The dream of the most eccentric scientist of the 22nd century had come true. He was traveling to the past, escaping from the chaotic world where he lived.
After so many space-time experiments, Tim was so exhausted that he never realized his body was at last passing through a wormhole into a totally unknown reality.
After a long sleep, Tim got up, as usual, stretching and activating the flavored water fountain on his wrist to hydrate himself. Then, he wanted to greet Screwy, his nano dog, but he found only a pile of junk around him.
"Screwy, no! The cat lover neighbor mashed you up, I'll never forgive him," exclaimed Tim with watery eyes.
This emotional outburst was short-lived, because when Tim finished coming back to his senses, he saw to his amazement that he was not in his room and everything around him, whether near or far, was destroyed.
"Impossible! I thought I fell out of bed, but I landed on my ass into a more terrifying future," Tim lamented.
The scientist then rushed to check his quantum clock to see what year he was in. To his surprise, he was not in the 23rd century, but where he had wanted to be: the early 21st century.
Tim started crunching numbers for two hours, and ended up confirming that it was 2001.
"Is there anyone more unlucky than me? I came to the past looking for a better future, but the present is already over. We are the worst species in history!" Tim uttered in total disappointment.
Through it all, the scientist spent hours wandering around what seemed like the center of Rome, until he realized there was only him in the place. Or so he thought.
In reality, everyone was there, only asleep. Running and screaming with dread, Tim had discovered that everyone in Rome was fast asleep in their pajamas on the streets of the crumbling city.
No matter which street Tim walked down, all he saw were people drooling and snoring softly. The 'Eternal City' had become the 'Eternal sleep'. But how?
It didn't take Tim long to find out who might be behind it all. It turns out that, amidst all the rubble and sleeping people, Tim saw that a fountain—he later learned it was the Trevi Fountain—was still intact. And, not only that: there was a floating billboard above it that read "Hypno Co.—Surf your dreams forever."
"What is Hypno Co. ? Hypno Co. is to blame for all this? Why is this not written in the history books of the 22nd century? Tim wondered as he wandered around Rome dodging sleepers.
Tim became so immersed in his thoughts that he never noticed two female androids sped towards him. A second later, he was knocked to the floor and Tim went crazy wanting to escape.
"Mommy, rescue me! Throw some flip-flops at them," Tim howled several times.
However, his rescue came from whom he least expected: his old Casio watch. This gift from his great-grandfather seemed to break down and set off the alarm.
Immediately the androids released Tim and began to exhibit intense headaches. In addition, and even more incredible, several of the sleepers that filled the streets of Rome began to wake up.
Because of these awakenings, the end came for the androids amidst fists and kicks. Tim was stunned at how only wires and oil stains remained.
Tim approached one of these people, and asked them:
"Can you explain to me what the heck is going on here?"
The one Tim spoke to was a very tall, stocky guy. This one turned to look at him with scary face first, but when Tim thought he would kill him, this man just hugged him with a big smile.
"Thanks, crazy hair, I don't know who you are, but thanks. I'm Zack, ex-military!" said the big man enthusiastically.
Out of nowhere, a girl with pale eyes walked up and commented:
"I don't know how long I went without hearing real human voices."
"What are you talking about? Can you explain to me why everyone here was snoring?" insisted Tim.
"Although I can't see you, you seem to be very distressed, and you're not from around here," the girl giggled.
This made Tim and Zack laugh, too.
Then the blind girl said, "My name is Eliza, I used to be a sound engineer, but now I'm like some kind of zombie in this crazy world of Hypno Co."
Before speaking further, Eliza took Tim and Zack by the hand to pull them out of the crowd that was forming near them.
"To make a long story short, I'll just tell you that since the Industrial Revolution mankind hasn't stopped slaving away," Eliza explained.
"No resorts in Hawaii?" asked Tim with a dry smile.
"No. It's just been work and more work. We made a lot of progress, but we also got very tired. From our need for rest, Hypno Co. took fair advantage. It is simply a company that promoted 'rest, rejuvenation and play packs."
"And then what happened? I don't remember anything!" Zack said intrigued.
"The 21st century loomed as the century of relaxation and entertainment, but we were duped by Hypno Co. and their packs. Instead of being happy, we were given a passive slavery of uninterrupted sleep, where Hypno's owners would have free reign to do whatever they wanted with our world," confessed Eliza.
Tim and Zack looked at each other dumbfounded.
"Still, why is everything destroyed?" asked Tim.
"I think the governments gave Hypno Co. a fight for a while. Or at least that's what I remember," Eliza replied before stopping her companions suddenly.
"What's wrong?"
"I heard robotic footsteps," Eliza whispered.
Indeed, a trio of androids jumped off the roof of a house to capture them, but before they got their hands on them, Zack, KO'd them with a martial arts combo.
"Skills are not lost!" exclaimed the ex-military man with a chuckle.
"Guys, I think there will be more androids chasing us soon," warned Tim fleetingly glancing at an electromagnetic map on his quantum watch.
"We've got to get to Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs! Zack said confidently.
"Why?" asked Eliza confused.
"Crazy Hair commented to me we woke up thanks to an alarm from his Casio watch. Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs is the only bell tower in Rome. Maybe if we touch it, we might wake up everyone here and then in the world," Zack answered and started running towards it.
So it was that the intrepid group arrived at the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs. A building still intact in form and beauty. After a long hallway, Tim was the first to reach the hall. It was circular and adorned with several marble columns and the largest dome Tim had ever seen.
Although Eliza couldn't see, and Zack had already been there, they both loved the church, both being Catholic. They made the sign of the cross and spoke to Tim to continue.
This attempt was short-lived, since, almost as if by magic in the columns of the room, yawning koalas began to appear.
"This has to be the last Hypno Co. trap," said Eliza in anguish.
"They knew someone would come here someday, but..." Zack couldn't finish the sentence because he started yawning intensely.
Eliza started yawning too, but before she fell asleep, she gave Tim some earplugs.
Tim understood that his destiny was to reach the bell tower at any cost. He was running while he was getting rid of koalas, which were becoming more and more numerous.
Only a spiral staircase and the scientist's efforts separated humanity from salvation.
Tim opened the door leading to the bell tower and gasped: the bell tower was obstructed by himself. It was an evil version of himself, with white hair and a sinister smile, wearing a black coat and a 'Hypno Co.' pin on his chest.
Tim checked with his quantum watch that his evil version was flesh and blood, not robotic or virtual. Tim was responsible for the disaster of 2001!
Tim somehow figured out that if he killed his evil version, then he too would disappear, and no one would ring the bell.
So, in a very risky attempt, Tim nervously activated his watch to create a shrinking wormhole for a few seconds.
The evil Tim began to be pulled through the hole, as did the good one, but the he didn't leave without first kicking the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs bell.
"Tim-Dong! I made it!" Was the last thing Tim said with a faint smile before saving mankind and forever vaping with his evil twin in space-time.
