Fiction: The Loop, a short story

The Loop

A short story, by Erik Engström, 2024-07-24

 

“I wonder what this button does” the inventor softly said to herself.

She had been working on this device for a long time, it was the pinnacle of her own achievements. In her own workshop she could lose herself in her interests for hours. It could sometimes start with an idea out of nowhere or after reading something somewhere. These ideas got to her as naturally as the sun itself rises in the morning.

Being deeply focused on her creations she would sometimes lose track of time, not stopping her pursuit until her search reached an end. Even though she didn’t even remember what it was that she was searching for, her feeling told her to keep trying to fix the machine, she was so close now.

She had spent the better part of two years working on the machine, following an instruction manual laying in front of her. It was not only her body that deteriorated, but as the machine became more complete, her connection to other people was falling apart.

Those that knew her saw something else when they entered her workshop. Tools everywhere, blueprints spread out on the bench. She in turn saw a machine in the making, something that would change the world for the better, remove incurable suffering and help a chaotic mind to finally find peace from the worries of the world.

She read the notes in the instructions, right next to where someone had doodled the initials TTC.

“This machine has not been tested yet, results may vary, use at own risk” she read from the handwritten words in the corner of one of the pages.

“Press button to activate”.
That sounds simple enough, a push of a button to fix all the pain and suffering. Who wouldn’t press it? She continued to look through the pages for additional answers, what would the machine actually do? There was a page titled “results” but it was completely blank. It looked like it was up to her to take the step into the unknown and see what would happen.

Excitement and curiosity overshadowed reason at this stage, years of research was documented in the notebook, and she was finally at the end of the process. How come no one had ever proceeded after this point? She looked at the machine that stood on the table, now taunting her to push the small silvery button on the front.

“I wonder what this button does” the inventor said once again as she finally clicked the button.
In front of her was a notebook with a familiar handwriting and a machine that she was just seeing for the very first time.