Chicago, Illinois

August 2027

Alain’s office phone rang. On the small screen read ‘Hayden Planetarium’. He had been hoping he was wrong and the Astro-physicist would never call. In his heart, he knew the book was real, this confirmed his worse fears.

“I am looking for Mister Alain Villeneuve, the author of the book called The Attractor.”

“That would be me, Mister Tyson?”

“Call me Neil. Any of this true?”

“You called me. Was Chapter 94 on target?” The response shocked the physicist, “Well above our pay grade Neil, don’t you think? You gave the stick?”

“Yes.”

“I have seen a lot of crazy things in my long life, this takes the cake.”

“Liked the book? I added Carl for you. That scene introducing a round.”

“He would have loved the touch. The book is very creative in many strange ways. Georges just walked out last week. How come I have never heard about the book, it’s good actually.”

“You think I enjoy thinking someone highjacked ten years of my life? Looks like it was not in vain. I wrote and published a book hoping none of this was true.”

“The quantity of new physics in it, if any of this is true. This is groundbreaking. You have notions of void, bends, time.”

“Sir, I have made peace with it by now. I released the final version I gave you in 2020, it’s been seven years now. I don’t think one person ever got to the end, except you.”

“I could give you an endorsement, push this book we can publish it. Maybe change some names?”

“Have you read the end? If there is one thing this story has told me is that this is not about us. I just hope the young girl will be born in 2055. I will be 88 that year, you will be gone. That’s all I want. Benton Harbor is miles away. With some luck she can have a simple normal life.” The author began to cry and hung up on his idol. His book read this way, he had to hang up.