120 Years Apart

I - PROJECT 0111X

January 05, 2136

CHANDRIX (POV)

"I want to wait for you.

I want to see you again,

touch your face again,

stare at your sparkling eyes again,

hug you, kiss you, and stay with you.

Eidric, I really want to wait for you.

.

.

.

But reality says you won't come back anymore." -Lianne

-END-

I turned off the TV.

"Macie, stop crying. It's just a movie." Kanina pa sya umiiyak sa kalagitnaan palang ng movie. My Man from the Future is my girlfriend's favorite classical novel at ngayon lang nya napanood ang movie adaptation nito. To be honest, I didn't understand the movie well. I focused my attention on her. Anyway, the movie title said it all, My Man from the Future, literally.

"How dare you to say that it's just a movie?"

Gusto kong matawa sa hitsura nya. Namamaga na halos yung mga mata nya pero patuloy pa rin syang naiiyak.

"Drix, bakit ba kasi ngayon ko lang nalaman na may movie adaptation pala nito? Though mas magandang basahin yung libro, maganda pa rin naman yung movie!" paliwanag nya. "Pero sana talaga, nagkita ulit sina Lianne at Eidric kahit after some years. Haaay, nakakalungkot sila."

I hugged her and kissed her on her forehead.

"So, halika na sa laboratory? Na-inspire tuloy akong tapusin ang Project 0111X."

"You mean the time machine?"

I nodded.

Naging inventor at developer ako after I became a half-robot. Of course, I was born a human. But this is year 2136! 60% nalang ng population ng mundo ang pure humans, 25% ang pamilya ng robots, at 15% ang mga katulad ko- half-human, half-robot. I might be like this, but I'm just like any other person. All my senses are working well and I have my emotions - I get sad, angry, happy, excited, and I fall in love.

Anyway, ang mahalaga buhay pa ko... and I'm with her. Macie and I have been together for like 6 years, but I still remember that time when I first met her. She was like an angel sent from above and I realized I already fell for her that exact moment. I'm so blessed to have her. On Macie's birthday this June, I want to surprise her. Gusto kong magpropose na sa kanya. Matapos ko man o hindi yung time machine, I'll marry her. Maisip ko palang to, kinakabahan na ko sa tuwa.

"Do you think this would really work?" Macie asked while holding my leg-cast-like time machine. "Ang ine-expect ng lahat, gagawa ka ng capsule or something like that."

Kinuha ko yun mula sa kanya at ikinabit sa mga binti ko. Project 0111X is funded by the government.

"Naisip ko yung capsule, pero kung babagsak yun sa maling lugar, mas malaki ang chance na masira o sumabog yung machine. But it's still a great idea, isn't? Kung maisusuot mo yung time machine katulad nito, at least hindi sya mahihiwalay sayo kung mapunta ka man sa ibang lugar."

Biglang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Kurth, my best friend and my personal technician. Just like me, he's a half-robot.

"Hey, how's the Project?"

"Well, improving!"

"Suot mo na naman yang machine?"

"I have to check its compatibility with my system."

Inayos ko muli ang specifications ng machine through my computer. In fact, almost everything on earth is now controlled by computers. Everything depends on technology.

"Wait, naririnig nyo ba yon?" Natahimik kaming tatlo. "I'm sure I heard some footsteps."

Biglang sumagot sa Macie. "I heard that, too. Parang malapit sa shelf? Tayo lang namang tatlo ang tao dito ha."

"AHH!" I felt some vibrations in my leg.

Lumapit agad sa kin si Macie. "What? Ayos ka lang ba Chandrix?"

Biglang may nag spark sa left side ng laboratory ko. Napasigaw si Macie at napayuko kaming lahat.

"Woah. What was that, Drix?"

May nag spark ulit sa lab kaya mabilis kong dineactivate ang lahat ng pwede kong ideactivate para makaiwas sa anumang pagsabog o sunog... pero walang nangyari. Nagpatuloy ang pag-i-spark sa buong lab.

"Kurth, paki pindot yung emergency button!"

Napahawak si Macie sa braso ko at nakita ko ang bakas ng takot sa mukha nya.

"We'll be fine, Mace." But after I just said that, biglang lumakas ang vibrations sa mga binti ko at napabagsak ako sa lapag.

"Drix! Anong nangyayari?"

Sinubukan kong alisin ang time machine sa katawan ko. Hindi ko alam kung anong nangyayari. Tinulungan ako nina Mace at Kurth para matanggal yung machine ngunit parang mas lalong kumakapit ito sa mga binti ko.

"You'll now be transported in 60 seconds."

Biglang may nagsimulang count down pero hindi ko maisip kung saang computer iyon nagmumula. Tumayo si Kurth at halos taranta nyang inisa-isa ang computers sa lab para i-shut down. For some reason, hindi gumana ang emergency button para putulin ang power supply sa loob ng lab.

"OMG Drix, what's happening?"

"30 seconds."

Halos napindot ko na yata lahat ng buttons sa time machine pero walang nangyari.

"20 seconds"

"Chandrix! Drix!"

"15 seconds."

Napapikit ako at hindi ko na halos naramdaman ang katawan ko.

"10 seconds... 9... 8...7..."

"C-Chandrix!" Dinig na dinig ko ang nanginginig na boses ni Macie. Kahit si Kurth ay wala na ring nagawa kundi pilit alisin pa rin ang machine sa mga binti ko. Seriously, what's happening to me?

"5... 4... 3..."

Ang huling narinig ko na ay ang tinig ni Macie: "Drix, hindi ko alam kung saan ka na mapupunta. Please promise me na babalik ka agad. Drix! Please..."

I then saw myself in an unfamiliar place.

Please tell me it was just a dream.