“The Third Human”

I was told of it one day while going out, lamenting a grade I had gotten in a class earlier. I wanted to put it off, blame it on something else. While I know certain things were a factor I could've tried to modify things though I think the task would overwhelm me. Back to the subject at hand, while I lamented my grades, this man came up to me while I was eating.

He didn't look unpresentable to me, just odd, as if something was slightly off about his dress. I just got this vibe about him I can't explain. You would have had to see him to know I'm not lying about this.

Clearly noting I was on guard, he walked over to me and slid a business card over face down. Being a bit strange, my curiosity was peaked. I decided to take a look at the card before I left, trying to avoid what might be a ploy to distract me during a mugging.

“Wonder what those flashbacks or Deja Vu really are? Do you feel like you have a sixth sense and would like an explanation beyond the usual 'You're psychic' explanation? Meet me at the park on 6th and Main if you want the truth, much has has been discovered.”.

Finishing my sandwich and tea, I headed out to the park, my curiosity piqued. Likely picking up on my caution towards him, the park was a fine place for a meeting. I wouldn't have to worry about some mugging, stabbing, etc. This was a pretty open public place so if he wanted to try to pull something on me this would be the last place to do it.

Noting him on a wooden bench I sat down beside him, being sure to keep my distance. Picking up where he left off he started talking, “I'll cut to the chase. I won't 'bullshit you' I believe the term is.” Pointing to a symbol in front of me he started “You know what this symbol is, right?” Of course I knew that symbol, it was infinity. I responded in the affirmative to his question. “Well you note how even when it moves forward it wraps back? How it ends up self-contained?” Where was he going here?

“Bear with me, time is more like infinity. The human sense of time is very linear while time itself has no true linearity. There are those of us whose minds can actually grasp or function according to time's truth. That Deja Vu that you experience is not just you tapping into the past but the future and you tapping into your subjective memories of the future as they have already happened. The future has already happened at the same time as your present, like the visual demonstration of the infinity symbol.

What we have is, in layman's terms, the quantum brain. We are also known as the third humans, some of us arguing that our existence is the next evolution of the human species. We can even travel through time, which is what I'm offering you. Once reaching a few years past the age of maturity you are ready to time travel with the help of an activator chemical. Why I approached you now is twofold: first is that you look like you really need to use it. Secondly, my backers have approached me seeing a very lucrative proposition for them in your future.”

Gambling? With time travel...really? I suppose it's as good a thing as any to gamble on.

Noticing my quizzical look he responded back. “Oh yes, time travel makes for good betting in Vegas at the Time Continuum. The activator chemical isn't cheap either and they foot the bill. In case you're wondering how they even know which way the bet goes since people's memories change with time travel....well, the biggest point is our senses. At the core we can sense a shift in the general time line as well as time travellers. That's likely why you especially felt something off in my demeanor as most people will not notice. Regarding the shift, we see time almost like layers when activated. Before being activated, you may feel a particular sort of discomfort around a severe time shift, a stomachache at best, nausea at worst.

Additionally, we have a man in a time bubble with an encyclopedia and other assorted history books to check which events changed and the bets on each. Most bets tend to be pretty tame, your average 5 to 1, 2 to 1, etc. Once in a while there are the whales, which are 100 to 1 or higher and are unforeseen by most though some come out clean.

The 1000 to 1 are the Unicorns which almost no one sees coming and can drastically change society. There is talk of a watcher or overseer who has been tampering with time and has a tremendous talent for seeing through the veil of time, even noting Unicorns and modifying accordingly.
Anyway, wanna go at it?

copyright Sarang. This story can't be reposted without permission of author.
thanks to djkauf for his editing.