Evolutionary Reset

My time capsule's spinning finally stopped after four trecherous days. When the last revolution came to an end, I let out a ragged sigh of relief because the lonely wait inside my cramped time machine was finally over. Four days inside a vessel that measures only ten feet by twenty feet is enough to try the sanity of anyone, but the self imposed imprisonment was an absolute necessity. After all, deceleration from the speed of light must be done very carefully. Stop too fast and my titanium armored vessel would have been vaporized and its broken atoms launched through space and time. Still, I spared a moment for a small smile of triumph. I had done it. I created a vessel that had not only achieved speeds that up until now were impossible for anything made of matter, but also launched myself back in time to the moment of humanity's genesis.

Before I released the air lock that had kept me alive for four days, I took a tense moment to double check the time-navigation computer. If I had gone back too far, I might step out onto an Earth that had not yet achieved a breathable atmosphere. The time-navigation computer registers that I was exactly when I wanted to be. Earth should now be able to support higher life forms.

"Well, I should be able to breathe," I whispered to myself as I nervously hit the switch that released the air lock. A loud hiss indicated that the air lock had disengaged and I was finally free to leave my physics defying vessel. After manipulating another two switches, the hatch to my time machine opened. Almost immediately, I was hit by the cleanest ocean air that had ever entered human lungs. It was a welcome change from the recycled air I had been forced to breathe for the last ninety-six hours. Unable to wait any longer, I nearly ran up the ladder, my curiousity to see the prehistoric world and the desire to excape my titanium vessel had driven away the last shred of my isolation induced weariness. When I reached the top of the ladder I breathed another sigh of relief. My calculations were also correct about where my vessel stopped. I knew that my final destination had to be a very specific shoreline located along a very ancient ocean. The ocean air and the sea shore I see as my head clears the hatch confirms that my calculations contined to be correct.

There was no time for more self-congratulations. I only had moments to complete the task that led me to spend my entire life in search of the means to travel back in time. The time was near and I could not be late. There would be no second chance to fix time's most horrible wrong. With grim resolve filling my heart, I quickly lept down onto the sandy beach and dashed towards the breakers.

I was just in time. Out of the surf, the first air breathing being on Earth hauled itself onto the shore. About three feet long, it had the body of a fish, but its pectoral fins were bulkier, allowing it to heave its scaled body further onto solid land. It didn't seem to notice me. It was too preocupied by the task of heaving its grayish body further onto land to notice that it was being watched. Shaking off my amazement, I rushed up to it and paused just long enough to second guess myself. Was this really necessary? What I planned to do will change history. No it will change life itself.

Then I remembered. Wars, hatred, genocide, Justin Beiber, humanity has been a dismal failure. Mother Earth deserved a second chance to get it right. So, with a sigh, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the loaded syringe. Before I gave myself the chance to rethink my decision, I reached down and injected the syringe into the first terrestrial creature to ever brave leaving its watery home. The walking fish twitched once and died.

The timeline for evolution was reset. If humanity were to get a second chance it would have to start in another form. A form that I prayed would have greater capacity for benevolence, a greater ability to love, and most importantly, better taste in music.