5 - "Temporal Turbulence: A Leap into the Unknown"

As the clock struck past 12 noon, a gentle rain began to fall outside. Inside his room, Swayam lay in a deep slumber, akin to an innocent child oblivious to the world around him. However, this peaceful reverie was abruptly shattered when a sudden blackout jolted him awake.

Upon the blackout, with the AC's soothing hum silenced, Swayam stirred awake, gasping for breath in the stifling room. Desperate for fresh air, he stumbled towards the window. To his astonishment, he was greeted by a startling sight - an electric pole, the lifeline of electricity to his home, had just been struck by a blinding lightning bolt. In an instant, the once-peaceful room transformed into chaos, as all the electronic devices within it erupted in a symphony of sparks and explosions.

In a state of panic, Swayam rushed to his father's laboratory, fearing for the safety of the Time Machine. The lightning strike had coincided with an explosion from the lab, intensifying his anxiety. Upon entering the laboratory, his eyes widened with disbelief as he beheld a half-broken "maid robot" still standing amidst the wreckage. As he attempted to approach it, a formidable electric field thrust him backward. Before his eyes, his inventions started to detonate one by one, culminating in the destruction of the resilient "maid robot." Fortunately, amidst the chaos, the Time Machine remained unscathed. Overwhelmed by the ordeal, Swayam succumbed to unconsciousness.

***

Upon regaining consciousness, Swayam's first priority was to locate the Time Machine. He paid little mind to the once-promising inventions now reduced to rubble. His relief was palpable when he discovered the Time Machine unscathed. It held an unparalleled value, for with it, he possessed the power to access any moment in time, obtaining whatever he desired whenever he wished.

While his relief at finding the Time Machine unharmed was immense, a daunting challenge lay ahead: powering the machine. However, the recent lightning strike and laboratory explosions sparked a unique idea in Swayam's mind. He contemplated the possibility of harnessing the power of lightning strikes to charge the Time Machine.

***

With the concept of using lightning strikes to charge the Time Machine firmly in his mind, Swayam wasted no time. He set out to reconfigure the copper rod mechanism that his father had installed on the roof, originally intended for harnessing lightning for household use.

After a period of waiting and exercising patience, Swayam's home was indeed struck by a powerful lightning bolt, successfully charging the Time Machine. However, an unexpected twist awaited him: the lightning strike proved too formidable for the Time Machine to handle. It spiraled into an uncontrollable frenzy, initiating on its own accord. In a race against time, Swayam had to intervene manually to prevent the Time Machine from self-destruction. With swift action, he disconnected the copper rod from the Time Machine, and in doing so, the machine that had teetered on the brink of malfunction suddenly stabilized.

***

As the Time Machine ceased its erratic behavior and preparations neared completion, a sudden realization struck Swayam. He found himself in a predicament – he lacked the crucial lab rats needed for the test run of the machine.

A spark of insight ignited within Swayam's mind. If his future self had left this envelope for the present version of him, it implied that the future Swayam had faced the same predicament regarding the lab rats. Calculating the possibilities, he reasoned that his future self might have circumvented this challenge by using the Time Machine alone, succeeding on the very first try and traveling back to the year 1990. Therefore, if he, the present Swayam, followed in his future self's footsteps and used the machine in the same manner, he could potentially achieve success on his first attempt as well.

With determination in his heart and the Time Machine fully charged, Swayam resolved to embark on his journey to the year 1990. However, as he initiated the machine, it once again succumbed to malfunction, setting coordinates independently. Frantically, Swayam attempted to regain control, but in his frantic efforts, he inadvertently placed his hands on a nuclear reactor, leading to an abrupt loss of consciousness. Unbeknownst to him, the Time Machine sprang to life, transporting him to an entirely unfamiliar and unknown location.

***