Hilda, at the Ehrlich console, watched the chronoframes clicking by, her finger on the DELETE key.

“Now,” said Blake.

She hesitated, and remembered.

~

“You’re quite sure?” said Brom, the ministry man sent to hold up the Government’s end.

“Yes,” said Blake, “we resect precisely that frame, and…”

“History is rewritten; the world changes around us?”

“Yes.”

“I wish I had your confidence – remember Oslo."

“A successful intervention – our calculations show global GDP now 3% higher than the alternative iteration where the edit was not made.”

“2 million died.”

“And how many more millions spared a life of poverty as a result?”

Brom nodded. “Very well – make your edit. But let us hope that the world in which we find ourselves is more forgiving than this one.”

~

“Now,” said Blake.

“I can’t,” said Hilda, recoiling on the brink of paradox – for she knew that, in so doing, she herself would cease to exist.

“Very well.” He leaned across and pressed the key himself.

Too late, Hilda realized her mistake.