– Thank you. It was a busy day, – Sanzhar answered, sitting down opposite Richard and taking a sip of juice. – Today we had a casting for the club, as well as a film class. Lots of things.
– That sounds like an interesting day, – Richard said, leaning forward slightly, showing that he was genuinely interested. – Are you studying film?
– Yes, – Sanzhar answered, perking up a little. – Today we watched the movie Blade Runner. And then the professor assigned us to write a critical analysis. But the most difficult task is to come up with a new fantasy plot. It seems that all the ideas have already been written.
Richard, hearing this, chuckled, as if this problem was very familiar to him.
– Sometimes it seems that everything has already been thought of, but in fact, every idea can be new if you look at it from a different angle. In cinematography, as in life, a lot depends on perspective.
Sanzhar thought about these words, feeling that they contained some wisdom. There was something calming in Richard’s tone that instilled confidence and inspiration.
– You are talking about perspective … – Sanzhar began, feeling how his thoughts returned to the previous conversation with Richard. – What do you think can change our perception of reality?
Richard was silent for a moment, choosing his words, as if answering a question he had been preparing for a long time.
– Our perception is changed by experience, – he said finally, his voice became deeper and more serious. – When you see things that seem incredible, your mind opens up to new possibilities. The knowledge you gain can change you and your world.
These words made a strong impression on Sanzhar. He felt that Richard was not just telling general truths, but something deeper and more personal.
– I sometimes think that we live only in the present, but do not think about the future, – Sanjar admitted, sharing his inner thoughts. – But the future is what determines our decisions today.
Richard nodded, his gaze became thoughtful, as if he agreed with the thought that had been maturing inside him for a long time.
– You are right, Sanjar. But what if you could see this future? What if you could find out what your decisions will lead to? It could help you understand what is really important.
Sanjar froze, thinking about what he heard. Richard’s words seemed to close the circle of his thoughts, helping him understand what he was really missing.
– You mean… time travel? – he asked, barely believing his ears.
Richard grinned, but this time his smile was mysterious, as if he knew something that Sanjar could not yet understand.
– Exactly. Time travel is not just an opportunity to see the future. It’s a way to understand how it’s connected to the present, and how you can influence it.
Sanjar’s heart began to beat faster. His mind told him that all this was impossible, but something inside him, perhaps a childish curiosity or a thirst for adventure, pushed him to agree.
“You mean that… I can do it?” he asked, holding back his excitement.
Richard nodded, his face remaining calm.
“I can show you how it works. It won’t be just a story, Sanjar, but a real story. You will see the future with your own eyes.”
Excitement mixed with curiosity and trepidation engulfed Sanjar. He felt something inside him change, as if a door he didn’t even know about was now ajar, and he was standing on the threshold of the unknown.
“Okay,” he said finally, making a decision. “I’m ready to try.”
Richard nodded good-naturedly and finished his sandwich, as if all this was a normal thing.
“Then let’s go,” he said, getting up from his seat.
They left the café together, heading down the university corridor. Richard began explaining to Sanzhar the basic principles of the time machine, bringing him ever closer to the upcoming decisive step. The light noise of the students and muffled voices created a background, but Sanzhar no longer heard them – all his thoughts were occupied with what could happen next.
2:7 Time travel. Sanjar and Richard walked slowly down the long corridor of the university, their steps quietly echoing off the walls, as if the building itself was witnessing what was about to happen. A slight excitement was taking hold of Sanjar, every word Richard said was a mixture of curiosity and doubt. What had seemed like a fantasy was now taking on very real outlines.
Richard walked next to him, his steps were confident, and he continued to explain the principles of the time machine with such calmness, as if it were the most ordinary lecture.
“The time machine I was talking about was invented in 2066,” Richard began, his voice even and deep, as if he were discussing a historical fact. “It requires a huge amount of energy to operate. Imagine: to move you forward a hundred years, you need to use as much energy as it would take to provide an entire city with electricity for a week.”
Sanjar listened, immersing himself in every word. He tried to imagine the scale of this invention, but it still seemed incredible. It was hard for him to believe that time travel was possible, but Richard sounded so confident that his doubts began to melt away.
“But why so much energy?” Sanjar asked, trying to understand the hidden logic of this device.
“The thing is that the time machine doesn’t just move you forward or backward in time,” Richard continued, leaning slightly towards Sanjar to make his words stick in his mind. “It creates a separate space around you where time moves differently. You literally exist outside of time while the transition is happening.”
They approached the elevator, and Richard pressed the call button. The elevator doors opened smoothly, as if inviting them inside.
“Come in, Sanjar,” Richard said, nodding towards the open doors. “You will move alone, and I will stay here. Inside, you will see a green button with the number 3024.”
Sanjar thought that this was an ordinary university elevator, which he used every day, so he boldly entered. But when his gaze fell on the panel, he noticed something unusual: a green button that shouldn’t have been there was drawing his gaze like a call.
“This is your journey, Sanjar,” Richard said, his voice soft but firm. “Press the button.”
Sanjar felt his heart beat faster. He stood there, weighing the pros and cons, but curiosity and the desire to see the future got the better of him. He slowly reached out and pressed the green button, feeling his fingers tremble slightly.
The elevator moved smoothly, and the light inside began to change. The white light gradually turned into a soft green, creating a mysterious atmosphere around. Sanjar felt a slight vibration under his feet, as if the elevator was moving not just up, but into another dimension, in which time ceased to exist in its usual form.
Ten seconds later, the elevator stopped, and the doors slowly opened, revealing something unusual before him. A white cloud spread out in front of Sanjar, in which large green arrows flickered, pointing forward. The cloud seemed dense and mysterious, as if it were hiding something important. Sanjar took a step forward, feeling himself being enveloped by this strange cloud. He heard the elevator doors close behind him and realized that there was no turning back. Silence surrounded him, only the soft rustling of air was heard around him.
At first, Sanjar thought it was fog, but gradually he began to realize that he was standing on a glass floor, through which a picture of the earth was visible. He froze in place, realizing that he was hovering at an altitude of about 5 kilometers above the ground. Breathing quickly, he dropped to all