Heavy-heavy eyelids. Slowly opening eyes. A cloudy sight. A haggard sick face.
A man, lying on a bed. Dimmed light. Curtained by something dark windows. The setting sun …
A fluttering crimson haze before the eyes – the body is not felt at all, some rubbish is still spinning in a head …unclear semiwhistle-semirurstle, poured in a premise.
An effort – and he hardly managed to open his eyes.
A face in a white surgical coat, bend over him … a calm sight. The face attentively studies him, looks in his eyes – as if looking in soul – and gradually departs.
There are no more powers to keep looking … he has closed his eyes again. It’s now possible to listen to … only to try to understand and remember – to remember and realize yourself. He must do it … he did not remember even why, actually, he have to, but only one thing – must.
A quiet-quiet conversation very-very nearby – that man in a white coat was engaged into unhurried dialog with someone another. He spoke very faintly – didn’t want to be overheard.
He must hear it, he have to ! Must understand, where is he and what’s with him. He has strain oneself greatly, trying to decipher habitual human words in flying sounds.
- … to do.
- But we cannot allow it. After all … … living. He … a human.
- … a choice ?
- … always is !
- He has … symptoms … Virtual ski…is…i syndrome … he is not long for this word … a day or two at most.
- … but they are. We cannot … allow … to die.
- … State-of-the-art capabilities … do not allow … irreversible change … cells … of a brain … Horrific weapon … monster … virtual reality … physical influence of virtual world … Electrochemical stimulation … cells … altered … brain impulses … mental waves … almost like alive … no way !
- Really … he … no hope ?
- You … his medical record.
- … have brought yesterday. And just the next day … should die ?
- … so, unfortunately … no means.
- … My God ! … dies … ble … death … cannot aid !
- … regret it very much.
- …….
- Go, make arrangements … to make asleep … last … long dream. … Capsule … life-support … two hundred years.
- … I shall do.
- … go.
A noise of door, softly closed by automatics after the left person. The same man in a white surgical coat has approached him once again. Smoothly bend head, a penetrating glance … confusion and pain on a face – pain and hope. His words, addressed to him …
- … forgive … Have to … to make … for you to survive … have to survive … no other way possible … not now. Impossible … Until mankind realizes, what it creates … until denies … virtual substitutes of life … Festering abscess … on a mankind’s body … must get rid themselves … choose life themselves … real … living … life … until … no … most advanced medicine … will never be a … ure … Understand … cure … in strength of spirit … to make … right choice … again … forgive us … cannot do other way … Put asleep … two hundred years … When the sun will rise … will revive … when … real life … not … pitiful glitches in a brain … only then.
A whistle and noise again.
Opened doors … entering people – lots of people in white surgical coats. Life … life … real life … he has just now started to feel its taste … in that condition in which he was … only now … before this … A headache – the wild pain which has cut through a brain – darkness before his eyes … no ! Hands, shaking him … he must regain consciousness, he is alive – they have understood it. They will fulfill their duties.
A longest dream. Several centuries … he will regain consciousness when the night will come to an end … and the sun will rise … rise over mankind. Maybe he will once see this world again.
Bend faces … grief on them. The approaching mechanics …
And words, words, which rushed into his ears like a wild roar of sea waves – “Meet this time … be happy … in real life … Farewell !”.
Pain. And the oblivion…