Everyone watched in complete amazement as a 17 year old girl stood on a table and spoke directly to more than 2,000 people. Sam Sanders, a five foot eight self-proclaimed “rebel child” who seemed to always have on a little too much makeup, began by telling everyone they needed to change their way of life. Everyone in the small, rural town of Reserve, Nebraska was now listening to this young brunette explain why she believed their town needed to change.
“We produce the most waste of any city in all of Nebraska.” She continued “We also are the only city in the state to no longer recycle.”
“So what?” blurted out a twenty something man in the crowd.
“If we do not allow recycling back into our city, we will very soon be overrun by waste.” As young Sam looked out into everyone listening to her she could only make out one face, a female, with long blonde hair and perfect complexion. She knew the girl. It was her best friend Bethany Templeton. The only person
Sam could trust, since she was toddling around. Together they planned this event.
As Sam and Bethany’s eyes met, Sam gave a subtle wink to ignite the plan. Bethany began her way to the nearest table. As she pushed through the crowd, Sam began to rant again.
“I, Samantha L. Sanders, volunteer to use the latest technology to travel 30 years into the future and collect images to prove that if we continue our ways of life our city will become a pile of trash.” Sam continued, “Furthermore, I cannot take this journey alone. Is there anyone who would volunteer to travel with me?”
As Sam put out the request to find someone to travel with her, Bethany reached the table. She pushed and kicked people out of the way as she climbed up to be seen over the top of everyone around her.
“I am willing!” Bethany yelled, gaining the attention of many bystanders.
As Bethany began to speak again, an older man who appeared to be in his late 50’s, shakily climbed onto the table next to Bethany.
“This is nonsense. We have lived this way for almost 200 years, and now we are going to allow these…these…these repugnant children to tell us we have been living wrong.”
            “Anyone who is in agreement with this man, I mean no disrespect but leave. I do not want your criticism or judgement” pleaded Sam.
Roughly fifty or so people filed out while they shot Sam and Bethany looks of disgust. After everyone who was against the girls were gone they continued on with their plan.
“We would love to travel to the future and gather images for you but we are faced with one problem. We do not have the financing to buy even the cheapest  machine.” Sam explained with a forced look of sadness.
“I will donate 2,000 dollars,” shouted a man from the crowd.
“I will donate 2,500,” proclaimed another.
            “Then it is settled, At 0800 hours a week from today we will begin our journey into our troubled future.” Bethany shouted enthusiastically.
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            “So today is the day!” Bethany said with a hint of fear in her voice.
            “So it is,” responded Sam “Luckily we are prepared and we will be fine. Now check the list. Do we have everything?”
            “Camera? Check. Clothes? Check. Gas masks? Check. Most importantly, the time machine?” Bethany shot Sam a worried look.
            “Check”, choked out Sam.
          “Then let’s get a move on.” Bethany barely managed to pronounce the sentence without exposing her true fear.
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            As Sam and Bethany strolled to the machine, hand in hand, they felt each other shaking. Knowing their whispers were muffled by all the screaming and cheering, Sam leaned her mouth next to Bethany’s ear.
            “We can do this B. It has been our plan for years and we are finally fulfilling it.”
            They continued to the doors of their new time machine and turned to face the growing crowd. Someone had brought a microphone up onto the podium, so Sam stepped forward.
            “I would like to thank everyone who has gathered here today to watch us take off on this…this…this incredible journey. Today we are going to prove that the current way of life must change. So once again, thank you for allowing us this opportunity.” Sam spoke with such confidence and bravery that no one could tell she was actually horrified.
            As the girls climbed into their time machine and strapped themselves in, they saw their families. They both put on a fake smile as they waved goodbye, possibly forever.
     Finally in that last second before launch, the thought crossed Bethany’s mind. They could die. Something could go wrong and she could end up dead, or worse, she could watch her closest friend die. But, by the time she realized the true danger, it was too late. The doors were shut and she was stuck.
You could hear the roar of the machine from miles away. They girls felt the square box start to shake and they knew it was time. The crowd watched in amazement as the box simply disappeared, leaving behind only a small flame and a cloud of smoke.
The girls felt constant pressure as they traveled nearly 3 decades into the future. Suddenly they came to an abrupt stop. Nervously, they unhooked themselves from their custom chairs and stepped towards the door. Sam quickly took a glance at Bethany before unlatching the door handle and stepping out.
The second they stepped out of the door, they were met by hundreds of people in white hazmat suits.
“Hurry get them, before they run!” They heard one man with a large gun yell.
Before they had time to register the situation they were tackled to the ground by 10 of the men in hazmat suits. The men forced something over their mouths. They could feel some sort of gas being forced into their bodies, until everything went black.
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    As Sam shook herself awake she couldn’t figure out where she was. She was in some sort of hospital looking room. A very sterile environment, with only a bed, a tray, and two very suspicious doors. The walls were made of a two way mirror.
    Just as Sam was about to get out of bed the door on the left open.
    “Hello Sam,” a lady dressed in all white said. “How are you feeling?”
“Who are you!?” shouted Sam. “And where am I? And where is Bethany?”
“All your questions will be answered soon enough. The main reason I am here right now is I have a few questions for you.”
“I will not answer any of your stupid questions until I know who you are and where Bethany is!”
“Okay...Okay. Bethany is currently in a coma. The gas we had to give you to cause you to lose consciousness…well um...she was kinda allergic and it almost killed her.”
Sam bursted in a fit of rage at this news. She attempted to stand up so she could go search for Bethany she realized she was tied down.
“Sam please. Calm down. We have the technology. We can save her.” The unknown lady said with a plea in her voice.
“How do you know my name!?”
“Well about that. You know how you are like in the future?”
“What about it?” Sam asked full of annoyance.
“Well um I am your doctor,” the lady answered with air quotes around doctor. “But” she continued, “also your sister Tanya, she is no longer a little 1 year old learning to crawl. She is now a 31 year old who is married with her own little 1 year old learning to crawl.”
“Why do I care about Tanya! I want to know who you are! And why I am being forced to stay here!”
“You care about Tanya because I am Tanya. And you are pinned down because you cannot return to your day and tell them what has happened here. They cannot have warning or it will change the course of the future.”
“That was the entire point of me coming here. So I could prove to them that we need to change! Anyway I have to go back! If you’re truly Tanya you would know that I have to return home to help raise you.” Sam fought back with tears in her eyes.
“I grew up just fine without you!” Tanya shot back.
“What do you mean you grew up without me?” Sam barely managed to stutter out.
“Sam,” Tanya started as she laid her hand on top of Sam’s “you and Bethany, you never returned home.”
Sam took this news very hard. She began to curl up into a ball and scream.
“I need you to release me so I can use the restroom.” Sam demanded, as if nothing had happened.
“Okay, it is the door on the far right.” Tanya informed her as she took out her key to release the straps. “But I will have to wait in here while you go. To make sure you don’t try and escape.”
The second the straps released Sam dove out of bed. As soon as she stood she fell to the ground.
“How long was I out?” she asked while laying on the floor.
“About 2 days,” Tanya answered as if it was totally common to leave people unconscious for two days. "Would you like some help up?"
"I'm fine!" Sam snaps back as she stumbles toward the bathroom.
As soon as she is in the bathroom. She hears something that sounds like it's over an intercom. It sounds only like muffles but judging by the speed of the voice it sounds important. Sam knows her thoughts are correct when she hears the door to the room slam shut. As she peeks her head out the door, she notices Tanya is gone.
"Now is my chance." Sam mumbles to herself. "Now or never!"
Right then Sam runs out the door into a blank hallway. She turns to her right and sees no one so she decides to go that way. As she sprints as fast as her legs will go she realizes how out of place she must look. She slowly comes to a stop and begins walking.
At the end of the hallway she sees a door. Slowly she walks toward it nervous about what might be behind it. She suddenly feels a burning sensation in her back. Quickly she turns around to see Tanya.
"Pretty neat isn't it. Called a ray gun. It causes an extreme burning sensation, and depending on the setting,can set things, or even people on fire." Explains Tanya while admiring the tiny weapon in her hand.
"So um why did you shoot me with it!?" Sam yells back at her sister. As she yells at her sister she notices how much she resembles their mother. Their long dirty blonde hair and precise posture are almost identical. The only difference is her eyes. Tanya's are a mud brown while their mother's are a sea blue. Suddenly Tanya is yelling at Sam and she is snapped back to her current reality.
"So you wouldn't open that door!" Tanya shouts in a voice full of fear and desperation. "You don't know what is behind it!"
"So tell me what's behind it." Sam answer in a mocking tone.
"The thing is Sam, may I call you Sam?"
"I don't really care T-B-H!"
"Okay. The thing is Sam, no one knows what is behind that door. Everyone who has ever gone in has never come out."
"And why should I believe you?" Sam asked, filling with anger.
“Maybe, just maybe, because I’m your sister and I had to grow up wondering what happened to you when you never returned home.” Tanya answered with tears forming in her eyes.
“Tanya, I am sorry. But did you ever think that maybe I didn’t return home because I never opened this door?” Sam asked starting to feel the emotions too.
“Nope, because that was a lie. I just wanted to keep you occupied for a moment, while the handlers came to retrieve you so you can be tested on just like Bethany.” Tanya said with a smirk starting to form.
Suddenly Sam was surrounded with men in white coats holding syringes. Suddenly, as her mind began to scramble the door opened behind her.