XRT-31. Short Fictional Story

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(Edited)


Image by William Iven at Pixabay

Today was the best day of my life, don't get me wrong, it doesn't mean that my other days weren't good, but this one beats all the others.

I've always wanted an XRT-31, the best smartphone ever built. I won't bore you with the technical features, but it's worth saying that it's extremely versatile and fast. The fastest phone alive! Hehehe

Finally, after a long journey of repetitive and exhausting work, I have managed to raise the money to buy this beauty of telephone engineering.

I don't usually read the user manuals of any equipment I buy ("Who does?"), but I love that particular brand new smell when I open the box of my new XRT-31. It's amazing to see how flawless its screen is, never touched. Not a single line that ruins its perfection.

Minutes after turning it on, I'm still waiting for it to load the contacts into my address book. The wait is endless...

«Bloody internet!»

I play around with other apps while waiting for my account to load completely.

I find the option to dial a number and strangely enough, I only remember mine. It's ironic that I only remember mine, why would I call myself?

Maybe to find your own phone when it gets lost...? It reminds me of the voice of my conscience, obstinate of my little imagination.

I really don't know if people talk to themselves, or if they hear a voice inside their minds, but I have gotten used to talking to myself, and 'she' sometimes goes overboard.

"So what the hell!? What would happen if I called myself? Stop wasting time, let's try it"

All right, Sherlock. Brilliant... my inner voice is sarcastic.

«This is silly» I repeat myself once again, but I've already pressed the send button.

At first, I didn't hear anything...

My gaze moves anxiously up and down and stops at a leakage mark on the ceiling... I decide to look away to avoid thinking about it, while lazily waiting for something to happen.

A problem that your future self will have to solve, added my conscience

I check my smartphone screen again and it still says Dialing...

A ringing tone can be heard on the other side... I'm getting worried...

«Could it be that I have the wrong number? This can't be happening.»

An old, patient voice answers on the other end of the call

"Hello, good afternoon. Who do you wish to speak to?"

A feeling of anguish runs through my back. I definitely mistyped some of the numbers

"Sorry to bother you, sir, I think I have the wrong number..."

I quickly decide to confirm if I have made a mistake and before I hang up, I ask again

"Excuse me! Is it 06775456983?"

"Yes, it is"

My brain has not yet processed what my ears have picked up

"What!?", I exclaim nervously

"Indeed, young man. To whom do you wish to speak?" he asked patiently again.

My mind begins to imagine all sorts of conspiracy theories at maximum speed

«Martians? Joke? IRS? FBI? The Illuminati? Time travel?»

Apparently, my inner voice is also in shock

«This is impossible, there must be a mistake. Possibly the staff who sold me the phone must have set up another phone number»

And they gave the old man your number, didn’t they? asked my conscience mockingly

The old man was still waiting in line. Sometimes I'm surprised by the patience of some of the elders.

Finally, my words come out

"May I ask how long you've had that number, sir?"

"Mmmm... Let me think"

I begin to bite my thumbnail (a habit I've never been able to get rid of) as he patiently mumbles his response.

"About 32 years, if I'm not mistaken," finally replies the old man

My words got stuck in my throat along with a dry cough that prevented me from uttering certain profanities.

«There must be a mistake. Who lasts that long with the same number?»

Really? Sherlock. That's your most relevant question?

"I'm sorry, sir. That can't be possible, I've been using this phone number for two years. The phone company must have made a mistake."

I'm starting to lose my patience and without giving him time to respond, I'm once again ahead of the old man

"Excuse me, Grandpa. Can you tell me your name?"

"It goes without saying. I've been waiting for this call for many years, George".

«This was the last straw! What the hell was going on? How on earth did this old man know my name!?»

This, I didn't expect to come either

"I'd forgotten how nervous I used to be. Chill out a little bit, I know how you feel. It's not every day you get a chance to talk to your future self and for God's sake, whatever you do, don't let go of your brand new pho..."

Too late

Luckily my smartphone came with a shock pad, it bounced off the floor and the screen fell up, the call was lost.

«This must be a joke»

If it's true, at least we know you'll still be alive in 30 years. It's really an advantage, these days

«Very funny»

Although apparently, the call has been lost. The probability of the same event occurring twice is infinite

Suddenly, the phone rang.

Apparently, I was wrong

At first, I hesitated to answer, shook my head and lifted the device off the floor and the name "Joe" was on the screen.

«I'm sure this was all a joke»

"George! What's up?"

After a couple of minutes of superficial conversation

"Are you okay? I'm feeling you distracted."

"It's nothing", I lied

"Remember, tonight, we are expecting you at our house"

I said goodbye and then I felt like a fool for believing in nonsense...

I take a deep breath and silently contemplate my XRT-31

Minutes later, I decided to set up all the applications, but to my surprise, the phone rings again.

Blocked number, appears on the screen

My thumb's shaking. It's ringing a second time.

You should answer, my inner voice advice

Rang a third time

What's the worst thing that can happen to you?

It's ringing for the fourth time

How many times can one talk to their future self in life?

It's ringing for the fifth time.

"Damn it! You're right."

I squeeze my eyes tightly and my thumb moves by itself.

The old man's voice answers patiently

"You finally made up your mind. For a moment I thought you wouldn't answer."

And without letting me answer, he went on

"Yes. That's the answer to your question."

He means he's your future you, Sherlock

"I am your future self. And to prove it, I know that your conscience always 'evaluates' you and I know that you talk to 'her' every day"

I'm starting to like this guy

"You may think that I probably want to change my past, but I don't. I cannot change my past, for what is done is done. All the decisions I've made and the situations I've lived through have made me who I am now. If I don't like something, I change it myself without the need to cheat. I'm a product of my own decisions, every situation that happens to me happens because of my decisions, my actions"

Even the ones you can't control

"Even the ones I can't control. But you'll understand that in the future."

«This man reads our minds!»

Hold your horses, cowboy. Let him explains himself, warn my inner voice

"Physically it's also impossible to change my past. Just being able to change something in my past, we wouldn't be able to have this conversation anymore and we're certainly having it right now. So it's happening right now and we exist at the same time. I guess I am the result of one of your alternate realities and therefore, I think from your point of view, you could use some advice from me. Although the problem with knowing the future is that when you know it, it changes itself. Creating new alternatives, new waves. So now we're talking about probabilities."

I try to assimilate everything he tells me, but his next question leaves me completely blank again

"Do you wish to know your future?"

"From my point of view, this never happens again so think about it. It's a one-in-a-million shot"

How much time do we have?

"How much time do we have?", I repeat aloud

"Excuse me! How much time do I have?" I correct by clearing my throat.

"Unfortunately I don't have enough credit on my phone right now, so I guess you only have about 5 minutes. Sorry."

«What do I do? What do I do?»

«Think!»

Relax! Let's think through our answer. It's all in what the old you just said

«Future me»

To-mato, tomato

«Do you think I've been able to assimilate what he said? I'm barely digesting that I'm talking to my future self! I'm trying not to have a nervous breakdown»

My heart's beating at 60 miles per hour, I'm about to pull my thumbnail out.

Take a deep breath and calm down

I stop biting my nail and take my hand out of my mouth instantly.

After inhaling, holding and exhaling slowly and deeply for a couple of minutes, my mind clears up a bit and the heartbeat slows down.

Knowing the future would make your life boring and you would live to avoid any situation to make it happen or not, in the worst case. You would practically stop living. I'm sure you wouldn't stand for it. You'd probably go crazy

«You sound a little fatalistic»

We're one. Remember?

«But... Just like that? Do we throw away this opportunity?»

We're not. You're learning, we're evolving

«But... At least let's get the lottery number to become millionaires»

Are you sure it's what suits you on this plane of your existence? Will having an endless amount of money completely develop your being? Most likely you will die of an overdose, cirrhosis of the liver or a sexually transmitted disease because you have no control over your most basic desires and you will have to start from scratch again

«But even going without money and going hungry won't make me a better person»

Hard situations are the ones that bring out the best in the human experience. Iron gets upset because it is hit and subjected to hellish heat, but when it is turned into a perfect sheet of steel is when it all makes sense, remember?

«I hate you when you're right»

You're free to decide what you want. It's your choice. I'm just your inner voice, for better or for worse

Send him to hell, she whispers

I take a deep breath and I make my decision

"Very well I've decided not to know anything about my future"

"Excellent response! She' s sent me to hell, hasn't she?" laughed my future self.

"But don't worry; you're doing well, both of you. Your future will thank you"

I cross my arms and pout

"However, I'm going to tell you something that won't affect your future at all but will make you feel better."

"I'm listening," I get a little better.

"Tonight will be the best night of your life," for some reason I felt my future self was smiling

A female voice was heard in the background, "Darling, dinner is ready!"

I wanted to ask who was it but my future self just said

"I wish you the best in your life"

And he hung up



What would you do, dear reader? Would you like to know your future?

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3 comments
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I enjoyed your story!

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Thanks! I appreciate it ;D

It's a funny story ^_^

I love to read it over and over...

Sometimes I have stories that want to get out of my mind and they annoy me so much that I have to publish them hahaha

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