Bouke Edskes

Remember
The lights sprinkled all over the machine winked at me, the whirring of some invisible
device whispering for me to step inside. Where it had appeared from I had no idea; one day it
had simply showed up in my room without warning. It would probably be best to ask someone
about it, but I figured, whats the worst that could happen? A door of some sort beckoned me
to try, so I opened it and stepped inside. A single smooth red button lay on a panel in the center
of the device. There seemed to be no other option, so I closed the door, took a deep breath, and
tapped the button. A chill ran down my spine, and I gasped as the world suddenly faded to black
around me.
The first thing that materialized around me was the rubble. Floorboards and jagged
pieces of concrete lay strewn all around. For some reason the same red button that had been in
the machine lay by my feet, seemingly untouched. I looked down and saw my hands appear out
of thin air, wisps of energy flowing off them. Suddenly feeling nauseous, I turned around and
threw up, right next to something that appeared to be the remnants of my desk.
Well when youre done with that, Id like to have a talk with you, came a voice from
behind me.
Still disoriented, I spun left, and saw a piece of concrete. That couldnt be it. I spun right,
and saw a half melted painting. That didnt seem right either. So I spun left again, and this time
caught the figure of a man in the corner of my vision. Waiting for my eyes to focus, I asked, Do
you know where I am?
The question to ask is not where, but when are you, he replied casually.
When? My voice trailed off as my eyes finally focused. I stepped backward and hit a
concrete slab. He looked exactly like me, though unkempt and worn down. His shirt was a dirty
white rag, his jeans ripped with scattered burn marks. He also seemed older, a certain trace of
wisdom glimmering in his eyes.
Well its now for me, but for you it would be roughly 20 years in the future, he added.
Talking will help you a bit. I remember when I was in your place.
20 years...so this isnt my room that I just destroyed?
Well in your time it would be your room, but no, you werent the one to destroy it. Its
been destroyed for a while, this area was one of the first to be bombed. I was lucky enough to
get out alive.
He has a wistful look in his eyes, and I cant help but wonder what hes...Ive...been
through. With that thought, I realize that I still dont know who he is, if hes me in the future. As I
begin to ask, he smiles at me.
I already know what youre going to ask, he says. After all, Im you.
My mouth comes to a dead stop before any sound has a chance to come out of it. To try
and cover up my silence, I turn my gaze away from him...me...him, and take a look at our
surroundings. The sun hangs high in the sky, watching over us standing in the ruins of my
home, or rather former home. The land is barren, just various piles of rubble and scorched earth
as far as the eye can see. Nothing moves save for some dust skittering along the ground. I look
back toward him, and ask, what happened...why is nothing left.?
He hangs his head, his shoulders visibly sag. The world went to war 10 years ago...10
years in the future for you, he begins. It was understandable, resources were becoming

Bouke Edskes
scarce, and the gap between the wealthy and poor was ever widening. People had something to
be angry about, you know? His eyes focus on something far in the distance. The poor rose up
in revolt, to try and create a better life, a better system. The rich were outnumbered 50 to 1, they
should have simply listened, gave in a bit to try and deescalate things. But they didnt. They
started bombing their own people, everything became chaos as the very foundations of our
civilization were shaken by the explosions. He looks at me. I mentioned to you how this was
one of the first areas to go, right?
I nod, urging him to go on.
I got out by blind luck, driving to a friends house to try and come up with some plan to
keep ourselves safe from the upcoming conflict. My...your...parents werent so lucky. They were
caught in the explosions that destroyed this house, he says, pointing to the ground below us.
Me and my friends, we drove back here to hide out, figuring they wouldnt bomb the same
place twice. We were right. As the war dragged on, the rich got more and more desperate,
eventually resorting to weapons of mass destruction. They self destructed to prevent
themselves from having to face losing. Theres only pockets of habitable land now, this being
one of them. The world is in shambles.
He sits down, and I sit down with him.
I should give you some advice before you return, theres no point for you to stay here
much longer. It may make this universe cease to exist, but Ill take the risk.
He leans closer to me, his voice softening to a whisper.
Lead by example, by being kind to those less fortunate. If you can influence even a few
people this way, you have made the world a better place. There was a time I had everything,
and now I have nothing
Everything? My eyes bore into his, searching for an answer that I already know.
A smile crosses his face briefly before fading into the shadows. Good. That saves me
some explaining. I was the leader of those that suppressed the poor. It wasnt luck that saw me
survive, I purposefully chose this place to hide out because it was the last place anyone would
look. He sighs deeply. I have much to regret now, with no one but the wasteland to talk to. My
friends are long gone, in search of any other survivors. Me, I wander around, wondering how to
repay what Ive done.
Something stirs in my heart. Wouldnt you, having the skills to lead the survivors, be the
best person to try and rebuild humanity?
Hope flashes in his eyes, followed by a steely determination. Yes. Thats what I have to
do. I can see the path I have to take. He stands up, and reaches into his pocket.
A blue gemstone, surrounded by some metal inscribed with a foreign language lays in
his hand. Your time is almost up. Remember, you have the power to prevent this future.
Remember me, and this wasteland. He presses the shiny object into my hand.
My hand immediately starts to dissipate, a crackling mist enshrouding me. He steps
away, and as darkness falls around me I hear him whisper, remember