chapter 1: The silver parallel theory.

"Time. Many people like to think of time in diffrent ways. Scientific. Poetic. Sometimes just a normal word with no meaning. But in reality no one can tell you what time is. They can give you a defenition but if were being honest that doesn't explain anything. How does it work? Why does it exist?  So many theories and diffrent ways to think of yet its just a concept. It exists yet without real proof of how. Time is the only real thing in this world that everyone takes for granted. So look around this classroom. Look at your friends. Remember this place. Remember everything you have experienced here. Because. You'll never have the time to ever again. Isn't that right Eren?"

A middle aged man with a stubble of a beard,dirt brown eyes and shining blonde hair stands infront of a classroom. The students all on their final year. Tough non of them truly care about what is being said one student stands out from the rest. He leans against his fist and stares out to the birds flying through the sky shining with the setting sun's light. He is completely zoned out. Not focusing on the teacher calling him in the slightest.
"Eren!"
The teacher says in a deeper voice yelling at the distracted boy. He snaps out of it and stares forward swiftly.
"Y-Yes?"
He asks confused as to what was said.
"What do you think of time Eren. Since it seems to pass by so quickly for you?"
"I...umm..."
"As expected you truly never pay attention. All these years and nothing has changed. Anyway. This is where I bid farewell. Enjoy your weekend. Your future. Hope to NOT see any of you in my class next year. For the final time. Dismissed."
Eren stands up with the rest of the class and walks out on command. Before stepping out the door the teacher stops him
"Eren. A moment?"
"Y-Yes sir?"
"Your grades have suprised me. Though this means nothing. I still need a career plan you never gave me or you won't be getting your final exam grade what so ever. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir. I'll be able to on monday."
Eren responds with the same answer he always has. Though it seems like another day its acctually the last day of school he'll have. It seems everyday has been falling into the same loop everytime again and again.
"Not to burst your zone out bubble but school is out on monday. I expect it on sunday in the school office when the the first years come in to get their books for next year. I'll be in my office."
"Oh umm. Yes sir."
(Same old story to be honest. I don't even care what I become when I leave school. As long as I get out of here I'll be happy.)
With a swift walk Eren leaves the classroom. Walking through the now technically empty halls he gets lost in thought again.
(Time...What a weird speech. Just a concept. Honestly when I think of time I think of some sci-fi bull crap. My future seems like even more crap. Where the hell am I supposed to go. Not like dad cares at all. Not to mention I don't have any cash to go anywhere. The best I can do is rookie teacher. End up in this shit hole again in the same low pay failure all these middle aged idiots call their jobs.)
He trails off into a rant in his own head which he tends to do often. Though whilst not payinga attention he bumps into a girl. Her blonde hair technically flies through the air. Her books land on the floor and she falls down right next to them on her back. She's rather small. Eren breaks out of thought as he see's this girl on the floor.
"I-Im sorry I didn't..."
As he speaks he stops. The girl sits on the floor. Her blue eyes glaring in the sun. Hs seems unfased.
"Its fine."
She says in a low pitched yet elegeant voice and starts to picm up her books. Eren feeling like a total ass flails around and tries to help whilst saying sorry again and again.
"Im sorry I was zoning out and didn't see anyone infront of me Im so sorry-"
The girl cuts him iff mid sentence.
"Its alright. I should have been paying attention aswell. I should be saying sorry."
Her voice not even changing at all. Even her expression on her face stays the same.
"Are you sure?"
Eren asks feeling guilty.
"I am sure."
The girl replies looking him directlly in the eyes as she stands up. Eren blushes for no real reason. The girl looks at his hands and Eren realises then that he still has one of her books that he picked up. Its labelled 'Ella's poem book.' He gives it to her and thinks about asking her if she likes poems. But he doesn't have the courage to even muster up a simple goodbye. She takes the book. Bows down and continues to walk past him. He look back as she walks throigh the halls. Her shoes clicking with every step. Making echoes fly through the school. Its then when Eren realises his friend is waiting for him outside.
"Ah crap!"
He swiftly runs through the halls and then out the front gate. Sitting on a bench is a red head girl. Her green eyes blank. She has a bag on her back and a both her hands on her lap waiting for Eren.
"Took you long enough!"
Though she looks proper and like she decends from royalty she acts like she grew up on a farm. Even her voice has an obnoxious ring to it. This girl is Monika. An old friend of Eren's. She had a hard life. This year alone her mother killed herself after her parents got a divorce and she's been having trouble with money. She started hanging out with Eren more recently since allot of her friends started straying from her because of her overall personality change. Though Eren see's her the exact same as she always was. He knows she probably has deppression but ignores it since he doesn't want to cross the line of far he should be in her personal life.
"Sorry. I walked into a girl and kinda got stuck in class for a bit."
A moment of silence then the girl confidently stands up and obnoxiouslly says
"Your excuses are weaker than your muscles moron!"
(I have better grades than you...)
"So are you gonna walk me home or just stand there like an idiot!?"
"Well thats a though question. I'd like to phone a friend."
"Tch...Just catch up smart ass!"
Eren catches up to her. He's wondered why she started habging out with him again all of a sudden. He came to the conclusion that she relates to him. Since his mother had died a few years back so they were both left with only their fathers. Or maybe it was the fact that non of them did sports and always had extra time to mess around at events instead of sit in a crowd. Either way all he knows is that she waits for him everday now and he likes the company since it brings him out of his head for a while.
"So did you hear mr.braun's speech about time? Got me thinking about tine travel and sci fi type crap. Also reminded me of the silver parallel theory...Remember that?"
It takes Eren a while to process what she said but then finnally responds
"The silver what?"
"Don't play dumb! The silver parallel theory. A few years back when we hung out and you got obbsessed with john titor you called his time travel theory the "silver parallel theory" because of time being a bunch of silver lines or something. Remember?"
It takes him a minute but then he remembers. John Titor's story inspired a little scientist within younger Eren. He called John Titor's worldline theory the "silver parallel theory" because he saw the diffrent parallel worldlines as silver in his mind. So he dubbed it 'The silver parallel theory' and sooner than later as most do forgot that john titor was even a thing.
"Kind of an odd thing to think about during a goodbye speech isn't it?"
"Yeah I guess but when he called you out for doing you adhd thing it just kinda popped into my head. By the way are you ok. You've been doing that more often now than ever before. Not building a good reputation you know?"
Eren stays silent getting lost in nostalgia omce again. Its been a while since anyone even brought up old tales of time travel.
"Anyway this is where I depart."
Eren snaps out as Monika kinda whispers. She looks at her street sign with a stare and looks like she's holding back tears
(She shy? No it seems...Weirder than that. Its almost like the voice you talk in before giving a speech. Fear? Why would Monika be afraid?)
"Umm are you o-"
"Im fine!"
Monika cuts off Eren swiftly acting normal again. As if to change the subject.
"I'm fine. Positive acctually. So stop worrying so much alright."
Eren stays quite. Oblivious as to what to say.
"Bye!"
Monika screams in the distance as she walks across the street. Eren just stares her direction thinking.
(Was something wrong. Should I have said something. She was afraid of...Her dad? Would I have crossed the line if I had asked about it? Dammit. Was it really ok to just leave it there...)
Eren stands for a moment thinking when he looks up and see's the setting sun only getting lower. He realizes he needs to get home. He starts to walk. Ranting on if he should have gone further with Monika. If he shouldve asked or something or do something. He decides to ignore it for the meanwhile and continues on home. As he finally reaches his house only a few blocks away from Monika's he opens the door with his key.
"Dad? Im home!"
Eren yells almost on instinct. As he closes the door he's greeted by his father.
"Eren. How was the last day of school?"
The man asks kindly. He has a soft voice,brown eyes and ice white hair. He's around his 50's now. His name is Gregory but everyone calls him Greg or Mr.G. A kind man. He was broken when his wife,Eren's mom,died. But he didn't get caught up in it. Instead he tried to put on a brave face for his son. For the most part it worked. Eren saw his attempts at hiding great pain and did the same. Eventually they both slowly eased into getting used to it. Accepting that its over. It takes Eren a second but then he hears what his father said. Last day of school. That was the last time he walked Monika home. Maybe thats why she was so sad. At the same time she was afraid not sad. if it wasn't. Then he wasn't going to get the chance to ask again.
"It was fine I guess. Nothing interesting to be honest."
"Well still. Big day. I invited Claire over."
Claire. Someone Eren had also somewhat known. She used to be in his middle school. Though she was friends with everyone. A social person. So it never really occurred to Eren that someone that social had a crush on him being such an introvert. Though she did. She even confessed right before high school and Eren technically just ignored it.
"Wait...Only Claire? Shouldn't be calling high schoolers and inviting them to your home dad."
"Atleast I know you still have your sense of humor. I invited David and Claire. Its been awhile since we saw them and I have a massive dinner so its a good time to catch up don't you think?"
"Yeah guess your right. Just give me a second to get dressed."
Eren says as he accends the stairs to his room. Nothing special. A normal sized bedroom with gray walls and gray floor tiles. A bed with plain black sheets. A small TV in the corner with a gaming console and a medium sized desk filled with more or less junk. Also a wardrobe. With a little clock on his wall ticking side to side. Again. Again. Perfectly timed each tick.

Some time passes as Eren gets dressed. Now at the dinner table with his dad,David and of course Claire. Its a four corner wooden table with matching chairs. Eren sits across from Claire. David talks with his dad. Claire just kind of sits there eating. Slim with blonde hair. Blue eyes. She's usually a chatterbox but she had been silent for a while now. Eren doesn't even notice. He zones out again looking at his fork as it stabs into the pork. His face yet again leaning into his other hand's fist. He hears his phone buzz but thinks nothing of it. Its rude to answer your phone during dinner anyway. It buzzes 3 times so its probably just a bunch of messages trying to scam him or something.
"So. Eren how's school been?"
Claire finnally mutters those few words. Eren is caught off guard but finnally snaps back.
"Its fine I guess. Nothing to serious."
"Oh. Well for me its been the opposite. I've struggled with my job application form thingy. Not sure if it really matter but I really struggled to fill it in."
As Claire says this Eren's dad stops eating and with a curious look asks
"job application?"
He slightly chokes. Eren hadn't told his dad about the form at all.
"Y-Yeah we got those. I need to give it in on Sunday. Must've forgotten."
"Well seems pretty important to forget Eren."
His dad replies a bit hostile. Claire looks at Eren with a sorry look and David just stays quite. Eren sighs and stops leaning on his fist.
"Its honestly no big deal."
"No big deal? So what you're future is just no big deal now is that it?"
"Dad can we just not do this now"
"Sure. Let's just leave it until next time when you'll forget about it again am I right?"
A moment of silence fills the room. After a few seconds Erens dad finnally speaks.
"You know ever since she died I don't know how I've copped with you. I've been nice and given you chance to breath and you just keep finding a way to mess up."
Eren gets up from the table
"Maybe its because mom acctually cared about my future and didn't waste all my after school money on booze and rehab!"
Eren snaps. He blinks a few times and breaths. He says goodbye to David and Claire in a swift way and walks upstairs. Erens dad sits in silence and wipes his mouth with a cloth. Eren sits on his bed.
(Anywhere is better than this.)
He falls onto his back and stares at his roof. He sighs once again and checks his phone.
'three missed calls'
All from Monika. Eren swiftly calls her back but gets not pick up. He listens to the missed calls. The first is just silence. The second is silence for a few seconds then Monika whispering in a crying voice but mumbles too much to make up what she said. The third is the same as the second but this time her mumbles are clear.
"Help...me..."
As Eren hears her voice he gets a chill down his spine. It's like hearing a cry from a dog only worse. He quickly jumps up and jumps out of his window climbing down the rain pipe as to avoid his dad. Not the first time he's done it before. He tries to call Monika again but gets no response. Thats when his phone dies.
"Dammit!"
He runs as fast as he can in his decent attire through the streets to Monika's house a few blocks down. As he runs flashes of memory seem to play as he blinks as the sound of his heartbeat fills his ears. Her walking next to him. Looking afraid. Walking away when he asked to help. Should he have done something. Should he have helped. He runs as fast as he can. He trips and drops his phone but gets right back up running non the less. His heart beating even faster now. Ashe reaches her street he can see her dad's car out of the driveway. He's not there. He stops at the front door and knocks loudly.
"MONIKA!"
He hits the door three times.
(She's fine. She's fine.)
Eren keeps repeating these words in his head over and over as to comfort himself. Eventually he tries to break down the door. After his third try he bashes through and falls flat on the ground. Looking up the house is dark.
"MONIKA!"
he yells but gets no answer. Did someone break in? There isn't any sign of a break in accept for the door he broke though. Where was her dad. He had to be home by now. His half full beer bottle is still on the table next to a worn out lazy boy. He quickly gets up and runs around the bottom floor only to find nothing and run upstairs.
(I should have been with her. I should have asked her. I should have crossed the line.)
Eren keeps running his thoughts making himself paranoid. He runs through the top floor only to stop at Monika's room.
"She'll be fine."
He says out loud one last time to comfort himself.
(Maybe she's with her dad. That asshole. What would he. No. She's probably sleeping. She's probably fine.)
He slightly laughs as to assure himself she's fine. He slowly opens her door with closed eyes and whispers
"Monika?"
He enter the room only to open his eyes in shock. Hung from a rope by her neck Monika hangs from her ceiling fan. Her eyes lifeless and dried. Her neck bruised. Her school uniform torn. Her mouth hanging open. Her finger tips with nearly fresh blood as if she had tried to stop herself from hanging. Eren stares in shock. His body shaking. His eyes twitching. He suppresses the urge to vomit and holds his hand infront of his mouth looking downward.
(This isn't right. No. No. No....What the fuck...no...she wouldn't do this...)
He walks out of the room and stumbles down the stairs.
(She wouldn't. No. She wasn't depressed she was ok. I know she was ok she was just. afraid. She wouldn't kill herself.)
He trips down by the front door. His hand still over his mouth. His eyes dried from not blinking. His skin pale.
(Her messages she was scared. She didn't hange herself. Her dad he must've...The police are going to think she just killed herself. No thats not. I have proof the messages.)
He remembers his phone breaking on the sidewalk when he fell.
(No her phone. It has to have the messages.)
He remembers her telling him how her father took her phone away at nighttime and she was only allowed to have it at school. Her having her phone this late meant she wasn't supposed to have it. Her dad was gone and her phone probably was too. Taken by him.
(I should have gone with her. I should have crossed the line I could have prevented this. I could have stopped this.)
Eren falls to his elbows and shakes. Memories of her walking away intertwine with memories of her hanging corpse. I printed in his mind. The urge to vomit filling his stomach again.
(I could have stopped this. I could have...)
As he crawls down on the floor several lines lift from the floor. As far as the eye can see parallel lines. All silver fill from the ground to the sky close to eachother. Each the size of a ribbon or a slightly bigger string.
Eren looks up his face covered in silver light but somehow he's able to see. His hair lifts like its in zero gravity. Everything else seems to stop moving.
(I could have stopped this.)
Eren stares at one of the lines as it light up a lighter silver than the rest. It blinks and then darkness. Silence. Eren feels himself in a type of void.
"Even infinity. Can be changed. But. It is not meant to be tampered with."
a voice of a woman says. It sounds like the girl he bumped into in the hall.
Eren awakes. Jolting as he does. His eyes see birds outside of a setting sun. His face is leaned into his fist. He's in class.
"It seems Eren is finnally awake. Isn't that right Eren?"
Eren looks around in shock. He's in class. Monika sits on the other side of class looking at Eren with a curious face.
(What...The hell...)
"Well Eren what do you think about time. since it passes by so quickly for you?"
Eren gets deja vu. He stares at Monika as the flash of her hanging corpse flashes in his head. He lifeless dried out eyes. He feels the urge to vomit again.
"Not paying attention I see. You truly never change. Anyway. This is where I bid you farewell. Enjoy your weekend. And your future. I hope NOT to see any of you in my class next year. So for the final time. You are Dismissed."
Everyone gets up as Eren gathers his thoughts.
"Eren. May you come to my desk."
"Y-Yes sir..."
Eren slowly gets up and walks to the teachers desk. Its the same speech about his job application form.
"I'll give it in on Sunday...sir..."
"Yes. Sunday when the first years get their books. Don't forget."
Eren stays silent and grabs his bag. Walking out into the now yet again near empty halls. He stares down them.
(What the hell.......)

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