Short Little Stories

In the late 24th century, am interesting phenomenon came to pass. Historical documents began to be discovered that had previously been lost for ages. These documents chronicled a single moment in time, an event that occured on the side of Delo, a less-than-well-known mountain in Africa.

According to the chronicles, no less than ten thousand people had been drawn to the mountain-side on a single day in the late 21st century, where they stood witness to an event so profound, of such significance, that it altered their lives forever. More details laid out the many and sundry effects that led from this, as each of those at this event went on to be individuals of significance – politicians, artists, scientists.

Yet not one account detailed what the event was itself.

As the centuries passed, it came to be one of the great mysteries of history, added to the list of all the ancient wonders and events.

What none realized is that the entire thing was one magnificent hoax. It was orchestrated by a handful of people who, years ahead of the ‘event’, began to write up these false histories. They had their own children swear an oath to update those histories to match actual events, and so give them a false sense of truth – and to continue this down the centuries, until eventually revealing the hidden chronicles.

Their goal was simple. They would wait on the location of the event at the precise moment the histories recorded it as occuring.

And, once there, they would ambush any time travelers who were sneaking back in time to discover the truth of the Delo Enlightenment.

Now, unfortunately for them, time travel is impossible, and their complicated scheme, spanning a thousand years and dozens of generations of their kin, was all for naught.

That said, it is a testament to mankind that such stupidity could result in such an eternal legend, one that even went on to become the basis of man’s religion for several millenia.

While mankind never did discover the ruse, several other intelligent lifeforms did learn the truth of things.

The Martians are still laughing.