A Dystopian Time Travel Sci-Fi Thriller
Sci-Fi
Date Published: April 25, 2023
Publisher: Elite Online Publishing
When esteemed scientist James Blackwell finds himself behind bars at
StormRidge Correctional Facility, his singular goal is escaping, not back
into society through the prison gates, but into another world through a
wormhole.
With help from other inmates on the inside, and powerful political allies
on the outside, James locates the wormhole beneath the prison campus. When
four other inmates discover the horrible injustices inside the American
prison system, they join James in the escape.
Once on the other side, James and his friends find themselves one hundred
years in the future. Amid a dystopian world with dangers lurking around
every corner, this new world reveals the treacherous impact of environmental
destruction and political greed.
After briefly experiencing freedom and discovering the world is not what it
used to be, James and his friends are captured and imprisoned once again.
Four of them escape, leaving one behind, along with James’ most prized
possession: the notebook containing his scientific research.
Traveling back to the past they know requires finding the coordinates of
the wormhole. But with James’ notebook out of hand, the future of his
friends, and society itself, hang in the balance.
EXCERPT
They wandered along the tunnel, their shoes sinking into the dirt floor. It smelled of mold and rot. The air felt damp, and Hayden shivered. She crossed her arms, holding them tightly to her chest, trying to get even farther from the mildew- covered walls surrounding her. The tunnel slanted downwards and seemed to go on forever, as if they were descending into hell.
This is insane, Hayden thought. Are we really going to be able to pull this off? If we don’t, we could be killed—or worse. She could imagine nothing worse than spending the rest of her life inside a solitary cell. There would be no greater torture for her than to face perpetual loneliness.
The scientist finally came to a stop, pulling out a small notebook and attempting to read it in the dark.
Hayden came up beside him. “Is that thing supposed to tell us how to get out of here? Or do you not know where you’re taking us?”
He ignored her.
Hayden turned to Martina. “Can we trust him? It doesn’t seem like he even knows what he’s doing.”
Martina sighed.
“We don’t even know his name,” Hayden said.
“It’s James Blackwell. And I am your only chance of getting out of here. Take it or leave it.”
Hayden grimaced. There was something about his confidence she found appealing, but also incredibly annoying. What was it that always caused her to be drawn to arrogant men?
A series of memories flashed through her mind, each one more painful than the last. She always loved deeply, and Jonathan had been no exception. All she had to do was close her eyes, and she could feel him with her again. She could imagine the two of them making love under the stars and talking until the sun came up; it was total bliss.
But then, as always, she remembered what he made her do, and her nostalgia turned into pain.
“How much farther?” Martina asked, interrupting Hayden’s thoughts.
They came to a solid metal door covered in rust. James pulled it open, the old metal creaking loudly at its hinges. The open doorway revealed an even darker tunnel.
“Oh, great,” Andre said.
“What? Are you scared?” Mason asked Andre, grinning.
“There’s something wrong with you if you’re not scared to enter a dark tunnel. Especially when none of us knows where it leads.”
“Anything’s better than my fate if I stay in prison,” Mason said, pushing forward, leading the group.
James ignored their conversation and walked faster, a determined look in his eyes. Hayden quickened her pace to keep up with him.
This tunnel looked vastly different than the one Hayden and Martina had come through. The tunnel connecting the men’s and women’s prisons had a concrete floor and lighting. It was also frequently used by the workers who went back and forth between the two prisons. This tunnel looked like it hadn’t been used in years.
The more steps they took, the darker and narrower the tunnel became. Claustrophobia started to creep in. Hayden felt like she was wrapped in a heavy, soaking-wet blanket, unable to stretch out her limbs, and ultimately, unable to breathe. It was dead silent except for the occasional sound of tiny feet scampering across the dirt floor. Martina clutched Hayden’s arm, and Hayden smirked. Who knew such a badass could be afraid of rats? The group walked in silence for about ten minutes until the tunnel suddenly broke off into two paths.
About the Author
Victoria Romanski’s passion for writing science fiction evolved from
early interests in time travel and social justice, resulting in a novel
vision of what the future could hold for us all.
A diligent spectator of political discourse and current societal issues,
she crafts stories with themes that explore familiar topics, but with a
dystopian twist. Victoria considers these subjects valuable to engage with
while expressing her craft in fresh and inventive ways.
A storyteller at heart, Victoria enjoys learning about other cultures
through global travel. She uses her role as an observer of human behavior to
explore avenues to make the world a better place.
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