Fiction | Fantasy | Magic | Monday Mashup

The Box of Emera

Sixth Law of Magic: Thou shalt not alter the flow of time

The Box of Emera allows one to alter the flow of time to their will. All others will remain unaware of the box’s use and any inconsistencies in memory will be magically altered to conform to the new reality. Use of the box is strictly prohibited, however, should it ever be used no more than five seconds of manipulation will be tolerated. To exceed this limit threatens to break the fabric of time.

I still remember it like it was yesterday, only tomorrow never came. It was 1999 with the new year rapidly approaching. The threat of Y2K was nigh upon us as the clock ticked up to midnight. I did the only thing I could think of to try and save humanity. I broke into the Natural History Museum of London.

It was an easy enough job, I was an overworked secretary at the Museum so I was already inside the building. This Y2K disaster had me at my wit’s end trying to back up all our data before the system crashed. So with the guard’s security cards possibly going down soon we had a backup way to access the vaults and I was the one that generated the passcode to the locks.

I slinked my way through the halls and avoided security with ease. Most of them had called off or decided to get wasted on the job pending the collapse of our society.

Moments later I found the old police box I was after. Hidden away deep within the museum’s vaults most people didn’t know it existed, but I did. I saw the records of when it arrived so many decades ago.

As I slipped into the box, unbeknownst to me, Skip our resident fluffy cat had followed me in. I hadn’t realized the blunder until I was ready to jump back in time.

Maybe only a few seconds back to before he followed me in would be okay to fix this? I had tweaked the old rusted knobs of the box, the old warning paper already crumpled to the floor. Then I pressed the button.

At first, I didn’t think anything happened until I stepped out of the police box and stared at myself. I couldn’t believe it at first but there was no denying the tired sunken eyes of an overworked secretary staring back at me with another Skip the fluffy cat trailing close behind.

The two cats hissed at each other as I took a tentative step backward. “This isn’t good…”

The other me, or would it be past me? Anyway, he stared at me in utter confusion and shock. I dove for the controls and tried another jump. I had to fix this before things got worse but the box began to violently shake as it expelled black smoke.

I coughed and frantically waved my arms while I tried to find my way out. I nearly tripped over my other self as I escaped the box, but the most curious thing happened. Everything had stopped moving around me.

I thought maybe it was a controlled instance but the further I ventured from the police box I began to realize everyone was affected. They were all frozen in whatever act they were busy with, regardless of how mundane it might have been. Time had stopped for everyone but me!

I tried to find a way to fix this but the machine refused to work. I spent what felt like weeks toiling away at it but then I decided to make the best of my situation. I finally took the vacation I’ve always wanted. I walked to Italy, visited Spain, and even peed off of the Alps. It was glorious.

I even had the time now to learn how to play the saxophone. Not to toot my own horn but I must say I’ve gotten quite good. Epic even! Too bad no one will ever get to hear the banger of a tune I came up with though.

Sometimes my best ideas come to me at the last minute. This works out great for me but not so much for Jonathon Sawyer. I offer my apologies soaked in maple syrup and hope this Monday Mashup can win your forgiveness, in which anyone can participate. Check the article below and find out how!

-Prompt #1 (Heads): 2 points
Time has stopped for everyone but you!

-Constraints: 1 point each
An overworked secretary: MC is the overworked secretary
An overworked secretary(2): MC travels back in time to see himself
A fluffy cat: Skip is a fluffy cat
A fluffy cat(2): Skip also travels back in time to see himself

-Hardcore Constraint: 2 points
Epic Sax Guy: MC becomes an epic saxophone player

-Literary Device: (Worth a MEGA 5 bonus points!)
An instance of Dramatic Irony: The MC tried to "save" the world from Y2K
but made it all worse.

Score: 14/13 points (Plus bonus for tally)

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