Willy-nilly: A Time Travel Tale

"Jenna must navigate the consequences of time travel and the power of choice."

In response to

Moonwashed Weekly Prompt #135 – 3/21/23 – Willy-nilly

Image from NBC News

In the year 2157, Willy-nilly was the name given to the latest technology that allowed humans to travel through time. The process involved inserting a chip into the brain, which would connect to a machine that could transport the user to any point in the past or future. The technology had been developed by the largest tech company in the world, Nexion, and had been heavily regulated by the government.

Jenna, a young scientist who worked for Nexion, had always been fascinated by the idea of time travel. When the Willy-nilly technology was first introduced, she was one of the first people to sign up to test it out. She was thrilled when she was selected to be the first human to travel back in time.

As Jenna stepped into the machine, she could feel her heart racing with excitement. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the machine began to hum. Suddenly, she felt a jolt, and she opened her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of a bustling medieval marketplace. The air was thick with the scent of spices and the sound of merchants haggling.

Jenna looked around in amazement, marveling at the sights and sounds of the past. She quickly realized that she had no idea how to get back to her own time. She tried to activate the Willy-nilly chip in her brain, but it was unresponsive.

As Jenna wandered through the market, trying to figure out what to do, she was approached by a group of knights. They eyed her suspiciously, and Jenna realized with a sinking feeling that she was completely unprepared for this encounter. She had no idea how to speak their language, and she had no idea how to defend herself if they became hostile.

Luckily, one of the knights seemed to take pity on her. He motioned for her to follow him, and Jenna gratefully did so. He led her to a castle on the outskirts of the town, where she was greeted by a group of people who spoke her language. They explained that they had been expecting her and that they had been monitoring the Willy-nilly technology since its inception.

Jenna was relieved to learn that she wasn't completely alone in the past. However, she also realized that she had been sent back for a specific purpose, and she had no idea what that purpose was. As she spent more time in the past, she began to uncover clues that led her to a shocking realization: Nexion had sent her back to the past to alter the course of history.

Jenna was torn between her loyalty to Nexion and her moral code. She knew that altering history could have disastrous consequences, but she also knew that disobeying Nexion could have severe consequences for her and her family. In the end, Jenna decided to follow her heart and do what she believed was right. She used her knowledge of the future to make subtle changes to the course of history, and when she returned to her own time, she found that the world was a better place because of her actions.

Jenna's journey through time taught her that the future was not set in stone and that even the smallest actions could have far-reaching consequences. She also learned that there was a delicate balance between technology and morality and that sometimes, doing the right thing meant going against the will of those in power. The Willy-nilly technology had changed her life forever, but it had also taught her a valuable lesson about the power of choice.