I showed up in the middle of a forest.

ADAM: ...Where am I?

I heard some crashing noises and turned around. I saw someone a little distance away. I walked towards him. Upon further inspection, I noticed he was pushing a large amount of things down a hole.

ADAM: Uh, excuse me...?

JOHN: Ah!!

He jumped.

JOHN: Who the hell are you?!

ADAM: Er, what?

JOHN: What are you doing here?

ADAM: I, uh, that's kind of hard to explain...

JOHN: Get out of here!

ADAM: I... Why are you throwing all this stuff down this hole?

JOHN: Why should I tell you?

ADAM: I don't know, it just doesn't seem healthy. Like, why this pile of books here? And is this a TV? And a PS3???

ADAM: Why... Are you throwing all your stuff away?

JOHN: ...

JOHN: How about you just tell me how you got here first.

ADAM: Ehh... You won't believe me.

JOHN: Try me.

I showed him the device I was given.

ADAM: I'm from the future.

He only stared at me.

ADAM: You don't believe me, do you?

JOHN: ...

JOHN: Oh god damn it...

JOHN: Not time travel again.

ADAM: Huh?!

JOHN: Listen, kid.

JOHN: It's not worth it.

JOHN: Just go back to where you came from, and leave the past in the past, all right?

ADAM: Huh...?

I looked down at the device in my hands.

"<=="

ADAM: I don't really think... It works that way, now that I think about it.

JOHN: Are you kidding me?

JOHN: Who gave you this thing?

ADAM: Uh, he called himself "Zenon".

JOHN: Oh for crying out loud.

ADAM: ...?

JOHN: Why that asshole again?

ADAM: You know him?

JOHN: I met him once.

JOHN: He told me to fuck off when I asked for help.

ADAM: Oh...

ADAM: Anyway, I told you how I got here...

JOHN: Alright, fine.

JOHN: I'm throwing my stuff down here because...

JOHN: Something...

JOHN: Told me to.

JOHN: ...

ADAM: ...

JOHN: ...

ADAM: And...?

JOHN: And what?

ADAM: Why?

JOHN: ...

JOHN: I never said I'd tell you that.

ADAM: Argh, you are annoying. But I kind of like you for some reason.

ADAM: Do you think you could help me out?

JOHN: With what?

ADAM: I need help finding my friend.

ADAM: She died in the future, so I want to prevent that.

JOHN: So you're also...

JOHN: Alright.

JOHN: I'll look around with you for a while.

ADAM: Thanks!

We began our search.

JOHN: So, uh, who exactly are we looking for?

ADAM: Oh, haha, I guess I never told you, huh?

ADAM: Her name's Lucy.

ADAM: Hey, didn't you say you were also looking for someone?

JOHN: ...Yeah.

JOHN: It's... strange.

ADAM: ...?

JOHN: I'm... also looking for my friend.

JOHN: My only friend in this world.

ADAM: I, uh, never said Lucy was my only friend, but, uh, yeah...

JOHN: It's just... We're so...

JOHN: Similar.

My entire body shook.

ADAM: Yeah... I guess you're right.

Suddenly I was scared.

I looked at him.

ADAM: It's like looking in a mirror.

I can't explain how I felt.

ADAM: I... I don't think I'm supposed to be here!

JOHN: Wait.

I gripped the device in my hands tightly.

JOHN: Hey.

JOHN: Hey, wait!

I gulped.

JOHN: Don't!!!