Letters from Time

Ch 1 - The Ad That Was Never Answered

That morning the sky was overcast. Selene stepped out of her house, which was filled with ornamental plants on the porch, and walked toward the editorial office of a newspaper. Selene Anderson, an eccentric 29-year-old illustrator, had recently been struck by an idea from who knows where—it urged her to place an ad in a newspaper. Something was bothering her—a mysterious urge to place a very unusual ad in a local paper.

She walked along the sidewalk, now slightly wet with drizzle. She passed shops, cars rushing by, and people busy with their own affairs. The editorial office was beginning to appear in the distance, an old building standing tall with a weathered nameplate.

When Selene entered the building, the scent of paper, ink, and coffee greeted her. Some staff glanced in her direction, and one middle-aged male employee approached her.

"You again, are you going to post that ad again?," he asked, half-concerned.

Selene simply nodded. She had been to the office so many times that the staff already recognized her face and request. This was her tenth visit.

When Selene first came to the editorial office, the people there had welcomed her warmly. But when she said she wanted to post an ad looking for a time traveler, the staff reactions were mixed. Some chuckled, some found it strange, and some thought she was just being silly.

"Wanted: Time Traveler. If you’re reading this, please contact me. We need to talk. –S.A." this was the ad Selene wanted to place.

It’s no wonder people thought she was weird. Who would actually respond to such an ad? And if anyone did, it would likely just be a prank.

But Selene was serious about it. That short ad held deep meaning for her. To her, the ad was a hope. A hope to understand something that had long felt missing in her life. Her persistence eventually led the staff to agree to post her odd ad in their paper.

The first time she placed the ad, there were no replies for a week. Selene returned and asked them to post it again. Week after week, even with no responses, she kept coming back and paying to publish the ad. It had become her routine.

"Why are you placing an ad like this?," a female staff member asked while glancing at Selene with curiosity.

Selene gave a faint smile. "No real reason, I’m just curious." she answered while shaking her head.

The woman sighed deeply at Selene’s strange behavior.

"You’re wasting your money and time just out of curiosity? You should stop, no one’s going to respond to your ad."

Selene looked down at the floor. She knew the woman was probably right—weeks had passed and no one had replied. Not even a prankster had bothered to reach out. But something inside her kept urging her to try, even just for one last chance.

“This is the last time, the 10th time. After this, I’ll stop,” Selene thought.

"This will be the last time. After this, I won’t place the ad anymore," Selene told the staff member.

"Alright, if this is really the last one, then you shouldn’t keep wasting money just for something weird," the staff replied while filling out the order. "We’ll publish it tomorrow for a week," she added.

After paying for the ad, Selene left the office. Outside, the sky was beginning to clear. Maybe a good sign, or maybe just a coincidence.

***

Now Selene was at her friend’s house. Lenora Calista had been Selene’s friend since high school. They had gone through a lot together, and Lenora had always been a loyal listener to Selene’s stories and troubles. Lenora was now a quantum physics professor at a prestigious university. Though she seemed strict and rational, she was a compassionate and understanding friend.

"It’s been a long time since you visited," Lenora said as she opened the door.

"You’ve been busy, so I didn’t want to bother you," Selene replied with a faint smile.

"Wait here, I’ll get us some snacks and drinks," Lenora said.

Selene nodded in agreement and sat on the couch. Shortly after, Lenora returned with snacks and warm tea.

"Why do you look so down? Is something bothering you?" Lenora asked, noticing the gloomy look on her friend’s face.

"I placed an ad in a local paper, but no one has responded," Selene answered, visibly disappointed.

"Wait, what kind of ad did you post?" Lenora asked again as she sat beside her.

“I posted an ad looking for a time traveler weeks ago, but there’s still no response,” Selene complained.

Lenora fell silent. She seemed to be trying to understand and process the new information she had just heard.

“Are you still running the ad?” Lenora asked.

Selene nodded, indicating that she still had the ad posted.

“But why would you post something like that?” Lenora asked again, seeking confirmation.

Selene paused, wondering if her reason would sound strange. But since her friend was a quantum physics lecturer, she figured Lenora would understand.

“Until now, I feel like my life’s been the same. It’s like I’m walking in the same place and nothing’s changing. I feel like I’ve lost a lot in my life. If I could meet a time traveler, I hope they could help me understand more about myself and what might happen in the future,” Selene explained at length.

Lenora was slightly taken aback. She thought for a moment before expressing what was on her mind.

“I’m sorry, Selene, but if someone from the future came to the past, that probably wouldn’t happen, because essentially this world only has a single timeline, so things don’t repeat. If there is an entity that can return to the past or go to the future, they’re only traveling through another dimension and not actually returning,” Lenora explained, sounding like an expert.

Upon hearing that, Selene let out a rough sigh.

“Is it really that impossible?” Selene thought.

Selene stayed quiet. She didn’t try to refute her friend’s statement, because Lenora was a physics lecturer. She would certainly continue to explain everything scientifically—saying that it was impossible.

Lenora continued, “Maybe it’s possible that someone from the future did try to contact you, but they’re from a different dimension,” Lenora added, trying not to disappoint her friend.

“So there’s a chance someone might respond? But only until this week when my ad will expire,” Selene said with renewed hope, upon hearing there was still a possibility.

“Yes, it’s possible someone might see it and respond, but again, it’s only a possibility. Don’t be too sad if you don’t get an answer,” Lenora comforted her.

Their conversation eventually shifted to another topic. Lenora didn’t let Selene sink further into sadness. Not long after, they laughed together, reminiscing about their school days. That day, although simple, became a little warmer for Selene.

And that ad—whether answered or not—remained a bridge of hope for Selene to understand something greater than herself.