One Thousand Lifetimes

a short horror story about an accident, a half-smile, and a love that will last one thousand lifetimes

This story is composed of an infinitely cycling GIF of two alternating frames:

FRAME 1:

I stumble out of the machine, falling to my knees gasping. Smoke is everywhere--my eyes, my nose, my lungs. You cough behind me and I crawl back through the billowing fumes to you. The weight of Your limp body in my arms feels so familiar as I carry you out.

I set you down on the wet grass. You look up with that perfect half-smile and say a soft "Oh" before falling still. I sob, holding your lifeless body in my arms.

"I’ll go back and make sure you don't get in," I promise, setting you down gently. "I’ll make it right."

I enter the machine and shut the door, watching you through the porthole as the engine fans whir to life and the smoke clears. Then my stomach drops. I can finally see the field around the machine. There are bodies beyond counting, each with that perfect half-smile.

"No!" I scream, wondering how many times i have held you as you died. "I have to remember--" but then the world turns to white.

FRAME 2:

I stumble out of the machine, my head and eyes throbbing. Was I supposed to remember to check something? No, that’s just the nerves talking. I've been working too much and sleeping too little. I’ve looked over every mechanism these last couple weeks leading up to the maiden voyage.

"Is it ready?" you ask, joining me in the backyard.

"I think so," I say, opening the door to the chamber.

You place a hand on my shoulder. "I want to be with you for the first trip," you say. "I know how important this is."

I hesitate, but you smile that perfect half-smile I will remember for one thousand lifetimes. "Okay," I say.

We step inside and hold each other as the engine whirs to life.

"I can't believe it," you say. "The first working time machine. I wonder--" but then the world turns to white.

...

Short story written by Peter Chiykowski

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Story prompt taken from a photo by Darius Bashar

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