|
|
James Eric Thompson
<< Back To Profile
| Name: | Original Story posted 1/27/2010 Untitled for consideration No copy or reprint without consent. |
| Experience Description: |
Original Story posted 1/27/2010 Untitled for consideration No copy or reprint without consent. Any financial gain or offers to non author/s must be with consent of author.
*************************** Sorry not edited****
TX
to comment email James@technerd.com
I hope you enjoy the read.
**************
Chapter 1
##
Sounds of complicated machines, buzzers sounding, follow the flat lining monitor. A clank of restraints retracting along with the hydraulic sounds of large needles removed from flesh. Flashing monitors & lights begin to reset in an automated fashion.
Bright white & the biting chill of air gasped in, the forced intake of a 1st or last breathe of life. Sensations, intensely making themselves known but for reason unknown. Wrenching muscles contract violently making the figure on a smooth silver table jerk & twist. Restraints now open & all instruments now going through a cleansing process. The figure still in a state of violent contractions rolled from the table, the sound of scraping & a clear barrier opened allowing in two strange objects. The unnatural objects moved about the table while a semi blinded figure retreated still in spasms & coughing & choking for lifes breath. The objects seemed to be at a loss for a time. Their motions stopped & it was a bit before they went back down the long hallway passing an exhausted & sleeping body with small traces of blood & medical probes still attached. Another object appeared from the hallway & went to the table & placed a figure gently on the table. As the object left & went back down the hallway the clear barrier slid back close & sealed. No noises could be heard in the hallway, save the last faint sounds of the objects now so far down the hall They could no longer be seen. Lights & instruments came back alive in the room now sealed & back to the purpose it was intended.
As new patterns formed to blurry eyes not yet ready to see. The figure shook & trembled, urine puddles around a confused being. Confused bewilderment shone in the eyes of a being not aware of it`s own body. The body was slight, humanoid in shape, no hair, no marks, not even where the instruments & sensors had been removed from the body. Each sense seems to shock & take this being by surprise. Instinctively fingers touch & react to each new sensation. With a crawling roll the figure began to move and make way from the wall. A pathetic sight to see a full grown man writhe on a metal floor as the body of this unfortunate evacuate. Moans of terror & confused pain, echoes thought the hollow halls only heighten the fear & terror. No love or maternal hands to comfort or guide, no protection. Unaware of the feeling & thoughts it was now having, the figure tried to return back to the cell, again fear & terror sounded in wails & moans as the clear wall blocked the way back to the abyss. Wailing & flailing of arms & legs slowly gave way to a rocking motion. Soundless & with no sinister purpose a small metal object came up on the waste still fresh & began to clean the mess. The startled figure was not aware of the object & soon as it began cleaning the figured started to scream & back away. The figure slowed his retreat slowly when it was clear the object was not a threat. Still wailing & moaning now more as crude speech. After some time the object continued down the hall being lost to sight after a distance that seem endless. Noises & pains went through the body, some thing was needed. With one hand on the wall & a hand touching the floor the figure began to slide & crawl, down the hall.
Frustrated the figure strains to increase travel rate, from a dragging crawl to a wild kicking that became a jerky scooting motion. Within minutes the flailing figure became less frantic control was being learned quickly .Soon a quicker pace was set by crawling on hands & knees. This then gave the figure more control & more height to see into the cells blocked by clear barriers. Inside they all seemed the same with figures attached to instruments. At one the figure stopped with a look of familiarity, hands pressed upon the transparent wall. Pressing against the wall hands reaching up to see more, gaining height until fully erect. Noises forced from the throat seemed to explode , horror is the feeling it conveyed. Staggering back the figure seemed to notice he was standing & became tense & unbalanced. Falling against the wall behind & sliding down to the floor. The lights in the cell in front of him became brighter & seemed to join the same rhythm. Then all at once they all lit & stayed bright, for moments no change but again they all began to flash & all systems started to shut down. The figure on the table slumped to the end, devoid of life. Terror again shone in the figures face, the objects returned but they no longer frightened the figure. Without delay the body was removed from the table & one was replaced, as soon as a body was replace the figure desperately threw its body upon the freshly emptied object. Working it body squarely on the object the figure laid upon its back looking up & to the sides of the hall as it passed cells Lights kept going by marking the speed & course traveled. The cells did not change for such a time that when they did it was again terrifying. These new cell had a more sinister assortment of instruments, a few seemed completely submerged or in a barely sustainable atmosphere for life & seemed to have a special source of bodies. it was clear that none of these bodies was meant to survive what was being done to them, & it seemed they where all the same figure, similar in every way. Was this hell!? And this is the same person being made to pay for his sins & indiscretions? Yet the lights continue to pass by more cells. The endless blur became too much the swirling thoughts & images where as bad with eyes closed. Moaning & frightened the figure clung to the object still moving straight down the hall. Moments of emptiness replace with the knowledge of a return to the circumstances of the moment leaped back into the mind of the figure not wanting to look at any more cell filed with torture. Still being drawn to see & witness it, agony only now shared with another to witness. And still the object continued, now other objects could be seen being passed every great while. Finally a wall blocked the objects path this seemed to be the end of the hall, yet it did not seem right for this to end at just a stop. Soon the wall began to open allowing the object through along with several other objects some with bodies. Those carrying the bodies passed & went a different direction that the figure now traveled. The room was filled with light & warmth now flowed around. The empty objects began to line up & seem to wait. Soon an object would move into a door & later emerge with a figure upon it. The figure was still as a hollow shell now sitting up the terrified figure looked at itself & saw lifeless bodies two tubes in its throat move pass him back into & down the hall. Still watching as the hall doors closed he felt the slight jerk as the object he now rested upon began to move to the door. With a weak rolling jerk the figure hurriedly fell off the object. Crawling to get out of the path of another object now moving also the figure hid under a structure leading up. Not able to again stay erect & move the figure began to crawl on hands & knees up the stepped structure gaining height above the objects below.
The winding stepped structure lead high above the rooms floor where the objects continued there operations. From here he could see where the bodies went, a door leading to a moving table; the bodies are dumped onto it as it passes through an opening where sounds of bodies being disassembled could be heard. Nothing was left to waste & all was examined by instruments & optical gauges. By using the rails the figure was able to erect itself & now move slowly, the beings mind seemed to be developing much faster than the body could become familiar & coordinated with itself. Looks of awareness & some understanding replaced puzzled & horrified looks. At the top a wall with an obvious door, a handle extended from it. Without trouble a dusty groan brought open the door. This structure & the room here was not made for the objects that roamed below. As the handle was turn down & the door pushed in, the figure was now erect & seemed to be walking slowly but fine. Lights gently came on as if to welcome all who enter. This did not startle the figure that now seemed strangely different. Memories find the figures mind, but none of them his own. Only the memories are of gasping for air & clinging to life, they where his to remember. Yet memories & knowledge seemed to burst forth, as if a read out was stuck in his head. Not just random info but stats, costs & along with operations & procedures. More & more started becoming clearer about the surrounding he was now in. But new knowledge came to attention, pain inside was more urgent, hunger was now the memory & knowledge that controlled. Inside the room was small, but two doors lead from it. The closest door the one on the right, it seemed well used yet no used in a very long time. The other door seemed the same yet not as used, but just as abandoned. A thought passed, who or what used these doors & how long has it or they been gone? The figure moved to the nearest & more used door, it swung open as if it only needed a reason to broadly widen. A room appeared with lights that lit with the doors movement. Previously used for large groups or gatherings, tables & benches filled the middle space. A counter separated another area that seemed to service the 1st area. As if ghosts had entered the room to carry on haunts, memories came to him of men & women going about daily life. Blinking as if they where sleep caught in his eyes the figure looked unbalanced & disturbed. How could he have these visions? The way felt more urgent now, thoughts came & went speeding around. Images that reflected gradual & dramatic changes of his surroundings & of events he never experienced. Shaky feeling built up from the pit of the stomach, again heaves washed over him sweat poured from every pore. Stumbling to a basin he placed his head & continued to heave, cool water began to gently pour down over the burning forehead & face. Drinking heavily till pains forced him to stop, again the heaving continued. This continued until sleep fell upon the lone & vulnerable figure.
Wakening was not traumatic like the times before, he knew were he was. In the dinning hall curled below the clean up sink. Why he now knew this & more almost came as no surprise. Still weak yet stronger on the whole he rose & stretched his head & torso under the now running water that poured into the basin. Once many would come here to eat & socialize with others. They may have had long & pleasant talks about life or of personal thoughts & observances. This has not happened for such a long time, the ghosts are now ancient & forgotten. After a draught of water & finding a towel to dry off, the figure again looked about his surroundings. Service door service staff only was easy read there above a door he seemed to know about but had no memories of. Taken aback by his sudden ability to understand the characters he now realized held what he wanted & needed. Push here & contents are hot seemed to be everywhere. Most did nothing or gave a negative & pitiful bleat, some would excrete a inedible assortment of contents of varied textures & ingredients. But finally a small rectangular bar dropped through a slot there in the wall. The wrapping seemed to be faded but still sealed, with a tremble & a fast rip freed the bar of dried oats, a granola bar showed no sign of age. Dried & some what tasteless the chalky thing was still the best thing this person had ever eaten. A bit more water & a few more of the bars helped with a feeling of wellness yet unknown.
Looking about he now could see this place from it`s construction too it`s automation to a single incident a few days ago. Yet the service door was not part of any memory, how could that be? Could it lead to answers?
Steps leading through this structures back way: not for guests or those that are to be seen. The service passages lead to the many service entrances within this structure, kitchen, meeting rooms, & hallways. At its core a small escalator leading down to a very secure looking door. It had many locking features that seemed beyond anything needed to secure any treasure known. Gently lights began to glow brighter & as the figure steps to the 1st steps, the escalator powered up. Calmly the figure stepped forward & now spoke I wish to rest here at home With those words the door began to crack open to allow entry. Information now clarified quickly, excitement mounted. Was he to meet his creator?
At the crack there was a new door, hesitation almost ran through the figure when the door opened as if expecting him. No sound as the door closed behind into utter darkness. A strange softness meet his feet as he walk forward through a old heavy darkness. A sound of air being sucked in & pumped out could be faintly heard. Travel seemed to more like floating instead of walking. An anticipation of what is unknown seems so exciting & yet grips at the primal fears. To run at this point no matter what was a head, to end all other possibilities for the truth for just one. It seemed a fair trade, to know an absolute truth to a question given to you by birth. Pace quickened in the figures walk. A soft & yet strong barrier appeared, blind from the dark & now a pile of dust. Choking the figure grasped the barrier nearly ripping the ancient but well made curtains, exposing a bright light. Brilliant light emanated out from the space the curtains concealed, a strange bed sat center. The sound of air came from here, a plastic chamber lay over the bed. A fine dust was the only thing in it, some lay upon sheets while a fine cloud of dust seemed to be drifting around as the air flowed inside. Tubes and needled easily recognize lay unused for an undeterminable time. Creator the figure almost whispered it, the thoughts now came. Again knowledge seemed to pour into the figure, harsh images & the pains of uncountable masses ran into him.
As information started to flow through him, the mere questioning thought of How? sent his mind through medical data that seemed to be endless.
He was only one of nearly a countless supply of material created; in the effort to create & prolong life. The life of the one who had this all built. Linked to the complex & created to have the knowledge & memories needed for a life & consciousness of that man.
As medical science made leaps & bounds, mans morals & ethics did not. Breakthroughs in all of the sciences were being used as tools of destruction; genetic creations soon mutated & could no longer be controlled. The very life on this planet was being manipulated & altered for a greater purpose but soon these purposes & creations no longer followed intentions. Horrid diseases & consequent environmental problems arose. Decades of vast human growth in population & technology lead to a resource dead end. Vast amounts were now used & needed by people. The natural occurring creation of the planets resources was not only quickly destroyed by mankind but also being used at an ever increasing rate. Facing the slow yet inevitable destruction of mankinds birth planet, mankind bickered among themselves, hording, looting & all manner of coveting soon washed through the populations. As resources became more & more scarce the poor died in masses or were killed for humanitarian reasons. While plagues ravaged poorer countries, richer countries took all they could leaving the poor to starve & die. Wars between countries soon became battles between factions as whole countries diminished in an instant. Survivors fought as an instinct over anything that could help or end the suffering. If not for the foresight of a few men of science driven & persuaded to prolong a life. The life of the one who had this all built. The dust in this chamber was in fact, Mr. J Rivlis the riches man & heir of the largest fortune ever, was once mankinds last & greatest achievement. Kept alive for centuries longer than anyone else, safe from the famines, plagues, & the wars that follow.
Mankind for its time took more from this planet than it was ever to give back. The sins of mankind are too numerous to list, but it was possibly mans vanity that killed him. Mr. J Rivlis`s family knew this would happen, & had actually planed for it. It was business & business was always good. Almost as long as written history Mr. J Rivlis had a family member who knew human nature. This complex was started three generation before, yet for much different purposes. Not the creation & cloning of vassals to keep Mr. J Rivlis`s alive. This complex was made fully automated many years before in preparation, there was no need to bother saving anyone. Some may have escaped this planet, but would they ever come back? The figure now knew himself, & hated it! Instead of working to help humanity, his creator duped & coned, stole all he could & left all to die! As the end unfolded Mr. J Rivlis hid far below waiting for? His familys only thought was to save themselves, he only himself. No one was around to witness his greatest achievement, his own death 378 years after birth.
Tears puddle neath the feet of the closest thing to a living human known to this healing world. Now so clear, how could it be, yet he now knew all. He was created! In the image of a man & humanity in a whole, an experiment! Like countless before, never to have life! They were merely to be vessels, an attempt to cheat death, to become immortal. The figure searched all the information that constantly assaulted him.
Now the living Mr. J Rivlis stood wiping tears away. Knowledge still fresh, still being absorbed flowed into a disbelieving man. His mind was going over data from hundreds of probes that showed life on the surface, yet no human life.
Machines not like the first he saw came up to him, the langue they used was now familiar Ah we see you are awake the taller of the 2 spoke. The 2nd one circled him several time before stopping near the first. You seem to be in fine shape the 2nd said as if shocked. Tears stilled ran down the human face, as all hope seemed lost. Can we help you? Again the tall one spoke but with such tenderness. The human now recognized the voice! He was tall man, an older man that spent much of his life as a doctor working on sick & terminal children. He was given grants to share all of his thoughts & notes & even had his voice recorded to instruct others on most procedures. Stats seemed to spring to his mind, the other was a compilation of several hundred nurses. Construction logs, plans, invoices & more all came into his mind. Can we help you? the 1st one again asked We can be of great help added the 2nd. A wan smile left the mans face I am beyond help the man spoke. Nonsense, you are here & ready to create again a tender tone came from the 1st. In creation lives Hope Chirped the 2nd. In creation lies discovery an awed tone came from the 1st.
The man found these very kind but puzzling statements.
Movement suddenly sprang to the room as if all was awakened! Curtains drew back & light seemed to illuminate from everywhere! The room was much larger than he first thought walls lined in wood book shelves & filled was such art & books. Painting hung everywhere, on walls, ceiling & some hung down on cables. Now the small bed & tubes was fully expose as the curtain that covered it was removed, up through a small hole in the ceiling. Now two smaller machines enter out from beneath a book case. He had seen these types of machines before, Images of the plans & specs, along with the pictures & data from the design & build teams came to his mind. This brought on feeling of loss for those not known but to never be known. Photos & letters left on the system by all that worked at this complex & what they worked on where logged & stored on the system. A image of life came to his mind as he let the data flow into him, kids & dogs issues at home, life`s problems as well as it`s victories where shared with others & now with him. Tears of pain & joy flowed down as each correspondence was received. The brief contact left both a feeling joy to have shared a moment with another & sorrow. The knowledge that all these people were left to die, that they where only a means for another`s ends, angered him. Yet the knowledge that they live on in there thoughts & creations that now surround him calmed & humored him. In spite of his creators wish to out live humanity & have immortality, his complex now better served those that put in their hart & souls creating & building it! Bitter laughter burst from the lips of the figure now with the knowledge of who he is & free to chose.
Sir have you gone mad? The 2nd object now known as the nurse model reference # : RN1345-CCU462.
Such actions are a result of stress, please allow me to help you calmly the 1st object interjected. Its Model reference # : M1l23r-A5h3-Xc52 nick named MAX after the man it was programmed by & after. Sir Martin Andrew Xanders known to friends (mostly children he was in charge of) as Max. Food chuckled the still expressive figure water also He seemed to need both & in a good amount, soon!
Quickly RN1345-CCU462 left the room through a hole that seemed to appear from the bookcase ahead. You seemed changed, have you been alright? We have continued as you asked, are you not happy with this continuation? The question now brought things back to the moment, & the figure was shocked. Water & lots of it chirped RN1345-CCU462. Thank you RN1345-CCU462 Max replied when RN1345-CCU462 returned momentarily. A large container was held in one of RN1345-CCU462 many retracting arms, the condensation could be seen forming around it. The sensation of thirst shoot through the figure his hands raised to grasp the container, hold up a moment spoke RN1345-CCU462 as a cup was then produced. A cold rush & a shock of cold rush into him with each glass of the icy water. RN1345-CCU462 is it? well that is too much, so how about RRrrrnnncccuu no Runcy no Reney no no Got to find a good one for you the man bemused. How about Rooney? Max & Rooney how does that sound? An acknowledging chirp sounded from Rooney in approval. The pair seemed odd yet a match, not unlike their new names.
He ate three of the frozen dinners that Rooney prepared for him. He knew it would satisfy his nutritional needs even if the taste seemed flat & chalky. More of the cold water was brought to him, its cold numbing feeling gave the felling of lying on the cold table where all this started. Was that a prenatal memory? In that test cell hooked to tubes, the cold table his cradling womb, like a strange mothers uterus. Eyes were always watching him, painted figures pondered his fate. The immense room held more & more paintings, rugs, & books. Stacks & shelves, painting hung down on lines from heights out of sight. Those painted had a mostly solemn & haunted look, of knowledge burdensome & draining. What did they know? Was it worse than the records show, wars & famine? How did the last days go? He easily scanned for the knowledge, logs, charts & text of varied information on the social & political turmoil that began their end. Complex opinions & statements on what was happening read like old transparent lies. The truth was that a system of greed & need was developed long ago & as long as the people continued to demand more & more for themselves & no longer cared for any other. Large companies began to grow & control key areas of agriculture, water & food production. They soon began to move upon each other, mergers & acquisitions some more hostile than others. People ran the companies but the only goal of the companies was profits for it & its holders. Each new cycle greater profits were expected. Job loses & cut backs on wages & benefits slowly increased desperation among workers to find & hold jobs to pay higher & higher costs. Inflated prices & created shortages began more poverty & a division began among people. In attempts to use cheaper methods of labor & production more & more workers began to become obsolete. With no job those that could no longer pay, would need to scavenge to survive. Those that did have jobs became more enslaved by it to continue to live. Few resources remained & they where at a premium, caused intentionally to drive up prices. That last few companies now needed so much profit to remain able to fend from another it became too great to sustain. Now so entrenched into world affairs & politics the last companies went to war, literally in the guise of political issues, all arranged by them. Masterminded by the Rivlis family & others of a similar breed. War was able to continue profits & bring in assets, bring political control. People now under political control & dominated by corporate greed, only existed for profit. Then J Rivlis began his bid for control & power. Automation full & complete, no use is a person to do his bidding. He knew it was only a short time before all would collapse. Salvation was the most important issue in his mind. His own, & no one elses mattered.
A continuing & desperate suffering made his goals easy, those that wished to do any & all they could, would blindly work for him. The goal they worked for was not their own & they would die without ever knowing it. Ideas & knowledge that could have once helped & eased the suffering endured by so many did not fit the goals & have any thing to do with profits J Rivlis demanded. There was only enough for him, only enough to sustain his life forever. That was his goal, his reason, & only it mattered.
The living J Rivlis sat ashamed such feelings of loathing & disgust, if the dead J Rivlis was here & alive he would have beaten him to death. Tears again filled eyes of a being hurt & alone. All this knowledge & no one left to save. Or be saved by. He was no longer able to look at the faces for any length of time without thinking they blamed him. All the information scanned on him & his origins showed that all clones would never fully live or have life off the machines, so why was he alive? Did he now have the life & soul of J Rivlis? J Rivlis died centuries before, so could a soul pass through wires & tubes into him? How could he be!? Ideas & theories swam into his mind, if he was not J Rivlis then who, how did he come to have this life? Was it possible he was J Rivlis come back to right the wrongs? Given a second chance to reclaim his humanity & find someway to resurrect mankind? And if this was not what should he do?
Reading the scripts & text he could not scan took time but only a fraction more due to the consent page turning, it was almost enjoyable, but his answers did not show as expected. Theology, mystic writings & history all showed promise but could never really answer any question that needed to be asked. So the answer simply came to be this: it would all depend on what he did. This was just a simple statement but a true one. Whatever he did would lead to answers, & indicate more than this stagnant searching for reason. Yet what was it, that thing he was here to do. Max & Rooney would hover about at meal time to make sure he would take time to eat. Consumed with ideas & questions the hours & days swept by, time was his & often he would walk back through the corridors & halls, even back to the cold room where he first began, reading & contemplating. The automated drones did not bother him any longer & the thoughts & fears now replaced with a hope. Could he rejoin the human race? Could he touch the cheek of another? To talk, laugh or cry with others? Lost in thought he turned & found himself in front on the first sights he had ever seen. Fear & pain rush through him, so close he began to feel the cold metal all around & in him. Eyes start to open to a blurred room, cold naked flesh peels & tears to a cold metal table as the figure on it rips itself forward. Staring from two pair of eyes fearful looking at himself, the figure in the hall gasps & staggers back, as to break free from some unseen bond. The only know copy of J Rivlis just saw through the eyes of another & not only saw but felt it die.
Droids carried off the dead figure & placed a new one back in the automated cell. Once again the work began, needles plunged deep into the figure now fresh on the table, light back to green, system looked as nothing every happened. Still not understanding what had happened, a warm feeling passed & a shocked figure stared back into a translucent cell at one time held him. The clone on the cart droid stilled twitched & jerked for as long as it was in view. It was never truly alive & he knew it, yet how did he see through its eyes & why did he feel those things? Where they just memories, some how he knew it was now & real, but not him. Was it illusion or did he join the clone & brought it to life? New knowledge fanned the intense flames of curious desire. HE began to reread any thing that held even the slightest clue.
Sleep did not bring back a sense of freshness, dulled & almost dreamy he saw a glimpse of something painted on a landscape. Excitement rushed him awake. High above on a hanging chain was the painting. It took some time climbing the chain & to remove each painting below it to get to it. It was a landscape, one of only a few seen so far. It was of a flat plain with millions of people together, all seemed peaceful. But what had him excited was the vast field of what looked like ships able to travel through space. Did people leave in time; the thought gave hope & ideas. Scanning to learn any more left him with another question. If they left where would they go? Staring into the image he fell into what seemed a dream, images of people in different places & times. He WAS THERE! Why & what did it mean? Then he found himself alone there was nothing around him, him could not distinguish on what he now stood upon. Not as if he was floating in a void but out side a light. Its light shone and seem to wash everything away. It did not hurt his eyes but blocked him from seeing farther than his out stretched hands. Yet he believed there where figures in the light Hear could hear the faintest whispers of laughter & joyful sounds of children. Where are they? Why could he not join then? Then a sound of laughter that did not seem to belong grew around him ending the sounds of happiness. As he woke Max & Rooney hovered near, they had placed him in the bed, it seemed a perfect fit.
Chapter 10
Several days & nights passed no dreams or visions came to him yet his pervious experience seemed so real, though bizarre. He wanted to see more understand it so he could use it to make things right! He found himself staring at the doors out to the clone chambers. It was rare for him to even look at those steal doors. The sound it made seemed to taunt him, drawing him, daring him to see something he refused to look at. It wasnt fear or cowardice but an inability to perceive so not acknowledged. Slow like a man meeting fate unwillingly he walked through the doors. Still unable to look into cages & tanks that held creatures that seemed to recognize him but him could not let himself behold. Down past hundreds & hundreds of chambers, droids going to and fro some with waste material & equipment yet others carried the body off to be recycled. It was when he went to the end of a long hall is where he saw it, a door single and just as he saw himself walk into, in that brief dream. Standing in front of it he felt like just leaving that this may cause the peace he was looking for depended on not opening that door. The moments drummed away till the door opened so fast & quietly, the rush of air was the only sound. A quick blink & most would have missed seeing the door at all. A gradual brightening of light reviled a small room, in the middle two post with round balls atop stood. They seemed be within normal arms distance from each other. What is its use or purpose? He needed to see more; quietly he made his way in. Looking at the orbed posts a chill rolled down him at the thought, what will happen after he reaches out and touches them? Hesitantly he reached, no shock or pain, yet the sensation was far from pleasant. Almost as if being thrown into water & forced down farther & farther until crushed. Again images of people & times flashed names, dates, stories burned through his head. Then nothing! He was back outside the light he could heard faint echoes of joy. Images so faint like ghosts seemed to be just outside of his sight. Just dancing light no matter how he tried he could not get closer. Then a cruel sounding laugh began and rose until its sound was just yards away. He spun around to see a figure of a man, not just a man but a black man! Devoid of any other color, hair, eyes, lips, even his teeth were black. Black that seemed to reject the light, so black one could fall into its abyss. A large dark grin was across his face, it was hypnotic & haunting. With a voice that seemed rouged & yet flowed with a soft harmony the strange being spoke What bring you here now? Lost?
Shocked & repulsed the clone of J Rivlis had never seen a real person, just views in paintings. He dreamed of finding people to meet them to interact. Alone for so long lonely so empty & scared, yet what does he find, a first encounter with a person as different as this! If it this really is a person?, or a hallucination!
Do you still retain your mind and sanity? as the being spoke the black smile seemed the grow darker. The emptiness of the surroundings was taken up by darkness the figure seem to draw into it`s self. Good! With that he seemed to glide in close, the smell seemed to allure yet had a hint of foulness almost hidden. You know you shouldnt come here, THEY are gone, & mean nothing it is important we continue, keep everything going correctly. So much sacrificed so much to lose. Continue and the answers you seek will be foundnever stop, never falter. Then without a warning the smile seemed to freeze, the face grew closer & became horrible.
Eyes wide & staring into a white light above the strange bed of J Rivils . Max & Rooney moved about as preparing, weak & confused from events the clone of J Rivils laid awake thinking. He knew J Rivils built all this to stay alive for eternity & had sent clones into time & space to make sure that all events made sure of this happening. He could remember dates & places the events, how J Rivils used his clones & the people they came in contact with to manipulate people, groups, organization, religions, & finally governments & corporations. Manipulating all, for his true concern HIMSELF, an obsession to live forever, even at the Price of so many lives, resources, & future life. On what are now dead planets, devoid of all but dwindling microbes and dust. Without remorse. Was the dark man J Rivils? He must find out. How could he go back? A slight pain in his right arm brought his attention back to Max & Rooney, the pair where going quickly about their business. A whirl of activity was going on about him; Max would bustle on one side & Rooney the other then switch. So lost in thought & still tired, he paid no mind to the two for some time. Max what are you two doing? J Rivils`s clone asked. your weak & must recover your strength. You must live master. With this Rooney made a few several tones in agreement. How are you to do that? Max turned & coolly said it has already begun. It was the first time he sounded truly mechanical.
J Rivils`s clone began to look around, at first he wasn`t able to even turn his eyes from Max. Slowly his eyes drifted down, he notice a few tubes as his neck relaxed and began to turn he was able to see: several tubes with fluids running into his body, wires with pins stuck into his arm & when he was able to turn to the other side, again more tubes wires, now fluids flowed out & in the bright reflection in the light hood above he could almost make out the wires & pins ejecting out of a now newly shaved head.
He was weaker now much weaker a feeling life had been pulled from him, the connection to the machines now seemed as if all were one. Images & sensations played through him. Lives of people flash through his being, emotions: run & coursed through, so vividly he felt every sensation. Events played out in multiple lives, victims & aggressors, both roles played ripping at him. Witnessing his own crimes while similar events simultaneously converged upon him, he became the last witness & testament of mankind. He shared in the lives of all those that had been. He was the last & now carried the sum total of humanity, a weight the collective race was not able to bare on its own. It was not going to continue, that was inevitable, all must cease being what they once where, but why?
He found himself drifting back to that place, where the dark man would be waiting for him. Something was much different, he was back but not outside the light, he was inside it. This time no faint echoes of joy, dancing light, the ghost like images had no faint echoes of joy. Now they seemed lost without being, devoid of life, hollow shells. What had happened? He felt the dark man approach like heat being pulled from a room. The smile made the clone of J Rivils swoon. Dark hate seared into him, J Rivils clone cringed at the dark man a he approached. Sorrow, horror & ecstasy filled his mind, the images played along with fear, damnation, & loathing. Hate so strong not even the cold black smile of the dark man could mask. His figure seemed to grow but came no closer.
The clone of J Rivils being seemed to leave, cold horror began to set, deepening beyond him. Dread was the sound of the dark man`s voice Here you stay, And we will see all of time fade like drops of water on hot desert rocks. The words seemed to give the dark man pleasure in there cruel meaning & intention. As the clone of J Rivils Could bear it no longer he spoke why J Rivils, why take the lives of so many? What could you want? What could be worth all of humanity, & life on so many planets in so many times? What do you want?
The dark man looked at him & smiled, Dark joy sprang into his eyes. You think I am J Rivils, No J Rivils I am not! I am much more. I am the dark soul once shared by all of humanity, now just your companion until time ends. At such time I will enjoy your pitiful struggle to claim mere moments more of your stolen life. You have done & given much to be here.
Truth reeled & smashed into J Rivils, clone or not it or he was J Rivils. Blood skin cells all, same. Made to house to obsessed consciousness of J Rivils, It was him that took all the life from the universe to attempt to live forever! HE was the last living soul self imposed to live until the very end only die! To witness the death of all before his own! To never escape it but to be it`s captive, till the beast was through & ready for him.
Dismay took hold, he stared vacantly into the dark mans eyes. Sounds of bells & bleeps stirred around. Again he drifted away from the dark man Anger arose from his eyes but J Rivils was drifting away too fast to tell what the dark man said.
Pain & lights broke him from wherever he was; Max & Rooney seemed a stir around him. Alive & not trapped with the dark man, but it did not seem the pair had much to do with it. His body was spent; the pair were preparing to reclone him again. It would be the only way to stay alive, away from the dark man.
Yet how could he escape him? J Rivils`s obsession to live is why he is here & alive while nothing remains. More sounds as Max & Rooney hover about hooking up the wires & needles to keep him alive, fluids begin to flow down tubes toward his body. Soon this body & life would end but J Rivils would continue until time itself stops. But could he let go & die could it end this all, could he let go of life in this body & change the course of all the previous clones. For the clones of J Rivils tolive the lives they each have, & to accept the change of their death? Could it correct his mistakes?
Loud swirling beeps, alarms sounded as J Rivils struggled to remove the wires & tubes attached to his frail & weaken body. Blood trickled down from the spots that once connected him. Weak but of purpose J Rivils stumbled on to the doors, ages have past since he had opened these doors to the hall way. The machines stilled worked & along never stopping continuing along seemingly perpetually. J Rivils staggered down to the doorway pain gripping him. Frail & weak the door was nearly to much for him to open , crawling in dragging his limping body J Rivils kept forth. There stood two post with round balls atop, he knew it was the only thing he could do to redeem himself & save all the life & lives he took. Weakened arms reach to touch the two orbs.
The Dark Man stood looking trough the mist the figures seemed happy, content. A dark bitter smile flashed his lips If not you J Rivils the perhaps another.
Sounds of complicated machines, buzzers sounding, follow the flat lining monitor. A clank of restraints retracting along with the hydraulic sounds of large needles removed from flesh. Flashing monitors & lights begin to reset in an automated fashion.
Bright white & the biting chill of air gasped in, the forced intake of a 1st or last breathe of life. Sensations, intensely making themselves known but for reason unknown. Wrenching of muscles contracting violently makes the figure jerk & twist.
Chapter 12
Soft heels tap, in a familiar rhythm, As the nurse enter the room she draws the curtains morning MR J.R how are you doing today? The silence will answer her, Even though he did not know her in this moment he knew her, her family, friend, neighbors, he was one with all life & he knew it would be ok for it all, and he was a part of it. And in some way IT would always contine.
|
|
|
