by Divya Singh
I believed in it with my life, and I was killed by a betraying fiancé. I felt pity on myself, and then I dumped my heavy head on my bluish arms, for the first time I had to thank some supreme power for this new life and a second chance. How pathetic would my life have been?
I was dying already, what was the need to kill my love before my death? He could have waited just a little more, to get rid of me, leaving me to die still believing in love and being guilty of leaving him alone. But, no, love was a killer to me, that is why my soul is still scared of any remotest affections. I was better off dead, had I not been killed, but because fate was cruel to me I had been given this second chance.
But the element of ‘Punishment’ was missing. The murderer, where was he? He needs to be punished by death for my death. Agony, anguish, hatred, disappointment, disbelief were only a few feelings that filled up my eyes, but I chose not to overflow them causing tears. I gulped several drops of tears draining them through my throat.
I was taking out my anger on Devon, who in fact did not deserve it. Maybe I had lost the strength to feel any form of love for anybody. But I must not and cannot be entitled to deprive an orphan kid of an assuring smile. Not just any orphan kid, but the one whose guardian in effect I had decided to be. I had not adopted him, but I had financially supported him and sheltered him for a couple of years. I still have responsibility towards him. He had a life no better than mine, he lived, died and relived again for me. But he will be lonelier if I deserted him and in effect orphaned him again.
No love was for me again, in this life but friendship was not such a great deal as to be denied to someone whom I had once taken on pledge to take care of. After all, a connection between us all human beings is a prerequisite to save ourselves from the onslaught of something grand coming our way, promising destruction of our kind.
I stabilized; but the pain of being butchered brutally, sank my little heart again. I could do nothing, so I tried building up a little rhyme with broken words and sentences-
Love! You are not welcome again;
I have had enough
More than I could sustain,
This is me today
No life, no soul
But I won’t let myself complain
This was the reason
We are left now alone,
Unworthy and cold
Like a kicked out stone,
We to our God were,
Unbearable pain
That day was different,
T’was painted in pain,
I ask myself
Why did I trust?
In something with life
Which ended all that was sane
I got no heart
To be destroyed,
Without a reason
I shouldn’t have died,
I don’t have a life
To be wasted in vain,
So O Love! You ain’t welcome again
I tapped on the table along the lines and as I thought this was it, I convinced myself to leave this place and begin my day although I would be late now. I consoled myself to calm and peace and closed the pitiful book of my life to be opened at a later time. But the misplacement of the blame on Devon was what I confessed to myself.
It won’t happen again, I promised to myself. He is innocent and perhaps pure at heart, and most importantly I can relate to what he tells to me about me with reality. I think that he speaks of truth. He has been my ward and it follows that I could have been and should in future be more caring about him from now on.
I rolled all the wrappers into somewhat circular ball form and went down the lift. There I found a beautifully designed pot saying ‘use me’ and I threw my baseball garbage into it and headed to my room for some constructive thinking.
Chapter 22: First Dive; probing the dystopian ocean with Devon: The Monster of the murkier waters.
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The next day I woke up anew. My room’s clock showed just 7:30 am. I knew it, that there has got to be something special about today. I could sniff some kind of difference in the air today. I had just a little normal breakfast. Some porridge and swallowed my pills with cold water. All the time I was thinking about what should I plan about doing today. The absence of ZA-vi filled my blank mind with a new energy. I decided to go pay The Navigator a visit again. May be today the super computer could spare some time on me.
Just as the thought struck me, I opened my wardrobe and took out a black leather pants, a white shirt and a navy blue long coat. I thought I looked my best today. I slipped my feet in my ankle length leather boots. Then I went out to visit The Navigator. It was good in a way that ZA-vi was not around but I certainly thought about asking for his opinion on anything he could suggest about what I should do today.
When I was in the elevator, I thought why not ask more about the oceans? Why have I missed out on what we have been living on for 180 years? I thought oceans must have changed a great deal. I now knew that my brain was evolving now, so I could think with a broadened mind, so concluded that this itself must have been the reason. By now I was rushing through the corridor before the room of The Navigator.
Just as I opened the gate of the navigation chamber, the sight before me amused me a bit. The Navigator was sitting on a seat facing towards right, with his legs stretched out and his wheels placed on floor, he lay reclined against the opened out seat, his lazy looking eyes staring almost towards the ceiling, but his mouth was visibly opened wide as if he was yawning! I giggled and went up to him and said-
I said: “Hi Mr. Navigator! If I feel you are yawning and resting, then am I just assuming or am I actually right?” I couldn’t hide my amusement though. He was almost taken aback by sudden interruption and sat straight to look at me. He tried to close his mouth but it wasn’t possible without completing the full cycle of the yawn! But he still managed smiling back at me.
The Navigator: “Oh! Hi DS! Yes, yes! You are right. I am resting and it true that you have caught me yawning!”
I replied: “Do machines need rest? Do you also feel the urge to yawn? I don’t get it very well?”
The Navigator: “Yes, machines with an enormous self aware intelligence like me, are much like humans, we are machines, with human feelings and expressions just too much intelligent for being just humans!” He winked at me!
I said: “………..and, you winked! Oh yes! I knew about artificial intelligence, and you are perhaps the most AI machine I will ever meet. So yes I concede! I agree! ….and sorry for interrupting in your rest, I think I should go.”
The Navigator: “Oh no! Don’t be sorry for nothing! The rest and yawn you saw was not because of tiredness and requirement. It’s actually a habit! The truth is I am a machine, and machines do not get tired. Although I can programme myself for any feeling I wish to, sorrow, anger, tiredness anything!”
I said: “I didn’t know that you are hilarious and mischievous too!”
The Navigator: “Oh then you have hardly known me well! So, my dear madam! What service can I provide you today?”
I asked: “Ah! Nothing serious. Tell me about the ocean. How are they these days?”
The Navigator: “Why don’t you go see for yourself?” He stretched the smile to his ear lobes this time.
I asked: “What? How can I see without diving? We are sailing, why would the ship wait for me to see the ocean up close?” It was a question of disbelief blended with curiosity.
The Navigator: “Oh you sure can, we are approaching a small archipelago, which was at your time known as the beautiful Marshall Islands. But now nobody lives here. And it is submerged under water except for the time of low tides. We will dock Perpetua close to it for regular maintenance. Then you can go out and see the ocean. That was why I was resting, because in three hours we will reach there.”
I was really surprised by the sudden grant of my wish. But I was totally excited by the idea of actually dippin
g in the ocean for the first time!
I queried: “But, but…am I even prepared? I don’t even know, if I know, how to swim? Can somebody accompany me for my safety? How do I start? Because, I certainly want to see the ocean by myself! I am excited! But a sense of disappointment is also clouding my mind.”
The Navigator: “Why-O-Why? Go to your doctors first, they will tell you better about your physical ability to swim or any precautions. Then visit Dr. Allen Parker in the marine department on 1st floor. He will test you if you can swim. But if not he will provide you necessary snorkeling or swimming equipments. You have no reason to worry!”
I said: “I think, then I must hurry!”
The Navigator: “Sure, you must! We will reach in 3 hours precise. Your time starts about in one minute.”
“Thanks, Bye.” I said and turned back.
I rushed to the first floor and didn’t stop till I reached where I saw the screen of the marine department. I stopped at it to glance at it for a second. It was depicting ocean currents like a real ocean, which I didn’t understand much. Then, I was interrupted by a voice-
Voice: “Hey Friend!”
I turned back alarmed by the voice only to find a similar face. It was Devon! I was not prepared to face him just the next day of having upset him. I was not happy with what I did to him yesterday, so I thought I had to be different and friendly. I extended my right hand towards his left hand to touch it. I didn’t know what it was, but probably a handshake or something or some other friendly gesture, showing that everything was fine.
Devon: “I would keep my distance for now!!!” He almost shouted in fear and made a funny face, threw his hands up and almost hopped. He was so funny that I instantly burst out in laughter! He smiled back. Gosh! There was something about his smile. Not, like I was attracted, but it was something beautiful and innocent. Devon broke the pause-
Devon: “What brought you here today Dani? Now you believe we have got something in common. That is why we bumped into each other twice, two days in a row.”
I replied: “Oh I am here to ask Dr. Allen Parker about how to swim and all. I want to go take a dive in the ocean. You know, we are docking at the Marshall Islands in precise 3 hours. I have just this much time…..”
Devon: “Same as me. I wanted to go catch some outside moist air and go snorkeling in the shallow water……” Devon had interrupted me.
I said: “Yeah but the only problem is I don’t know if I can swim at all!” I interrupted him back. It was all out of our mutual excitement about the outside atmosphere.
Devon: “Ohhh….” He giggled out loud. “Miss Danielle Spearhead! You are the best swimmer I had ever met! Look at the guy standing before you, you taught him how to swim at 8. Oh you were interested in diving and snorkeling all your life. Marine life always mesmerized you.”
I said: ”Hey Dev you sometimes take away my worries, like a stress buster.” I heaved a sigh of relief and pulled out a reassuring smile. “Thanks little boy!”
Devon: “Thank me not! Now you should rush inside, 3 hours remember?”
“Oh hell yeah!” I entered the gate followed by Devon. There were things like empty aquariums all over the place. The whole walls were filled with water. In some enclosures there were fans which blew air on the water creating currents. I took it to being some kind of experiment. I saw two men busy in a room on left with devices which I did not understand.
Devon: “If you have to meet Parker he sits there towards the lane at right.” Saying this he pointed his left index finger towards a tiny alley extending from this hall. We headed straightaway to there. There inside the grand glass hall sat an old man who looked of average height and skinny. We approached inside but he did not care to look up at us, probably because he must be expecting a lot many people visiting him. His white face was full of wrinkles; his face was stuck to the screen before him.
I said: “Doctor Allen Parker!”
He looked up and I continued-
“I am Danielle! I have just learned that the Ship will dock near the Marshall Islands in 3 hours time. I have never been out before. This time I have decided to go out in the ocean for swimming. I want to see water up close and collect some samples. I need your help. I don’t have time. Please help me.”
Dr. Parker: “If you have to go underwater then you must get a consultation and subsequent clearance for your physicians and doctors which have been recently attending your case.” He still looked engrossed in his own work.
I asked: “Why? I don’t have time to waste. If I did what you said, I might never be able to go swim in the ocean.” Devon by now had held my left arm, gesturing me to not to panic.
Dr. Parker: “I don’t have authority to break protocols. We need your physicians to declare you medically fit for going out to swim in the ocean.” He was forced to look up by my loud and clear rejection.
I opposed: “Look doctor, I don’t even know if I can swim. You just don’t know,…I am from a different era and I don’t have enough knowledge about myself. I have really little time to prepare for a dip.”
Devon: “Doctor! I know she was a great diver in her last life, but I can’t be sure if she will remember. She has been reanimated recently”
Dr. Parker: “Look! It is not personal, it is just I am bound by the rules. But it should not be a matter of concern. We have all the equipments that can be employed to aid swimming. Non-swimmers can also explore the ocean bed if they want to. Though we will first test you if you can swim or not because learning how to use the aid equipments is the harder part but I believe like anyone else you will learn pretty quickly. So please go and quickly bring your medical clearance.”
I nodded, but I was not agreeing to it from inside. It was like something just bit me, stung me. But Devon remained calm and almost pulled me out of that room. He whispered-
“Why do you think that it’s a big deal? Let us just get it done. I am with you, trust me! I will make that happen in a jiffy! Just bear with me.” He led all the way down to the Hospital, even used his passkey, which was just his first name. I kept looking at him in disbelief that how quickly he was taking the lead and I was letting this happen.
I said: “Hey, I know where to go. I will find either of Doctor Shelly or Von and I believe they will give me clearance very easily. Now you should feel free to go on and do what you should.” I was not used to being led by someone else. I was the leader.
Devon: “Like I have some real serious business to do!” He smiled and showed that he was not letting go of me this easy. “Hey you said I am not your friend, now I say you will regret saying that Dani. I will go all that distance to be there, to being your trusted friend!” It was clearly better to not get into any other heated argument again. The smile of the person will invalidate any boneless argument.
“Ah!” I screamed as I saw Dr. Von suddenly walking out of a patient ward. Tall as he was, it wasn’t hard to spot him.
I said: “Dr. Von! Over here!” I waved my hand up so that he doesn’t miss seeing me back. It worked. I saw Dr. Von coming straight up to where we stood.
Dr. VON: “Yes madam! It is pleasant to see you again. So what brings you here? How can I be of help?”
I said: “I need immediate medical clearance Dr. Von! I have to go out for a dive in the ocean when the ship docks in 3 hours. Please quickly pass me in any required test and send it to Dr. Parker in marine department. I don’t have much time.”
Dr. VON: “Oh I didn’t know that we were stopping. That’s not much to ask of me I will uplink my report to him. There is nothing I need to test you for. But you have to take care of a couple of precautionary measures.”
I asked: “What measures? Thank goodness I don’t need to get tested!”
Dr. VON: “The sun is really burning it up out there, and remember you have lost almost all of your skin pigmentation? You are an albino madam! You may face problems in adjusting your eyesight to the sunlight and the skin burns may occur with exposure to it. So I advise a strong
sunblock and UV protection shades. For rest you will do fine. Though, I am seeing some melanin on your skin now. It’s a wonder the treatment is already showing effect! But we can’t put you to risk just yet.”
I said: “Oh really!” I looked at my skin but actually I could not see slightest of color, it was just shining bright blue as ever. “So how soon can you uplink the clearance? Please put it on the priority basis.”
Dr. VON: “Oh! Just right now. Accompany me to my room. Where I was going is not really an emergency.” He then took a U-turn and sped back to the room he emerged from. There he uplinked the retinal clearance to Dr. Alan.
Dr. VON: “Here! Take this sunblock and apply all over the body before 20 minutes of going out. It is sticky at first but it is waterproof and is readily absorbed by skin. It is also a coolant; it protects but also soothes skin if you get burns. So it is also cooling sun burn ointment. Take these waterproof goggles cum binoculars with night vision. They will help you see in sun and act as torch in the night when you turn this green button on at its right, still keeping water out. The last are my good wishes and good luck!” he handed over to me the heavy goggles and a half liter narrow flat bottle filled with light yellowish green gel.
I said: “Thank you very much doctor Von! I am really grateful to you for every favor you ever did to me.” I really was indebted.
“No problem! See you soon!” Dr. Von sealed the conversation with a smile.
I rushed back to the marine department and found Dr. Parker already waiting for me!
Dr. Parker: “Welcome back miss! I knew it wouldn’t take that much time. After all I have not grayed my hair without toil. Add a little experience to it.”
Before I could say a thing-
Dr. Parker: “I have your clearance. Keeping the formality aside for now, ready yourself for a quick swimming crash course. We have a training tank right here inside my office. Follow me.”
Devon and I had nothing to say but time had forced us to trust just in the action now. The old Dr. Parker opened an opaque door and entered a giant hall with not a swimming pool as I had thought but it was a simulation of the greatness of the ocean itself. It was a big water body filled up to the tank, with water standing higher by a few feet from the floor. There were big blowers to produce effects like ocean currents, and vacuum pull could be created by the machine fixed beneath to reproduce a scenario of being caught in the vortex of aerated water created by a sinking ship, where one fails to swim upwards because the reduced density of water cannot produce enough buoyancy pushing one’s body upwards with just a little flipping of the limbs.