomorrow. I’m sure I will be able to spend the future happily with her.
Maybe I will find a way to pass down my medicine without perishing. He gave me all the details about the receiver that collided with the Earth. So, I can predict that conflict. Then I will go down in history as the scientist who predicted the conflict. Then after 1000 years, the earth will be at peace. Settlements on other planets will also develop. I can now find a remedy for the deficiency in my medicine. And then decide what to do with it later. Now I need to find the peaceful sleep I’ve been missing. I got up from the sofa and went to find my bed.
- Sasindu Jayasri – Please keep copyrights
Sasindu Jayasri is an Engineering student from Sri Lanka and he studies mechanical engineering at the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Moratuwa. He is passionate about writing and giving inspiration to the world. Follow him in LinkedIn for updates and you can contact him directly.