Time

July 31, 2025

Emma couldn’t stop her hands from shaking no matter how hard she tried to steady them. Curling her fingers into a fist, she felt the ever growing sweat and wiped them off on her damp jeans. She hated this time of the year.  

It all started three years ago, random anomalies popping up around the world. In total, scientist counted 10 identical anomalies. They would remain open for one month and then disappear, only to reappear five months later. It was like clockwork, as if they had a schedule. It was only until two years did we get brave and send people in to explore... 

Emma should be flattered, her fiancé Sam and his father were both chosen as part of the team of scientists sent to explore. Forbes even named them one of the best and brightest of a generation. At first, she was elated! The wedding expenses were piling up and with all the coverage from the news and the interviews, they were getting checks in the mail like it was rain. There was even talks of a book deal. Emma didn’t have to edit anymore, she could host the wedding of her dreams. then Sam’s dad went missing. 

So far, not much has been collected from

The anomalies. The world it transported to looks exactly like ours, with breathable air, forests that look like ours, the same types of animals. It was identical in every way. Emma had seen it first hand, and she was on her way to see it again any moment. 

At the beginning of the exploration years ago, they had lost a lot of scientists to the anomalies. Nothing tragic or dangerous, they just refused to come back. Five months later when the anomalies reopened, there was no trace of the scientists. The government says there was no foul play, they were just scientists that were dedicated to the cause, in this case, too dedicated. As an initiative to lower the amount of lost scientists, the day the anomalies were scheduled to close, a family member was sent in to remind the scientists what they are coming home too. This is where Emma came in, taking one last deep breath before stepping into the anomalies. 

There wasn’t a suction sound or any pressurized air. In fact, it felt no different than walking through a regular door, but something about the air gave Emma goosebumps, she could feel it, a disturbance in the particles. Something wasn’t right. 

This was Emma’s third trip in. She knew exactly where to find Sam. He was studying the molecules of the plants outside the greenhouse they had put up 15 months ago.

“Hey handsome, anything new?” 

Sam jumps at the sound of her voice, before laughing. “Oh, you scared me. Is it that time already?” He looks at his watch but it’s not on his wrist like it usually is. He scratches his slightly greasy hair, “Now where‘s my watch?”

Wearing a watch was the best thing you could do in here. Emma was wearing her government issued watch. They make it mandatory to wear when you decide to enter. It had a countdown clock, and they had four hours left. 

“I’m sure it’s in your pocket. You always take it off cause the band is too big. We’ll get you a new band.” In fact, she already bought him one. It was waiting on the kitchen counter, a special announcement engraved inside. She couldn’t surprise her smile at the though, they were going to have to start planning for more than a wedding. 

“Emma, love, before we go, check this out.” 

Her watch beeps as a reminder but she ignores it at the sight of his enthusiastic smile before letting him leads her away from the station and into the dense forest. He’s carrying around a beeping stick that grows louder and louder as we approach purple flowers. 

“This is what my father had been studying before...” he moves to crouch down beside the flowers and Emma moves to kneel beside him. Through the sunlight filtering in through the treetops, she gets a good luck at Sam’s face. His youthful eyes now a dulled blue, with deep bags cradling those eyes. He looks exhausted, and he smelt unshowered. His short nails were jagged, as if bitten. “There is something about these flowers.” With claw like hands, he plunges into the flowers roots, digging at them, yanking them from the ground when at the base of the tree they were nestled by, there was a recessed hole. Not a hole, a tunnel, a tunnel just big enough for a human. 

Sam gasps, “He was right.” 

Emma’s watch begins beeps incessantly. They only had 10 minutes. Where had the time gone? 

“Sam, this is amazing.” 

“Let’s explore it.” 

“I know you want too but we have to go, we only have-,” 

But Sam’s already struggling to fit himself through the small cave, his body crouching in uncomfortably. 

She grabs his wrist, yanking him out and he shoves her off. 

“Get off me, I have to-,” he stops, his eyes flickering to meet hers and it‘s as if registration rolls over his eyes like a haze. He shakes his head, confused, his voice much calmer, ”I’m sorry, I don’t know why I shouted.”

“Sam, this is amazing but we need to tell the others first. We’ll come back and explore it, properly.”

“But I need to know now.” 

“And we will, it will be explored. They will name the flowers after you, I bet. But we can’t right now,” she feels his shoulders sink and she grabs his hand, gently leading him back to where the anomaly would send them back. As they walked through the base, she could tell they were the last ones. They’ve never cut it this close. No one has. “We’ll be back in no time. The next five months will fly by,” she barely catches herself from saying nine months and smiles again. 

Standing right outside the anomaly, hearing it make that wobbling sound, as if preparing to shut down, she turns to Sam, “Let’s go home.” 

“You thought when I said explore, I meant finding all the new species of animals and plants,” He doesn’t meet her gaze as he talks, “but I don’t care about what’s new.” 

Emma’s watch was beeping louder and louder. she could even hear people shouting at them through the anomaly, people counting down like it was New Years Eve. 

“I only care about the past.”

“Sam, we have to-,” 

“I have to find my dad. I can tell I’m close. I can’t give up now. He’s calling me.”

“Sam, we’ll find him, but we need to-,” 

“I’m sorry.” Sam pushes Emma through the anomaly and she stumbles back, her head smacking against the dirt ground. 

“Emma, are you ok?” 

She blinks, her dark vision slowly coming into focus. She reaches out a hand for help, “Yes. Where’s Sam? Sam!” She calls out, looking around to see the crowd of loved ones and scientists clutching each other. No one said anything, just stared at her before averting their gazes when she looked at them for answers. 

In front of her, the anomaly was gone, and Sam was nowhere in sight.