Dawnpoint

Chapter 5

"I think it's an alternate universe."

Micah stared at him, baffled. "You can't be serious."

Levi nodded and thrust his laptop toward him, showing a bunch of theories around the existence of parallel universes and alternate timelines. Micah took one look at them and stood up from the sofa, grabbed Kato's arm, and pulled her into the hallway.

"I can't do this," he exasperated, tugging at his hair.

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He's sprouting shit about alternate universes," he mocked, turning to her, face riddled with disgust. "We shouldn't have confided in them. They're just conspiracy freaks who blow everything out of proportion."

Kato smacked his arm and pulled him to stand still. "Listen to me," she ordered, keeping her voice low so the others wouldn't hear them. "They are the best chance we have."

"I just think it's stupid," he sighed.

"Then how do you explain the images? The man?"

Kato released his arm; only the soft murmur of Alex and Levi's voices could be heard as Micah fell silent, trying to salvage any logical explanation for it.

"A technological glitch."

At that, Kato laughed harshly. "Now look who sounds stupid."

Micah scowled and pushed past her to enter the living room again. Alex and Levi fell silent, Alex watching him carefully as he plopped onto the chair he previously occupied and dragged Levi's laptop toward him. Kato followed with an apologetic smile, sitting back next to Micah as he scanned the websites and theories.

He grumbled and groaned as he sifted through each website, taking in all the information, and briefing over the different theories.

"So, what universe do you think it is?" he asked, and the other three shared a look.

Levi cleared his throat and turned his laptop back to him, clicking on a few tabs before finding what he wanted. "Well, it's hard to say considering there are literally infinite possibilities of the numbers and types of universes..."

Micah rolled his eyes, and he got the message.

"I think it's most likely a bubble universe."

Checking over the information displayed on the screen that Levi showed him, he hummed slightly and looked back at him. Levi messed with the papers on the desk, refusing to look him in the eyes. He pushed a couple of the grey photos to him.

"So, the theory of eternal inflation suggests that the essential beginning of the Universe," he rambled as he continued passing out the printed photographs. "Ended for everything that we can detect thirteen-point-eight billion years ago, but cosmic inflation still continues in different places."

Micah looked over at Kato who simply shrugged and sipped her coffee. Alex grinned and leant back in her seat, folding her arms while she watched her brother continue talking.

"Vi, they need it in simpler terms," she chuckled, and Levi paused only to go back into rambling.

"Basically, the Big Bang keeps happening and forming new universes that are right next to ours, and if we get close enough to one, we could start to merge with it," he said in one breath, his smile never leaving his face.

"So, what's in these bubble universes?" Kato questioned as Micah tried to piece together the information and not just immediately blow it off.

"It could be anything." He thought for a few seconds before shrugging. "There could be intelligent lifeforms, a world with magic, a barren wasteland." He pointed at the images.