In the year 2112, time travel had been perfected. The world was buzzing with excitement as people could finally jump between alternate timelines. It was like having a second chance at life, or even a third, fourth, or fifth chance. But there was a cost.
Every time someone traveled through time, they left a piece of themselves behind. The more they traveled, the less of themselves they had left. It started with forgetfulness, small things that they couldn’t quite remember. Then it progressed to physical changes. People’s hair would fall out, their skin would sag, and their eyes would lose their sparkle.
But people didn’t seem to care. They were addicted to the thrill of hopping between alternate timelines. They could experience different versions of themselves, their loved ones, and the world they lived in. They could undo their mistakes, relive their happiest memories, or even create new ones.
One man named Jack had dedicated his life to time travel. He had countless devices and machines that would help him jump from timeline to timeline. He had lost friends, family, and even parts of himself along the way. But he didn’t care. He was determined to find the perfect timeline, the one where everything was perfect.
Years passed, and Jack grew tired. His body was failing, and he had lost most of his memories. He had jumped through so many timelines that he couldn’t remember which one was the original. He had nothing left but his machines and his desire to find the perfect timeline.
And then it happened. He found it. He found the timeline where he was happy, surrounded by loved ones, and successful. But as he traveled back to that timeline, he realized he had nothing left. He had left pieces of himself behind in so many timelines that he was an empty shell.
With tears in his eyes, he destroyed his machines and devices, knowing that he had wasted his life searching for something that he couldn’t find. The world continued to time travel, but Jack was done. He had paid the ultimate cost, and it was time for him to rest.
