Last Exit to Babylon

© Fleur Lind

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Taylor knew she was in a different universe when she was driving on the wrong side of the road.

“It finally worked.” She was grinning and her heart was hopeful. Maybe she’d finally found the way back home.

But crossing the infinity line was only the beginning. She had to find and take the right exit, which meant using the wrong ones to change all history. Getting the Greek civilization off the ground in 1600 BCE, watching the birth of Buddha in 486 BCE, publishing Einstein’s theory of special relativity in 1905.

Finally, there it was. “Last Exit to Babylon.”

I haven’t done one of these writing challenges in a long time. But this morning, I got an email notice that a very brilliant writer named Iain Kelly had published a 100-word story called Babylonia Denied. I didn’t read the story before writing this one but obviously the title inspired me.

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields has been posting these challenges for years and she’s one of the people who was instrumental in helping me create my wee fiction writing career. Her Friday Fictioneers for 13 January 2003 and the accompanying photo is the prompt for this small tale.

The other prompt, because I can’t look at a road and think of Babylon without it, comes from Roger Zelazny’s 1979 novel Roadmarks. What if time travel is possible by driving down a road that can’t possibly exist? What if you can create or delete different exits in spacetime by changing history?

My fictional Taylor is just trying to find her way home. I hope she makes it.

Read more stories inspired by the image prompt at Inlinkz.

Thanks for the reminder, Iain. I’ve missed this.

44 thoughts on “Last Exit to Babylon”

  2. Funny, I saw your title after reading Neil’s story and had to look back at the photo to see where you’d both seen Babylon! Interesting conundrum in your story – I know I’d hate to write time travel. Too much potential to go wrong!

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  3. Long time, no see… good to see you back! Great story. Indeed, what if time could be traveled, so. What changes to history could we make? Would they be good or bad? How would one decision change all the others, and which “one” would we choose to change? So many questions so little time to write the answers. Loved this one!

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    • It’s like any other time travel story including the modern version of the TV show “Quantum Leap.” To find my way home, to save the person I love, how much history do I have to change and what would I be willing to sacrifice? It’s good to be back. Thanks.

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    • Thank you. I tried commenting on your blog story but it keeps throwing an error. I wasn’t sure it was time travel or aliens or both. Maybe aliens will make contact in 2023 but after the past couple of years, I wouldn’t rule out a major asteroid strike.

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      • True.
        Asteroid strike is also predicted for 2023.
        Fingers crossed.

        Thanks for trying to comment on my blog.
        Not sure why your comment did not get posted.
        Please try again. Would love your comment on my blog.

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  7. The upside of being able to travel – being there at all those moments in history – and perhaps tweaking them a little along the way. Hope she finds the right turning soon. Great story to come back with.

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  17. Well done! I’m also grateful to Rochelle for these fabulous FF prompts. Without them, I wouldn’t be challenged each week, and I wouldn’t write as often as I do. I really enjoyed your story, well told! 🙂

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