The Control

This is another for Mother Combs "Twisted Endings" Challenge that you can read about here. It is inspired by a weird lighting control in the flat and is the second story inspired by this holiday

The Control

Whenever you get a new flat, even for a holiday, you need to find out where the light switches are, how the cooker works, and if you are privileged enough, the dishwasher and washing machine.

In the bathroom you need to get used to the shower and bath if you are double lucky, then check out the bedroom as well.

Also, the television is another adventure, but with the number of free streaming services these days, the biggest trial is usually waiting for the "touch of a button" software to load. Having said that it does amaze me that these days video plays without dropout on steaming platforms, negating the need for any form of physical media.

And then there is THAT control.

Yes it switches lights on and off but it is a massive control, with lots of electronic trickery inside it, with a single twirly button that switches the lights on and off and controls their brightness, but you know it has to do something else.

I kept messing about with it trying to see if it was touch-sensitive, or something. This was surely more than some oversized light switch. I was so concentrated on the switch and the lights going lighter and darker that I didn't notice what was happening around me.

It was, so I thought, about two in the afternoon, but as I turned the switch up to the max I noticed that outside it went dark. I switched on the TV and the time said it was eight o'clock at night, the evening football matches were fifteen minutes in and Manchester United were already one nil down again.

I then turned the switch back to the beginning and it was now eight o'clock in the morning and the commentators on breakfast TV were talking about Manchester United's match tonight being a must-win one for Erik Ten Haag.

I switched the control off and it was now five past two.

I switched it on again and turned it to the end, to find Manchester United two down and Ten Haag's job in the balance.

I had in my hand a time machine that could take me forward or backward six hours either way. I am not sure whether I need to be close to it or touching it, but my mind started having devious thoughts.

If I have access to media six hours in the future, then will I know how sports events such as football matches and horse races will turn out. Can I even check the results of the lottery?

I would start small and waited a few hours, til five pm then checked the lottery draw and wrote down the numbers, then I thought I have a phone, I can probably put the numbers in online. So I did.

I did the same with a football accumulator based on actual scores.

Shall we say at the end of the night I was wondering whether to hand my notice in there and then.

This was turning into my most lucrative holiday ever, and I didn't know if it was a dream or not. The money from the football bets was in my account and that was enough for me to retire off and the lottery jackpot was still transferring.

I sat here wondering whether to put an offer in for the flat, the control might only work in these surroundings and it is a great flat.

I'll wait til tomorrow and see if it is still working then, then I can make a decision.