Testing the Grandfather Paradox (Rest of the Story)

This is the rest of the story. Click here for the beginning

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EXPERIMENT: Two

Status: Failure

The calibration of the time machine is still slightly off. By the time I arrived my father had already been born and was almost a year old, so killing my grandfather at that point would have no impact.  In terms of the experiment, at least.

I briefly considered killing my father, but that would have been ungrateful.  I like my father, unlike my arsehole of a grandfather.  Him I have no problem killing.

Follow Up Actions: Calibrate and repeat.

* * *

EXPERIMENT: Three

Status: Success Failure

This time I arrived in the correct time period, located my grandfather, and was able to shoot him three times in the chest.  I didn’t hang around, but I was sure no one could survive that!

No one saw me, not that they could have known who I was.  And when I returned existence seemed no different.  I’d proved my theories correct!  Or I thought I had.  Until I spoke with my grandmother.

When I asked about my Grandfather being shot she was surprised I knew about it, it wasn’t something they’d talked about very often since it had happened.

She said my grandfather had been shot.  Shot for no reason anyone could figure out, and by someone who seemed to vanish off the face of the earth immediately afterwards.

And that he’d been shot by someone completely inept with a gun.  While my grandfather’s wounds were serious, they were not in any way fatal.

Follow Up Actions: I’ve enrolled at a gun range to improve my accuracy, and am studying where on the body to shoot someone to be sure they are killed.

* * *

EXPERIMENT: Four

Status: Success Failure

I returned to the past, located my grandfather at the correct time, and this time shot him in a way which was guaranteed to be fatal.  I even hung around as long as I dared to confirm he was dead.

On returning I found no hints of a paradox.  I was elated, for this time surely I had been successful and had proven my theory.

To my surprise, when I spoke with my grandmother she told me my grandfather was still alive.  Not dead from being shot, but also not dead from a heart attack five years ago as had been the case in my original timeline. I was very confused – how had killing my grandfather led to him being alive for longer than before?

I was even more confused when I met my grandparents for lunch. The man with my grandmother was not my grandfather, not the man I knew.  During the meal I managed to turn the conversation toward the man who was really my grandfather… or so I’d always believed.  My grandmother told me she’d been engaged to him, but that he’d been killed leaving her free to marry the man she’d always secretly been in love with. And, apparently, the man who must really have been my grandfather all along.

So, another failure.  The man I’d killed had never been related to me, so his death meant nothing.

Follow Up Actions: Go back.  Find my real grandfather.  Kill him.

* * *

EXPERIMENT: Five

Status: (Near fatal) Failure

I should have spent some time learning more about my real grandfather. I travelled back, sought him out, and pulled the gun.  He disarmed me in a moment and turned the gun on me. From the look in his eyes I truly believe it’s only because I hit the emergency recall that I was able to escape with my own life.

I have no idea where he learnt those skills, I’ve only known of him briefly, but I certainly don’t wish to face him again.

Follow Up Actions:

1) Buy a sniper rifle.

2) Back to the gun range for more training.

3) Travel back in time again.

4) Kill my real grandfather, from a distance.

* * *

EXPERIMENT: Six

Status: Success

It worked! This time I was able to kill him. I swear I could feel the universe around me shift as he fell to the ground. I’m making this note just before I travel back, in case I’ve triggered something which might affect my memory after I return.

But I was right!  I’ve finally proven the grandfather paradox is both surmountable, and that the solution is proof of the existence of the multiverse.

Now to activate the return sequence and return to my own time…

* * *

Warning!

Warning!

This universe has encountered a fatal error!

Time paradox detected. Paradox unable to be resolved. Universe unable to continue. Please reset your universe to starting conditions and try again.

We apologise for the inconvenience, and hope your universe runs more smoothly next time.  If you encounter the same problem please contact tech support at *8MDD6345M^^14p.

The End

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