The Echoes of Tomorrow

Chapter 1: The Arrival

It was an ordinary day at IMSc. I was following my usual work schedule when I finished my lunch. On that particular day, I had a little extra food, which was not uncommon. I decided to go for a brief walk. While I was walking, something crossed my mind. I thought, 'Why don't I challenge myself and study on the 2nd floor of the library for the rest of the day?' So I took my laptop, tablet, and other writing materials with me. To enter the library, we have to sign in the register at the entry. I noticed that the person at the reception was looking at me strangely as if questioning whether I am a student at IMSc or not. Gathering some courage, I signed in the register and proceeded to the 2nd floor of the library.

The second floor of the library mainly consists of theoretical computer science books and some computational biology books. On an average day, you won't notice anyone there except for the cleaning staff. I tried to find an appropriate place for myself. I saw a table with a nice cushioned chair next to it. However, the position of this spot was not ideal because, during certain hours of the day, it would be exposed to direct sunlight. Considering Chennai's humidity, I decided to move to a location where I wouldn't be in the harsh sun. I noticed some space near the autobiography section and set up my workspace there.

I checked my to-do list on my iPad and noticed that some items from last year were still pending. A sour laugh escaped me as I realized this. So, I decided to create a fresh to-do list, although I'm not sure when I'll manage to complete it. I searched for lecture notes on group theory and lattice chromodynamics on the internet and began studying them. I have a habit of not being able to sit continuously for more than 30 minutes. I couldn't help but think about how I used to sit through one-and-a-half-hour classes. Then it struck me that I was the same person, but the difference was that I was in a classroom back then, and now I'm not. I went for a walk along the corridor of the second floor. I checked out some books here and there and noticed that the left part of the floor was adorned with huge banners showcasing published works by IMSc students. I stood there for a while, examining them one by one. I wondered how long it would take for my name to be among those publications. I decided to visit the library more often and spend more time there. I returned to my workspace, continued m y work, and listened to some music on my earphones.

The music suddenly stopped. I had been more focused on the music than on my studies, so I reacted abruptly. I noticed the letters on my laptop screen behaving strangely, moving unusually. Simultaneously, through my earphones, I could hear a background noise resembling static from a radio. I even checked my smartwatch, and there too, the letters were fluctuating. At this point, I assumed it was only happening to my devices. However, my assumptions were proven wrong when I checked the library computers, the ones we usually use to search for book locations. My heart rate began to increase suddenly. I attempted to contact my friends via cellphone, but due to some interference, I couldn't reach them. I even checked the elevator, but it wasn't working. I even considered taking the stairs to get to the lower floors, but an unexplained feeling of hesitation held me back as if an invisible force was urging me to stay on the second floor.

Although I don't believe in ghosts, I am also not 100 percent sure whether they don't exist. I began to search for a negative energy source without having any single clue what I was searching for. Suddenly I see lights in the library blinking continuously. I tried to recollect is something huge electromagnetic interference that is causing this. I remember IMSc has two big powerful batteries usually used for backup generators, I thought there may be some fault in that. I see some visible particles coming from a corner it was visible. I thought am I inside any Netflix webseries ?? I didn't receive any payment!! Jokes apart I tried to follow the source I also had the urge to pee due to fear. It turns out that the source of particles is coming from a Unisex toilet on the floor. I had 2 percent relaxation in my head and I can do two works at a time. When I opened the door, I saw something that startled me so much that I couldn't help but lose control.

I saw a rotating black sphere and questioned if it could be what I suspected. In my mind, I pondered how this could even be possible. Suddenly, something occurred that confirmed my suspicion. A portion of my iron-made pen vanished into the sphere as if all the magnetic power in the universe was concentrated within it. I felt myself being drawn toward it, slowly losing my foothold. I desperately grasped the doorknob, but it proved insufficient, and I was pulled into eternal darkness.

I began to sense my body. I tried to gain some strength and wake up. I felt pain in my chest, and breathing was difficult. I attempted to open my eyes, but all I saw was darkness. It should have been daytime; I had lunch just two hours ago. So, why was it so dark? As I tried to make sense of my surroundings, I realized someone was lying next to me in the bushes. I used my cell phone's light to get a better look. The person wore attire similar to mine. Checking for a pulse, I discovered that they were lifeless. With my cell phone's faint glow, I examined the person's face and got the shock of my life. The person lying dead beside me was none other than myself. How could I be dead? I was breathing, and I bit myself to confirm I wasn't dreaming. The pain was real. I ran, and I ran some more. If I kept this up, I'd lose my desired weight in a month. I asked myself, 'Am I a ghost?' If so, how could I feel pain? Perhaps this is how all ghosts feel?

"Hey, hey, you!" I heard a sound and started to investigate where it was coming from. I spotted two beings who looked like aliens approaching me.

At first, I questioned whether I was still on Earth. Could I be on another planet where aliens possessed advanced technology to detect ghosts?

One of them was clad in a full latex suit, and they both wore breathing masks or so I guessed. On their backs, they carried what seemed like gas tanks, possibly containing oxygen. The one who appeared to be male began examining me. I was gripped by terror.

Judging from their voices and physical appearance, I assumed they were male. The alien asked me something in a strange language, further confirming my suspicions.

Fear left me speechless; if I could have asked a single question at that moment, it would have been: 'Which planet is this?' The alien held a device in their hand and manipulated it, projecting a holographic screen. They scanned me with it, but it seemed they couldn't find any information.

I was caked in mud and began cleaning my face, which surprised them. Despite my weakness and labored breathing, they armed me with some kind of weapon, causing me to lose consciousness once more.

I opened my eyes slowly. I found myself handcuffed, but it wasn't the usual type of handcuffs. Instead, it was a strange, glowing light that was attached to my hand with a significant force. It felt like I was in a prison or something. This was the first time I had ever been inside a prison. The prison room was entirely white. The bed on which I lay was suspended in the air but remained still. Through a window, I could see people walking the streets. They wore masks and the same outfit as the stranger I had encountered earlier, albeit in different colors. One thing that surprised me was the absence of trees. I heard footsteps, and someone opened the prison door. This time, it was a male and a female, based on their voices and appearances. They carried an extra set of the same outfit I had seen through the window, along with masks and gas cylinders. They led me somewhere using a special type of elevator. I hoped that I might find some answers now.

They led me into a room, and I saw humans. A tear welled up in my eye. I began to think that perhaps the outside world wasn't safe for human skin anymore, which explained why they were wearing masks and special outfits. An authoritative-looking person, possibly a group leader, started speaking. I couldn't understand his words, but I sensed that he wanted me to remove my jacket and mask. Perhaps they had created an artificial environment that wouldn't harm human skin. Feeling weak, I needed assistance to remove my outfit. Another person, wearing a special white coat, instructed the security personnel to help me disrobe. A well-dressed woman, who seemed like an assistant, approached and examined my body. After a thorough examination, they asked me to sit in a hovering chair. The doctor asked the others to leave the room, wanting to speak with me privately. This marked my first experience with an interrogation. There was a covered body in the room, and he revealed that it was my own. Then, we began a lengthy conversation.

The person gave me a device and asked me to put it in my ear, like a Bluetooth device. He also gave me another device, which I thought was the interface for the Bluetooth device. I turned it on, and it was a universal language translator. I set my language as the output, and the person set the input language. The person introduced himself as Dr. Rajgopal Yellemare. In turn, I also introduced myself. But in the back of my mind, I was asking myself several questions. Again, as I am already dead, how does my physical existence persist? Where do I stand now on the ghost thing? It could also be possible that humans have devised something by which they can feel, talk, and interact with ghosts.

Dr. Raj said before I asked something, "Do you want to ask anything?" I put everything that was in my head at once.

"Calm down, calm down, ask one question," he said.

I asked, "Which planet am I on? Earth?"

He replied, "Yes."

"What is this place, and where the hell am I, and am I a ghost?" To answer this, he said, "We are all surprised, and we are also looking for an answer."

I suddenly remembered I had my cell phone with me.

I asked him, "Where is it?"

He handed it over to me, and it was dead.

I asked them, "Do you have any C-type charger?"

He was looking at me strangely; I didn't understand. He took the phone and put it in an electromagnetic field or something, and it began to charge.

He asked me, "Mr., what do you think, which year are you in now?"

I recounted the events that occurred to me - no trees, low oxygen, and based on other events, I felt that my answer could never be true.

I slowly replied, "It is 2023, right?"

At that time, the assistant doctor was also present. They looked at each other with surprised expressions. They gave me their tablet again; it was holographic.

They said, "This is today's newspaper."

I checked the date and year. I felt thirsty, my eyeball size increased; it was the year 2056.

I was speechless. I had somewhat forgotten the other questions in my head. I was about to call my parents and tell them about my whereabouts, but I was not sure if there would be anyone on the other side.

"Where are you from? What happened to you?" Dr. Raj asked.

I started screaming suddenly, and the security officers entered. Dr. Raj reassured them of the situation. The lady doctor, whose name turned out to be Dr. Sanaya, confronted me and asked me to eat something.

I asked her for water, but she said it's all contaminated right now. She gave me some gel-like substance and said it was the only thing available.

Dr. Raj arranged a group of people and formed a committee. They all gathered in a room and started asking me every possible question.

"How did you end up here?" they asked.

I described the whole background of the library incident and the black sphere.

Dr. Raj said, "You are a physicist by training, right? Still, you didn't get what's happening here?"

I replied, "I know, but my mind can't comprehend this. It was never real; it was just a theory."

"This is not a theory no more, and the experimental proof is your existence here," he explained.

"So, this was it, I mean?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "It must be."

They started discussing, and I overheard the word "BISMUTH-207."

I realized what was happening here. It gave me the answer to why I came to the year 2056.

Right now, I was unable to decide whether science was a curse or a blessing for me.

Discussion continued. I asked about my dead body and how I might be both alive and dead at the same time.

"You know quantum mechanics," said the chief scientist.

"But isn't that only specific to microscopic objects?" I inquired.

"For teleportation to occur, the object has to be destroyed at one spacetime point and reappear at another, right?"

"Exactly. Do you see why you found your dead body?"

The realization hit me, and I placed my hand on my head. I kept repeating, "It's just a theory!"

"Can't you see your situation here?" Chief Scientist Dr. Ramarao asked.

I questioned, "If this is teleportation, how is my dead body here? It should be in 2023, right?"

"You didn't teleport in the conventional sense. When your initial mass was destroyed, you were already inside the portal."

I was still not convinced. Desperation overcame me, and I began to panic, on the verge of tears, pleading with him to send me back to where I came from.

In response, he said, 'I'm sorry.'

The chief scientist and others briefed the authoritative person regarding my situation. He became very angry when he learned that I am from 2023.

He repeated screams, 'They are responsible for this!'

I didn't fully understand. 'Man, I am far from home. What did I do?'

The security personnel took me to a room, and fortunately, it wasn't a prison but rather a small isolation room. I was not allowed to talk to anybody. It was not a prison but something worse.

At fixed times, I was taken to the interrogation room, where they asked me about the situation 32 years ago. I asked him if I could ask a question, to which he said yes.

I inquired why I didn't see any animals around me. He replied, 'You are looking at them.' I was confused.

He explained, 'Humans are the only animals left on Earth.' I responded, 'Okay, so everyone became vegetarians?' He shook his head and said, 'No, everyone became non-vegetarian. Nowadays, there are no funerals.'

When I realized the situation, I vomited repeatedly in the room and passed out.

I needed to escape from this situation. I made several attempts but got caught each time. I understood that to survive in this new world, I needed to create a unique identity card. I approached the main authoritative person, Mr. Victor, to request permission, but he denied my request.

'You also wanted to finish this one too ?' he said angrily.

I was allowed to interact with the outside world, but always under supervision. Mr. Victor explained that my body had been contaminated by exposure to the atmosphere when I arrived here. To prevent contamination, they took daily shots, and I was still not entirely adapted to this new environment. I finally realized the necessity of cooperating with them.

As days passed, I began to recover. Every time I went outside, I had to wear a mask and a latex suit to cover my entire body. I missed the lush green trees, the buttery flowers, the feeling of grass beneath my feet that could take away all my pain, the blue sky, the rivers, and the mountains. Here, nature had replaced every color with black.

I began to inquire about my location. I asked Dr. Ramarao which country I was in. He replied that countries no longer exist. I was confused. He explained that everything had changed since that day. Now, we only have zones, no countries, no visas, nothing. I asked how people travel from one place to another without countries or planes. He told me that they had developed new personal automobiles powered by a specific gas produced by humans themselves. I understood the purpose of the special lavatory. I questioned how they covered large distances without planes, and he replied that science was no longer focused on achievement but on human survival.

I asked if there had been any world wars in between. He answered affirmatively. Then, I wondered if they had used nuclear weapons. He chuckled and said that humans had grown bored with nukes and had discovered something more enjoyable. As I looked at a world map, I noticed that some parts were missing.

Finally, I received my identity card, known as the UIC, which also served as currency. Nowadays, currency translates to points, earned through environmental contributions like participating in research programs aimed at regrowing trees from preserved cells and volunteering. They provided me with a new advanced cell phone, along with my old one, which had become obsolete due to insufficient RAM for running apps. They emphasized that while I could travel the Earth, they would keep a close watch.

I met Dr. Shanaya, who helped me understand how to use the new devices. She showed me her room, which I think was provided by the lab. I must say it wasn't pink. We began to chat informally as I checked for any bugs in my body, but they could be hidden where I couldn't search. She asked me about my personal life, and whether I was in a physical relationship.

To reply, I said, 'Currently no one.'

'What do you mean?' she asked.

I said, 'I had one, but not anymore.'

'So basically, no one is bothered about whether you died or not?' she asked.

'My parents would go mad if they found out what happened to me,' I replied emotionally.

She comforted me. Again, the age-old hormonal imbalance started to happen, but I controlled myself. I started to suspect whether it was Mr. Victor who sent her to me to find any information that I may not have revealed in the interrogation.

I said, 'I think I need to go.'

She tutored me on how to use every appliance and which routes to take to avoid revolt gangs. From what I understood, essentially everything from cell phones to personal automobiles, capable of flight, underwater travel, or navigating rough terrain, required UIC for operation.

I was about to start the engine when she stopped me one more time. She said, 'You can start a life here. You can work in the lab after some time, I guess.'

'I don't belong to this timeline; my parents are waiting for me. Besides, I was in the second year of my Ph.D. when I came here, so I don't have a Ph.D. degree to work in your lab,' I replied.

I didn't expect someone would say that to me, but anyway, I wasn't still sure whether her words were hers or from Victor.

I considered returning to my home zone, India, where I could have better interactions. To get there, I needed to refuel my automobile with bio-fuel and stock up on oxygen at two different pump stores.

I encountered a vast library and an extensive museum, faced with a choice between finding answers in one or seeking solace in the other. Due to a previous negative experience with a library, I decided to visit the museum. Inside the museum, I experienced a mix of happiness and sadness. I was delighted to find relics from my timeline preserved in formaldehyde. I saw images of trees, mountains, and restricted areas with actual trees, mainly used to extract high-quality oxygen. My curiosity grew as I contemplated the reasons behind this peculiar situation. I decided to head to the library for answers. Upon entering, I encountered highly advanced computers. There were no physical books and the reason was obvious.

Choose a comfortable place with an advanced desktop but no keyboard and mouse. They were using only Linux distros (it turns out no other OS exists anymore). I used my UIC to log in, and I could see my photo in the top right corner, along with my UIC transactions. I started reading archives and various articles to understand what happened.