“The ceremony of the journey to the past is about to begin.”

The announcement was the reason for the large crowd gathering in the large hall. The inside of this building is square-shaped, with one side higher than the others. There’s a brand new pulpit up there that can be seen.

This room is large enough with a capacity of almost four hundred people. The holographic ornaments on the walls display the figure of someone beautiful with inspirational words and the image of the blue Earth behind her. Not to forget, dozens of circling drones enliven the atmosphere by spouting confetti in the air. Loud cheers rang out from the audience, waiting for the event to start.

Several drones for media crews also spread out in various directions looking for an optimal and representative viewpoint for their coverage. Everyone understands that this event is a historic step for the survival of humanity.

A man walked towards the pulpit to do his noble job. He made a few touches on the pulpit and turned on the super-wide projection screen behind him.

Only one man stood as the center of attention between the hundreds of people sitting in their seats. He took a deep breath and readied his throat to signal the start of the event.

“My people! Thank you for being here. We will gratefully remember that your presence here is one of the major factors that decide the fate of the Earth in the future!”

There was thunderous applause and shouts of cheering again following. The orator bowed to respond to the satisfaction that emerged from the audience’s passionate spirit. He smiled and cleared his throat to get their attention back.

“As we know, the Earth has reached its dangerous stage. Thanks to our ignorance and arrogance as human beings, the planet is experiencing dire consequences. War, overexploitation of resources, and a capitalist system that knows no boundaries are the main cause of this planet’s horrible fate. Now, our only home in this solar system is about to be destroyed! Just look at the reality that has happened. Humans can only survive under an artificial oxygen dome. There is no more natural and beautiful ecosystem out there. Only air with a very high level of pollution will welcome us!”

Again, his words can touch everyone’s heart as they keep listening. A girl with long brown hair that reaches her back is trying to focus through her eyes to pay more attention to how the figure on the pulpit can easily influence others. One of her distinct features is anyone can see her ice cream hair ornament with a color foundation similar to the original.

“Therefore, we as human beings who caused all of this must be held accountable for our actions! Humanity has agreed that the only way to save the condition of the Earth in these conditions is to go back in time. In that era, we will carry out our mission so that the fate of destruction will not happen to our beloved planet!”

The orator spreads his arm wide.

“Our departure into the past is a humanitarian mission. For a better Earth! For the sake of the clear blue sky we are supposed to inherit from our ancestors! For the survival of all of us!”

“Agreed!”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Everyone present has made up their minds to carry out the mission of atonement for what humanity has wronged. Some stood up to show their seriousness, except the girl with the ice cream hairpin earlier.

Her eyes lit up, and her face wore a friendly smile. Arisa is thinking about something she wishes she could have done in the past.

“The clear blue sky is beautiful. But, I’m also curious about other things that can only be found in that timeline. I hope the ice cream tasted good,” she said flatly but hopefully.

Someone was sitting firmly in his seat on the other side of the hall, watching the orator trying to galvanize the audience. The man with short hair was reminiscing about his plan when he arrived in the past.

“Bro, try to be excited, please. The others were screaming passionately, and you just kept quiet? Where’s your determination, man? Where is it?” said the blonde-haired man as he firmly pats someone beside him. Her complexion was so attractive, and he understood that.

“Shut it, Val. I’m already excited, you know! But in my own way,” defended Rio angrily.

“I never heard of someone being excited but keeping quiet while others are expressing it so excitedly? Come on, Rio. Get your voice out. Groar!” he teased again with his mischievous smile.

“Can’t you just leave me alone? Go away.”

“There is no other place to sit. Everything is occupied, “said Valerie nonchalantly.

Rio ignored Valerie and focused on the center of attention on the pulpit.

“Give our salutation for the creation of scientists as our gateway to the past! Prepare your determination once again. We’re leaving now!”

The signal had been given along with the wall behind the orator being pulled up like a curtain. Hundreds of life-sized tubes could be seen as thin smoke drifted out of the room and slowly evaporated.

“What you guys are looking at is a time travel tube! This thing will send us to our destination safely and instantly. Rejoice, O mankind! We will succeed in this historic first step! Let’s go together to save the world.”

As the orator descended from the pulpit, the audience immediately stood up and gave the final salute. They then walked to the left and right, where the orator was standing, entering the new room. Each of the volunteers will enter their time travel tube respectively. Some were palpitating when they saw what the tube looked like up close.

It’s time to go on a journey that humanity had never done before, thought a girl with short black, slightly puffy hair. Her eyes scanned every inch of the outer shape of the tube. Nothing seemed odd, so the girl pushed the button to open the transparent cover and enter.

Hopefully, we can meet again in the past safe and sound, Rio and Valerie.

As the girl entered, everyone was already in their respective tubes.

In another tube, Arisa looks at many interfaces about the information on her tube. It shows her vital condition monitor on the left and right in the form of a hologram. This girl examined one by one of them and shook her head slowly.

“Yeah, I don’t understand a bit. As long as there’s no alarm, everything should be fine,” she muttered.

A holographic screen displays a view of the city from a height. Arisa widens the holographic view in three dimensions until it is seen to the most detailed level. Her fingers twirled the display from various angles. Then, she reversed the display so a clear blue sky could be seen.

“Tantoris. A natural city in the past that could survive without the need for an oxygen dome on top….” Arisa read the caption that happened to appear on display.

“Good. I hope it’ll be a nice trip,” she said with her mouth muscles moved to form a smile.

Thin smoke gradually entered and filled the contents of the tube. Slowly, extreme drowsiness attacks Arisa. Her eyelids felt so heavy that she immediately yawned.

“Departure is about to begin! Let’s countdown together! Ten! Nine! Eight!”

The faint sound of the orator can be heard from inside the tube as the consciousness of the volunteers fades away. The outside temperature of the tube gradually rises as a sign that enormous energy is being used to move the human body to the timeline where they’ve not come initially.

“Three! Two! One!”

As the countdown ended, each time travel tube had emptied its contents. There were no more human figures to be found inside except for a thick, cold mist that slowly spread throughout the room.

The orator’s lips stopped seeing the empty travel tube. He checked once again to see if no one was present.

“Travel to the past… is a success!”