Things are starting to heat up!
CONTAINS GORE
<<
I was twelve when the seed began to germinate, taking firm root in my mind.
The unseeing eyes of a dead child will do that to you.
It was a relatively normal day, cloudy and damp. Most of the night before was spent cramming for the test I had completely forgotten about. I happily rubbed the bags under my eyes, knowing I'd get a good score.
Then I noticed a tree further along the road, huge and gnarled thing. But there was something odd about it, so I looked a bit closer.
Every one of its branches held a crow, even ones that otherwise wouldn't hold the weight. The solemn birds stood perfectly silent, perfectly still. It was as if the tree had decided to grow black feathers instead of leaves.
Their beady eyes locked onto mine, communicating infinite wisdom. Nothing had ever compared to that moment, it was as if I was under the gaze of a single being so old and powerful that I could scarcely breath.
I blinked and they were gone, not even leaving the slightest clue that they ever existed.
I stood there for a long time before snapping myself out of my reverie and rushing to school. I barely made it before the bell and got a couple dirty looks and snickers for it. Not really a problem, I never cared for my "image" anyways.
The day went along normally, with me barely paying attention and fervent whispering throughout the room. Annoying. Really, I barely even tolerated these people and their masks that they so keenly wished to share, and panic when their true face in revealed.
What I did notice, however, was that the sky was growing steadily darker as each hour ticked away. I wasn't the only one, several people brought it up before resuming their disgusting conversations with gusto.
By 12, the sky was completely dark. The weather hadn't even the slightest chance of a drizzle and this was getting just too strange. Even the clouds weren't discernible anymore.
Ignoring the angry shouts of the teacher, I stood and made my way to the door, down the hall, and into the bathroom. Really, I didn't do that, it was more like I couldn't stop myself from it. Just like how I couldn't, at that moment, leave the empty bathroom.
Even when I heard screams.
Even when the lights went out.
Even when the mirrors shattered.
How could I? I never compelled my feet to move. Fear did. And right then, fear had a vice-grip on me and wasn't letting go.
Then I closed my eyes, breathed in slowly, and forced my heart to calm down. I needed to be serene, these kind of situations usually never allowed for even the smallest margin of error.
Then I counted thirty seconds and slowly peered out. The dim emergency lighting lit up the hall. I really wished that it hadn't.
The usually pristine white walls were stained red randomly along the hall. Broken bones littered the occasional pile of gore and filth. They were sickening, what was even worse was that by the occasional groan, not all of them were dead.
I ran back into the bathroom and vomited. I kept going until there wasn't even acid left, burning my throat and lips. Still, I couldn't move, the fear was back and even stronger then. So, I sobbed and shivered uncontrollably.
It might have been hours until I composed myself, maybe it was just minutes. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. They were all dead. Those who I pretended to hate, those who I had known for years. Gone.
I could disappear just as easily.
My entire existence, my loves, my hates, every single iota of me wiped clean. All I would have would be void. Oblivion and nothing as my only reward.
I hadn't experienced true fear before. This was true fear.
...No. With true fear comes true anger. I wouldn't let that happen to me. I will end to avoid being ended. Anything to delay death. After all, life is an important resource and commodity, so I'll defend it at any cost.
At any cost.
With this mantra, I wandered the halls like a zombie, not finding a single perpetrator. No one to point my rage to, except myself.
All along the way, I found more piles of former people, some more intact than others, pleading for death. I occasionally tripped over a stray bit of intestine or bone, fighting the urge to retch once more.
Eventually, and with a strange reluctance, I found the exit. Crossing the street, I entered the building opposite from the school, a gas station.
Borrowing the phone, I called the police and told them everything I knew. Of course, they were skeptical, Hell I couldn't blame them. I barely believed it myself. In the end, they sent one dispatch to humor me.
Boy, were they surprised.
The police, the press, and anyone that didn't live under a rock were shocked. Five hundred Middle School students were found dead on December 19th, 2012 by a lone surviving kid. Brazenly killed in the middle of the day, a slaughter. Thousands were assigned to find the ones responsible, millions of dollars invested.
Not even the smallest clue was found.
Then I came under questioning. For a solid two days, I was interrogated. I held no fear towards them, just apathy and I think that frustrated them more than anything. I told them what happened and answered the questions to the best of my ability.
Not finding what they were looking for, they begrudgingly gave up and phoned my parents to pick me up. Nobody answered. They called again. Not even a dial tone.
Dispatch was sent to pick them up directly, only to find another grisly scene. Both were dead, a clean shot in the forehead. Nothing was touched. Both of my parents died one day after I had phoned the police.
Nothing. I felt nothing when I heard the news. I had nothing else to give.
I was numb again, a familiar feeling, but stronger after all these years.
I remembered, but I yearned to forget.
<<
I had graduated with honors and sent to University to get my Biology Doctorate. I ended up as the Valedictorian, so any job was within my reach.
That wasn't the goal. No. The goal was to escape my greatest fear, death.
Setting up my own lab, with special government funding, I began searching on how to do just that.
I dived into my research to discover, to forget.
Stem cells were promising, yet incredibly difficult to acquire. I, myself, perfected gene therapy, ironing out the kinks. After all, what is a prolonged lifespan if you die from cancer?
Another viable option was virtual reality. Web Novels of the past had speculated quite a bit at their future existence, sometimes hitting the mark, but more often than not was completely wrong.
The technology used to create it also held the gateway for perfect immersion, a process where the human mind was completely transferred into the virtual space. Some saw it as a death sentence, others as an opportunity.
I saw it as a band-aid. I called those who did it Liches. After all, their phylactery was technology itself. But, as you know from all of the myths, a Lich is killed after their phylactery is destroyed.
On the off chance that it did so, I steered clear. It would be a last resort if all else failed.
What I looked for was a perfect solution, one that went beyond flesh and technology. A quantum solution. I became a little obsessed, I admit, but many do in the pursuit of perfection. Yet, I never let that get in the way of my family life.
Yes, you heard that right, I have a wife.
And no, her purpose isn't for some kind of messed up sacrificial ritual. I genuinely love her.
Her name was Maria. We met when I was recruiting researchers for the laboratory. Of the thirty gathered, she was the oddest one out. Her intense stare didn't match at all with her beautiful face and alluring frame. In those eyes, I saw something I never expected to see, myself.
She was just as obsessed with evading death as yours truly, which is an impressive feat by itself. Though, she did have the immense intellect to back it. The reason why was obvious, she was also a lone survivor, only from a plane crash in her case.
She felt the same way at first glance and we decided not to waste time. Less than a month later, we tied the knot. Although both of us were very happy, we never let it interfere with our research. In fact, since we both now had someone to life for, our research speed went up by leaps and bounds.
Right then, I was in a strange situation, happy and yet not at the same time. After all, it could all slip away at any moment.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
<<<140 Years Later>>>
So much time has passed since then and I still haven't found the answer yet. For now, I regularly undergo RNA Assimilation to stay alive and ageless. I developed the technique, drawing upon both nano technology and enhanced stem cells.
As the years go by, I find myself having to undergo the treatment more and more. Right now, I'm undergoing RNA Assimilation about once a month.
Maria slowly lost her fervor for the art after our first child was born and it dwindled to nothing after the third. I still find the time to be a good father, but my hunger for immortality only has grown since my teenage years, when I "awakened" as it were.
Their names are: Jack, who just turned 56, Gabriel, at 61, and the oldest Sarah, 77 years young.
I often catch Maria or one of the children, not in age but position, shooting me concerned looks. I try to be pleasant in reply, but in reality, I'm irked. After all, they've known for over a century that this is my passion, who I am. Why can't they accept that?
Whatever. I'll keep searching.
I can't forget my mantra after all: at any cost.
Hmph. These thoughts are taking up too much time, time better spent on thinking how to develop a computer that can emulate quantum space without frying the AI.
Better get on that, can't waste a moment, even in the RNA tank. I'll just have the scribe SI jot down some of my hypotheses when I'm getting my treatment. Yeah, that'll do just fine.
I wander into my lab and briskly make my way over into the east wing, with a spring in my step that would rival any snot-nosed brat. Yet another reason to still search.
Eventually, I pass the deserted halls and rooms to enter into the east wing. Nobody's here yet, and I wouldn't expect them to be at 3 AM. Yeah, the treatment reduces the need to sleep.
The SI greets me with it's cold sourceless voice, but I ignore it and head into the room at the end of the hall. The door slides open soundlessly and I enter likewise.
The room is completely empty, devoid of anything whatsoever. The walls, ceiling, and floor are all painted in the purest white, so much so that the edges are hard to discern. It really seems as if this nothing stretches on forever in every direction.
Not wasting any time, I snap my fingers and a circular section of the floor rises, along with something similar to a Bacta Tanks from DBZ. Ah, I'm not really surprised you don't know it, after all, it's older than I am.
Immediately, the glass slides away leaving the bubbling blue liquid in the exact shape it held beforehand. The wonders of gravity manipulation.
Wordlessly, I slip into the liquid for another session. The glass slides back into position and the blue liquid churns violently. I set the SI to take note of my thoughts and begin contemplating.
...
...Hmm! That could be it! Yes! That has to be it!
WOW! I was so close all this time! Lobsters never die, neither do certain types of bacteria in lakes, all thanks to the special DNA stamp they have called the..
"Hello, Samuel."
Who the hell?! Oh, it's Maria. Dammit, woman! I was just about to spit in the face of death and rip the mask from the universe itself!
She appeared almost soundlessly in front of the tank. She's still just as beautiful as the day we met, which is scientifically possible. Only now, her eyes are filled with boundless love that melts my anger away in an instant.
Maria smiles and sets the SI to communicate with me via thought, or one-way telepathy.
"The SI shows that you discovered it, Samuel. That's amazing! I'm so proud of you, honey!"
I nod slowly against the liquid pressure proudly.
Yes, it has been a long time since this journey began, but I'm glad I can end it today. All it'll take is a cocktail of DNA mumbo jumbo. and wham, immortality.
I let loose the rare joke, something I only share with my soulmate.
"Hmm. Well, I came here for similar reasons. Samuel, I'm certain that you've taken note of the concern that the whole family has for you. I think the last time you spent a day away from the lab was 37 years ago."
She locks eyes with me for a moment, biting her full lips in concern.
"... We love you, Honey, and we want what's best for you. And we think that... immortality isn't a part of that."
...
"Don't get me wrong, I used to hunger after it just like you. It took a very long time and persuasion the form of a family to convince me of that. I never asked why you began searching and won't ask now, but please, for the sake of your children, your grandchildren, stop."
What the hell is this?
"I know that you're a stubborn man, but I hope and pray that you'll listen to reason. The path that you're on will only lead to destruction, I only blame myself for not knowing and confronting you earlier."
Are you fucking serious?!
"Please, give me an answer, Samuel."
I take a deep breath and prepare to do what's necessary. I'm sorry, Maria, but you knew what would happen if you ever got in my way.
SI Goldfield, execute Alpha 1 with extreme prejudice.
Waiting with bated breath, I prepare to see my wife get atomized. A moment passes.
Then another.
And another.
.... WHAT THE HELL?!!
"Goldfield cannot kill his designated master, Samuel. You should know, you designed him."
...what? No... she didn't...
"By your attempted murder, I think I know your answer. It pains me so much to do so, but I have to stop you from destroying yourself."
Don't do it.
"I have no other alternative, Samuel. You won't listen to reason."
NO. Trap me in stasis, if you want. Separate my brain, even. But don't do this.
"We both know that you'll find your way out of that. You're a smart man, Samuel. I'm only doing this because I love you."
... I revoke it. Every iota of love we ever felt for each other, every smile, every kiss. Gone. You are now my most hated enemy, as any decent wife would never take her husband's happiness away and replace it with his true and only fear. Go ahead, kill me. At least now, I have someone to look forward to haunting.
Tears. All I see are the tears she has no right to shed. Who the hell does she think she is? Certainly not a widow who deserves to mourn.
"I'm sorry, Samuel. Goldfield, terminate Samuel Yuusha."
The liquid flowing around me abruptly become calm and still. Not a moment later, I can feel a tugging urge to sleep, to dream. Of course, I fight it for as long as I can, to show defiance to my betrayer. I can tell it's a losing battle, every motion I take and every passing second, my body loses it's strength.
"...I love you, Samuel."
With my last bit of strength, not even enough to speak, I decide to act out the most significant motion I can.
Before the darkness closes in, I flip her off.