The Last Travel

"After hundreds of years dedicated to research...NASA is proud to announce...that the first time machine...is being tested today...by a volunteer named... Linzy Mendel...Today marks a new chapter in our children's history books..."

This announcement was played on every speaker in America, including the one Linzy passed on her way to work. It sent chills down her spine knowing that she was going to be the first person to ever time travel.

That day, everyone was asked to power down their electronics so the NASA Headquarters could use all the electricity they needed to power up the machine, which was approximately 1.5 million Watts (the power of around 1250 microwaves). School was cancelled and all office jobs had their electricity cut off, shutting down all the computers that drained power.

"What should I say when I make it threw? Something like Neil Armstrong's famous quote?" Linzy thought to herself as she approached the headquarters. "This is one small step for technology, and one giant leap for America...No that's stupid..."

The large NASA Headquarters was swarming with news stations and camera crews. Linzy braced herself for their questions as the crowd gasped and ran towards her, shoving their microphones in Linzy's face.

"Mrs. Mendel! Mrs. Mendel! How far ahead in time are you going?" One lady from CNN asked. Linzy was a little annoyed by everyone's cameras because they were asked not to use technology today, but brushed it off as these people only doing their job. "How many years!?"

"Only a few months," Linzy answered as she smiled at all the cameras she could. "We need to start small. Next question?"

"Over here! Here!" A woman from Fox News shouted over the swarm of excited people. She looked at her film crew's camera and asked, "Will you be documenting your whole trip, Mrs. Mendel?"

"Yes, I will, but-"

Thousands of people started screaming at the top of their lungs that they had a camera she could use, and making deals with her. Linzy smiled before slowly making her way to the safety gates at pushed the SOS button. The crowd closed in on her just before the large metal gates opened and hundreds of police officers piled out, shouting at the crowded and telling them to get back. Linzy rushed inside, the huge gates closing behind her with a loud bang.

Waiting inside the gates were Linzy's manager, Jim Bridenstine, and President Donald Trump. They looked iconic; standing with their shoulders back and their hands behind their backs. Linzy straightened her posture as she approached both of them at the large doors of the headquarters.

They were both wearing black suits that looked like they were made just for their bodies and no one else's, with a bright red tie. Although this would be a moment of excitement for many people, Linzy was swarmed with anxiety.

"Mr. President, Mr. Bridenstine," Linzy greeted them as she shook their hands, "what a pleasant surprise to see you."

"As is to see you, Mrs. Mendel," The President replied as he shook Linzy's hand again. "Mr. Bridenstine was telling me about what a very talented scientist you are."

"Yes, thank you, Mr. President," Linzy chatted, "and thank you for allowing NASA to perform such an important experiment."

"Yes, thank you," Mr.Bridenstine chimed in as he rested his hand on Linzy's shoulder, "we are honored, to say the least."

"Of course," said the president, "I shall be on my way now, however I wish you the best of luck."

"We won't let you down," vowed Mr. Bridenstine, "you can count on that."

"Yes, I can."

Linzy and Mr. Bridenstine watched as the president was left threw the gates before they went inside.

"The crowd out there is crazy," Linzy remarked as they entered the huge building, "are they even supposed to be using the cameras?"

"Well, no, but today is very important," Mr. Bridenstine clarified as they walked down the long, cold hallway, "someone has to document what is going on, hm?"

"Yeah, you're right."

The headquarters is basically a large, white building with space artifacts everywhere, but in a very tidy manner. Their shoes clicked as they made their way to the lab. It was full of many rooms for classes and experiments, all kept confidential.

"Review question number 1: Where will you enter once the machine beeps 2 times?" Mr. Bridenstine questions as they turned a corner and entered a large corridor.

"Outside the city hall; everyone in town will be waiting for me."

"Correct. Question number two: If the machine beeps 4 times, what does that mean and what should you then to do?"

"If the machine beeps 4 times, the machine is malfunctioning and may A) Explode, B) Power down, resulting in being stranded in a time rift, or C) Freeze in time. If the machine beeps 4 times, I must inject my right arm with the emergency needle, which will collapse my lungs within 30 seconds."

"Correct. Question number 3: If you do not make it to the City Hall, what do you do?"

"I take the machine back to the NASA Headquarters by inputting "4 months back."

"Correct," Mr.Bridenstine announced as they stopped at a large medal door at the end of the hall. He gave her a firm handshake before saying, "go make history."

The time machine looked like a large circular closet; probably as big as 2 refrigerators but together. The inside was full of buttons and levers, complete with a white chair in the middle of the capsule for Linzy to set in.

Linzy sat down in the time machine and strapped her seat belt on over her chest and waist. She fashioned the white headset on security and pressed the "on" button.

"Linzy, can you hear me?" A female voice said to her through the earpiece, "are you ready for lift off?"

Linzy took a deep breath. This was really happening.

"Yes, I am ready."

"Okay," a different voice said, "1...2..."

Linzy held on tight to her seat as she waited for someone to say 3.

"...3."

At that moment, the small white machine started to hum and shake. Linzy felt like she was being pulled out of her seat by a strong, violent force as a loud rattling filled the machine. It's working. It's really working.

All kinds of buttons began flickering and glowing, but the big red one above the door was the one Linzy had to watch; for it would decide her fate. Everything in the small room was shaking and seemed to be screaming until...silence.

The red light beeped 2 times; Linzy was here. 4 months in the future. She did it; she was alive and millions of people were behind that door to cheer for her and congratulate her. A smile spread across her face as she sighed a long, loud sigh.

"Linzy? Linzy, can you hear me?" A voice asked from her headset. "Are you okay? Did you land?"

"Yeah! Yeah, I landed! It beeped 2 times...Can I go out?"

"Yes, it is safe to go outside; Make sure your camera is on, Dr. Myers out."

Linzy turned on her camera and held it tightly in her hands as she unbuckled her seatbelts. She fell over, but caught herself once she stood up.

Linzy took a deep breath, let it out, and opened the medal door. Bright sunshine shone right in her eyes as she stepped out of the capsule, so she shielded her eyes with her free hand.

She opened her eyes and noticed something that made her heart drop...

The town was reduced to rubble.

The End