The screens changed statistics every few seconds, little numbers flying across in lines of code. A handful of men sat in front of them, beads of sweat clinging to their foreheads, mumbling under their breaths and willing themselves to stay concentrated. They had to stay concentrated- that is, if they wanted the very first teleportation to work. Small steps: that’s what it took for every experiment to escalate, and all forty-two scientists involved knew that.
But what exactly were they teleporting? The iconic fruit that fell from a tree and changed history, where it all began. An apple. It seemed only fitting that an object so important to Earthen culture was used for this exact operation.
It was held in a glass box, a large blue energy source hooked to its epicentre. A few metres away sat another glass box, empty and waiting for the teleported materials arrival. These glass cases were secured in a transparent, air-tight, polycarbonate room so that if anything went wrong- when something did happen- they could start anew.
Not If something happened-
When.
On one side of the glass were the observatory scientists and on the other, the operators, who had to press the right buttons and input the correct coordinates for the experiment to succeed- the experts that made the magic happen.
The apple rested in silence for what seemed like hours, the faces of those who watched contorted in anticipation. One of the younger operators began to tap his foot on the tiled floor, his face unreadable from beneath his safety goggles.
Then the countdown started.
T minus 30 seconds. A robotic voice flew through the speakers, refined and dignified. It seemed final, like what would happen in the next half-minute would determine humanity’s future, past and present, like nothing would ever remain the same. A man with dark hair that hung above his forehead stood next to the clock and fidgeted with the cuffs of his lab-coat. Others watched on in indignation, willing time to go faster.
T minus 15 seconds.
Onlookers shared expressions of hope.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6,
The apple’s form began to quiver behind the glass.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1-
Bright, white light pierced the box- a profusion of energy radiating off of the room. The crowd hushed as the glass seemed to have silently dissolved, their widened eyes struggling to comprehend the light. People appeared to scream but not a sound was heard.
There was only deafening silence.
Everyone was struck with the force of the energy, clutching the whitewashed floor as the temperature steadily rose. No one moved, no one spoke. A humidity hung in the air, as if it were about to rain indoors.
The next time anyone had the strength to look up, there it was…
The apple. Red as can be, sitting in tones of crimson and a burgundy stem protruding from its top, the glass case encompassing it in all its fruitful glory.
The scientists let out a fit of celebration, fists pumping, gaping smiles spread across their faces. A triumphant look of promise passed between the men operating the machine, beaming with victorious content.
