Time machine

This morning I got up at 7:00 as usual and set out to conquer the bathroom. Unfortunately, my dad was occupying that very room. Oh well... We'll have to wait a while... It's only 9:45, so maybe I'll lie down for a while? I thought. "

Yes. That's a very good idea," I said aloud, and burrowed back into the still-warm duvet. "How nice! Mmm..." I muttered. However, the urge to sleep had vanished, so I grabbed a book from the "School by the Cemetery" series and immersed myself in it.

Suddenly, I felt my eyelids begin to feel heavy... Lower and lower...

I fell asleep.

But I quickly opened my eyes. I didn't want to oversleep for school again! But wait, wait... Something didn't feel right about the look of my room, but I didn't know what... I knew it! It was that huge gold-and-silver wardrobe with its many buttons on the doors! I stood up slowly and walked over to the large machine. I already knew one thing: this wasn't my new wardrobe. I took a closer look. I pressed a button here, twisted a knob there, and noticed that something like a door had opened next to the button panel.

It was a small, square hole, maybe a meter high. For a moment, I debated whether to go inside or call someone.

"You only live once," curiosity won out. I slowly squeezed through the opening and entered a large room. It didn't look that big from the outside! In the center stood a low chair and an equally low table. And on that table sat something resembling a laptop, but with a much larger variety of buttons and controls. Next to it lay a detailed instruction manual.

1. To start, set the year you want to travel to, or a specific date. For example: April 12, 2067.

2. Then press the large blue button marked

"Go."

3. Sit comfortably in the chair, fasten your seat belt, and put on the safety helmet you'll find under the chair.

Note!

Half an hour before your flight, it's recommended to drink only still water and eat mild paprika-flavored chips.

Eating too much before takeoff may cause nausea or dizziness.

"Well... I haven't eaten for several hours..." I said quietly. "I think I'll see how this works!" I added, then sat down in the chair and, strictly following the instructions, started the machine. I set the date to May 26, 2007—my 18th birthday.

I screamed. My head started hurting terribly.

The next day. The date was unknown. The time was unknown.

I woke up in a small, wooden treehouse. I was a little scared because I'd never seen one before. It might have been small, low, and smelled of fresh wood, but it was equipped with everything a person my age would need. Among other things:

a laptop with internet access,

a 40-inch TV with cable, DVDs, and a game console,

a radio with a full collection of hip-hop and pop records on the shelf,

and other electronics.

I found a pair of binoculars from the treehouse.

"I guess no one will mind if I borrow these..." I said to myself, and slipped the binoculars into the pocket of my pajamas. I somehow hadn't had time to change into normal clothes. Now I regretted it.

I slowly stood up and looked out the window. And outside was a villa with a pool!

A party was going on by the pool. I left the treehouse and moved closer,

hiding in the shadows.

Suddenly, I felt something grab my leg. I turned and saw a tiny puppy with a colorful ribbon tied around its neck. I guessed it was probably a gift for someone dancing with a boy on the island in the middle of the pool. I pulled out my binoculars and aimed them at the dancing couple.

After a moment, I realized that the person I was observing looked a lot like me! The same hair color, the same complexion, and the same eye color. I looked at the girl and thought, "So this is what I'll look like in the future! I have to admit, this look suits me perfectly. I didn't know the boy. But I'll probably meet him soon..."

I watched the dancing couple until the final notes of the song, which would undoubtedly become my favorite, played. When the song ended, the girl jumped into the pool with the boy and, holding hands, swam to shore. As they reached the pool, some people offered their hands to pull them out. They left. Then "I" slipped on the slippery tiles and fell back into the pool. Terrified screams from the party guests rang out. I knew these could be my last moments! Without thinking, I jumped out of the bushes, ran towards the pool, and jumped into the water at full speed. Swimming in pajamas is uncomfortable, but somehow I swam to "me" and pulled myself to shore.

People were looking at me strangely... I didn't understand what was going on!

"Someone call an ambulance!" I shouted. No one moved. "Mom, Dad! Call an ambulance!" I repeated my plea. Someone called my name. However, I quickly realized it wasn't for me, but for my future self. A girl pushed her way through the crowd. I recognized her as Natalka, my best friend. She was terribly pale. She ran up to "me" and grabbed my wrist.

"He's alive! Call an ambulance!" she screamed. A commotion broke out among the people gathered around us. A boy who looked very much like one of my school friends reached for his cell phone. A moment later, the ambulance arrived.

They took "me" and my mother away. I wanted to talk to Natalka, but I couldn't. When I tried to grab her sleeve, my hand went right through! Natalka, on the other hand, flinched.

"My hand feels cold..." she murmured to the boy who looked like Sebastian, her friend.

"Come on, I'll hug you," he replied, and she snuggled into his sweatshirt. I knew I didn't exist to the people from the future, so I went to the treehouse. Surprisingly, the machine was still there.

Day: the next. Time: around 11:30 a.m.

Today, I went to the hospital for a visit with Natalka, even though she couldn't see me. We entered a large, white building. The nurse directed us to room number 18. A figure lay on the white sheets. A sign hung on the back:

Agnieszka Nowak,

very serious condition.

Serious concussion.

As I read this, I felt my legs give out. Natalka moaned softly and moved closer to the person lying on the bed.

"Aga... Aga, how are you feeling?" she asked in a whisper. When asked, she slowly opened her eyes.

"Very bad..." she replied, then closed them again. Natalka sat for a moment longer and left the room. I sat on the bed.

"Do you see me?" I asked, curious if she could even see me. "I" opened my eyes.

"Yes... Thank you for saving me..." she whispered. "You came by spaceship, right?

" "Yes. How do you know?" I asked, astonished that she could know such a thing.

"About 100 years ago, one of us, Agnieszka, discovered a strange machine and decided to find out what it was for. She entered the machine and traveled to the exact day of her 18th birthday. Since then, each of us has boarded the machine on October 27th and watched our deaths passively. Only you did something different. Thank you very much.

" "What kind of treehouse is this?" I asked.

"It's something that no one else can see, only us. Only the people who travel using this machine," "Aga" explained. Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming from behind the door of room 18. "Go! Run!"

3:12 PM (I found a watch in the treehouse)

After leaving the hospital, I went to the treehouse. By some strange coincidence, even though I hadn't eaten for several days, I didn't feel hungry at all. I approached the treehouse. It looked the same as usual...

And suddenly it dawned on me. I'd be transported back in time to the moment I fell into the water, and I wouldn't let that happen!

May 26, 2007, 9:30 PM.

The same image again: a couple dancing on an island. The song was ending. Time to spring into action.

9:45 PM.

This time, I walked to the edge of the pool before "Aga" and the boy jumped in. After a moment, I blended in with the crowd of people trying to help "me" and the boy out of the pool. And I saw why "Aga" had fallen into the water...

One of the girls offering her hand finally let go of "me" as soon as I got out of the pool and gave me a gentle push. I grabbed "Aga's" outstretched hand and pulled it back in. It worked! "Aga" didn't fall into the water!

May 27, 2007, 12:12 PM.

I stayed at the party until the end. I had a great time, even though no one but "Aga" could see me. Then my future self walked away with me. "

Thank you so much. You changed the course of history and thus your destiny. You'll probably want to go back to your year now... Right?" she asked. "

I guess so. Although I liked it here," I replied after a moment. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that no one could see me, it would have been quite bearable. I liked this year and was sad to have to leave it. But unfortunately... Nothing can last forever..."

I stood still for a moment. "Aga" then took a chain with a silver dolphin from around her neck. She held it out to me. "

Here, this is for you. I got it from that boy I danced with. It's Adrian. You'll get one just like it for your 16th birthday." With that, she took my hand, placed the chain on it, and closed it again. "

Thank you." "—I whispered, and walked slowly toward the treehouse. I climbed the ladder and put the flashlight back in its place. I took one last look at the villa with the pool and got into the spaceship. I set the date to October 27, 2004, and pressed "Go."

"Time to go back," I said quietly, feeling the now-familiar headache.

After a moment that passed like a single tick of a clock ticking away a single second, I was lying in my bed. I had closed my eyes during the journey. Now I opened them and looked at the star map above the bed. Now I wasn't sure if it had all been a dream or if it had really happened... I knew I wouldn't forget this for the rest of my life...

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 7:30 a.m. I still had some time before I had to get up and get ready for school. I put my hand over my face and felt something cold... I opened my hand and a chain with a dolphin slid out onto the pillow...