[ WP ] A machine allows you to have a 15-minute conversation with your one true soul mate , romantic or otherwise . Your match lives 100 years in the future .

I gamed the system. No, *we* gamed it... of course. The two of us are so clever, it's no wonder we're soul mates. 
 
 I've heard stories, I know what happens. People go into that booth, close the curtains and have that conversation. They come out crying, bawling, broken. They met, they talked. What they learned is that someone out there is beyond perfect for them, two strangers meet and and find through the aether of space and time a connection so beautiful and unique. And those two people cry, and can barely talk. They see what can be and what never will. Their heart breaks, they experience the worst heartbreak possible. It's not uncommon to fall into a deep depression and never really recover. 
 
 It seems so simple now, stupidly so. It's been six months since that machine was made and the story has come and gone. It turns out humanity as a species survives a long time, a very long time in fact. Future humans figured out ways to make sure the species outlives the stars themselves. What does that mean for you and me? Well we've learned that a practically infinite amount of people will be born. Given enough time, the most perfect romantic partner possible will be born, grow up, and walk into that booth to meet you. 
 
 Does everyone walk into that booth? Hell no, most people are n't stupid enough to. But if you're going to walk into that booth, you damn well know your soulmate is the type of person who'd do it too. Maybe they're the type of person who does n't think things through all the way, or maybe they thought about it just as much as you have. 
 
 It's weird too. Some people have reported unimaginable things, things so strange they did n't make any sense at all. Even with the best person possible on the other end to describe it, sometimes it's so far in the future nothing is even recognizable. On one occasion the soulmate was exactly 15 minutes in the future. The person in the booth was talking to the next person in line who was going to use it. Try thinking that one through! 
 
 Most people are n't so lucky. Some people have killed themselves. People in the distant future come armed with specific plans on how to do it, how to preserve the tiniest shreds of blood and DNA, how to mark all of their atoms. So they can be resurrected a million, a billion years from now to be with their lover. And they have to trust that they can get all the information across in 15 minutes, in a way a person from 2018 could understand. 
 
 But I found a way to be with her. She found a way to be with me. We can be together, live our lives together. It does n't matter what time she is in, what place she is in. She's the perfect soulmate. I need only go into the booth and say five words, just to confirm what I already know. I'm thinking of doing it soon, five magic words and we'll be linked. We wo n't even need to talk about anything else, just sit there and enjoy each others company. We'll be the only two people to leave that booth content and happy with our lives. 
 
 -- - 
 
 It was a Thursday afternoon in the late fall. Dreary and overcast, the type of weather we both love. It was after work and I had decided today was the day I was going to the booth. I was at the park that was built around it, a quiet place. Lot's of granite paths and old oak trees. Most leaves had fallen off the trees, and had formed wet clumps up on the ground. There were a few people scattered around, dressed in damp rain coats, sitting on benches, lost in quiet introspection. It was easy to tell who'd been in the booth and who was thinking about going in. They were either nervous and antsy, or solemnly crying to themselves. 
 
 Still I soldiered on, I was going to see her today. I could see the booth in the distance, only a short line of 4 or 5 people were there. I could hear some faint yelling. The yelling grew louder. Two cops in bright yellow raincoats were hauling a woman out of the booth, her time was up. As I walked closer I could hear her pleading with the cops. 
 
 `` Please let me back in, it will turn back on for me!'' 
 
 `` Yeah, yeah lady.'' One of the cops said in the most tiresome manner. 
 
 `` But it's different for me. You wo n't believe what I saw!'' 
 
 `` Aliens, spaceship and Mr. Perfect, we've heard it all before... now come on get out of here before we throw you in the van to cool off.'' 
 
 After seeing this scene one man left the line. 
 
 The booth was on a small granite plateau, surrounded by neatly trimmed grass and majestic oaks. There were three or four steps up on to the plateau where the line started. At the base of the steps were a few clergymen from different religions shoving pamphlets in my face, eager to talk me out of it. 
 
 `` No thanks.'' I said as I skirted pass them and up the steps. I was nervous as hell, but I got in line. 
 
 Just four people in front of me, I could see the booth. It looked so... real. Just a small box with a cloth curtain. Like those photo booths at an arcade. 
 
 45 minutes later, I was second in line. From what I've read humanity only ever made the one booth. Even though you're sitting looking at someone across from you, they're sitting in the same place you are. Street lights around the park flickered on. 
 
 Another 15 minutes went by. The guy in front of me got in, now I'm next. The two cops eyed me up, I bet they wondered if they were going to have to haul me out of there in 30 minutes. The sky was much darker and it was starting to rain. 
 
 A quiet electric buzzer beeped, one of the cops slams on the exterior of the booth. `` Alright ya poor slob, get out. Got people waiting!'' 
 
 Behind the curtain came a sound of snotty sniveling. `` She is the one! No! Please do n't!'' 
 
 The two cops rolled their eyes, pulled open the curtain and dragged the guy out by his coat. After that one of them looked at me. 
 
 `` Yer up, loverboy.'' 
 
 Just five words. 
 
 There it was, an open curtain, flatly painted wooden box of a seat, and a small flat screen in front of it. I sat down, and just like that the curtain was closed and the screen was on. 
 
 She looked up, she must have just sat down too. Obviously she had. Of course she had. There she was, there we were, it was happening, and I was looking into her eyes. Her hair was dark brown, almost black, pulled back in a ponytail, a lock of her hair was dangling in front of her face. She smirked at me. We sat there for a moment. We were n't talking, we did n't need to. It worked, all of it worked. Both of us were so happy, we knew it worked. We gamed the system, we found a way around it all. 
 
 It must have worked, it must have. She was n't talking because she was waiting for me to say the words. If it did n't work, we'd... we'd be stumbling over ourselves trying to learn everything we could, like every poor fool that comes in here. Why else would we both be sitting here, *not* talking. This is the only 15 minutes we'll ever get. She was waiting for the five words, it must be that. It ca n't be anything else. 
 
 I opened my mouth to talk, she lightly bit her lip in anticipation. She made the biggest, most beautiful smile that will ever exist. 
 
 I hesitated, I was savoring the moment. I put both my hands on my head and ran them through my hair. *Holy shit*. It worked. Well, we did n't have much time, it was now or never. 
 
 I looked deep into her eyes. 
 
 `` Have you thought about it?'' I said. 
 
 Immediately her eyes filled with tears. She giggled and kept smiling, she put both her hands up to her mouth. 
 
 `` Yes,'' she sniffled, `` yes of course I have, you idiot.'' 
 
 We both laughed. 
 
 `` Of course I thought about it.'' She said, `` we did it.'' 
 
 Locked together, forever. Theory into practice. 
 
 We laughed, we smiled, we waved goodby. The screen turned off, but we were still together. 
 
 **Hit the character limit. The epilogue/explanation is replied to this. `` ** 
 
 

