Chrono Nightmares: Terrifying Tales of Time Travel

By Sean Benoit

Chrono Nightmares: Terrifying Tales of Time Travel is a spine-chilling collection of short stories that explore the dark side of time travel. From cursed time machines to deadly paradoxes, each story takes the reader on a journey through time and horror.

 

In these tales, you'll meet characters who are forced to confront their past and future selves, encounter eerie alternate realities, and witness the terrifying consequences of altering history. Whether it's a time-traveling detective solving a grisly murder, or a group of friends fighting to survive a post-apocalyptic future, each story is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

 

Chrono Nightmares is a must-read for fans of time travel and horror fiction alike. So buckle up and prepare to take a journey through the darkest corners of time, where nightmares are made and reality is never what it seems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sean Benoit
• Release date: Mar 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215515242

Sean Benoit

Sean Benoit is a rising star in the world of storytelling, bringing his passion for literature and creative imagination to his writing. As a beginner author, he is constantly seeking to hone his craft and deliver engaging and thought-provoking stories to his readers. Sean's unique perspective and ability to craft vivid characters and intricate plots make him a master storyteller in the making. He is excited to share his work with readers everywhere and invites them to join him on this exciting journey.

Book preview

Foreword

Dear Reader,

As the author of Chrono Nightmares: Terrifying Tales of Time Travel, I am thrilled to present to you this collection of spine-chilling stories that will take you on a journey through time and horror. Time travel has always fascinated me, and I have long been intrigued by the idea of the unintended consequences of changing the past or meddling with the future. In this book, I explore the darker side of time travel, where every decision made, no matter how small, can have far-reaching and disastrous consequences.

Each story in this book is a unique and thrilling adventure, featuring characters who are forced to confront their deepest fears and darkest desires. Whether it's a time-traveling detective solving a murder, or a group of friends fighting to survive a post-apocalyptic future, every tale in this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. I hope that as you read these stories, you will be transported to a world where the past, present, and future collide, and where the horrors that lurk in the shadows are waiting to be unleashed.

Thank you for choosing to read Chrono Nightmares: Terrifying Tales of Time Travel. I hope you enjoy this journey through time and horror as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Sincerely,

Sean Benoit

Temporal Terrors

Dr. Emily Chen was a woman with a singular focus: to create a time machine. She had devoted years of her life to researching and experimenting, and she was on the cusp of success. Emily worked in a lab located in a university on the outskirts of town. Her team of assistants was small but dedicated, and they shared her passion for exploring different eras.

As Emily entered the lab, she was greeted by the sound of beeping machines and the hum of the air conditioning system. She walked over to the table, where her lab partner, Dr. David Park, was hunched over a computer.

Any updates on the power source? she asked.

David turned to her, rubbing his eyes. No, not yet. We're still working on optimizing the conversion rate.

Emily frowned. We need to figure it out soon. Our window for the first test is closing.

David shrugged. I know, I know. But these things take time. We don't want to rush it and end up with a malfunctioning machine.

Emily sighed. She knew he was right, but she couldn't help feeling impatient. I just wish we could make faster progress.

Suddenly, the door to the lab burst open, and one of their assistants, Sarah, rushed in. She was panting, her hair a mess.

Guys, you won't believe it, she gasped. There's something...something weird happening in the hallway.

Emily and David exchanged a look. What do you mean, weird? Emily asked.

I don't know, it's like...like things are moving on their own, and there are these strange noises.

Emily's heart skipped a beat. Stay here and keep working on the power source, she instructed David. I'll go check it out.

As Emily walked down the hallway, she felt a sense of unease. The walls seemed to be closing in on her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching her.

She turned a corner and came face to face with a vending machine that had been knocked over. The contents of the machine were scattered across the floor, and the machine itself was smoking.

Emily felt a chill run down her spine. She knew that this was no accident. Someone or something had done this.

Suddenly, she heard a rustling noise from behind her. She spun around, but there was no one there.

Hello? she called out. Is anyone there?

There was no response.

Emily walked cautiously down the hallway, her eyes scanning for any signs of danger. She saw a shadow move across the wall and turned toward it, but there was nothing there.

She quickened her pace, wanting to get back to the safety of the lab. But just as she was about to turn the corner, a hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder.

Emily spun around, ready to defend herself, but there was no one there.

Hello? she called out again, her voice shaking.

There was a sudden gust of wind, and Emily felt herself being pushed forward. She stumbled, her feet unable to find purchase on the ground.

And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the wind stopped. Emily found herself standing in the same spot, but something had changed. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the air felt...different.

She turned around and ran back to the lab, her heart pounding in her chest.

Emily burst into the lab, breathing heavily. Something's not right, she said, her voice shaking. I felt like...like something was following me.

David looked at her skeptically. Emily, you were probably just spooked. There's nothing to worry about.

But Emily knew that wasn't true. She had felt it, something dark and malevolent lurking in the shadows. She couldn't shake the feeling that it was still out there, waiting for her.

We need to get this time machine working, she said, her voice determined. We can't keep putting it off.

David sighed. Fine, but we need to be careful. Time travel is a delicate process. We don't want to create any paradoxes or mess up the timeline.

Emily nodded. I know, I know. But we've been working on this for years. It's time to take the leap.

With that, the team got back to work. They spent hours tinkering with the machine, making small adjustments and running tests. Finally, in the early hours of the morning, they were ready.

Emily stepped into the time machine, feeling a sense of excitement and fear. This was it, the moment she had been waiting for. She took a deep breath and activated the machine.

There was a blinding flash of light, and then Emily felt herself being propelled forward through time. She closed her eyes, trying to steady herself, and when she opened them again, she was standing in a different place.

She was surrounded by sand, the heat of the sun beating down on her skin. She looked around and saw that she was in ancient Egypt, standing at the base of the pyramids.

She couldn't believe it. This was it, the moment she had been waiting for. She had done it. She had created a working time machine.

Emily spent the next few hours exploring the area around the pyramids. She watched as the workers moved the massive blocks of stone into place, their sweat glistening in the hot sun. She marveled at the precision of their work, the way they were able to build such incredible structures without the use of modern technology.

But as the day wore on, Emily began to notice strange occurrences. Objects would move on their own, as if pushed by an invisible force. She would hear whispers in the wind, voices that she couldn't quite make out.

And then, as the sun began to set, Emily felt it again. That same sense of being followed, of something lurking in the shadows.

She tried to ignore it, telling herself that it was just her imagination. But as she made her way back to the time machine, she heard footsteps behind her.

She turned around, but there was no one there. And yet she knew, deep in her bones, that something was following her.

Emily quickened her pace, running towards the time machine. She activated it and jumped inside, feeling a sense of relief wash over her as the machine whirred to life.

But as she looked back through the window, she saw a figure in the distance. It was tall and thin, with glowing eyes that seemed to follow her. And as Emily watched, it began to move towards her, its movements unnatural and jerky.

Emily screamed, slamming her hand against the activation button. The time machine lurched forward, and then there was only darkness.

As Emily sat inside the time machine, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Her hands trembled as she tried to calm herself down.

David, are you there? she called out, hoping that her colleague was monitoring her progress from the lab.

No answer came, and Emily cursed under her breath. She was alone, stranded in an unknown time period with a malevolent presence lurking somewhere in the shadows.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to center herself. She had faced fear before, but this was something different, something more primal.

Suddenly, she felt a jolt as the time machine came to a stop. She opened her eyes and gasped, taking in her surroundings.

She was in a dark, damp room, the air thick with the scent of decay. She could hear the sound of water dripping somewhere in the distance.

Hello? she called out, her voice echoing in the silence.

No answer came, and Emily shivered, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

She took a few hesitant steps forward, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. And then she saw it, a figure standing in the corner, its features obscured by shadows.

Who are you? she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

The figure didn't answer, but she could feel its malevolence emanating from it, like waves of heat.

And then, suddenly, the figure moved. It darted forward, its movements quick and unnatural.

Emily tried to run, but her legs wouldn't move. She was frozen, unable to do anything as the figure closed in on her.

And then, just as it was about to grab her, Emily felt a jolt as the time machine activated, pulling her back to the present.

She gasped for air, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked around, relieved to be back in the safety of the lab.

But the relief was short-lived. As she looked down at her hand, she saw that it was covered in a thin layer of dust, as if she had been touching something ancient.

And then she heard it, a whisper in the darkness, a voice that she couldn't quite make out.

She turned to David, her eyes wide with fear. Something's not right, she said. That thing, it's following me. And it's not human.

David looked at her skeptically, but she could see the fear in his eyes. What do we do? he asked.

Emily took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. We keep going, she said. We can't let it win.

And so, the team continued their experiments, traveling through time and space, always with the sense of something watching them, waiting for its moment to strike.

As they traveled, Emily began to piece together the truth. The malevolent presence wasn't just following her, it was seeking her out. It wanted something from her, something that she couldn't give.

And as the body count rose and the destruction mounted, Emily knew that she would have to confront the entity head-on. She would have to face her fear and stop it before it was too late.

Emily sat at her desk, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of her. She had been trying to make sense of the data from their latest time jump, but her mind kept wandering back to the entity that had been following her.

Emily, are you okay? David asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She looked up at him, grateful for the distraction. I don't know, she said honestly. I keep thinking about that thing. What if it comes back?

David nodded sympathetically. I know it's scary, but we can't let it stop us. We have to keep going.

But at what cost? Emily asked, her voice barely above a whisper. We're altering history every time we jump. What if we're making things worse?

David sighed. I know it's a risk, but we have to believe that we're doing the right thing. Think of all the lives we could save, all the good we could do.

But what about the unintended consequences? Emily asked. What if we accidentally cause something even worse to happen?

David shrugged. We can't predict the future, Emily. All we can do is make the best decisions we can with the information we have.

Emily nodded, knowing he was right. But the guilt still gnawed at her, the weight of responsibility heavy on her shoulders.

As they prepared for their next jump, Emily couldn't shake the feeling of unease. She knew that the entity was out there, waiting for her. But she also knew that she couldn't let her fear stop her from doing what needed to be done.

And so, they activated the time machine, hurtling through time and space once again.

When they arrived at their destination, Emily felt a sense of relief wash over her. They had made it through another jump without incident.

But as they stepped out of the machine, they were greeted by a scene of chaos. The streets were filled with smoke and debris, people running and screaming in every direction.

What's going on? Emily asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

David looked at her grimly. I think we're in the middle of a war.

As they made their way through the streets, Emily couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. This was not the future she wanted to see. She wanted to make things better, but at what cost?

As they continued their journey, Emily realized that the entity was still following her. She could feel its presence, like a cold breath on the back of her neck.

And then, just as they were about to make another jump, the entity appeared before her, its form shifting and changing before her eyes.

Emily tried to run, but it was no use. The entity was too powerful, too determined.

And as she looked into its eyes, she knew what it wanted from her. It wanted her to change history, to alter the course of events in its favor.

But Emily refused. She