Eternity
By Sam Franco
It was a night like any other, riding in my beat-up Honda Civic. The road was long, and empty. I imagine my dog at home waiting for me. I look out at the road in front of me, the silent night surrounding me. I feel at peace, like I’m on top of the world. Just me and my car in front of me. Not even the loud cicadas in this summer heat. Wait, no cicadas? This might just be my lucky day. Pure silence, nothing but me and my engine. I take a look in the sky, to admire the stars. I look at the moon – this night it’s especially clear, I can see the craters and light and dark parts.
I turn to glance at my phone, and it says rerouting. Rerouting? This is a straight road that should take me directly to my house? What needs to be rerouted? A little more anxious I turn my eyes back to the road – empty, long and silent. I feel at peace, knowing that nothing could go wrong here. Sure my drive home is a little longer, but not by a lot right?
As I continue down the road, I think about random things – like what I want for dinner. “Is it ramen again tonight or should I get some delivery? Eh, I’ll just figure it out when I get home.” I try to turn the radio on, only to be met with static. I chock it up to the small amount of cables running through this area. Which is full of trees and forest.
I take a look up at the stars again. The stars not only seem brighter but the moon is… bigger?
“Am I trippin’? Gotta get to bed man.” I ignore it and continue to drive, getting more confused, as the road was never this long before. Am I just… driving slowly? I slam my foot on the gas, speeding down the road, which seems so unnaturally long and empty.
“Just let me get home bro, not this horror movie shit.” I continue to gun it down the street, trees flying by, but the road staying the same. “At least there’s no potholes, way better than in the city.”
I let up on the gas, seeing obviously there is no reason to waste my gas. I pass by the first house, marking the start of my neighborhood. This calms me, because at least I’m getting closer to home.
But then I pass the house again … and again … and again. Did they just build these houses? I could swear there is only supposed to be one? Nah, had to just be new construction. So I continue to drive, but the blue house uneases me. Because I’ve passed it at LEAST twenty times now, so why am I no closer?
The light gets brighter. “Is that a traffic light?” And the light seems to be getting brighter so, I HAVE to be getting closer? But, I never see it, just the blue house. The same blue house that’s been popping up over and over. “I’ve gotta just be tired man, but the night is so bright. It can’t be anything but another car right? Why does this asshole have his highbeams on!” But I never see a car, I never see a streetlight. Only a blue house, the moon, and my car.
I look up again, the moon is even bigger this time, and are those… eyes? I squint to look closer, and I can see them. Big black eyes, and the white pupils, looking directly at me. I quickly look back at the road, desperate not to look at it. Praying that they haven't noticed I know they’re there. I press the gas a little harder. “Please, please let this road end … get me home.”
I look at my map and it still shows rerouting. I look around me and the trees and forest extend for as far as I can see. I slam on the gas, desperately just trying to get home. I focus in front of me, until I realize that the blue house is still popping up over and over. What I thought was an unnatural amount of blue houses built, may just be the same house I’m passing? Have I just been driving in circles? Is there no escape?
I glance back at the moon and can see a misshapen smile creeping on its face. As it looks at me, and my car, I wonder what it will do. And why is it smiling at me? I grip my steering wheel harder. I look at my GPS again and my jaw drops. I can see the moon it’s still looking at me, gazing into my soul. And on screen where the ETA is supposed to be, all it says is, “Look up, it is upon us.”
I immediately know it's talking about the moon and I begin to cry. No wailing, just tears. Tears pouring down my face while I gun it down this road. I really wanted this to end, let this all be one huge nightmare. I look up at the moon and it's directly in front of me – smiling at me. It opens its mouth and …
[Somewhere far, far way …]
“The experiment has produced an anomaly. The Lazarus project has run its course," states the lead scientist.
“It has affected this one human especially badly. Leaving him stuck in a parallel reality where the road is infinite and the moon will always get closer. This has left him in a permanent state of fear” says another.
“It does produce an unbelievable amount of psychic energy though. Perhaps this is the point – to repurpose the Lazarus project into an energy plant instead of our original plan,” says the third.
“I will inform the commander of this development. May he have mercy on us all!” says the last.
Almost as soon as the messenger leaves, they look back at the globe to find that it has restarted. “This is odd. Whenever the moon crosses a certain threshold, the loop always starts over. Further experimentation needed.”
The messenger enters the command room. “Commander, we have updates on the Lazarus Project.”
“Speak.” A voice not out of the commander's mouth, but projected directly in the messenger's mind.
“The experiment has failed its original purpose. But it has generated the possibility of a new type of energy generator as it produces a massive amount of psychic energy.”
The commander looks at the messenger, mouths something, and the messenger’s head explodes! Brain matter flies everywhere. Purple blood splatters the walls. Without even a moment's remorse he states in the minds of all crew on board. “I have no room for failures on board my vessel. All personnel working on the Lazarus project – utilize the newfound generator and complete the objective. Or you will suffer the same fate as the failure at my feet.”