If you want Part Two, look here.

If you’re looking for Part Three, it’s here.

When I awoke that morning in my dark room, I knew that the day was not like any other day. My mind immediately swam with memories from the previous day.

The first thing I did was tell Alvin.  He was my friend, but he had always reproached me because of my studies.  I must admit, I was jealous of him for his inherent genius and his habit of always finding the flaws in both my character and my work.  But this was my chance to finally show him up.  All that time he was spending doing experiments, publishing results, and becoming famous, would seem like — no, they would be — a waste when he saw this. This was revolutionary. I had spent my entire career studying, searching, trying, and failing. Thousands of ideas and theories I had tried.  None worked, however, and few would even budge. I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work, Edison once said.

So I never quit, and finally, finally, I had it!  This was my chance.  Of course Alvin didn’t believe me, but he obliged anyway.  He could never resist correcting my “folly,” as he called it.  So he came, and he saw it, but he still didn’t believe it.  He kept looking for a battery, a flaw, anything that could prove me wrong.  I told him, “I’ve nothing left but to attach a few magnets and I’ll be powering the world!”  He continued to scowl and then a ghoulish smile crept over his face, “No,” he said, “Look, Ambrose.” he pointed at some of the algorithms that I’d left on my desk. I looked and at my handiwork, which I had diligently spent many years on, then at him. With dismay I realized the fatal flaw in my apparatus. “The physics of your machine are defective, brother.” I couldn’t see my face, but I knew it had turned white. “Alvin you might be right, but look, the machine continues on,” I protested.  He looked disappointedly at it, “Indeed, that’s correct,” he said, “But I assure you, nothing good will come of this endeavor. Either it will fail, or you will spend the rest of your life trying to explain its faulty existence.” He was right and I knew it, but I wouldn’t let myself believe it.  This was too exciting. Alvin was finally jealous of me. He tried to discourage me, but I was confident in this, the magnum opus of my career.

I continued the rest of the day, going through my normal routine. When I finished all of the small tasks I had left untended, I gathered my belongings and I began to exit.  I paused and turned to face the shifting mass of cold metallic parts, accompanied by the mechanic hum. A chill crept down my back.  I knew something was wrong, but I ignored it.  I dimmed the lights and returned to my affairs.

To be continued…