On the Wings of Hope : Prose

Has drowned in blood the revolt in the frontline island state. Has left lifeless desert on southern suburbs of his country, where hordes of enemy have dared to intrude – the same whitish desert remained in all territory of the attacking state. Threatened to throw off the newest modification of psychoneutron bomb on the neighbor, who was unwilling to yield convenient trade routes, having destroyed all mental potential of the pigheaded one – he gave up very quickly, having become the witness of demonstration of its possibilities in small scales …

He possessed all. Everything was below him – he was above everything. He was the president of the state …

* * *

Mechanics peep. Red measured words on the X-display screen – “Your account is empty. Please replenish your balance”. Damn ! The end …

Slowly unhooked from a body sensors and controls, the nejro-pulse helmet, removed from his head. That’s all. Game over …

A lonely thought, spinning in the head : “eat”. So … where is a food here ? He has turned his head around. Oh, here … just near the terminal. A needle, inserted into a vein … very soon nutritious liquor will be soaked up and carried by blood through the organism – it should suffice for some days. Should suffice … a shrill sound signal … done. He has pulled out a needle.

So …. he has rummaged around his pockets. Twenty credits … not enough … only for sixty-seventy hours … heck … no matter.

A helmet, being dressed again. Heaps of wires and connections, fitted to a body. A token, put into a machine, which has greedily grasped it… Satisfied mechanics peep.

Start. The virtual world never waits.

* * *

City streets, lightened with lanterns. A signboard over one of many buildings – “Salon of virtual findings”. Hundreds of terminals over the walls. People, sitting in them.

Next terminal … a twitching man, braided by mechanics. A stream of saliva, slowly flowing down on a floor … The face is not visible – it’s being covered by a small helmet. Peeps of equipment …

He was the head of the largest mafia organization …

05.10.2010

When the sun will rise

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 …