MidReal Story
Future Echoes
Scenario: 2323
Create my version of this story
I awoke to the disorienting cacophony of a bustling marketplace, my head throbbing in protest.
People were jostling me, their strange clothes brushing my skin, their language an incomprehensible babble.
I tried to sit up, but my limbs felt heavy, and my vision swam alarmingly.
Where was I?
What had happened?
I fought back a wave of panic as my memories came rushing back.
Or rather, failed to.
The last thing I remembered, I’d been in the lab, working on an artifact I had recently acquired.
It was a fascinating device, rumored to have the ability to alter time itself.
My research had suggested that might be possible, though it would require a level of energy that was currently beyond human capabilities.
So I’d decided to test it, to see if it worked as advertised.
Had that been a mistake?
Had I somehow activated the artifact?
Was that how I’d ended up here in this strange place?
No, that didn’t make any sense.
We were talking about an artifact from ancient times.
How could it have transported me into the future?
And if it had, why did I have no memory of being displaced?
It was possible, I supposed, that someone else had activated the device.
That I had been caught in whatever event it had triggered.
But again, why would I have no memory of that?
Something was wrong with my head, that much was clear.
If only I could think straight!
I tried to focus on what I knew for certain.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t much.
The device—it had been…what?
Spherical, with a single button on top…
It was called…what?
No, I couldn’t remember.
It was important, though—I was sure of it.
And not just for the sake of my research.
If I could just remember what it was called…
Focus, I told myself.
You’re a historian.
Your job is to observe the past, not become entangled in it.
And yet that was exactly where I found myself.
The first, and perhaps most pressing, question was where—and when—I was.
People were walking by, giving me strange looks.
I noticed that they seemed to be glancing at a device in their hands—a small, rectangular object that was displaying holographic images.
One person, seeing that my eyes were open, said something to me in a language that was completely unfamiliar.
I shook my head, and he walked away, looking puzzled.
So either they don’t speak English here, or my translator isn’t working.
Maybe that’s just as well.
If I don’t understand what they’re saying, then I won’t be tempted to respond.
And if they can’t understand me, then at least I’m not giving myself away as a foreigner.
Conceivably, that could help me avoid detection until I’ve figured out what to do.
But before we worry about getting home, let’s find out where we are.
I sat up, ignoring the spinning sensation that threatened to overcome me, and took a closer look at my surroundings.
The marketplace was located in an open space, surrounded by tall buildings.
The architecture was unfamiliar to me—sleek and modern, with lots of curves and angles.
In the distance, I could see several hovercraft moving through the air.
And there were other craft on the ground as well—smaller than cars, but similar in shape.
These were parked along the sides of the street, and people were coming and going from them.
The streets themselves were crowded with people.
Most were walking, but some were riding bicycles.
Lots of bicycles!
That was strange.
They all looked more or less alike: compact and streamlined.
And they moved along the road at a brisk pace, even though they had no visible means of propulsion.
People were also talking to their devices.
Some had them pressed against their ears like phones; others were waving them around like scanners.
It was an odd sight.
But none of this was what had caught my eye.
What had really grabbed my attention was the holographic billboard that was situated directly across from me.
It was about the size of a movie screen back home.
The image on the screen was constantly changing—advertising various products and services.
But in one corner there was also a simple block of text.
And that text was in English!
I rubbed my eyes and looked again.
Maybe I was still dreaming.
Or maybe I’d hit my head harder than I thought.
But no—the words were still there.
And I could read them perfectly clearly.
My eyes widened as I took in the information.
This had to be a joke, right?
Maybe I was in some kind of virtual reality.
Or maybe I’d been abducted by aliens.
I’d been reading a lot of sci-fi lately, and I couldn’t help but think of all the stories I’d encountered.
But no, this couldn’t be real.
Could it?
My heart was pounding in my chest as I looked around me, taking in the scene once more.
The clothing, the architecture, the technology…
It was all so advanced, so beyond anything I had ever seen or imagined.
And yet it was somehow familiar as well.
Maybe I wasn’t dreaming after all.
Maybe I had traveled into the future.
It seemed impossible, and yet I couldn’t think of any other explanation.
It was an amazing thought, and I couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement at the prospect.
And then my excitement turned to fear, as my mind finally absorbed the information I had just read.
Two hundred and three years?
That couldn’t be right!
How was that possible?
I stumbled through the crowd, oblivious to the strange looks I was getting from the people around me.
I had to find out what was going on.
I had to know if it was true.
But how could it be?
I’d heard of time travel, of course.
There were plenty of theories about how it might work.
But in all the stories I’d read, the traveler always seemed to appear in a place where they belonged.
In fact, that was the whole premise behind most time travel stories.
Someone finds themselves in the past or future, and has to figure out how to blend in until they can get home.
But this…
This was a reality I’d never fathomed.
Had the device somehow transported me into the future?
Or could it be something else?
Some kind of trick or illusion?
The only way to find out for certain would be to ask someone.
I made my way over to a nearby vendor, who was selling what appeared to be exotic fruits.
It was a small stand, situated next to a larger shop that sold clothes and accessories.
The vendor was an attractive woman, with dark skin and long braids that hung down her back.
