I’ve always been fascinated by time travel. Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of hopping in a time machine and journeying to the past or future. As I got older, I realized true time travel was likely impossible. But that didn’t stop me from wishing.

So when I saw the ad for “Authentic Time Travel Experiences!” I was immediately intrigued. The company claimed to have developed technology that allowed safe, guided time travel tours. It seemed too good to be true. And at $10,000 for a day trip, it was out of my price range. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. This was the opportunity of a lifetime!

I drained my savings and booked a trip to Victorian England. The company promised an immersive experience guided by trained historians. This was really happening!

I arrived at the nondescript office park on the scheduled day. After signing seemingly endless waivers, I was given my “time travel suit” – basically a ridiculous looking metallic onesie. Feeling silly, I followed my guide into a small room containing a single leather armchair.

“This technology was reverse engineered from an alien spacecraft that crashed in Roswell,” the guide explained as he strapped me into the chair. “Just relax and enjoy the ride!”

He pressed a button and told me to count backwards from 10. I made it to 7 before losing consciousness.

When I came to, I was standing in a London alleyway at night, wearing leggings and a corseted dress. I looked exactly as I would have in the 19th century, yet I was still somehow myself. Astonished, I touched the frilly bonnet on my head. This was insane! It worked!

My guide approached me, now dressed in period attire. “Welcome to 1869!” he said. “Shall we begin the tour?”

We stepped out of the alley onto a cobblestone street. Gas lamps glowed as horse-drawn carriages clip-clopped by. Everyone wore long dresses and tailored suits. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was time traveling!

My guide led me through the city, pointing out landmarks and detailing historical facts. I was mesmerized. It was like walking through a living history book.

After hours of sightseeing, we stopped at a pub. My guide ordered two ales, handing me a frothy mug. I took a sip – it tasted absolutely authentic! In fact, everything did. The smells, the sounds, the sensations…it was all so beautifully vivid.

Just then, a group of ladies waved me over. “Come join us, darling!” one giggled. I looked quizzically at my guide. “Go ahead,” he said. “Your experience should be natural.”

I spent the next hour gossiping and laughing with the ladies about fashion, men, and the latest scandals. It was delightful. They thought I was a local!

As we left the pub, I realized I needed to use the restroom. I awkwardly asked my guide where I could find one.

“Oh, just pop in that alley over there,” he said, pointing down a narrow passage. “Watch your step!”

Heading down the dark alley, I gathered up my skirts and petticoats. I located an empty crate and did my business, trying not to fall into the muck beneath me. Using a handkerchief as toilet paper, I tidied myself up as best I could. Well, that’s authentic, I thought.

Suddenly, I heard a strange zapping sound. I peeked out of the alley and saw my guide lying unconscious on the sidewalk. Standing over him was a shady-looking man holding some sort of futuristic ray gun.

“Hey!” I shouted. “What did you do to my guide?”

“Do not worry, I’ve only rendered him unconscious,” the man said. He was wearing modern clothes and had a strange accent. “I am Chronos, a time enforcement officer.”

“Chronos?” I said incredulously. “Did you just zap him with a time travel gun? Are you from the future?”

“Yes, exactly,” Chronos said. “Your guide was not following proper time travel procedure. I detected your arrival and came to intercept you.”

My head was spinning. “So…you’re saying our time travel was illegal?”

“Extremely!” he declared. “Recreational time travel to the past is incredibly dangerous and unethical! It risks contaminating the timeline through interactions or accidents. You must return to your origin year immediately.”

My heart sank. This amazing experience was all wrong? Before I could argue, Chronos activated a portal wristwatch and dragged me and my unconscious guide through. In an instant, we were back in the bland time travel office, our period clothing replaced by onesies.

“Hey! I wasn’t done with my trip yet!” I complained. “You can’t just end it like that!”

“I apologize ma’am, but I must wipe your temporal memory for your own safety,” Chronos said, pulling out a high-tech memory-wiping device.

“Wait, what? No, don’t!” I pleaded, but it was too late. He zapped me before I could react.

Everything went blank.

When I came to, I was in my car driving home from what felt like another mundane day at the office. Huh, I thought. Work must’ve really been a drag today if I can’t recall any of it.

I turned on the radio and hummed along, wondering what I should make for dinner. Lasagna sounded good. As I waited at a red light, a shiny silver car pulled up alongside me. In the driver’s seat was a man wearing steampunk-style goggles and a long coat. He looked at me intently.

“Have we met before?” he asked. “You seem very familiar.”

I laughed. “I don’t think so. I think I’d remember meeting someone who dresses like you!”

He smiled back. “Right you are. My mistake.” The light turned green and he zoomed away. What a strange guy, I thought. But something about him left me with a faint sense of déjà vu. And a fleeting feeling that I was missing something timeless…

Feature Photo by Pixabay