A quote: “We crucify ourselves between two thieves: regret for yesterday and fear of tomorrow.” ~~ Fulton Oursler

I’ll start with a story …

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She sat in the first row of the lecture hall, her face bright and open. I recognize her from old pictures. I try not to stare, looking down at my papers.

“Good afternoon, class. Welcome to intro to quantum mechanics …”

First trip out and I go rogue. As our clandestine team had been feverishly running the last tests, I planned to betray the mission. Their mission, not mine.

I remembered her in years much later, when her eyes were sad, her face gray and lined. Grandfather, mother and I, a mutual safety committee who kept dad at arms length. Dad – a mid-level Party bureaucrat with all focus on advancing. And his family was to be the perfect Party family. No scandals, no dissent, no forbidden books.

And grandpa had most of them. I learned them all. Before physics restrictions.

What really happens to time travelers? Do we interfere and :::poof::: we’re gone? Or, as Heinlein thought, every change is a fork in the road.

I should be killing Hitler. But I want mom to have the life she deserved. I’m getting dad expelled for cheating today. They’ll never meet. Let’s see where I wake up tomorrow. If at all.
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Now, it’s your turn.
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. featured image, cropped, Adobe Stock standard license.