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Fiction
France Runs Out Of Time
France’s feet crunched in the gravel as he poked his head inside the open boxcar door. It was empty. A whistle pierced the clear blue sky as a cloud of steam rose from the engine’s smokestack. It was decision time. He could hop in and escape, putting his past — the future — behind him. Or he could try to get back to his original time and clear his name. France jumped inside and pulled the door closed.
France Terrington was not of this time. He was a media influencer consultant in 2103. Media was the means to power and wealth, and those who controlled the media controlled the wealth and power. Much like the political systems of the previous centuries and kingdoms before that. Media influencers were essentially celebrities. And like celebrities, they were worshipped by the masses. But to retain their popularity, influencers needed consultants.
France was the best when it came to reading the pulse of the media world, and he commanded a salary befitting his skill. He also earned intense envy and hatred from other consultants.
As France sat against the boxcar wall, he thought about how everything had fallen apart. The morning feed ignited with the news that his star client, Harford Swan, was planning to double access fees to his media. It was a lie, but the damage was done. Swan’s popularity plummeted, and hundreds of…
