2053

Prologue

The present day is 2053. A new internet of things has been invented which utilises augmented reality. It is timeverse. Since its creation and usage, reality has been shifting constantly as users try to change the past and see the future.

Chapter 1 Intro

‘Nothing feels real anymore. I can’t remember which memories are the right ones, everything keeps changing. I wish I was an animal so I wouldn’t have all these thoughts and worries. Or even better, I wish I was a tree.’’

It was a cold, windy Monday evening in Melbourne. Tim somehow made it through another day of his last year in high school. He walked home and saw the calm trees lining the streets. The overhead powerlines forced the trees to create a canopy over the road. Tim was hoping to see his mum making dinner when he arrived home. He lived in an inner city suburb.

‘Tim, I just have to go fix something from before. I made a big mistake. I promise I won’t be long and it will make things better. Just give me time.’ Tim’s mum, Josie said. She had just argued with Tim’s dad about something that happened in the morning when he arrived.

It was a typical scene that often happened around their tiny single bowled kitchen sink while mum did some cleaning. He did not want to see this familiar scene tonight. Familiar because they were in financial distress, so money issues came up often. Josie was an absent mum, she was probably using time travel now to undo an expense but then come back to the present with some yearning again to relive a past lost experience. Things simply didn’t make sense anymore to Tim, time travel would always change what you want but also things you didn’t want to change. It never solved anything really. However, users always felt compelled to change or relive something outside of their present. Especially when consequences they fear are realised. Guilt and regret also trigger this fear. Tim struggled with this, and with loneliness in the present.

‘Sure mum, no one is on timeverse. You can use it’. He responded to her figuring that he knew his mother couldn’t understand his loneliness so he bottled up any provocation about it. He’d had this argument before and it didn’t change anything. At the same time, he knew his family, just like many others, were abusing timeverse.

Tim hasn’t felt the same since his family bought one. In fact, since they were invented he has felt different. It’s as though the past is becoming lost and forgotten but the present feels less real everyday.

‘What about dinner?’ Tim blurted out.

‘You’ll have to fix it up yourself or go out. Don’t mind your mother.’ Josie said.

They never ate dinner as a family anymore. It made Tim feel like a wandering stray dog without a pack. It felt like their home was never really a home.

Chapter 2

After his mum left and dad was nowhere to be found, Tim called his friends to see if they were free except they were also on timeverse. Tim had no interest in joining any of them and went to sleep through just another lonely night.

The next Tuesday morning was sunny. ‘Melbourne weather, you can experience all the seasons within a span of 24 hours. Unbelievable.’ Tim said to himself.

Tim decided to go for a walk. There was a beautiful park in the middle of the city which was built about one hundred years ago around an aboriginal burial site with magnificent trees around it, some appearing ancient and some foreign species which were planted by settlers. One alcove of the park had the trees so densely spaced, it appeared like a miniature forest. This is where Tim would often spend his time.

One tree stood prouder than the rest, a native spotted gum tree. It’s age and wisdom permeated the fresh summer air of that park alcove. The strength of the gum leaf scent overpowered all other natural fragrances when standing near it. The tree trunks echo every mating call uttered by the swarm of birds that linger in the branches. Tim took a deep breath and sat beneath this gum tree that he called ‘Ber’. He thought it was clever that he could compound their names into ‘TimBer’ and maybe strengthen their connection.

He still felt lonely even when he went to see Ber. Ber never actually talked to Tim. So Tim felt his perpetual loneliness is his own self-imposition.

‘I’d give up everything to be like you Ber.’ Tim said quietly to the trunk while looking up at Ber’s leaves which would catch and reflect the glimmer of sunlight.

Tim noticed that Ber particularly, was host to most of the park’s urban wildlife – possums, lorikeets, magpies, cockatoos, red wattlebirds, all their lives amongst Ber’s branches.

‘You’re never lonely are you? Not just that, you’re grounded, deeply rooted in fact. As well as a life bringer. You’re part of a forest. And you can accept anything. Even being chopped down, without saying anything. I wonder if you feel pain at all.

All that spoke back was not Ber, but a howling breeze that whistled through the park greenery. Melbourne weather was shifting again, the sun receded and clouds formed.

Chapter 3

‘Are you talking to that tree?’ a gentle voice said. Someone had also walked off the park’s footpaths and found Tim and Ber.

Tim turned his head and saw Tracy. She was in his year level and same class but Tim had never really spoken to her. She was popular unlike Tim but there was something about her that he liked. She was enigmatic, her features were innocent, she had soft skin, gentle eyes and lips. She wasn’t tall, just average, but her eyes were so serious and thoughtful. This contrasted with her group of friends who wore too much makeup or always spoke about makeup; Tim found this superficial considering he just wanted to find out what life is about.

In that moment, Tim thought perhaps Tracy might have something to do what his life is about.

They had known each other long before this final year of high school. Tim and Tracy met because their parents were family friends from their yearly camping trips where they were always camping at the same spot. Tim and Tracy drifted apart as they grew up, Tracy becoming popular and talented while Tim became a loner that just walked and read a lot.

Tim suddenly realised he was gawking at Tracy this whole time. He liked how she dressed punky and tomboy-ish but could still carry her tender features.

‘As a matter of fact, I was talking to this gum tree.’ Tim tried to project some confidence although he was quite embarrassed.

‘Trees are magical aren’t they? Even though they don’t talk back or vocalise anything, they are so full of life. They all start from a little seed in the ground.’ She said while putting her hand on Ber’s trunk.

Tim was surprised by her profound thoughts.

‘You’re right. They just breathe and soak up the sun. It draws in other life to thrive around it even when the tree falls down. It’s not trying to change anything, it just is. The burning bush told Moses ‘I am that I am.’ Tim said to her.

Tracy looked at Tim like he was odd but she was already drawn to him now out of curiosity.

‘It means maybe there’s a way to live where we can just be like “I am” without trying hard so hard. I don’t know what that is to live like that, especially with timeverse and everything else trying to grab my attention today I do know that this tree knows though.’

Tracy just kept on thinking where his thoughts are coming from. She enjoyed listening to him.

‘You’re right. Things have felt off with timeverse. Is being anywhere we want in any time really what we need? It’s like we’re always stuck in another time and place and never here. I haven’t spoken to my family or my friends in weeks. I don’t even know the last time I went to school since we can just go back in time to make up the attendance, right? Everything has just been a little funny. It’s also funny seeing you here, you’ve already gone down a rabbit hole of what it all means and managed to find comfort in this tree. If you like trees so much, lets hang out if youre not busy the rest of the day.’

Tim was a little mistrusting considering she was one of the popular girls, they had never really spoken for years. But now, he felt sympathy. He was also lonely.

The clouds had darkened and it was drizzling softly.

Chapter 4

‘Have you ever smoked weed?’

Tracy and Tim walked from the park to her house which was around the corner, about 5 minutes away. They took her car, a plain white, self-driving electric vehicle to a random suburb Tim had never been to in the eastern side of Melbourne. They waited inside an old car park next to a local recreational centre that had a basketball court. The drizzling rain began getting cold.

‘Sure, plenty of times.’ Tim wanted to sound cool although he wasn’t much of a smoker.

‘I got a fun fact for you – the Sikhs, Hindus and Rastafari believe that weed brings you closer to God.’ Tracy said.

‘Cool. Is that what we’re doing here? Getting bud?’ said Tim.

‘Well, yeah we’re meeting this guy and getting some bud. Better than timeversing or whatever. We can just chill again in the park. It’ll be fun.’

Twenty minutes later a tall, skinny man emerged at the rear right passenger window knocking. He wore white socks with his sandals and had a Bob Marley tshirt.

‘Sup Tracy? Whatchya need?’

The dealer’s odor of smoke and dreadlocks permeated the confined airspace of Tracy’s little car as he sat in the back.

‘Well, what’s the strongest and best you got?’ Tracy answered.

‘You know my usual batch of ‘Sabbatch Override’ is my best product. But today, I have something special for you. Who’s this guy though? You didn’t tell me you were coming with someone.’ The dealer said suspiciously. Tim awkwardly turned his head to the back seat and gave the dealer a nod as if to say ‘what’s up?’.

‘That’s just Tim. He’s cool. I wanted him to meet you. It’s one of those lonely days where we’re needing a way to feel centred in the middle of all this time travelling chaos.’

‘Word. Just another in the present, or is it the future? Or the past? Ha, well I got something for you both then. It ain’t weed, it’s a wild flower that only grows during winter. I had to travel back to the winter time to get this when I heard about it. You know how much I hate timeverse but it was worth it. The indigenous Australians have kept this flower a secret for ages. Now we get to try it.

Before you smoke it, make sure you don’t eat for three hours and say ‘ummee’ on your first exhalation.’ Said the dealer.

Tim felt that he got dragged into a smoking session like the ones he used to go to with his high school friends. It didn’t elevate his sense of presence after a number of times. But this time he figured he was with Tracy and it might be different with her.

‘Is this a psychedelic flower?’ Tim asked. ‘I’ve never done psychedelic drugs.

‘You’re seriously not going to try this amazing stuff? Do you realise how hard it is to get? Trust me its worth it.’ The dealer said to Tim.

Tim’s attempt to impress Tracy and his curiosity strung him along.

‘Why do we need to say ‘ummee’? Tracy asked.

‘Speaking the mantra with the flower smoke passing through you unlocks your pineal gland, or the ‘third eye’.’ And then you will see the magic of this ancient herb. Trust me.’

‘Right. I’ll grab a quarter of ‘Sabbath Override’ in case this stuff sucks.’ Tracy said candidly.

‘160 satoshis, you got my bitcoin wallet address.’ Said the dealer.

Tracy made a transfer using her eyephone.

Tracy’s self driving car dropped them both back off at the park so they didn’t have to walk.

Chapter 5

Tracy had a colourful star wars themed lunchbox where she kept her papers and tips. It was compact enough to fit inside Tim’s plain black tote bag. The drizzling rain had stopped, it was neither too hot or cold and there was no wind. They had waited a few hours to ensure their stomachs were completely empty.

‘Perfect evening to chill and smoke.’ Tracy exclaimed. They walked back to the same spot in the park as before.

‘You must love smoking.’ Tim said.

‘I’d rather do this than develop the anxiety you can get from too much time travel.’ Tracy replied, making her point about weed being okay assertively.

‘Very true.’ Tim said agreeably.

Tracy opened her lunchbox and pulled out her large, extra thin rolling papers, a perforated cardboard tip filter and a metal grinder.

‘Lets do this so-called sacred flower first before the other stuff, so the sensations don’t get mixed up.’ Tracy suggested. Tim agreed and she began grinding up the yellow green flowers. Tracy placed the grinds into a crevice she formed with the paper, rolling it and sealing it with a lick within seconds. Tim had never seen any cigarette rolled so fast. She took her lighter from the lunchbox. Fired it and pressed the flower cigarette into her lush lips and started pulling in air.

‘Ummeee’ a plume of thick smoke clouded out of her mouth while she recanted the dealer’s instruction. Immediately she went into a fit of deep, hacking coughing while reaching her hand out to pass the flower cigarette to Tim.

‘Are you ok?’ Tim asked. Tracy appeared in a daze and said nothing. He took the flower cigarette off her and puffed on the flowing herb.

‘Ummmeee….’ Tim also had his own hacking cough fit. He felt his vision get blurry. Suddenly, he’d lost consciousness before he felt himself falling down.

Chapter 6

‘Wet. Wet air. Rain. Warm sun. Light.’

The sun was rising easterward. Drawing all non-nocturnal life to it.

The park shimmered sunlight off the various type of tree leaves. Raindrops began to soak up the mud beneath the tree trunks.

‘I can taste the rain. And the sun…’

For the nocturnal creatures, the sun meant bedtime. The possums and bats hid away to sleep while the birds came to chirp their morning tunes.

‘I’m still in the park… and I definitely passed out. What’s happening now though? I can’t feel my body. I’m not even in my body! I can’t move. What the hell happened?’ Tim cried although it was more like he was talking to his own mind as he had no voice to physically cry out.

‘Tim! Is that you? I can feel you talking.’ A voice that sounded like Tracy’s called out.

‘Is that you Tracy?’ Tim answered.

‘It’s me.’

‘What is going on Tracy? What happened to our bodies?’

‘I’m guessing that new herbal stuff really sent us somewhere. I have no idea where though, I honestly thought it was just a new different looking strain of weed.’

‘What?!’

In this transcendental state, Tim felt panicked so he tried to calm down. A tree branch snapped and fell which caused him physical pain.

‘What the eff did you make us take Tracy? This is effed up!’

Tim tried to scan his body – no fingers, no feet, no eyes, no ears, no voice.

‘Tracy, how are we talking without mouths or voices?’ Tim asked. He had no head or brain either. His experience was completely black aside from feeling sun and rain when he woke up.

‘Well, are you going to talk?’ Tim’s voice was getting through to Tracy. He seemed aggressive to her.

‘Tim, do not be aggressive with me. I won’t tolerate it.’

‘What?’

‘I mean it, I’m done talking to you after you starting saying eff this and eff that.’

‘Hang on, wait I’m sorry’.

‘No one’s ever spoken to me like that, especially not a boy.’

‘Ok I got it. Can you drop it? This is uneffing believable.’

‘There you go again with that mouth. I’m seriously done.’

‘Wait I can’t help it. We used to argue a lot at home. I get heated and use that kind of language casually without me realising. I spoke like that just now because I’m scared ok?’

‘No excuse, just stop talking.’ Tracy demanded.

‘I can’t help that I keep thinking out loud Tracy. I feel like I’m not in control of anything’.

‘Both of you get outside of your nonsensical, petty, bickering, feeble, human minds. Learn to breathe.’ A third voice interrupted them. An ancient voice.

‘You are both trees now, not people. You have become living spirits in the land. All of us ancient ones who partook the sacred herb in our passing have taken this form. And all of us can hear you. You are causing a disturbance to all those who are connected to you.’ The ancient voice said.

‘Ber? Are you seriously Ber the gum tree talking to me? And I’m a tree?!’ Tim was in disbelief.

‘Breathe Tim. Feel the light, the air and the rain. You have new lungs, new ears and new eyes. They will open if you quieten down’ answered the ancient one, who was appears now to actually be Ber the gumtree.

Tim did a scan again of his body. This time trying to keep his mind as still as possible. ‘After this, I’m using the timeverse to go back. And then Tracy and I can undo our little quarrel and just have a good time. I’m such an idiot, why couldn’t I shut my mouth? Just one stupid sentence.’ Tim was unable to quieten himself down completely, his thoughts came rushing.

‘There is no going back. The sacred is your rebirth here just like we were reborn here long before even before other settlers came who didn’t understand our ways. There’s no escaping here and now. So just be. You don’t need to do anything anymore.'

To be continued…