The Experiment

Jared lay on his electronic bed in his mechanical room. A coaster-like device on his nightstand displayed a moving holographic scene of a rainy night in a forest. It was supposed to make him fall asleep, yet he was wide awake with anxiety.

“It’s my fault. Cavities were typical in back in the 21st century. Using the oral bacterial laser cleansing device was easy, but why didn’t I use it?”

Below the holographic scene a display read 5:13 AM.

Jared covered his head in his pillow made of a synthetically made pillow. He uncovered is face and looked at his Bible illuminator. Jared got an idea. He closed his eyes and folded his hands over his chest. “God, if I don’t have to go to the dentist office, I’ll read my Bible every day and pray every night. Amen. I promise.”

Jared lay on his side and slept.

Suddenly, a loud electronic voice rang in his ears. “It is 9 AM. Time to get up.”

“Shut up you stupid robot!” he said as he threw a sock at the five foot tall hovering robot. “Your appointment is at 10 AM Jared.”

“Don’t remind me! Uhg!”

Jared hopped out of bed and spread his arms and let the little robot use pronged extensions to dress Jared in a completely black padded spandex body suit. He stood on a pad that lowered to the first floor of the house.

“Son! I have good news! You don’t have to go to the dentists!”

Jared’s face lit up. “What!”

“The doctor said he misread the panel and it shows you have no cavities.”

“I can’t believe it! I’m so happy!” Jared spun around and laughed. “Yes!”

Then the promise he made to God came to his mind. I’ll read my Bible tonight. he thougt.

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. Jared was free to go to his friend’s house to play his virtual reality game. He stayed there for hours and left at 1 PM and went home to do his work on his holographic laptop. He took a break after two hours, had dinner and the went upstairs, very tired from studying.

He glanced at his Bible. “I’m too tired to read. I’ll do it tomorrow,” said as he plopped onto his bed. He recalled he was supposed to pray too, but fatigued got the best of him and he drifted to sleep.

He was awakened at 7 Am by the robot to go to school. After being dressed, he gathered his pack and just caught the hover-bus in time.

“Nuts I was supposed to read my Bible. I’ll do it when I get home,” he said to himself.

The school day went as usual with doing work, teachers getting frustrated with the students, passing by the girl Jared liked and so on.

When Jared got home, he sat in front of the holo-viewer for a few hours. Then the necessity of reading his Bible popped into his head. “I’ll do it before bed.”

Soon enough, bedtime came and he remembered he said he would pray. “Dear, God thank you for this day and tomorrow.” Then he rolled into bed and slept. He knew it was a scant prayer, but he made light of it.

Tuesday morning came and Jared yet again forgot to read in the morning.

The week went by wonderfully. He got three A’s in English, science and math.

Friday, on the way home from school, Jared was in a conversation with his best friend Chad.

“Hey Jared, did you hear about James and Martha breaking up?”

“No, I didn’t. How did it happen?”

“James didn’t even let her down gently. He just said ‘I’m leaving you.’ And this was after promising he would never lave her. I hate promise breakers.”

Somewhere in Jared’s heart, he felt guilt. And he knew just why. But it did not phase him. He went home unchanged.

After supper, he went to bed. That night he had a disturbing dream. A man in shining clothes appeared in front of him. “You lied Jared. You did not pray or read your Bible once.”

“I am sorry! Give me another chance!”

“God takes promises seriously. You will be punished.”

Then Jared awoke at 7:36 AM.

His mother came into his room. “I have bad news son. The dentist wants to see you. He said the matter is urgent. We have a 9 AM appointment.”

Jared’s heart dropped to his gullet, and he swallowed hard. What was going to happen to him?

When he arrived at the dentist’s office, he came into the waiting room. “I am ready for you Jared,” the dentist said.

Jared went into the room with butterflies in his stomach.

“I need to gas you for the procedure,” said the dentist.

“Procedure?”

“It will be brief.”

Jared sat in the chair and was gassed. He slowly drifted into unconsciousness.

It seemed like seconds later when he came to. He felt strange and numb over his whole head. He stroked the top of it and it was totally smooth, and very cold.

“What happened to my hair!”



“I have made you anew. You are my masterpiece. Behold!” said the dentist as he put a mirror in front of Jared.

“Ahhhh!” screamed Jared. In the mirror he saw his whole head was robotic. What stuck out the most was his awful, long, sharp metallic teeth. “You crazy man! Change me back! Now!”

“Ha, ha, ha! It cannot be undone. You look beautiful!”

Jared ran into the waiting room and his mother shrieked. “What have you done to my son!”

All in the waiting room went into a commotion at the sight of Jared.

Jared ran out of the building and fell to his knees. “I will never lie to you again God!”

Suddenly he found himself at night in his bed. It was a nightmare. Instantly he got out his Bible and prayed on the spot. He would never neglect prayer or Bible reading again.