The Curse of The Blessing

In the small techno-mechanical town of Ativus in the ear 2050, Dr. Trask was at the cusp of encroaching on the secret to immortality. Yet his most esteemed fellow scientist Dr. Wong had always voiced her worry that living forever may not be meant for humans. On one afternoon in Trask’s lab, he and Dr. Wong were engaged in a conversation.

“If mankind was supposed to live forever in flawed fleshly bodies, then that’s how it would be. Maybe we were meant to die?” she pointed out to Trask.

“The same thing may be said about disease. Are we “meant” to be plagued with illness? Were we “meant” to eradicate nearly all sickness on earth? Or should we have just stood by and let them destroy us?”

“Illness is in itself a thing of detriment. If you look at it objectively, there is no alternate downside.”

“What is the negative alternate affect with not dying? We have taken care of the overpopulation problem with colonizing other planets. With the serum we are perfecting, I have faith that we will overcome anything that God can throw at us.”

Dr. Wong looked down.

“I’m sorry I know you are religious. I was using a term,” Trask apologized.

“That is my biggest problem. If there is no death, mortals cannot enter heaven. We’d be stuck in this world. Others who feel like I do as well. Don’t you believe in God? You celebrate Christmas don’t you?”

“Of course, but with all respect Dr. Wong, the old traditional reason for Christmas has changed. It’s more about lights and Santa and presents.”

Wong was silent for a few moments then spoke. “That is one thing I hate about living in the technological days.”

“Let this be the ultimate Christmas gift to the world then. In three days we will test it on the first humans including myself and the other three scientists of course. I can’t wait!” He looked at Wong. “The offer is still on the table.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m glad all is well.”

“I will not be part of it. That is final.”

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The day came when the serum was tried on the ten subjects. Now actually witnessing if it was successful would require patience. Years turned into decades which finally accumulated into the targeted year. When 2300 had arrived, the trial was confirmed to have succeeded. Trask and his fellow subjects still retained their youthful look and were full of decades of experience and knowledge. They had outlived old and new friends and watched the descendent of their families be born and die. A special speech was to be made by Dr. Trask at a sunny Christmas day in Ativus town square at a podium.

“We have beaten death itself. Combined with our knowledge, nothing will be impossible for us.”

Then Trask noticed ripples in his glass of water; next a slight vibration. People were distraught as the ground shook. He felt the podium totter. Next people began to loose balance as the shaking increased. The ground started to split and hover cars were sliding sideways. It was now a full earthquake. Then it increased as the old town square building behind the subjects cracked as large slabs of stone fell on top of them. Trask’s leg had been separated from his torso and he was bleeding. He was in extreme pain as he struggled to get up. He called out and then saw an unspeakable horror. His colleagues’ entire body was flattened except for his head. He was not breathing and yet he lived! Trask could only imagine what perpetual suffocation would be like. The android rescuers with their heat vision and great strength lifted the stone debris off Trask’s body. The pain and shock made him wish he could die. The android pulled his friend free but his body was flatter than a stack of three dinner plates. His eyes were rolling back in his head and Trask felt it was his fault.

He looked at the flat human “Oh, Henry! I am so sorry!”

Then he imagined what other horrible states the others were in. The androids were attempting to stop the bleeding. Yet he felt his body drained of blood. It was horrible to have the very essence of life gone from you and yet live. People were panicking. Then the quake stopped. The deranged forms the immortals was too unpleasant to describe. Then Trask looked at a fallen Christmas tree and thought of his old fellow scientist Dr. Wong.

“You were right, Wong, you were right,” he said in tears. “Oh, God if you’re there save all of us from what I’ve done! -anything, please.”

For a time he cried with his eyes shut. Suddenly he felt the pain and delirium subside. He opened his eyes and he found himself in the old lab with Dr. Wong and his leg was restored.

“It can’t be. It’s a miracle!-a miracle! Thank you God!”

Trask looked all round him at the beakers and computers. He walked to the ten vials meant for the subjects and poured them down the sink

“Dr. Trask, are you alright?”

“Better than alright. You are absolutely correct. I have been a fool. Men are meant to die. I will discontinue the plan for the experiment.”

“Really?-why,” asked Wong.

“Lets’ just say God gave me a Christmas miracle. I’ve had revelation Doctor.”

“But we’ve only been talking for ten minutes.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m glad all is well.”