forum "Well... that didn't work out." (OPEN)

Started January 11, 2021 by @CWPoofToxicRush

tune

The van fell silent, waiting for Roxy's reply. Reed tried to keep an eye on traffic and ear on the van. He ate a few chips, the crinkling of plastic and crunching of the chips painfully sticking out in the silence.

Roxy looked up. "I already told you everything. Let something happen to me if I'm lying." She said, keeping her voice steady.

The van remained silent for a few seconds before Eric said, "so let me get this straight. You are from 2021, and you somehow time traveled back in time?" He knew it couldn't be true but now he's doubting what he thought.

It took a good deal of willpower to keep his eyes on the road. Reed's brow furrowed. "And you did this… astral prosthetic, projection, whatever?"

Roxy nodded. "Yeah. It's one of those things that's been around for literal centuries but got popular. I figured the astral plane would be less stressful than a global pandemic and midterms."

(Sorry, I just got busy the last two days)

"What does the astral pro athlete do?" Eric asks since he had no clue, "does it do what happened to you or does it do other stuff?" He was now interested in learning about Roxy's experiment.

(it's cool my dude!)
"Eric, shut up, that's not what she said," Reed snickered. "An astral pro athlete is ridiculous, even if she is from the future or whatever. My question is about this whole global pandemic thing."
They were moving again, and getting close.

Roxy shook her head. "Astral projection is an out of body experience, but you control it. It's kinda like lucid dreaming. As for the pandemic… it's a mess."

"Let me guess, did it start in China?" Eric asked as if he knew it would happen.

"You always think the Chinese are up to something," Zach gestured

"Why would an isolated country unisolate themselves?" Eric asked, "And I think they're going to rival the GPD of the US and the Soviets. Am I right or am I right, Roxy?"

"Oh, lucid dreaming?" Reed said, making another turn. "I got a friend who likes doing that. I'm…. suddenly not curious about the pandemic anymore. I'm still not sure if I believe you, but how exactly could astral projection make you time travel? I mean, if you think about it, even if it's an out of body experience, you would still be subject to the passage of time, even if it didn't feel like it."

"Fuck if I know! One moment I'm dozing off to Motley Crue, the next I literally fall into the 80s!" She said, throwing up her hands. "And yes, the Corona virus started with someone in China consuming an infected bat."

"A bat?" Eric said confused, "but how can some meditation bring you to the 80s? It doesn't make sense."

Zach tapped Eric on the shoulder and told him to translate, "What kind of music were you listening to? Sometimes that has an effect on astral projection."

"Eric, that's what I just asked," Reed rolled his eyes. "She can't tell you." He glanced behind him, seeing Eric translating Zach's sign language. "Zach, how the h-ll do you know anything about astral projection? I have serious doubts about that statement."
Zach shrugged, signing, "I read it in a magazine once."
Reed turned his gaze back to the road. "I gotta see this magazine now, dude," he chuckled.
They pulled up to a decently sized apartment building, painted a dark navy blue color with white trim. This was where Reed's aunt lived. They couldn't use his parent's house since there wasn't enough space and his dad would kill him if he brought loud friends with loud instruments over. Reed parked the van, then said, taking his shades off, "Alright then, ladies and gentlemen, let's lay off the weird time travel talk for now. I want to practice, yeah?"