The Fall of Dr. Maddox

This is an excerpt from my science fiction WIP, Insight. It's one of the more thrilling writing sessions I've done for this story.

Spoiler alert!!!

This is the first time I've ever killed off a character.

***

“I must see what’s beyond this world and what lies within that one!” Dr. Maddox demanded, a glint of obsession in his eyes. He made his way so that he was standing front and center of the time machine forcing Nova to the side.

Nova’s eyes widened in fear and uncertainty as she helplessly watched Dr. Maddox contemplate his next move. He reached to shift one lever in a careful and methodical way and then another before his eyes shone with another manic glint and he started pushing buttons madly.

“I must access that portal! Nova! Tell me! How did you open the portal? Show me!” Dr. Maddox demanded his voice on the edge of desperation and obsession.

The surrounding scientists drew back in total confusion. “Doctor! You’re delusional. We are developing a time machine,” one scientist spoke softly, their voice hesitant.

“I can’t!” Nova exclaimed genuinely unsure of her unintended breakthrough. She was caught between needing to understand how she accessed the portal for Donovan’s sake and preventing Dr. Maddox from figuring out that exact knowledge.

“I know what that device revealed to me and now I want to see it all in person!”

“It was just a matter of luck and experiment!” Nova cried.

“There’s no such thing as luck! Only a little trial and error and persistence.” Dr. Maddox said with absolution.

Nova only continued to shake her head profusely.

“Then I will experiment with the machine myself.” Dr. Maddox’s voice lowered in a reflective tone. “That device showed me possibilities. Worlds and their technologies I nor you or anyone could ever fathom.”

“What is he talking about?” one scientist demanded a chill in their voice that matched the fearful expressions of the others.

Nova bit her lip deliberately ignoring the scientist’s demand and shaking her mind from all involvement she’d had with the telepathic device.

She stepped forward her eyes widening in increasing fear as she realized that Dr. Maddox was wearing the device. “No! Don’t. It’s too dangerous!”

She attempted to shield Dr. Maddox away from the buttons and levers and reconsider his actions. “Please! I was incredibly lucky that night of the explosion!”

Her voice shifted to a secretive and calm tone as if she were trying to reason with a captor in a hostage situation. “Please remove the device.”

“No, I’ve waited too long for this! I have spent a considerable amount of time reaching perfection and it has revealed worlds to me no one could ever begin to fathom. I will not let the success of my creation go to waste!” He shoved Nova to the side with one hand while he proceeded to push buttons in a continued madness with the other in an attempt to gain access to the portal.

Suddenly, without warning, there was a deafening boom leaving any surrounding scientist barely able to stand and throwing Dr. Maddox across the room, his body hitting the wall full force.

It took a moment after the deafening boom resided and the scientists to regain their balance, before anyone realized what happened.

“Doctor!” one scientist that stood the closest to where Dr. Maddox hit the wall gasped, their voice wavering in shock.

“Dr. Maddox!” Nova screamed in horror.

But Dr. Maddox remained motionless on the floor. The telepathic device laid just inches away from him.

Nova could only stare at it in horrid realization while the others could only stare in absolute confusion.

“What is that?” one gasped under their breath.

Donovan stared at Dr. Maddox’s lifeless body too paralyzed in shock to say anything or even move. Movement from the time machine caught his peripheral.

There was a haze projecting from the time machine that faded in and out like a glitching TV. It was the same haze Donovan saw that fateful night he went to clear his mind.

The portal!

“Nova! Nova, Look!” Struggling to get the words out, Donovan spoke with urgency.

Nova’s eyes widened in recognition. This was what she saw the night of the explosion! The rest could only stare at the glitching portal in shock and immense wonder.

Her eyes shifted to the portal, to Donovan, and then to Dr. Maddox as he lied lifeless on the floor. She choked on emotion at the horrific sight of Dr. Maddox.

Nova’s attention was snapped back to the portal which was slowly beginning to fade. Was this Donovan’s only chance?

“Go! The portal!” Nova urged Donovan as she hurried to the time machine’s control panel.

“Nova, don’t!” a scientist shouted horrified at the risk Nova was taking.

“No! This is the only way Donovan can return home!” Nova pleaded as she pulled away from her fellow scientist’s protective grasp. “If this works, you will see! Please trust me!”

There was no time to explain any further.

As Nova stared at the levers and buttons in her utmost careful manner, Dr. Maddox’s words came to her mind and she froze at the startling truth.

You and I have the same fascination about the things beyond this world we cannot see.

She had to be careful or she’d meet the same demise that Dr. Maddox met. However, not a moment’s more time could be wasted.

Nova shifted levers and pushed buttons one at a time in a careful and methodical manner keeping an eye on the portal the whole time. There was one lever she did not pull. The lever that changed the time machine’s frequency.

In theory, the change of frequency was what would send the time machine through time. During her rash experiments the night of the explosion, she did not realize which direction she’d changed the frequency or if she ever changed it at all.

It was an absolute must that one manage the frequency levels at a precise level in order to avoid any catastrophe.

It was something Nova and now Dr. Maddox had failed to do.

The portal faded out even more as Nova lowered the frequency.

No, that’s not right,” Nova muttered to herself as she urgently began to turn the frequency up. She slowed her pace fearing she’d trigger another explosion.

She continued to raise the frequency in a slow yet steady manner keeping a sharp eye on the portal.

It had stopped glitching.

Donovan stared at the hazy portal as he stood directly in front of it. If this was it, he had to take what might be his only chance. There was no time for hesitation. He walked closer to the portal until he could almost walk through it.

“What is he doing?” Donovan heard a scientist whisper in horrid confusion as he stepped closer to the portal.

Fearing he would be stopped, Donovan rushed his way through the haze with his hands out in a protective and cautious manner.

No one had a chance to stop Donovan as he walked through haze.

Nova turned the frequency down as safely as she could and shut the machine off closing the portal for good.

The portal was gone and so was Donovan.