A Journey Between Parallel Worlds from Cosmos - The Asimov Collection, Issue 4 by Michael Banks and George Wagner
I must have walked about eight kilometers before I realized I had lost my way. It
Didn't change much, of course &#;8211 I lost my way already five years ago
months, as I wander between worlds. What bothered me the most at the moment
There was the fact that my legs hurt. I was not used to such a long march. the road
was clearly in the wrong place &#;8211 it was clearly a place not
I've never been there. roads, as well as cities, rivers, mountains and details
Other physicals, were always in the same place, no matter what changed in things
The others.
According to the road map I received at Nekron Station a few worlds ago, I was
You should already reach the intersection. The map showed a country road off the road
The main one about half a kilometer north of the place where I made the jump from the world
the previous. But I've been walking for about two whole hours, and so far I've gotten nowhere
intersection. I didn't find any city or buildings either. Of all the Hebrews there were only
Fields, and most of them must be deserted at this time of night, when I committed
the jump
I took the map out of my pocket for the tenth time, hoping to find that I was somehow mistaken
any reading of the map. As I said, roads were always in the same place
&#;8211 If in some world you find them empty, you will certainly find details
More important ones, for example the number of fingers on your hand, are missing from the same
world.
It was hard to read the signs in the dark, and I had no matches, so
that I had to try as hard as possible to read. The moonlight, which was too hidden
Once by the clouds, helped a little, and again I made sure that the roads were not in place
the right one At least the road I was on was in place, I pushed the map
Back to my coat pocket and I automatically looked for the small plastic box
which was in my pocket.
She was still there, the friend and the enemy. I didn't dare lose her. I was
I'm sure no one else copied my work, and I wouldn't have succeeded in any
How to build another model without the lists, formulas and programs that were left
There in my study. Of course, I can go back to my house, but that will be it
dangerous. I have encountered myself several times already in several worlds, and next time
I might get shot before they ask questions. No, I won't go near my house until I know
I'm at the right time.
And I certainly won't be able to meet people and ask for directions. one thing
I learned about jumping in timelines. No matter what kind of world you belong to
It turns out, people who ask a lot of weird questions become suspicious. Nothing
Also, I didn't know how to ask at all. I mean, in what direction anyway
Are the timelines moving forward? up? down? backwards? No, it's not ridiculous. Nose
One didn't know, since no one but me had ever been able to cross
timelines.
If only I had some guiding clue, some way to reset myself on the line.
I knew how it worked, but I didn't know exactly why. I planned the thing
Myself, according to Yablonsky's initial facts, however, there were several
Functions I have not yet understood. That's why I couldn't find the Earth
&#;8211 Our Earth, I mean. In my ignorance I assumed that the coup
A simple of the field will bring me back to the starting point. Of course it doesn't work.
The clouds heralded rain, so I stopped worrying about maps and roads,
Hoping to find some shelter. I increased my steps to a brisk walk. the rain
It started about a minute or two later, and it was like a strong water fountain. I got wet
Down to my bones and because I no longer had to worry about getting wet
I could walk normally. I closed my coat, to no avail,
And I kept walking.
When the rain stopped for a bit, Maili weighed about five kilograms more than Bathya
And the water dripped from my hair into my eyes. In my useless war in the water, I saw
A light in the distance and I thought it was a car, but the light remained stable and did not move.
The road climbed a small hill towards the light, and when I reached the top I saw
The source of the light: a gas station and a restaurant open day and night. Well, food
hide from the rain and eat something hot. The wet clothes made me shiver
source.
The place looked deserted, except for the station worker who was dozing behind the counter. he
He jumped in a panic as I closed the door behind me.
"Hello", I said, as I sat down. It was nice to sit. The worker looked at me
For a long moment, then he went behind the counter and poured a cup of coffee.
I held the mug in my hand, feeling the heat. "Thanks".
"Boy," the employee finally said, looking at me with wide eyes, "you
Looks drained."
"Did you walk outside in it?" He pointed a finger at the door, pointing to the storm
that is outside "You look like you've been through hell."
"Yes." I said "I lost my way".
"Oh," he looked a little surprised. "Where were you trying to get to?
"Uh..." I pulled out the map, checked it and said "Newtonsville." the mother
Do you know where it is?”
"Show me the map." He took the map before I could protest. No
I could only hope that the strange things about her were few.
He spread the map on the counter. "Hi, I don't know where you got this map,
But she is completely wrong. Look here: Newtonsville I looked south
to cincinnati She should be from the east." He tapped his finger on the map
to emphasize his words."
"Oh," I said, "no wonder I lost my way."
"Yes. I'm telling you something: give me a minute or two and I'll draw you a good map. Other
That way you can walk around for a few hours until the transport starts working, and you will travel with
someone. It will take you no more than three, four hours to get there if you catch up
Good rides.” He took a paper and a pencil and stepped behind the counter.
He sat down and began to sketch. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, still worried
Of the differences that may exist between this world and other worlds I have visited.
He looks fine. Short, fat, almost completely bald, and the usual number of
hands and feet He looked at me and I returned my attention to the coffee.
I wondered if I should ask him.
Surely there will be no benefit in this, because the roads, and at least one city
were in the wrong places, unless... unless the geography changed
Slow as I crossed the timelines, and I didn't feel, after all, no
I knew these parts of the country. But no, that was certainly not the reason.
I couldn't be sure I was in the wrong world unless I saw a newspaper,
I will read a book, study documents &#;8211 or at least ask questions about the thousand
And one of the things that can be different between a world and a new world. things like
Politics, cars, fashion, etc. I will have to find &#;8211 or not
to find – the proofs that I am not in the desired world, or that I am
at him.
I finished my coffee. Shall I ask the man? Would I risk him thinking
Me crazy, causing trouble?
I didn't have to make the decision. He looked at me from his sketch,
with a cool look.
"Strange, the fact that you have the wrong map," he said, "Where are you from?"
I sighed. "I got her at a gas station" are they called gas stations here?
I ignored his second question.
"During the war," he said, choosing the words carefully, "they said
A spy can be discovered by not knowing who won the last championship."
I moved away from him a little. "I don't follow football". Is that the name they called us?
is it here
I tried to look relaxed. "Apparently that makes me a spy."
"But you know who the president of the United States is", don't you?
They have the United States I thought. "Jimmy Carter of course".
He seems somewhat relaxed. I relaxed a lot. "And who is the vice president?" Ask
As he leaned towards me.
"Fritz Mondale", I said confidently.
who will? Ask. Who the hell is Mondale?
That was all. I was lost again.
But then he leaned back and said. "Oh, I understand now, I remember
in this Mondale. With this map, I imagined you jumping. why not
did you say that I have a detailed guide here. I think you made a mistake on two lines.
Unless you're on your way to Mobius... or your field calibration is messed up. sleep
A man about two miles north of here who can sort it out….
https://www.hayadan.org.il/BuildaGate4/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~~~306113760~~~71&SiteName=hayadan
