Needle in a Timestack 2021

As the world accelerates toward a near-future where temporal aberrations have become commonplace, the elite few indulge in the extravagant hobby of “time jaunting,” a euphemism for the allure of time travel. This shift has yielded various consequences, leading to the emergence of a flourishing industry focused on memory preservation and addressing the psychological impacts of these temporal excursions.

Nick Mikkelsen, an architect with a refined aesthetic, has established a life with his talented photographer wife, Janine Mikkelsen. While their relationship appears peaceful, hidden fractures begin to surface. After Nick experiences his third time shift in as many years, he is compelled to reassess the foundation of their partnership. His concerns deepen when their beloved dog goes missing, only to be substituted by a strange cat from an alternate timeline.

Nick’s unease grows particularly with the re-emergence of Tommy Hambleton, his wife’s former spouse and an old college acquaintance, whom he suspects may be meddling with their timeline to win back Janine’s affection. This notion intensifies Nick’s fixation on uncovering the truth, and he becomes increasingly consumed with jealousy. Janine finds herself ensnared in this web of doubts, wavering between residual feelings for Tommy and her frustration towards Nick’s burgeoning paranoia.

As tensions heighten, Nick pursues a conversation with Tommy disguised as an attempt to revive an old friendship, while underneath, he’s desperate to challenge him about his presumed manipulation of time. Tommy remains elusive in his responses, expressing remorse regarding his previous marital choices. Concurrently, Janine’s patience for Nick’s erratic behavior begins to unravel.

In a frantic attempt to brace for further time shifts, Nick turns to one of the innovative memory storage firms to digitally vault his experiences. Amid this chaos, Zoe Mikkelsen, Nick’s sister, delivers heart-wrenching news regarding her partner Sabila, who has tragically passed away in a climbing accident. This revelation forces Nick to confront the unsettling reality of a world increasingly vulnerable to manipulation and revision.

After learning that Janine had simultaneous plans to see Tommy, the tension between the couple mounts. Nick extends an olive branch, suggesting a heartfelt journey to explore their relationship until they reach a definitive conclusion. Their plans take a drastic turn as a significant temporal shift ensnares them, leaving Nick stranded and alone in a whirlwind of confusion. A frantic attempt to reach Janine reveals that she is no longer listed by her maiden name, deepening the mystery when she contacts him, implying an erased past cloaked in enigma—one where Tommy has altered their shared history.

In this restructured reality, Nick discovers he is now married to Alex Leslie, completely oblivious to these profound changes until subtle cues reflect his past life. In a twist of fate, Zoe later confides that Sabila was reborn but only due to her own manipulative actions with time.

Determined to mend the timeline, Nick embarks on a journey back, 13 years into the past, confronting Tommy and persuading him to pursue Alex sincerely. Leaving an enigmatic note for his future self, Nick reassures himself that Alex and Tommy will forge a bond, thus leading him to his destined partner, one whose essence he would inherently recognize.

Upon returning to the present, Nick finds himself in solitude, an embodiment of the deep ramifications imparted by his temporal journeys. In a surprising turn, Zoe reaches out, urging Tommy to summon Nick for a reunion. At the gathering, old friends express gratitude for their current circumstances, yet their absence in Nick’s life serves as a poignant reminder of the transformative nature of time travel.

As Nick prepares to exit, his eyes catch Janine, now passionately documenting moments as a photographer. Their gaze transcends words, igniting an unspoken bond that neither can ignore. Trepidation grips Nick as he initially considers leaving, but ultimately, he stands transfixed, unable to sever the emotional anchor tethering him to Janine.