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RATS: A Tragedy of Timeline Tourism
“I’ll clearly never let you anywhere near that event,” RATS says. “Changing her meta-narrative, though… That could be subtle enough to work. I see maybe…four in a quadrillion options where it functions.”
It’s been seven decades since my mother’s death. But when I saw a poster on the train advertising clinical trials for a new time travel technology, I jumped at the chance to visit her again. Now I’m back in 2003, an old man tethered by microchips, reliving every detail of my childhood. When I finally see her, she’s manic, smiling in a hospital bed and flirting with the doctors. It’s then I realize – how could I not try to save her?
Unfortunately, the scientists running the study thought of this. Drilled into my head with the microchips is RATS, an AI here to maintain timeline integrity – and to bully me out of enjoying my all-expenses paid trip to the past. Now, I’m forced to ride the rollercoaster of my own memories as RATS builds an algorithm for emotional resonance.
Still, changing the future would only take a nudge, a single moment outside of protocol. So saving my mom should be easy, right? Of course, that’s also assuming I survive reliving the worst years of my life…
Warning : This book deals with suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis, please reach out immediately to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. These services are free and confidential.
It’s been seven decades since my mother’s death. But when I saw a poster on the train advertising clinical trials for a new time travel technology, I jumped at the chance to visit her again. Now I’m back in 2003, an old man tethered by microchips, reliving every detail of my childhood. When I finally see her, she’s manic, smiling in a hospital bed and flirting with the doctors. It’s then I realize – how could I not try to save her?
Unfortunately, the scientists running the study thought of this. Drilled into my head with the microchips is RATS, an AI here to maintain timeline integrity – and to bully me out of enjoying my all-expenses paid trip to the past. Now, I’m forced to ride the rollercoaster of my own memories as RATS builds an algorithm for emotional resonance.
Still, changing the future would only take a nudge, a single moment outside of protocol. So saving my mom should be easy, right? Of course, that’s also assuming I survive reliving the worst years of my life…
Warning : This book deals with suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis, please reach out immediately to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. These services are free and confidential.
102 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 22, 2025
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8 people want to read
About the author
J.H. Tomen
13 books44 followersJ.H. Tomen is a fantasy writer based in Chicago. He loves all things cats, cookies, and cookie cats! He also loves his readers! Feel free to look him up or write to him anytime!
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 31, 2025
All of it blurs together until it's everything. I see it all at once. I remember. I forget, I'm inside the black hole.
I'm a little too close to this one to review it objectively, but I can easily say, without the rose colored glasses of friendship, that I found this short, semi-fictional novel of grief and the ability to lose or find yourself in the void that follows to be incredibly powerful.
The life I have is warm, familiar. Even in its tragedy, I've learned to love it. But like a bird's nest, it suddenly feels made for jumping out of.
I'm a little too close to this one to review it objectively, but I can easily say, without the rose colored glasses of friendship, that I found this short, semi-fictional novel of grief and the ability to lose or find yourself in the void that follows to be incredibly powerful.
The life I have is warm, familiar. Even in its tragedy, I've learned to love it. But like a bird's nest, it suddenly feels made for jumping out of.
Displaying 1 of 1 review