Hearts Under Ice - CS Patra Page 0,11
I didn’t know if any of it was top secret or not.”
“Nothing’s top secret here,” Donnie promised. “I keep all of that stuff at home. I’m guessing Pam didn’t explain much about my current work, so I’ll do that. Tell me, Olivia, what do you know about time travel?”
Olivia stopped. “Time travel? I’ve heard about it in fiction, and I’ve read a few books about it, but that’s it.”
“I figured. Well, I’m trying to do something similar to that. We’re talking about parallel universes here. My goal this year is to cross over into another universe and see what it’s like,” he went on. “That’s why I needed someone to help me keep things straight. I have so much going on with it that I’m losing track on my own.”
“I can keep things straight. I’m just curious though—why a parallel universe? Don’t you like this one?”
For the first time that day, he actually laughed. “I’m not trying to run away, Olivia. I just want to explore other realms. Come on. I know you are also interested in what lies beyond this world. In the past, it might have been impossible. However, I think I might have come up with a way to cross over it.”
It was Olivia’s turn to laugh. “I feel like I’m trapped in a novel now. I swear I’ve read plots like this before. Don’t take that a bad thing. I just—I find it interesting, and funny.”
“Oh, it’s not going to be like any novel you’ve read. We’re talking about reality here. There’s the possibility that you can move into the same world, but it would be completely changed. Maybe this new universe will be one where animals are a dominant species. It could be a universe where the world never split into the continents we know today. There may be universes where women are dominant over men, or where dinosaurs never went extinct. The possibilities are endless with this!”
“I see.” She was intrigued by everything he said, but a part of her remained skeptical. It all seemed too farfetched to be a reality. But she didn’t want to dash his hopes. All she wanted was to see this creation with her eyes. “I hope you get that chance to see a new universe one day.”
“Me too. I can’t do it alone, though,” he went on. “That’s another reason why I needed someone. Traveling through other universes isn’t a one-man job. I need you to keep track of my work, but there’s a little more to this.”
She gulped. “You—You want me for an experiment?”
“No, I’m not trying to experiment on you. I need you to keep track of our comings and goings. See if we succeed or fail. It’s not just plain office work but, something that could actually change the world. You could be a part of history with me, Olivia. Haven’t you ever wanted to be someone that stood out? Your name will be one that people will remember. Don’t you want that?”
“I—uh—” This was a question that she had never expected him to ask. “I think—I may not be the person you’re looking for. I appreciate the offer, Donnie, but this isn’t for me. I’m not really a scientist. In fact, I’m still struggling to pay off my loans before I go to grad school. You’d be better off with someone who has a good idea about these things. In fact, I think you’re rushing into it.”
Donnie stopped right in front of his office and pushed the door open. “I had a feeling you’d say that. The truth is, you are exactly the person I’m looking for. Another scientist would never be able to maintain an unbiased opinion. However, if I use an everyday person, it’s another story. Your findings and help would be bigger than you could imagine. People can relate to you better than they’ll relate to me.”
Olivia bit her bottom lip as they stepped inside. His office was just as organized as the lab, with books piled up in one corner and papers stacked neatly on his desk. “I still think you’re asking too much of me. I haven’t even started working yet, and I know this isn’t what I signed up for. However, I do need the money, so I will do the work that I’m given. I just don’t know if I’m ready for such a big leap into history.” She shrugged. “I’m sorry. I need time to think about it.”
“Take all the time you need. I’m not asking