Black and White

8

I have been racking my brain, thinking harder than I have ever thought before, for the longest time.

Actually, that whole sentence is wrong. The only time I've thought this hard was when I was trying to invent time travel -- BAD idea, I wish I had never started work on that problem -- and since time doesn't exist here, it probably hasn't been "the longest time." But I have been thinking as hard as I can, and it seems like it's been a while anyway, and I have made absolutely no progress on how to escape this place.

The Podium seems to go straight through the floor because it refuses to wobble on its slender base no matter how hard I push it; that realization fueled me for a while, but after trying to find an escape through the floor around it in a million different ways, I gave up in frustration. I tried climbing onto the Podium and other attempts at an escape upwards, but no luck there either. Now, desperately, against Aidan's protests that he has already tried it a million times and there is no need to waste energy, I sprint dazedly around Paradox. And every time, soon after the Podium disappears into whiteness behind me, it reappears in the distance in front of me.

I reach the Podium for the twentieth time and collapse at its base, exhausted. I know that I have to get away somehow, but still I am thinking about giving up. Maybe I never escape after all. Maybe Aidan's appearance is just another paradox, and I am doomed-

Wait a second. Just another paradox.

Could he be... and didn't he say...

"AIDAN!" I jump to my feet and rush to where he is standing with the Guide to the Land of Paradox, evidently memorizing more of the giant tome. He gave up on an escape long ago.

"...the body's reactions to the absence of time -- what?" He sees how excited I am, and his eyes widen. "Did you find something?"

"Okay, first I have to check this. Did you visit Cornell with your sister in the year 2265?"

"Um, yeah, somewhere around there? Why?"

I'm on top of the world. That was my biggest gamble. "And didn't you tell me that the Guide says we were 'put here'?"

"Yes, those are the exact words on page 12. 'You were put here as a-'"

I plow on excitedly. "And didn't you also say it takes an enormous amount of energy to stop the paradox and bring us here?"

"Yeah." He turns back to the book. "You're just stating what we already know. I don't see how this helps."

"No! Listen! From what I know of physics, if it took immense energy to put us here, then it will take the square of that amount of energy to put us in a higher-order version of Paradox!" He still seems like he doesn't understand. I sigh. "Energy is precious. Whatever put us here won't want to waste it by putting us in a higher order safehold."

"So... you're proposing we bargain with whatever put us here? By creating a paradox?" I nod excitedly. For the tiniest bit he seems to share my enthusiasm, but then he raises an eyebrow skeptically. "And just how are we gonna do that?"

"I'm getting there!" I can barely contain my jubilation. "I should just give up!"

"Duh." He turns back to his book.

I can't believe that he isn't following. He should be as excited as I am -- more excited, because he's been here longer. But I guess all hope has been worn out of him by an eternity of failed escape plans. Enthusiastic anyway, I nearly shout, "No! If I stop trying to escape, then you will never have been born, meaning that you won't help me invent the time machine-"

"I never did that!" he protests, looking back up.

"Yes, you did. Remember the girl you gave advice when she was frustrated during that college visit? Anyway, then if I never invent the time machine, I won't ever get here, so I'll be able to have your grandma-"

Aidan's eyes get very big. "And I will exist. A... paradox."

And as I had predicted, as soon as Aidan says the word 'paradox,' a man appears behind us. He says three smooth words that are also exactly as I expected, but nevertheless instill joy in my heart:

"You are correct."