DYSCHRONOMETRIA

CHAPTER 1 - Trials And Errors

"Let's test it!" Lianna commanded enthusiastic.

The other scientist complied through a nod and pulled down the lever. Electricity power was consumed, sound echoed everywhere and light the was blinding. There were bands of colors that magically swayed like a vortex on the portal's central rim. It sucked in any objects forcefully.

It then dispersed into nothingness.

Another fail of an experiment.

"Well, another test, another fail." the elder scientist complained. "But that's what science is! Don't be disgruntled, Dr. Edgar! I'm sure it will work soon!" Lianna urged. The scientist sighed, "I suppose you're right," he shrugged off his lab coat onto his shoulder, "Everyone! Lunch break! Let's fix the portal later." he announced.

Lianna's smile diminished. They were giving up. But no. She won't let that happen.

Experiments and studies take time to be a success. Takes trials and errors. Takes everything to be perfect. Lianna patted her pocket for her phone, her expression became grim. She felt nothing in her pocket. She glances at the window to the circular portal. No hope of getting it back. She must've accidentally left her phone on the testing site and the vortex had taken her phone. She came down the stairs and went into the area. She looked up the portal with a scornful expression. "You were supposed to work this time." she said in disappointment, but was more pointed out to herself than to the portal. After a few moment of gazing the portal, she examined the area, no objects as expected.

But then she spots something shiny in the corner; a pocket watch.

"What? How? A pocket watch?" she picked it up in utter confusion and simply shrugged it off. She then went into the lunch area.

Her disgruntled mood was evident to her face. Her colleagues tried to greet her and comfort her, but to their dismay, she overlooked them in a deep thought.

They were experimenting something. They were trying to open a wormhole, and to see if it exists. Based from the test today it seems that it does exist. But what wonders her is that, where do the objects go? They would try to make a new portal, but it took 80 years to build one. She won't be able to see it. She wants to know more. She's hungry for more data. She had questions in her head that seeked answers. Answers that are riddles to create more questions. She needs to be cleared.

She didn't notice that she was staring at a blank wall while eating. A friend tapped her shoulder, "Hey what do you say a hang out today, huh?" Mr. Collins offered. He was a good friend for Lianna ever since she went to the Laboratory. Though, they already knew each other since they were classmates in high school. Lianna didn't answer his offer and simply went back to her food plate, only to find it now empty.

"Hey, cheer up, Lia." he tried to beam a cheering smile for her. Lianna blinked to snap her mood out. "Can you say it again please? Sorry, I was in a ponder of the portal and--" she sighed in disbelief "--I can't understand why it won't work. This is already out 34th test to the portal, and  still nothing."

"Oh, it will work soon, Lianna." Collins hugged her warmly, Lianna accepted it. She may need comfort now.

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It was dismissal time, 9pm. They all went home, but Lianna? No. She won't. She wants to fix the machine, to make it better. Collins was there too, she urged him to just go home but he refused. He wanted to keep watch of her, probably to prevent the Laboratory from exploding. Lianna snickered at the thought.

The pair gathered all the tools Lianna needed, and Collins was there to assist her with fixing the machine.

The two stayed overnight to repair the machine. They took in breaks due to the portal's complex structure. It was tiring for the two. Lianna pondered as they rested, 80 years of creation... She wasn't even alive when this thing was built. She's just a 26 year old woman anyway. Collins on the other hand, is all here, sweet and charming. Caring and supporting, and somehow humorous. It made her think, what would it be like to have a family? To have a husband and children?

"No." she whispered to herself in objection and shook her head.

She must focus on the machine.

She must fix the machine.