(STBSS) The Scientist, page 1

The clock had struck twelve and a scientist was still sitting in the same place he had been sitting for 4 hours. He was on the floor in the corner of his laboratory staring at the clock as each second passed. The sweat had been constantly pouring down his face even though the room was cold as ice. His eyes were empty and his skin was white but he was still breathing normally. Other than the constant buzzing of the machine to his left, there was no sound in the room. The clock had mesmerized him as if he was hypnotized. He couldn't stop staring at it because after all time was what had made him go into this state in the first place.
His eyes started getting heavy and he was about to delve into a great sleep when he heard a clicking sound. He looked around and saw that the wind was making the blinds click. As he was turning back to the clock, his eyes caught sight of the machine. The machine that he had once thought would bring him fame and fortune. It was a time machine. He had been working on it for 36 years when all of a sudden, 5 scientists from Germany successfully built the first one that was fully operational without any flaws. This is what put the scientist into a depression because that same day he finally completed his own. Now instead of being famous for the first time machine, he's a nobody for the second.
Everyone knew he was starting to go crazy because of all the publicity stunts he was trying to pull. The scientist himself knew that they were going to take him away soon to an institute. This is why all he had been doing lately is sitting staring off into space.
Just then, the scientist got an idea.
"All I have to do", he said aloud "is go back in time and kill the four German scientists so that I be the first person to make a time machine".
His face lit up like a Christmas tree and he regained all the colour in his face. He got up and rushed over to the time machine to turn it on. He started pushing buttons and dates. He pushed the final button and he saw the portal open. The portal that would lead him to fame and fortune. He started thinking about all the money he would have and what to do with it. Then he started thinking about the consequences. What if I get caught? What if I change something about myself? What if I can't come back to the present time? He thought about all these things and started having second thoughts.
Just then he heard knocking on the door.
"Dr. Wells! Dr. Wells! Are you in there?"
He knew that voice. It was his psychiatrist that he hated going to. He looked at the portal and then at the door and had to make his decision quick. He couldn't make up his mind. He heard a crack and then saw that the door had been broken down. Standing at the door were four people. His psychiatrist, a doctor, and two police officers.
"Oh my goodness", said the doctor as he looked at the open portal.
"Dr. Wells, please step away from the machine. We're here to help you", said the psychiatrist.
"I think I can help myself", as he took a step towards the time portal.
"NO WAIT", said one of the officers.
"What is it?"
The psychiatrist looked at the rest of the people in the room and said. "We can help you get a lot of money from this Dr. Wells. You have to trust us on this one. Plus there are some side effects to the time machine that we didn't know before now".
"How would know this stuff, I built this machine", Wells said furiously.
"We found out from the German government that if you go through the time machine, you might not make it back in time in one piece. It has something to do with the fabric of time, I didn't really understand it, but that's besides the point".
The expression on Dr. Wells face changed from anger to terror as he heard this.
"But the tests....they were....how is this....."
Dr. Wells was flustered. How could he have not come across this in his research?
"It's alright Dr. Wells. Come with us and we will help you get back on track", said the doctor.
"Why?" the scientist said "Why go with you? This has been my life's work. Now that I know I have been doing it all wrong, I have nothing to live for". He turned around and started walking towards the portal.
"Doctor, NO!" screamed the four men in the room, but they were too late. Dr. Wells had gone through the portal and there was nothing they could do about it.
The next day an announcement was made that Dr. Wells had died in his sleep. There was a ceremony the following day in his honour in the park right beside his house. It was one of those scorching hot days of summer, but there were still about 300 people there. All 5 German scientists were at the ceremony as well. The Prime Minister of England did a speech and said that each of the scientists had something to say. He turned back at the chairs in which the scientists were sitting. He saw that all 5 were there so he turned back towards the crowd to introduce them. As he said the name of each of the scientists he heard the crowd gasp and there was a scream. He turned around after saying all five men’s names to see that the seats were empty. The scientists had vanished into thin air as if they had never been there in the first place. Everyone was so confused that there was uproar. Everyone was really scared and people started to leave when they say someone walk on stage and sit down in the middle of the 5 chairs. Sitting there a great big grin on his face was Dr. Wells.

[edit on 19-7-2005 by theghost88]