Mistake inside

"Mistake Inside" by James Blish is a science fiction story from the late 1940s that examines alternate realities and inner battles through Dr. Hugh Tracy's eyes. Tracy, overcome with anger, breaks down a door and unexpectedly finds himself in "Outside," a chaotic realm where time is warped. He discovers he's a "transportee," sent to fix a mistake tied to his life by finding his "Atavars," symbols of his error, to return to his own time. Along the way, he encounters strange characters and wrestles with his mixed motives and emotions. Tracy comes to understand that facing his mistakes is the key to finding his way back and redeeming himself, blending fantasy and science fiction into a tale of self-discovery and the significance of errors in life.