Alternate (Watty Award 2013)

Pilot

There is an alternate version of our world. The alternate world is not that different from our world. And also, there is an alternate version of us. They might be good, or they might be bad. Nobody knows. Some of the alternate version of us just might want to meet us, and when they’ve finally come to our world, we call them ALTERNATES.

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NEW YORK, 3023

The guy stood in front of his window. ‘Father, when will the war end?’ he asked. His father sat on the couch, and sighed. ‘I don’t know, son. But I hope it’ll end soon,’ he said.

‘What happened back then? I don’t get it. Is this really needed?’ he asked. His father didn’t answer. ‘I wish I knew, son. But there is something that we don’t have to know, like the cause of this war.’

‘But—I mean, you’ve lived for like what... 375 years? And I’ve lived for 75 years. What if I can’t get married when I’m 235? Don’t you want grandchildren?’ he said. ‘I want a grandchildren, son, more than you do. And your mother—before she was died on the war, she always wanted a grandson, but I she can’t see the time when you have your own child, Jacob.’

‘I really want to know what caused this war. I want them to stop, because they’ve taken my brother, my sister, and my mom!’ the guy said sadly. ‘You will, son, you will.’

And as the father said that, a bomb landed on their house, and killed both of them.

ALTERNATE NEW YORK, 3123

She ran like hell. ‘COME BACK HERE YOU THIEF!’ the guy behind her yelled. She had to run as fast as she can. Because if she stopped even just for a minute, they would kill her? Why? Because she stole something important.

‘911, we have a thief down here. Bring as many officers as you can!’ the guy said to his phone. Damn it! She had to run faster.

What did she steal? Well, it’s the most important thing in the life of the United State. After the big war in 2023 - when terrorists attacked the United States – they moved the governments to New York City. It wasn’t the best choice – but that was the only thing that they can do. And the terrorist wasn’t attacking with bombs—they were attacking the States with some chemical weapons. The US lost, and the terrorist controlled US for at least 750 years, and the effect of the terrorist being the controller of the US was—they add human age by multiplying the age with 10. So for example, if someone’s 25 years old, they’re 250 years old now. 25 years old is 2 and a half years. It was a miserable time for the US—until the government tried to fight back, and they won.

The thing that the girl stole – a cylinder, about 30 centimeters – was a historical thing and the most important thing in the US. She stole it because she needed to know how to end the war, how the government ended the war 750 years ago, because yesterday she had received a letter. And the letter said:

Greetings, reader. I believed you received the letter from a red envelope.

We were told that you can be trusted.

So, our universe is in danger right now – yes, we are from another universe.

There is an alternate version of our world. The alternate world is not that different from our world. And also, there is an alternate version of us.

They might be good, or they might be bad. Nobody knows. Some of the alternate version of us just might want to meet us, and when they’ve finally come to our world, we call them ALTERNATES.

In this case, you are the Alternate.

We need you to steal a cylinder from the governmental building in your New York City, and tell us everything that you found inside the cylinder.

We really need that cylinder. Because, some of the terrorists that attacked you many years ago, have found their way to our world—and that’s not good.

Their versions in our world are now making a new way to cross the line, and visit the universe.

If we let this happen, I’m afraid that none of our worlds will safe.

I need your reply as soon as possible.

We’re counting on you.

President of the United State,

Jacob Lincoln