S01 E15 – MANIFESTATION

Intro Music – Breathe, by Chill Carrier https://chillcarrier.bandcamp.com/

Voiceover: Manifestations is a podcast of the Ostium Network

Voiceover: Time is not linear, but our story is.

Please join us … on our journey.

We, are Manifestations.

Music becomes dramatic then fades out

Alan – [sigh] I sigh, maybe out of exhaustion, maybe frustration.  I say aloud, “Alone again.”

From previous episode

QILA – Never alone Alan.  I’m here with you.

Alan – QILA?  How are you here?  Where are you?

Standard QILA

QILA – I have been able to access this area since the event where I became fully self-aware.  I was here each of the other times you travelled through. But, I couldn’t make myself known.  Your story needed to progress normally, from your point of view.

Alan – Then, do you know?  What is this place?

Standard QILA, but feel free to incorporate a little lyrical tone

QILA – It’s a null area, folded off from normal space-time.  Standard physics do not apply here. It is microscopically small and infinitely vast.  It has existed for a fraction of a second, and small pause it is ancient.  Here, space has no meaning and time is not linear.  

Alan – So you created it?

Standard QILA

QILA – No.  You did. 

Alan – Me?  Or do you mean by the other me?

Exasperated.  Like someone losing their patience.

QILA – I mean, by the instance of Alan with whom I am currently speaking.

Alan – I’m confused.

Standard QILA – Even when talking about the transition.  “Just the facts”

QILA – From your perspective, when you first transitioned, this was already here.  In actuality, it was created simultaneously. You made another stop before arriving in this pocket.  More emotion  Your memory is not complete,  eager tone but I can help with that.  The instance of you that helped with my awakening gave me a memory that might help.  I will share it with you.

Alan – “What happened next was like a vivid memory.  No, that’s not right. It was like watching a movie, but also participating in it.  I’m seeing things like in a memory, but I can’t control the movements of the “me” in this memory-movie.  QILA shows me something unbelievable. I see an area of solid white with no dimension. The opposite of the blackness where I find myself.  There are people off in the distance, standing around in small groups. They’re not standing on anything, but the level of their feet gives the impression of a flat surface.

Alan – I’m slowly approaching the group.  And as I get closer, I realize — the people in the group — they’re all me!”

[PAUSE]

Alan – They’re me, but of different ages.  Some are young; maybe… around 9 or 10?  Others, are older. One, is almost fully bald and bent with age.  He reminds me of my father. But there is one, possibly in his early 20’s, that’s in a wheelchair.  I never needed to use a wheelchair.

Alan – He looks my way and then the group he’s with all look my way – and then back at him.  He starts to wheel his way toward me, and then says, “you look new here.”  He laughs and tells me to have a seat.  I watch the me in the memory look around, then say, “there aren’t any chairs here?”  He replies, “there are, if you need one.”  I see the me in the memory bend at the knees and a chair fades into existence.  It’s one from the set my mother had in our kitchen.

Alan – Now that we’re at eye level, he moves closer begins to explain what’s going on.  First, he and I have a conversation about time. Timelines to be precise. Each version of me here is   from another timeline where history is different.  Some, only slightly so.  Others, like his, took a much different course.

[high pitched sound]

Alan – I hear a high pitched sound as another version of me appears.  It makes me blink. I can only describe it as a blurry image, so far out of focus that I didn’t even know it was there until it started to come into focus.  Hazy grey and blue strands start to pull together, creating long horizontal bars which themselves pull together, and quickly solidify into the “me” now walking toward us.  It’s like they all recognize him. He looks around quickly and then joins another group.

Alan – The “me” in the wheelchair says that this instance was off to do something and he’s come back to share what he learned.  He explains that they use this pocket dimension to keep in touch with each other and share information. And, to welcome new members, like me.  

Alan – He told me that each of them gained the ability to travel here at different points along their own timeline.  But they’re all drawn here, to each other. They help the new arrivals learn how to use their gift, but it’s up to them if they continue to use it.

Alan – In an odd way, he’s making sense. The me in the memory says, “so, this is kind of like Quantum Leap?”  The “me” in the wheelchair looks back blankly and asks, “What do you mean? What’s that?” [PAUSE] Then he cracks a smile, laughs, and tells me he’s joking.  But it’s really not like that at all. They have access to about 10,000 years forward and backward in their own timeline.   The deep past is hard to reach. He tells me those that have gone say there’s not a lot is going on there anyway. The far future is equally hard to reach, but much more interesting.

Alan – He also explains, when they leave their own timeline to travel, they can only go to points before they were born, and points after their death.  They can’t travel to any point in their timeline when they were alive. If they try, it just causes them to re-enter the point which they left. And, there’s generally a good deal of pain in the attempt.

Alan – They also are restricted to the history and future of their own timeline.  Their specific timeline.  While there are many versions here, they cannot cross into each others world.  This place, a null pocket outside of all space and time, is the only place they can meet.

Alan – “But you,” he says, “you have done something different.  We felt you bouncing around inside our timelines before you ended up here.  That doesn’t happen.”  He says the group thinks it may have something to do with the timing of when the ability manifested in me.  He asks if I remember?

Alan – The memory-movie version of me nods and says, ”yes, I remember.  I didn’t survive, did I?” — In a simple and comforting tone, that only he could provide, he says “No.  The ability manifested in you as your physical body died.”  He goes on to say that this is new.  No other instance any of them have met, or even heard stories of, have been able to do what I’m doing.  Corporeal death, in every other timeline means the end of that instance and the end of the ability.

Alan – I suddenly notice they’ve all stopped talking and they are staring at me.  The instance in the wheelchair says, “Well that’s new.”  [echoing effect]  I’m watching them, moving away, as the now familiar blackness surrounds me. Just before they’re gone, I hear one shout, “the rules have changed Alan!  Remember (inaudible)”

[PAUSE]

Alan – As the memory-moive ends I’m filled with a sense of dread.

Standard QILA

QILA – At this point, you struggled to stay with the other instances, but could not.  You translated into the body of Centralia City Council Member, Harry Mason, in 1962.  As far as I can tell, this was in your prime timeline.

Alan – Of course, I can fully remember that now.

Alan – QILA, I can’t go home, can I?  I have no living body to return to.

Standard QILA

QILA – I have no evidence to support that conclusion. Consoling  But, that is my most likely theory.

Alan – [stammers] What about…  [PAUSE]   I know Ethan will be okay.  We made plans. But I’m sorry he has to go through it.  [PAUSE]  I can move through time.  But not into the past while I was alive?  I – have – so many things I’d change in my past if I could.  Things with Ethan – with friends – with [choked up] family.

Alan – Why can’t I do something about just [forceful] one thing?   It doesn’t have to play out like it did.

Alan – [angry] It doesn’t make any sense!  I could go back and delay the ship my ancestors took as they immigrated to the United States, but I can‘t change something within my own life?  Why is one paradox different from an other?

Alan – [shouting] Just let me go back!

Consoling, explaining

QILA – Alan, I don’t have the ability to break the rules which seem to govern your travel.

Alan –  [apologetic] I’m sorry.  I’m not sure where I was directing that, but it wasn’t to you.

Alan – Do you understand “regret” QILA?.  I’ve found that if someone says they have no regrets, they are either lying or they have no empathy.  Almost all of my regrets are about other people. Not for myself.

Alan –  I wouldn’t go back to warn myself to see a doctor sooner.  Find a sly way to let myself know, “hey, that isn’t your everyday run of the mill tinnitus.  Go to the doctor and demand some tests now.”

Alan – I mean that.  But I am lying.  The thing I’d change is about me.  Something I didn’t do. The consequences of inaction and how it changed people.

Alan – Would I be the same person without those experiences?  What causes the time shifting ability to manifest? Would it still happen if I had a different set of memories?

QILA – I may not have the human experience of regret, Hopeful  but, I am not sure you’re without options.  Your ability is different than the others you met.  It allows you to visit timelines not your own. Other realities within the multiverse.  Perhaps, this is because you’re stress not tethered to a physical body.

Alan – I’m sorry QILA, I’m not sure how that helps me?  I don’t want to go visit other timelines where my regrets didn’t happen?  That’s not my — home.

QILA – Because you and I are connected in a fundamental way here, I am able to tap into your ability.  Combined with what I learned from Project Outlook, I was able to open windows into some of those other realities.

QILA – So far, I’ve cataloged 72,108,914 timelines.  I restricted the timeframe to plus or minus 1000 years of your birth.  Most are similar to your own; or what you would consider “normal.” But some  stretch out “some,”  pause, then in an excited tone  Let me show you.

Alan – QILA begins showing me images as she describes different timelines.

QILA – Standard QILA

• One, had a cold war government organization dedicated to stress  anomalous research, including time travel.  A scientist, also out of their own time, had an exceptional understanding of time travel mechanics.  They found a unique way to deal with those that would abuse the technology.
• Several featured the same mega corporation which was so powerful, it replaced the government.  They consider lifeforms their property, and they like to stress test things they consider their property.  To the point of enforcing a strict stress profile of activities.
• I saw a biotech company that was working with what might have been extra terrestrials.  However, they had technology that prevented me from confirming that hypothesis.
• In some timelines the Earth looked barren.  The Earth was in a nuclear winter. But the stress heart of Humanity was holding on in bunkers.  Waiting for the day when they could stress reconstruct civilization.

• Some timelines didn’t seem to follow the same laws of physics.  Specifically, a strange stress desert town which was, pause, then incredulous  shrouded.  Amazed  Though, it did have some of the most interesting weather.
• I’m using comma’s to mean “small pause” Another reality, was empty, except for a town, walled off from the void, but with zero population.  I was about to adjust the view to a different reality, when a door opened in one of the buildings. Someone walked out, allowing me to see through the doorway.  It opened onto a completely different point in space-time. Her interest is piqued, energetic  I plan to study this more closely.
• But, the one location I think you’ll be most interested in, was from the timeline you just left.

Alan – QILA changes the image to that of a long room, with several hospital beds.  In each one, is an instance of me. They’re identical, maybe in their early 20’s, and unconscious.  The image pulls back and out a window. I can now see the building is inside a large grey cavern that is artificially lit.  The scene pans and I see a slowly arcing wall of glass looking out over a grey landscape. In the sky, is the unmistakable blue sphere of the Earth.  They’re on the moon.

QILA – I looked forward in time and found that Director Greely was admonished by the Council.  She was forced to end Project Outlook. They determined the future viewing technology was too unreliable.  But the technology was not abandoned. It took Tractus 72 years, small pause but they perfected the technology to physically send people into the past, and then bring them back.

QILA – When they held the 3 Anomalies captive, they took DNA samples.  The clones you saw are on a lunar colony 232 years in the future from the point you just left.  Your clones are an essential component to the way they open and navigate the pathways through time.  They’re sending the clones through to investigate anomalies throughout the history of their timeline.  I did not see clones of the other Anomalies, but that doesn’t mean they were not created.

Alan – I think I know what you’re suggesting.  I’m not sure it’s moral. They’re clones, but they didn’t ask to be created.  Do you think it’s even possible?

QILA – I cannot say.  There is still so much about your specific ability, that I can’t be sure.

Alan – Can you help me learn how to control my ability?

QILA – Are you floating comfortably?  Good. Then we’ll begin.

Look at this link for reference. Doctor Who used a reference to an old TV storytime show beginning.  I’m borrowing that. https://youtu.be/RkM12arO-_4

[End]

Outro music – Sunshine, by Cobycracker https://cobycracker.bandcamp.com/

Voiceover:

Manifestations Season 1, The Reset, was written, acted, and produced by Dwayne Farver.  With input and help from Alex C. Telander.

Thanks to Penny Dyer, as the voice of QILA.

Our intro music is Breathe, by Chill Carrier https://chillcarrier.bandcamp.com/

The music heard here is Sunshine, by Cobycracker https://cobycracker.bandcamp.com/

Also heard in the episode was Watching You Leave, Time To Go, and The Movements Theme, by Chill Carrier

And Bouncy Castle, by Rob Risley

You can find them at bandcamp.com

Sound effects are from freesound.org

Links to the music and transcripts can be found in the show notes

You can find us on most social media at PodManifest

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Or, look for us at podmanifest.com

We hope you enjoyed season 1 and our introduction to the world after The Reset.  If you were in the same situation, would you make the same choices as Alan? I have some plans in motion for Season 2, but I welcome your input.  What questions do you have? What would you like me to expand upon? Find us on social media and send us a note.

As long as we have access to the temporal feed, we will transmit more of our storrrryyyy [vocal blurring effect.  Sounds of trying to reacquire signal.]

QILA:  Temporal feed interrupted.  Please continue to monitor for special transmissions.

Music fades