Recombination Read online

Recombination

  By Radoslav B. Chugaly

  Copyright 2016 Radoslav B. Chugaly

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  Recombination

  The story begins with waking in bed. Hospital bed. I think it’s a hospital bed, at least, since the room looks sterile, and yet to new for a hotel room. Cliché. So many times have I read a novel or saw a movie beginning in such way, so many that I lost count. Oddly enough, this time, it’s my story, I’m sprawled on this bed. Just a glance near me is enough to notice that I have no injuries or any obvious reasons for hospitalization, but the sheets are there, neatly folded. Seems that I haven’t spent too much time in this place.

  I think of the reason for such awakening, but my mind returns a blank. There is quite a gap in my head where memories should be. I know my name, I seem to understand the profession I was taught to hold, but that’s just a frame for a personality. The whole superstructure of myself is missing. Amnesia – possible reasons can be brain trauma, psychological or physical. I feel my head with my fingers but there is nothing there except neatly cut, not too long hair. No injuries, no scars. Hm, how much time had passed since the injury? How long was I here?

  The half-lit room doesn’t allow me to check my own eyesight as a relevant point in assessing internal disturbances. Fortunately, not without pleasure, I notice that medical aspects and procedures are still firmly set in my mind. That means all possible injuries have been largely healed. If I could only remember who I truly am...

 

  ----

 

  - Sister, why are you so nervous?

  - Don’t even ask me! I caught him reading a book this morning! Who knows how many times have I warned him to stop doing that and explained how science is not for him, and he just keeps ignoring me!

  - Well, you should let the kid play, you know that it can’t last for long...

  - I know, and that little time he is truly given he uses for reading! Why couldn’t I just get a normal child which likes to play and explore his surrounding instead of this bookworm? If it was only a girl...

  - You can always hope for him to become the unnamed one...

  - Nah, no such luck for me. He’s gonna enroll to a college, meet a girl and I’ll lose him...

 

  ---

 

  Just a moment ago the door slightly opened, just a couple of inches or so. There was a nurse peeking in and saw me glaring at her. She vanished quickly, but not before I saw her hand involuntarily come to her mouth to silence a scream. This can only mean my waking surprised her too. So, I am her for quite a long time.

  Pity she had left, she seemed a looker, and as much of her body, I could see places her in the category of very attractive women. I’m currently sensing some very unscientific desire; furthermore, I’m honestly surprised by my body’s reaction. If she could only come back soon...

 

  ---

 

  - How far did we get?

  - There’s no true progress. Undisturbed development of the organisms continues until full maturity, and then they overtake the host entirely. The only step forward we were able to make is with testosterone suppressants, but even that doesn’t last long. You know yourself...

  - I do, the changes have already started...

  - With you too? How much time do we have?

  - Not much. Using the experience and former results, I don’t have more than a couple of weeks. I’ve begun preparations to reserve myself a place at the Archives...

  - Did you leave a deposit at the bank?

  - I did, but that’s something I don’t dwell much upon. Clones are only as good for as long the consciousness remains, and you know that’s not long...

 

  ---

 

  I had a visit from a doctor. A lady doctor. It’s hard to make a decision, but she seemed better looking than both nurses in her company. One I recognized from the previous visit, the surprised one. I still think I’d like to see her again. Although judging by the looks both of them gave me under long lashes, the interest is mutual. I just wonder if their interest is purely professional or there could be something more prosaic.

  The doctor performed her checkup with precision and agility – blood pressure, cold stethoscope, some strange gizmo for diagnostics in her well-manicured hands that I couldn’t recognize at all, and some blood sampling. Strangely, I could’ve sworn the vial was empty, but at the moment I was able to divert my eyes from her bosom and the nurses’ rounded behind, I thought it was glowing fluorescent. The dirty mind plays dirty tricks, I’ve just been awoken, that must’ve been a hallucination.

 

  ---

 

  - Good day professor, are you here to control us?

  - No, my dear, this time, I’m here to reserve myself a chamber...

  - You too? There’s so few of you left these days...

  - The process is relentless, we all know our future. I’m just happy it lasted this long, genetics was on my side.

  - I know, but still... I shall miss these conversations we’ve had...

  - Come on, come on, even when you place me in the chamber there’ll be ways to talk. A few years if we are lucky, maybe even four or five...

  - I hope with all my heart professor, we all do.

 

  ---

 

  My new clothes have arrived. They look so plain, but the material is entirely unknown to me. They say I’m healthy and there is no reason for me to stay at the hospital. On my question about the reason and time of my stay here, nobody answers directly. I was served a story that things take time and they cannot influence me directly. They can only wait for me to remember myself. Well, I am quite grateful for that, it suits me to try and consolidate my thought a bit.

  - Are you ready?

  The question made me flinch, I didn’t notice anyone in the room but me.

  - I’m ready, where did you come from?

  - I’ve just entered; it’s my assignment to be your guide.

  - Do I need a guide? I guess I could manage on my own, after spending my entire life in a big city...

  - Unfortunately, that’s not the case. You’ll find a lot has changed through time...

  - Oh, c’mon! I wasn’t ill for so long! Or was I?

  - I’ll tell you all I can on our way to the Center. We’ll take our time...

  Mysterious. I like mysteries, especially if they come from the mouth with such lovely lips placed on such a beautiful face. The swaying of her hips in front of me totally erased all my questions.

 

  ---

 

  - Professor! Professor!

  - Easy honey, no need to shout... What’s so urgent?

  - He is awake! He’s awake!

  - Who is awake?

  - HIM!

  - You mean...

  - Yes professor, him exactly!

  - Oh, that’s truly an exciting news, is he showing any signs of change?

  - None whatsoever, analyzes show that he is infected but there are no changes. It seems the symbiont in him is completely dormant!

 

  ---

 

  She guided me through the corridor to the elevator and there was my first surprise. Completely soundless elevator, no sense of motion, appeared in the vast hall after only a couple of seconds. Flowers were everywhere, everything was flawlessly clean and well arranged, murals were on the
walls and there were magnificent pillars upholding the ceiling. As I looked around and above, there was nothing in me to prevent the question:

  - Unusually orderly and clean hospital. Staying here must be extremely expensive...

  - I don’t understand what you mean? This is Central hospital, but it’s merely a formal title since there is no other hospital in the entire world. The stay and all treatments are completely free, part of your civil rights.

  - The only hospital? Where are all the people going if they’re ill?

  - They are not. There are no illnesses anymore, or rather, there are but people no longer contract them. This facility is just for longer periods of healing for the people that get physically injured. Nothing more.

  - Wow, the medical science has really advanced while I was out of commission – I said with a smile – How long did it take?

  - We’ll get to that, I’ll tell you all later – she said and smiled mysteriously while we left the hall on our way out.

 

  ---

 

  There was no need to insist upon an answer, and after a few moments, I didn’t even remember the question. The door opened and we stepped on an amazing square whose appearance would’ve overshadowed even the wildest dreams of an art lover. As if we never left the orderly fashioned building, the same image continued further on. People walking down the street were dressed like me, all of them in their early age, and nobody was in a hurry.

  - This must be some part of the city where many women are employed?

  - No, it is like that everywhere. Men mostly work in the institutes.

  - And the elderly?

  - The elderly are retired.

  As we kept our silent walk towards the taxi, the mess in my head threatened to develop into a serious headache. I just wished to get to some