The Price of Curiosity

I froze as I heard the sound of footsteps coming from the stairway. My heart was pounding faster and faster. I knew it was my dad, it couldn't be anyone else.

Did he find out?

I tried to hold back my breath, trying not to make any sound.

Did he discover what I did?

I quickly spun around, but there wasn't anyone there.

Was it just my imagination?

"Ryu, uh, I'm in my room just let me know when you're hungry and I'll go make you something."

He was there, but he didn't discover me right away, normally I would've been in my room around this time.

But I needed to escape this room without making any sound, but is that possible? He has sharp ears for sure…

Luckily he didn't enter the room, it looks like he entered his own.

I don't even want to think about his reaction if he came in, what if he just kills me?

Well, I should refrain from thinking of negative thoughts, maybe he isn't like that, maybe he's kind.

Oh shoot, I forgot that he killed 4 people, I wonder what reason he had to do so though…Well, I don't think you would kill without a reason, if you do though, that will make you pure evil.

I don't even think the door is closed, so if he comes, I'm done.

The fact that he's on the most wanted list still haunts me, there's no way I can talk to him casually after all this.

I was still standing in the room, not knowing what I should do.

Should I go for a run? … But what if he heard me?

I decided to take a deep breath and analyze my situation.

I can't bear the risk of going out, there needs to be something else.

The room was big, I hadn't even explored all of it, I better do it quickly I thought.

By the end of the room, I noticed nothing strange, but I did notice something that looked like a wooden door.

There can't be another room, right?

I tried to open it but it wouldn't budge at all, so this thing isn't a door?

I'm clueless now…

Maybe I should just admit that I'm sorry and he might forgive me. But that's not going to happen for sure, he's a killer, I can't forget that.

"Ryu.. Where are you?"

In the middle of my thinking, the worst thing that could happen indeed happened.

Shit…

Should I hide? No, that would be foolish…

I jumped around trying to figure out what to do.

He's going to find out for sure… I'm doomed.

Is this the end?

Am I going to get slaughtered by him?

The footsteps kept coming closer and closer, he was probably at the bookshelf now.

"Ryu?"

With all my might I just kicked the wooden thing that looked like a door, but this time it broke.

"Huh?"

Another room?

No, it wasn't another room, after taking a closer look I realized there was a staircase going down.

What the hell?

I quickly muttered, "There's no other way." To myself, before going in.

I want to at least explore everything before being captured by my dad.

I didn't know that the room would be this big, there's even a staircase in a hidden room that I never saw before.

The staircase was short, though that wasn't a surprise at all, knowing that the house was small.

Quickly after I arrived in the room, I felt the cold air in it. The place didn't look that special, but as I walked a little bit further there was yet another door.

It had a lock, but the door was unlocked for some reason. Did my dad forget to lock it? Well… there was no point in thinking about that, I just want to know what the hell lures in here.

Quickly, I scanned the area around before entering the door.

The room was completely dark, and I couldn't see anything. My hands fumbled against the wall, searching for a light switch but there wasn't anything I could find. The air was thick with dust and metal, making it hard to breathe. I took a cautious step forward, putting myself into the shadows.

Then, a faint glow caught my eye from across the room. It was barely there, just enough to pull me deeper into the darkness. My heart pounded harder with every step as I moved closer. The glow grew brighter, revealing a strange machine hidden in the farthest corner.

The machine hummed softly, a low, steady sound that echoed in the silence. The dim light it cast flickered, giving just enough illumination to make out its shape. I reached out slowly, my fingers trembling, when—

[Welcome.]

A voice came out of nowhere, deep and smooth, echoing around the room. My whole body tensed. The glow suddenly intensified, outlining the edges of the machine in a ghostly blue light. I stumbled back, trying to make sense of what I was seeing.

The voice continued, its tone eerily polite yet somehow ominous:

[Eternal Elysian Acces initiated. Awaiting user command.]

What? Eternal Elysian Access? The words hung in the air, completely out of place, like they were ripped straight from some sci-fi nightmare. I stood frozen, staring at the screen that now pulsed with lines of text—dates, numbers, some of which didn't even make sense.

It couldn't be. Was this… a time machine?

Was this the project that he made? The project that my dad got awarded for…?

My thoughts were spiraling, but there was no denying it—the setup, the cryptic commands, it all pointed to something far beyond anything I'd ever imagined. I stepped closer, ignoring every instinct screaming at me to back off.

The voice, smoother now, almost flattering, whispered again:

[Please select the desired timeline.]

- Future

- Past

- Randomized

The screen flickered, offering me endless dates and possibilities. My pulse hammered in my ears as I realized the magnitude of what I'd found. This wasn't just a relic—this was a gateway. But where? And why the hell was something like this hidden in my own house?

My fingers hovered over the console, unsure of what I was even thinking of doing. Then the display changed again, growing more insistent:

[User command required. Select timeline or terminate the sequence.]

I bit down hard, forcing myself to think. What if this was how my dad knew all the things he did? What if this was how he kept everything so secret? The questions were piling up, but I couldn't stop myself from reaching out, curious and terrified all at once.

But then I heard it.

Footsteps—!

Fuck…

What do I do?

If this Time Machine is real, maybe I could travel one day back.

After I selected the past, the screen showed me a bunch of complicated codes that I didn't understand.

Shit…

I was still hearing the footsteps, each step coming closer and closer.

I had to do it fast.

"Ryu! Where are you?"

His tone wasn't emotionless like the rest of the time, now he's mad.

I didn't know what to do, I didn't know how the codes worked on the screen.

Shit… Is it the end?

Isn't there anything else I can do?

Footsteps—!

My dad reached the staircase, but it was too late.

What about the future?

But after choosing the future, it was the same, a bunch of complicated codes showed up again…

I just laughed at the situation, knowing that I was done. "There was no other choice."

"Random."

A word came up on the screen.

[Succes!]

There was no other choice I thought, this was my only way to do this. Even as a young kid, I had thought of committing suicide.

[Random chosen.]

[Countdown of 10 before the process starts.]

[10]

My dad arrived at the scene, I couldn't see his face properly because of how dark it was, but I knew something was up.

[9]

He stared at me and muttered, "… Ryu?" In an anxious tone.

[8]

I looked at him with a face full of regrets and announced. "I-I'm sorry…" in a weak tone.

[7]

I was feeling weaker and weaker, my mind almost went blank and I was also feeling dizzy.

I couldn't see his face, but I could feel water drop on the ground. Is he crying?

[6]

After seeing me in this state, he kneeled and slammed the ground while screaming. "Why, Ryu.." In a pitiful tone.

[5]

[4]

He laughed.

[3]

He laughed again.

[2]

Once again he laughed.

An exaggerated laugh, a foolish laugh.

[1]

"…"

At the last second, he said something, but I couldn't hear it.

[Process begins]

…

…

…

I was in a place, where it was so dark that I couldn't even see myself. I couldn't even talk, even if I tried to.

…

What was I doing again?

…

Who am I again?

Huh?

What is this?

Am I losing my mind?

Is this hell?

This can't be heaven, right?

…

I was confused. I didn't know what was going on, did I lose memories?

It suddenly felt like my entire body was on fire, taking on the flames from hell itself.

It hurts.

"I…."

I wanted to scream, but nothing came out. It was like my body didn't want to activate, but for some reason, I could still think.

What is going on?

In the heat of the moment, I suddenly remembered my last moments before being here.

I was using the Time Machine right?

Where am I now?

Is this the future?

There were tons of questions in my head, but none of them were answered.

Then something came to mind, a realization.

Ah, I get it… This is my punishment for my curiosity.

The pain got worse and worse, every second felt like years, every minute felt like decades and every hour felt like centuries. It goes on and on.

It was as if the devil himself wanted to punish me personally. Did I deserve something this harsh?

This was my escape, right?

This was my own choice, my own fucking decision… I did this to myself.

I want to escape this damn place.

It was like I was dying every second, but for some reason, I was still there, in other words, an eternal punishment, the worst one you can imagine.

Is this my conclusion? … Is this my ending? Just suffering in a place where no one can reach me?

I didn't think about my decisions, I was foolish, and this was indeed what I deserved.

The pain got worse, every second it felt like the pain multiplied itself by 10 and then 100. It kept getting worse and worse, eventually till I finally gave up.

But even after giving up, I was still there, enduring all the pain. It was dark yet it felt like the color red in my body, the burning flames were everywhere.

This was always how I lived, being alone in the darkness, but this time they added something; pain.

It felt like I was going insane but at the same time, it felt like something was stopping me from going insane so I could feel the pain even more.

My mind couldn't last any longer.

[Sanity Control activated]

Yet something was stopping my mind from dying, perhaps this place didn't want me to go.

The days felt like a millennium, I don't know for long I was suffering. Yes… I indeed lost count.

There was no meaning for this. But I didn't question life, this was all my fault, and my decisions triggered for this to happen.

Ah…

Pain?

What is pain?

Is this even pain?

What if all this is just an illusion?

What if all this is just a dream, a nightmare?

A nightmare where you wouldn't wake up and endure all the pain and suffering…

Maybe I shouldn't have let my curiosity take over…

Maybe I shouldn't have lived at all.

It felt like I was stuck in this place for thousands of years.

But there was no other experience than pain, pain was what I could learn.

Suffering and pain were everything.

I didn't die.

Pain…

God, it hurts…

…

I don't even know how long I've been here, it's felt like time doesn't exist in this place

Thousands of years… Every day with intense suffering.

Am I going to be stuck here forever?

Is this my fate?

I wonder why I'm not insane yet, well maybe I am. … Maybe I've lost my sanity a long time ago?

There was no point.

There was no post in this.

Dying was a better fate…

Ah…

God… I hate you.

Why?

I lost track of everything even my pain, everything hurts too bad to remember, all I remember is pain.

Suffering…

Ah, fuck everyone and everything.

I can't do this anymore…

…Is there a point in my existence?

I don't care anymore…

…

…

…

…

[You've reached your destination.]

[Duration: Decade]