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2024-10-29 19:42:56Olympus is a city worthy of awe having a population of only 3000 people mostly scientists, engineers, and medical doctors. It's a haven for nerds. Equipped with the latest tech for convenient living not to mention the high-rise buildings with alien architectures. The city can be described as a giant laboratory rather than an extension or part of a political structure like normal cities. There were no governors or political figures policing the affairs of Olympus, it was a paradise separate from the outside world and for good reasons.
The city of Olympus located 400,000km away from earth was covered in a dome, the city being the dome itself found a patch of land on the far side of the moon. Putting it together was an engineering wonder. The scene wouldn't have been possible if not for the discovery of gravitons, a few decades ago. For a long time gravity has escaped the grasp of physicists, they've been able to summarize the entire universe into two groups; forces of nature and particles of matter. The particles make the atom possible which makes up everything.
There are actually twelve; six of them being 'quarks' and their different flavors - it is a popular notion that physicists are not really good at naming stuff- the other six are leptons named 'electron', 'muo', 'tau' and their respective 'neutrinos'. The forces of nature are four and less tedious compared to their counterparts. These forces are responsible for how matter interacts with themselves; electromagnetism, gravity the nuclear weak and strong forces, each of these mediated by a particle; photon for the electromagnetic force, graviton for gravity, gluon for the strong force and w and z boson for the weak force. The physicists called the particles of matter 'fermions' and the particles that mediated the forces were called 'bosons'.
All the bosons have been discovered except for gravitons. Even Higgs boson, the culprit responsible for giving other particles their mass has been discovered but graviton was apparently shy or so the physicists thought. The 'standard model' was the name given to this summary of particles, the summary of the understanding of the universe at that time which was only 4 percent of the observable universe. So it was until graviton was discovered. The discovery gave them some hints about the other 96 percent Which was dark energy and dark matter.
Graviton was discovered by a privately funded research lab owned by Prometheus Enterprise, the company of the billionaire genius Eric Norton. The discovery of graviton gave humans the power to manipulate spacetime to some extent giving rise to teleportation gateways, another means of transportation. It also made Dr. Norton very rich. The teleportation gateways called 'teleways' allowed for instantaneous travel. Two giant disks are situated at different locations anywhere in the universe, a traveler just had to walk through the vertically placed disk and emerge on the other side of the universe through the other disk in that location. It was a thing of fiction, but humans eventually got a hang of it. Traveling from Alaska to Australia only took three steps. This was how they colonized the moon and Mars also.
Olympus was a lunar estate belonging to Dr. Norton. He built the dome to further experiments on the graviton and unlock many hidden potentials. He and his team of scientists were looking for a way to manipulate spacetime without the need for giant disks. The goal was to cause a rupture in the fabric of spacetime that would not only allow travel in space but also through time. He and his team were trying to create a wormhole that would be maintained and regulated by them.
"We're ready for you Dr. Norton," one of the scientists said with excitement in his voice.
"Let us begin," Dr. Norton responded.
They were far from the location of the dome, a team of seven scientists and 9 engineers standing in a glass enclosure staring at a mammoth structure on the other side of the glass. The structure consists of four giant rods facing themselves, at the top of the rods were coils of superconductors. At the center was a stone, a well-polished pearl resting on a platform.
With the push of a button after twisting some dials, the structure started crackling with electricity, this continued for a while until the streams of energy from each of the rods struck the pearl at the center, the pearl levitated after and became like mud reshaping itself. The cracking intensified with a buzzing sound making the pearl expand into a transparent shell with a dark liquid at its core. After a few minutes, the pearl collapsed into itself creating a portal.
"Today, we become a TYPE 2 civilization," Dr. Norton said with eyes wide open in astonishment.
From the portal came a flood of the ocean breaking the barrier, sweeping everything in the enclosure including the scientists and engineers, they pleaded for help as they grasped for breath. Dr. Norton was drowning, struggling to find support, and heard his name in the distance.
"Eric, Eric," a familiar female voice called.
"Eric, Eric," the voice was louder and closer this time.
"Eric, Eric wake up you idiot we're going to miss the bus." Eric jumped from his bed which was already wet only to see his sister with a bowl of water giving him a sinister smile.
"Get dressed, we're going to be late."
"What the hell Erica, why do you always do that? all you needed was a little tap, a shake maybe?"
"I know, but where's the fun in that?" Erica said in a satisfying tone as she walked out of his room.
"Don't forget to dry the sheets"
"Get out of my room," Eric yelled with a look of vengeance on his face. Erica went out laughing, happy she completed her daily morning rituals, which involves giving her brother a bath in bed. There's no way I'm related to that creature, Eric thought to himself as he prepared for school.
Eric brushed his teeth for exactly seven minutes and showered for seventeen minutes, this is a ritual he sticks to every day with impeccable precision. The running water hitting his body reminded him of his dream earlier which was going well until the little creature interrupted. It was Friday which means, he had to put on his black trousers, the round-necked grey sleeves. He applied his body cream and some spray put on his shoes which he usually ties in a double loop like a bow tie with a sense of commitment.
"Morning honey, hope you slept well?" his mom asked as Eric settled down to eat in a strange posture.
"He woke up as king of the ocean. He slept pretty well if you ask me."
"Young lady what did you do this time?" their mom asked.
"Nothing I swear."
Eric has been staring at his food for some minutes now. Breakfast was bread, scrambled eggs, and milk. The bread has been cut into triangles that would fit into a square just like a jigsaw puzzle. Just the way he likes it.
"weirdo," Erica said mockingly. "Mom, there's a party at Vicki's tomorrow, can I go?" Erica asked her mom, waiting for approval.
"As long as you take your brother with you."
"No!" they objected in unison.
"I rather have you shoot me, I'm not going to any party."
"See mom, he's not interested. Why torture me like this?"
"I want your brother to meet new people and make new friends, you know how he is."
"I don't need new friends, I already got Terry," Eric said conclusively.
"I know honey but I want you to expand your circle, it will help you in the long run," their mom said feeling concerned.
"with what exactly?"
"Life honey."
"but how?" Eric inquired further.
"look at him mom, you seriously want me to take that to a party," Erica said pointing at Eric who was curled up in his chair like a rodent looking for warmth while inspecting his food.
"You're not going without him," their mom said authoritatively.
"Whatever, you know you can't shelter him forever, he's not a baby anymore," Erica said kissing her mom on the cheek.
"Forever?" Eric asked with a look of disgust on his face.
"It's an expression dumbass," Erica responded with her hand on the doorknob.
"I know what you meant," Eric replied trying to get away from his mom's crushing hug.
"Love you honey." his mom said.
"Really?" Erica asked, surprised about Eric's remark.
"Yes. But I find your lack of concern for cognitive precision in articulating your thoughts disturbing," Eric responded as he heads for the door.
"Shut up already," Erica protested.
Eric has always wanted to become a physicist ever since he picked up the book that forever changed his life; The God particle written by Leon Lederman. From the moment he fell in love with physics, he has always wanted to be a part of those who ponder on the mysteries of the universe, he wished he was worthy enough to walk the path of giants like Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. He wanted to be one or part of the geniuses who would solve the gravity problem. But Loja doesn't hold such opportunities.
Loja was an unremarkable town with rocky terrains and riverine areas. This is the only place Eric has known all his life. Here he was born, grew up, and might probably die if he doesn't get out of this dump.
"Hey," a voice behind him called out.
"Why do you think it's so hot today, it wasn't like this yesterday, hmm strange?"
"Actually it has to do with the high humidity in the atmosphere, I think it will rai......," Eric was interrupted by his friend.
"Listen dude, you don't have to explain everything, it was a simple question I didn't ask for a lecture," he said as he jumped from behind to take the seat next to Eric.
"I can't help it you know, there are a lot of things we take for granted giving us the illusion of understanding."
"Making it your job to lecture us?" He was interrupted again by Erica as they were making their way to class.
"Morning T," Erica greeted tilting her head towards the direction of Eric's friend.
"What's up Erica, how do you put up with this guy?" T said in a mocking tone.
"I just pretend he doesn't exist and continually calls him a dumbass. He thinks he's the smartest human on the planet but can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Look at me I'm gonna win a Nobel prize, look at me I have all the knowledge in the galaxy," Erica said in a mocking tone while making gestures at Eric. They both laughed at him.
"I don't sound like that, do I, Tyrell?"
"See what I'm talking about, so smart yet so dumb," Erica responded in a condescending tone.
"Dude, you sound worse, our imitations fall short," Terry responded.
Eric was obnoxious and unbearable not because he was exceedingly smart but the fact that he had to always rub it in people's faces which was no fault of his own. He was being polite to the best of his ability. But others beg to differ. Eric is socially inept. His seeming lack of empathy, and inability to read social cues or faces make him appear insensitive and rude. His twin sister and friend try to compensate most times, but he mostly ruins the effort. He's always oblivious to the pain he inflicts on people's feelings which have sometimes landed him in trouble, but he doesn't seem to mind as long as he always proves that someone is an ignoramus.
"Hey, man did you do the homework?" Terry asked as they hurried to class.
Eric decided to walk home instead of taking the bus. He usually did this to think or sort out intellectual matters. How do I know I'm real? What if I'm just a character in an imagination? Eric always loves to ponder philosophy, but he hated the way people perceive the subject. The general public now sees philosophy as just 'free thinking, a sort of movement that any idiot with the IQ of a log believes he has the qualifications to participate in. What Eric hated more than the pseudointellectuals were the new age mystics, the science denialists who think their opinion is as valid as experts who studied for years on a particular subject. Well, does it really matter?
Would it make any difference if my thoughts were predetermined by someone's thought process or coded in a simulation giving me the illusion of free will? He considered it unlikely that he might be a character conjured up by the individual whose imagination he was stuck in. He also concluded that the human brain doesn't have enough processing power to conjure up such intricate details as the human body. But what if he only considers it intricately complex because he's part of the imagination? What if his entire life is a lie, a falsehood? What if he's just a temporary rearrangement in a God's mind, a cosmic being who out of boredom conjured him up?
Eric enjoyed this daily intellectual masturbation.
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THE WANDERER ARGUMENTS
It was dark and raining heavily. This is one of the victories Eric loved to keep mental records of, although his opponents don't really care, he does. The rain is the fulfillment of his interrupted prediction on the school bus."It's 7:12, mom should be back by now," Eric asked feeling worried."Quit being a baby and set up the table.""Wait, how were you able to accurately tell the time without checking?" Erica asked, her face radiating a mix of confusion and awe."It's not accuracy but precision," Eric replied."What's the difference?"Erica asked, preparing for a lecture that she normally enjoys."Accuracy is about actual value, precision is about matching varying measurements. I checked the time earlier at school and kept a mental note. I only had to make an approximation of the time by comparing some daily constants and their interval of occurrence; getting back from school, my bath, mom returning from work, my homework, my meditation session, sundown, and dinner. Mom is the missi
THE WANDERER RABBIT HOLE
"This is the thirteenth attempt and thirteenth consecutive failure, Dr. Norton. We believe you should give up this fruitless project and focus on other matters," said a female voice from a holographic projection."But we're making progress. Today, we saw a crack in the fabric of spacetime itself. Ending the project now will render years of research useless, give me more time and you'll get your results, I assure you.""No Norton. We took a vote and the board has made its decision. Your project is nonsense, at most a fantasy," a male voice this time came from the hologram."What?" Norton angrily yelled. "You decided in my absence? Might I remind you how I built this company and brought it to the limelight? My ideas have never failed, just because you can't make a profit out of it yet, doesn't mean it's useless. I refuse to accept your decision. I seek an audience with the board, I must be heard."Dr. Norton responded with a stern face."Very well, we'll schedule a meeting tomorrow. The
THE WANDERER REVELATION
"What the actual fuck?" Eric whispered to himself noticing he just had a wet dream, one he very much enjoyed. He just didn't expect he would make such a mess, even though he was more concerned about the contents of the dream than the mess made. It was particularly disturbing having Katy invade his dreams, she's a source of torment in reality and now a source of sensual pleasure in his dream life. Why the hell would I work with Katy on building a doomsday device? What the hell was that thing to begin with? Am I losing my mind? What type of fuckery is this? Eric thought to himself, an attempt to forget the other part of the dream he found perplexing."These dreams are getting out of hand, I have to do something about it.""Hey deep shit," Erica yelled, storming into his room."Why do you have to be so loud?" Eric adjusted his position, confident that he had concealed the souvenir from his watery adventures."Why don't you ever knock?" Eric said, clutching his sheet."Mom's out, she'll be
THE WANDERER SPLIT
Deep in thought, staring through the glass in his office located on the top floor, Dr. Norton was mentally iterating through the events that led to this very moment, a habit he developed over the years to scan through his plans with the intent of spotting loopholes, flaws, and defects in the structural integrity of his schemes. Although his plan looked flawless, he still exercised doubt and also planned for contingencies. This Machiavellian trait was one of the reasons for his success in the corporate world. He treats his colleagues as pieces on a chess board, to him, everybody is a complex system of interaction possessing weaknesses that can be exploited.Although humans love to pride themselves on being individually unique, his research on behaviorism coupled with observation and personal experience proves otherwise. Those who are more self-absorbed or dogmatic about the notion of individual uniqueness are more susceptible to manipulation. The self-delusion is too immersive, creating
THE WANDERER THE STING OF TIME PART 1
Tightly held in his dirty hands, he munched on the bread like a hungry beast. He rested his back gently against the wall, a move to ease the searing pain in his abdomen. The sustenance he acquired was worth the pains he went through to get them, at least that was what he thought. Erickson, as he was normally called, found life on the streets unbearable. He missed the comfort of the orphanage. His tiny little bed, the warmth of the house, and the taste of the food were horrible, but enough to keep him alive. But then, he wouldn't trade his newfound freedom for anything. There's no way he's going back to that zoo. He replayed this thought for cognitive comfort. Erickson has been living on the streets for months after running away from the orphanage. He's a mystery. He was left at the front door of the orphanage by some unknown figure around dawn. The lady who found him reported having seen a figure leaving in a hurry after knocking on the door. It seems the individual wasn't expecting a
THE WANDERER THE STING OF TIME PART 2
"Hey little rat, it's time to wake up." Biggy said, emptying a bowl of water on Erickson.Erickson had trouble falling asleep. His thoughts kept him awake. The new environment was somewhat difficult to adjust to, he wasn't familiar enough to sleep comfortably. While in psychological discomfort, he mentally went through every single move and event that brought him to this present moment.A few months ago, he left the orphanage and never went back. He was doing a menial job at a restaurant, the owner was friends with the custodians at the orphanage. He normally returns to the orphanage to complete his tasks for the allocated hours, but this time, he didn't. The orphanage didn't care about the well-being of the children they looked after. In their opinion, the children have no choice but to depend on them. They have no one else to turn to, the streets are unsafe and they'll eventually die of starvation, cold, or infection if they try to give them a slip. Well, they were wrong. They misca
THE WANDERER CROSS ROADS
"Is that what I think it is?" Asked Katy, terrified and fascinated."No way, is that a wormhole?" Asked Eric, staring uneasily at Katy."Shouldn't a wormhole be spherical? You know, a rip in the fabric of 3d space?""Yeah. You're right.""Why then does this look like a rip? It's like a crack in a wall.""A crack in spacetime. Is this a doorway to the 4th spatial dimension?""Doubtful," Katy said as she slowly approached the crack."What the heck are you doing?" Eric asked in a worried tone."I'm going to check it out, are you coming along?"Are you insane? We don't even know what that is. Interacting with it may cause a nuclear-like explosion, maybe even worse.""Come on, let's check it out."They both approached the crack cautiously, Eric lagging. Katy took some photos with her mobile device as they got closer."This is beautiful, so fascinating," Eric said while trying to touch the crack.He paused for a moment, exchanging glances with Katy before withdrawing his hand."Not a good id
THE WANDERER SLIPPERY SLOPE
Katy has always been troubled by the fact that her mom has always been uneasy around Eric's sister, Erica. She can't wrap her head around it. The issue isn't the one of dislike, her mom doesn't dislike Erica, she just acts awkward around her.Katy had always tried to understand the situation, but her mom, Evelyn Smith always finds a way to evade the conversation whenever it is brought up. Even at the grocery store, the supermarket, or even during casual meetings, Katy's mom has always been terrified of Erica. This recent situation has changed the whole outlook on Katy's mom 'Erica-phobia', at least for Katy.Perhaps the dreams have something to do with it, she thought.Unknown to Eric, Katy has also been having transdimensional dreams. The sight of Dr. Smith through the wormhole gave her chills. She was pretty sure Dr. Smith was the lady in her vivid dreams. She assumes her Mom's also having the dreams, it was a stretch, but still yet, what could her mom have dreamt of to be so scared
Latest Chapter
- THE WANDERER
MID-TOWN
He slowly walked around the giant table as he approached the giant teleway. With his hands behind his back, he silently stared at the teleway. Its bluish-white light illuminated his face. He basked in the low humming sound of the teleway.“You really don’t have to stand there, you know. Don’t you think it’s a little bit too much?”A hooded figure left the shadows and came into the light.“What are you doing here, Eric?”“I only came here to get the logs, I don’t want any trouble.”“I believe you’re decades too late.”"Apparently!”“I’m afraid Katy took the logs years ago, right before your father got his hands on them.”“Hmmm”“You’ve really changed over the past couple of years, way so different from your younger self, of course, the attitude is still there.”Mr Luthor said.“Now, tell me something Eric, why do you need those logs?! Are you still trying to track down your father?”Adult Eric was silent.“You know, he might very well be dead. Well, the concept of death tends to lose a
- THE WANDERER
SINK HOLE
Dr. Tyrell dutifully walked behind Gretchen as they made their way to the President's office. They were first beamed to the top floor surrounded by heavy security. The hallway was laced with cameras, motion detectors, and other high-security equipment."Paranoid much?"Dr. Tyrell said as he glanced at the security operatives."Given the times, you should understand."Gretchen said to him.She wore a simple pencil gown that hung to her body tightly, showing her hourglass figure. The high heels emphasized her height and gave more potency to her already intimidating figure. Her hair was tied into a donut at the back, her succulent full lips were well glossed, her eyes were deep-set, and her eyebrows were well carved.Her bust was prominent, but not as prominent as her butt. The gown even made it more visible.She oozed confidence, class, poise, and competence.Dr. Tyrell was intimidated and aroused at the same time.He was in a brown coat, black trousers, and buttoned sleeves underneath,
- THE WANDERER
THE STING OF TIME - PART 3
A few months have passed since Erickson helped Selene Lawson with the mass arrest. A lot has changed for Erickson since then. He now lives, works, and learns at Gaia Corp thanks to Mr. Richards. He’s now healthy, eats well, has a roof over his head, and also access to all the books containing all the details he could ever ask for.He still worked with Selene Lawson to get other street criminals associated with the gang. They freed the kids from the orphanage and gave them a better home. The attendants were exposed and arrested for their barbaric treatment of the kids.Things seemed to be going well.Over the months, Erickson met other gifted kids like him. He formed and developed a close friendship with a boy his age called Tyrell. They were inseparable. But of course, they weren’t the only ones. Selene Lawson had a daughter named Jessica. She was always clashing with Erickson due to his relationship with her mother. One would say she was jealous.Everyone at Gaia Corp called him “Eri
- THE WANDERER
THE OTHER SIDE
The melodies from the birds filled the air. The cold morning was illuminated by the radiant sunlight piercing the clouds. The trapped fluids escaped the damp soil and leaves with the help of the warmth provided by the sunlight. Lush vegetation, flourishing in an exquisite display of nature’s ingenuity.It isn’t uncommon for individuals to only associate vegetation with nature. To them, green is synonymous with nature. They fail to also realize that nature is beyond this and more. They do not understand that nature is also the law and the guiding principle that guides the growth of vegetation. It is the mechanism that makes vegetation possible. Nature is the desert, it is life, it is death, it is sickness, it is health. It is the source and end of all we experience. It’s neither good nor bad, it just is. We’re also nature, our arbitrary rules of perception and subjective value judgment are all expressions of nature.Dr. Norton and others have spent most of their lives trying to underst
- THE WANDERER
PROMISE LAND?
She filled the tiny cup with the contents of the teapot. Still, in her bathrobe, she slowly walked to the sofa with the cup in her hands. She sat down and took a sip.The room was dimly lit, it was quiet. The sun had set and the night was still young.She heard as the door gently opened. She wasn't expecting anyone. Her husband was upstairs and Katy was still missing.The silhouette of a dark hooded figure encompassed the room as he helped himself. Mrs. Smith didn't flinch. She watched as this individual made his way to a nearby sofa and sat slowly.She took a sip from the cup."Been a while, Eric, what brings you here?"He slowly took off the hood.He looked unkempt."You're looking good."She said,"How are you doing Erica?"He asked."Well, everything that happened while we were kids is happening right now. Except I'm the only one here to experience it.""I'm sorry about that. But you already know how all these play out.""Easy for you to say. You were not stuck in the past."She s
- THE WANDERER
RAINBOW BRIDGE
"Everything is until it isn't""Everything is until it isn't""Everything is until it isn't"Dr. Norton muttered as he stared at his whiteboard while fiddling with the marker held between his fingers."Two universes, infinite timelines all tied together in an eternal causal loop. Every attempt to end the loop has led to this very moment. I've already done this an infinite number of times, I'm doing it right now and I'll do it again. But if everything I'm doing has already been done, this means I've already ended the loop. But if I'd ended the loop, I wouldn't still be here doing all these. None of this would even exist. This doesn't make any sense."Dr. Norton said to himself as he pondered on the equations he had written on the whiteboard."LUCY said we're in the process of ending the loop, but all processes within the loop have already happened. Unless......."He gave a long pause as the look of realization possessed his face."Holy Shit."He said as he got out of the chair in haste
- THE WANDERER
TWIST AND TURNS
Dr. Norton sat on a sofa as he examined the book given to him by Mr. Luthor. He read in detail, page to page as he waited for LUCY to completely go offline. He didn't expect it would take this long.The book was a journal kept by Dr. Norton throughout his journey in both realities."Wow.... I really lived a life. A record of things I've done, things I'm doing, and things I'm going to do....this is fascinating. I wonder how it ends."Dr. Norton said."My core functions are still operative, I can engage in conversations. You don't have to speak to yourself.""Thanks for that. But I wasn't really talking to you.""This might be your last chance to really connect with me.""Stop being a crybaby.""20% through the shutdown."LUCY said."Why is this taking so long? I can just choose to not carry you around with me.""You don't seem to understand.""Clarify then.""The nucleus is recording this shutdown process right now, everything we've done and everywhere we've been have already been reco
- THE WANDERER
CRATERS
There was a light buzz accompanied by a beep. The sound wasn’t loud or disturbing, but it was sufficient to disrupt his sleep. The look on his face wasn’t that of disturbance, it was of comfort and euphoria.He pulled his arm from under her as she unconsciously adjusted her body while she slept. It was a glorious night of ecstatic passion between the two.He gently slid through blankets, stood tall, and walked toward the direction of the sound. Standing tall, he had broad shoulders, massive arms, a huge chest, chiseled abs with a V-shaped torso. He had a tiny waist, muscular legs, and a towering physique. He had the body of a Greek god, perfectly carved.With a physically imposing physique and a physically appealing body, he was a man in every sense of the word. His appearance alone was enough to get any girl excited, or boy....if they’re into that kind of stuff.He graciously went to the table displaying the holographic images, touched a particular surface of the table, and said,Yes
- THE WANDERER
A THOUSAND MOONS
Walking through the halls of the research building, Dr. Tyrell carefully analyzed the plans sent to him on his mobile communication device. The plan was about the team’s journey to the other universe regarding the death of Katy and the disappearance of her murderer; Dr. Norton.Although he was initially reluctant, he now sees it as a horrible plan for reasons he was going to confront Evelyn about.He arrived at her office door and walked in after being urged in by her.“I don’t understand your fascination with the gravity suit.”Dr. Tyrell said as he met Evelyn.She was levitating at the center of her office wearing the gravity suit. The suit was skin-tight special clothing that had the tech to manipulate gravitons in the local environment. This feature of the suit made it possible to alter the geometry of the local gravitational field, enabling flight, levitation, suspension, and other feats that free one from the constraints of gravity. The suit was an embodiment of the success of q