CAUTION: For the safe, secure, and enjoyable use of your Time Flyer (™) temporal sliding device, it is vital that you follow the assembly instructions in order, not skipping any steps unless marked “OPTIONAL.” Failure to do so may result in injury, death, timeline fracture, pre-birth or post-death deletion.
Step 1: Using diagrams A – L, assemble the Time Flyer (™) containment housing. The required brass, titanium, platinum, and carbon alloy pieces are included in box A. Ensure all fittings are snug, and using the included protractor, all angles are exact. When completed, store the containment housing in a plastic airtight container in a dark place.
Step 2: Download audio files 1 – 5 from our website. Each file consists of one guided mental exercise of approximately twenty minutes. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed and complete one exercise per day. You may repeat an exercise if desired, but do not listen to any file more than three times.
NOTE: Failure to complete the mental exercises, in order, and in entirety, may result in your Time Flyer (™) failing to function properly and/or temporary or permanent mental impairment.
Step 3: Retrieve your Time Flyer (™) containment housing from where you stored it. You will note that it has approximately doubled in size. This is normal. (See Step 8.) Set up your workspace and wait five minutes.
ATTENTION: Any person who has not performed the mental exercises should not be present at this point.
Step 4: Take three calming breaths as practiced in mental exercise 3. Answer the door.
Step 5: Accept the Time Flyer (™) temporal core from your Future Self, careful to avoid any skin-to-skin physical contact. It is highly recommended to limit eye contact and do not attempt to communicate. Your Future Self will not answer any questions.
Step 6: Quickly take the temporal core to your workspace and set it down carefully. Once again, take three calming breaths. (See mental exercise 3.) These will be insufficient. Sit down someplace comfortable. We recommend the brown upholstered chair in the den. The dizziness will pass in slightly more than two minutes. Do not be alarmed at the red glow emanating from your workspace.
Step 7: Download audio files 1 – 5 from our website. This time, actually complete the exercises as described in Step 2. There is no need to limit yourself to one exercise per day as previously instructed. That was a test of your ability to precisely follow instructions. You always fail, but this time you will be more vigilant.
Step 8: Return to your workspace after completing the mental exercises. You will see that you have installed the temporal core into the containment housing. Please note that you failed to completely engage the third coupler in the second quadrant. Do so now.
Step 9 (OPTIONAL): Your neighbor one street over is holding a garage sale today. She has a slightly worn, but quite comfortable brown upholstered chair for sale that would look great in the den. Consider buying it.
Step 10: The orange pulsating light emanating from your Time Flyer (™) indicates it is currently in standby mode. (Note: The light will switch to dark blue when the temporal core activates to create a Time Slide. A red light indicates the Time Flyer (™) is recharging following a successful Time Slide. See the instruction manual for more details.) Study the sound of the hum produced by your Time Flyer (™). Feel it. Embrace it.
Step 11: To activate a Time Slide you must hum at a frequency higher or lower than that which the Time Flyer (™) currently produces. Higher sends you forward in time and lower sends you back in time. The greater the difference in frequency, the further you will travel. (Note: Watch the video “So you think you can hum?” on our website for more details.)
Step 12: Hum a perfect fourth above the current frequency. This will send you thirty-two years into the future so that you may secure the temporal core.
Step 13: That was a minor sixth. You traveled forty-eight years into the future. Say “watch Time Flyer (™) holo omega rho” out loud now. Watch the instructional holo on music theory and perform the included ear training exercises.
Step 14: Hum a minor second below frequency to reach the appropriate time.
Step 15: The temporal core is waiting for you. Take it.
Step 16: Hum a perfect fourth below frequency.
Step 17: Ring the doorbell, give yourself the temporal core. Be careful to avoid making skin-to-skin contact with yourself. Refuse to engage in any conversation. Wait thirty seconds. Go inside and install the temporal core while you recover on the brown chair.
Step 18: Hum a perfect fourth above frequency to return to timeline alpha. Your Time Flyer (™) will glow red as the temporal core recharges.
Step 19: You will be tired and thirsty. Drink plenty of fluids and take a nap if needed. Do not swim for at least an hour.
Step 20: Hum a major third above frequency to slide forward. Go outside and admire the new paint on your neighbor’s house. It really brightens up the street. On the corner is one of those new Time Flyer (™) shops you keep hearing about. Purchase the starter kit and return home.
About the author:
Born in the United States, author Shawn Kobb has spent a good portion of his adult life traveling around the world, and has lived in Ukraine, The Bahamas, Austria, Hungary, and Afghanistan. This is his second story for Flash Point SF. He has also published short fiction in Sanitorium Magazine, Crimeucopia, and Wyldblood Magazine.
Find Shawn:
Website
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