Daryl—desperate to change the world from the abysmal oppression by 'Eugene the Supreme Ruler of the World'—had an opportunity to use his time travel device. But he calculated that using it only once was safe; any additional trips would create inevitable paradoxes.

Eugene tasked Daryl to build the device based on Daryl's temporal theories for no reason given.

Daryl used the temporal device, calculating the Earth's rotation within the spinning universe, teleporting into Eugene's sleeping chamber, opening a portal, and then sending both of them into the past.

"What's happening? Where am I?" Eugene saw himself as a young boy crying after getting beaten badly.

"You can stop this," said Daryl. "A new beginning. Save the boy from this torture. Save yourself!"

The young version of Eugene saw his older self. "You're me? But how?"

"There's no use in trying to explain it to him," said Daryl. "It won't matter. You can stop that monstrous stepfather of yours with this." Daryl handed adult Eugene the time device. "Send him to the beginning of time or its end. Your life will change for the better. After all, it's the reason you wanted the device created in the first place, isn't it?"

"How do you know that? Who told you? I'm not really sure about any of this. I have ultimate power. I rule the world!" said adult Eugene.

"To what end?" asked Daryl. "To cover up those memories of being a hopelessly tortured and beaten boy? Wouldn't you like to be free of that? Every night you must experience horrible nightmares. You could control the entire universe, but you'd still feel powerless inside."

Adult Eugene sent his stepfather away through time.

He and Daryl vanished instantly.

————

The former supreme ruler of the world, Eugene, now an insurance salesman, had a 9 to 5 job, often working 12-hour shifts and living a tedious life, with three kids and very little time for his own interests or hobbies.

One day, as Eugene shopped at a local supermarket with his wife, Susan, he recognized Daryl's face across an aisle.

Daryl had no recollection of Eugene—time for him had reset.

Eugene watched Daryl walking to his car in the parking lot and wrote down his license plate number.

"What are you doing, Eugene?" asked Susan.

"Oh, it's nothing. I seem to remember that person."

"How so?" Susan gazed at Daryl.

"A strange encounter during my childhood." Eugene watched as Daryl drove away. "Nothing important. Probably an old friend of the family."

Eugene tracked down Daryl's home address and knocked on his front door:

Daryl cautiously cracked the door open—"Yes? Who are you?"

"We met many years ago, Daryl. You probably don't remember me. But I remember you as a time traveler."

"But, but, how's that possible? How do you know about it?" Daryl opened the door.

"Show me the device, Daryl, and I'll explain everything."

Daryl guided Eugene into his basement.

"How does it all work?" asked Eugene.

"Operationally, it's fairly simple. I haven't yet sent a human test subject." Daryl picked up the device. "I enter the digits on this pad for the exact time and date and flip this switch. It opens a time portal."

Eugene pulled out a gun and grabbed the temporal device.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Daryl.

"This monotonous life is the true torture …" Eugene fired the weapon, opened a portal, and stepped through it.

He then appeared before his other adult self, Daryl, and younger self.

He shot Daryl, again, and his adult other-self.

"Eugene, come here." He gestured to his younger version. "Remember this—be resentful, fearless, and angry. Never lose control over yourself or anyone. You'll rule the world someday. Make that your goal."

The young Eugene nodded.

The adult Eugene vanished instantly, and so did the others.