[ WP ] Teleportation is finally invented . Your friend is one of the first people to use it . After coming out on the other side , the more time you spend with him , the more you realize that this is not your friend

It was small things at first that made me think Jon was different. He called me `` dude'' way too much when he used to call me `` man.'' He suddenly knew how to cook when before he did n't know how to make ramen noodles. All things that other people could brush off, but I could n't. I lived with him since we were in foster care together. I knew him, he knew me. Something was definitely up. 
 
 It did n't take me long to pinpoint the differences started after he came back from teleporting. I spent my entire life trying to create teleportation. It was n't an easy road and I was constantly ridiculed for my attempts... but I finally did it. After losing all my grants and even my own lab. I moved my study to my little garage. I took out loans and poured all my own money into this. When I made the biggest breakthrough I did n't tell anyone. I wanted this to be kept to myself for now. Once it was fully tested and proved to work I would unveil it. 
 
 My life-long friend -- more a brother than friend -- volunteered to be the first human test subject. I told him I would go first, but he refused. He wanted me to see the results since I had the'brain'. 
 
 I could go on and on to explain how it worked, but people always zoned out when I explained it. So in simple terms....it was made up of four pipes that all faced inward. You stand in the machine with a bracelet on. The bracelet was for communicating with the machine from the other side. It only had one button that could travel fast enough to break the speed of light, which as I discovered, meant traveling in time. When that button on the bracelet it pressed, the machine turns on and brings you back to the present time. On this end, I control everything with a computer. 
 
 He stepped in one second and stepped out the next second. It was instant. He immediately began describing what it felt like. He only went back in time a week so he did n't witness anything major. But he confirmed it was a week ago by checking some newspaper, which was strange he had to find one at all and there wasn ’ t a better way to confirm it. 
 
 Everything seemed normal. Naturally, it felt weird to have your body being thrown back in time, but his doctor said there was no difference. He did n't know he went back in time, of course. We kept that part a secret. But the results showed he was perfectly healthy and a great first test. 
 
 It came later that I started realizing things were different. Things seemed... off. Nothing major, nothing crazy, but for me it was certain aspects. First, it was pulling the lemon out of his water at a restaurant. Jon loved lemons... I would usually give him my lemon to add to his drink. 
 
 That's fine, tastes can change. 
 
 But he missed an episode of his favorite TV show. He canceled plans on me before because he had to watch that show without Twitter spoiling it for him. These tiny things started to add up. 
 
 What really told me he was different was how he suddenly started getting very interested in history. Reading every Wikipedia page he could muster. He had a giant stack of books next to his bed and when I borrowed his Kindle he had a multitude of non-fiction history stories. 
 
 I started to have a real fear that the crazy sci-fi story happened. One where my friend went in but a different one came out... it was too crazy though. 
 
 It was when we were grabbing some drinks in my garage going over the results, I mentioned if he would be up for another trip. He seemed very hesitant. 
 
 `` If nothing went wrong, why not go again?'' I inquired. 
 
 He shrugged, `` What if something does though? I was willing the first time because I knew how desperate you were. But now you can bring it back to the scientific community. They can advance it with you. We do n't need to take the personal risks.'' 
 
 It was very clear he was hiding something. He was n't even this hesitant the first time he went. Why would he be more afraid the second time if everything worked properly? 
 
 `` Hey remember that time we were hitting rocks with sticks and it broke Scary Ted's window?'' 
 
 `` Scary Ted?'' Jon gave me a strange look, `` Do n't you mean Scary Sam? That's why we called him'Scary'. It was for the alliteration.'' 
 
 `` Oh you're right,'' I gave a fake laugh, `` Still a scary old man though.'' 
 
 `` That he was.'' Jon laughed along. 
 
 Okay, so that did n't reveal anything. If he could remember our childhood then he must be the same old Jon. Right? 
 
 `` Or like the time that we were ice skating on the frozen lake when that crazy person almost ran me over with a snowmobile?'' 
 
 `` Yeah, except it was almost me he ran over.'' Jon gave me another strange look. 
 
 `` Hey, he almost ran us both over,'' I joked. Again, he knew that. 
 
 `` Are you going to bring up the time we were almost mugged too?'' Jon asked. 
 
 Damn... he only the two of us ever knew that. He must be Jon. 
 
 `` What's up man?'' Jon asked. 
 
 `` Oh just being nostalgic,'' I answered, hoping that would be enough. 
 
 Then I had the thought... he read a lot of history books. If this was indeed a case of this person being a different Jon, then maybe he has all the same memories but the world is different. I immediately began thinking of life altering events in history that could be totally different and affect the whole world. But I would sound absolutely crazy if I messed it up. 
 
 Everything he was reading seemed to involve World War II... that must be the difference. What was the biggest moment in World War II that would change everything... 
 
 `` Man,'' I started, `` You ever wonder what would've happened if we won the battle of D-day.'' I know it sounded random as hell but I stared at him waiting for the answer. Gripping my beer bottle tightly waiting for him to respond. 
 
 `` I bet it would've changed the whole war... too bad they were massacred on the beach. Such a poorly planned assault.'' 
 
 My eyes widened and I dropped my beer. 
 
 `` Henry?'' Jon looked at me. 
 
 `` Who are you?'' 
 
 `` W-what?'' 
 
 `` Who are you!'' I screamed and reached in the door nearby for a handgun I kept there. I always kept it there since I worked late hours. I had a fear someone would come around looking for trouble. I never thought I'd use it on Jon. 
 
 `` H-Henry! What are you doing?!'' 
 
 `` You came back different!'' I screamed. I had no idea if this Jon was normal, if he was an alien, if he was... was... who knew! This was uncharted territory. I had no idea what to expect. `` You are not the same Jon.'' 
 
 `` That's crazy,'' Jon said backing up from me. His eyes glued to my gun, `` Henry, it's me. It's Jon.'' 
 
 `` No it is n't!'' I shook the gun, `` I swear I will shoot you now if you do not tell me who you are. I swear I'll do it!'' 
 
 There was a pause and it only confirmed my suspicions. He was thinking. Right now I could tell if he was deciding to reveal the truth to me. 
 
 `` Okay, okay... I'm not Jon.'' He slumped his head down. 
 
 `` Where is he?!'' I screamed. 
 
 `` He's dead.'' 
 
 I stumbled back into my desk and the arm holding the gun dropped low. `` but... h-how...?'' 
 
 `` Things happened, it's hard to explain.'' 
 
 `` Did you kill him?'' I asked seriously. 
 
 There was a moment of hesitation and it told me exactly what I needed to know. 
 
 Jon realized this as well, `` what would you do if a mirror image of yourself appeared in front of you!'' He screamed. 
 
 I shot him in the head. 
 
 It was instant. I did it before reacting; before really thinking. I could n't call the cops and tell them my time traveling friend is dead. I could n't let him go. He had knowledge from another world and maybe some alternative motive. Maybe he came here to use the time machine for bad. Maybe he was going to kill me in my sleep after he learned how to use it. Maybe he... maybe... maybe. 
 
 `` I do n't know!'' I screamed dropping the gun on the ground as I watched the crimson spill from Alternative Jon's head. `` I do n't know what's going on!'' 
 
 I felt myself start to get close to vomiting but I did n't my best to hold it back. I tried my hardest to stop from having a complete panic attack. I could n't believe this was happening. This only happened in movies. This was n't supposed to actually happen. 
 
 I looked over at the time machine. 
 
 I could go in time with the buddy and dump in. No one would ever find it. I could then destroy it and forget this ever happened. 
 
 Or... 
 
 I could go back in time and kill the Alternative Jon. I still needed more testing but if the time machine went back in time to an alternative world where things are similar but different... I could kill that Jon and therefore he would n't exist to kill my Jon when he first travels through time. 
 
 But how many alternative worlds are there? What if I get sent back to a different one? What if I get sent back to this one and buy killing this Jon my life changes and I do n't invent the time machine. Therefore, the bracelet would n't work and I'd be stuck in the past? 
 
 And the way he answered my question and read the history books... did the Allies lose WWII? What would the world look like? What if I am killed immediately on the other side? 
 
 I just had to hope it would be the same second world that this second Jon came from. That would n't affect our timeline until early this week when I sent Jon back, then I could come back and destroy the time machine. It would prevent myself from ever losing Jon. 
 
 Did it make sense? Not at all, but I was banking more off sci-fi theories at this point then scientific research. 
 
 I picked up the gun, put the bracelet on, typed a random date in the computer but made sure to pick the year we were in foster care together, and entered the machine. 
 
 I closed my eyes as I counted down to being teleported. 
 
 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... 
 
 ( to be continued )
