Day 97: Going Back: Part 1

Gerald curled up in his bed for the last time. He knew it. He didn’t know how or why exactly that this was going to be it, but it was. He didn’t tell anyone because there was no one left to tell. He never married and never had kids. His parents were long gone, along with his four brothers and two sisters. Gerald was ninety-four. It was a good long life. He enjoyed himself, despite never holding onto the women he loved and who loved him. Ego got in the way, he thought. Never wanting to compromise. He ended up in a nursing home for the past fifteen years, playing board games, cards, flirting with the nurses, and attempting to enjoy the little time he had left. Death, he thought, should have come long ago, but it was here now.

He pulled the flannel blanket up to his chin and rested his arms to the side. He turned over to look out the dark window. Was that where he was going? Eternal darkness. Nothingness. Non-existence. He didn’t like that idea, but there was nothing any of us could do about it, he concluded. Whatever will happen will happen.

He hoped there was something like Heaven. Something pleasant. The thought of nothingness seemed odd. He didn’t know if he would rather go to Hell or just be turned off.

There was a knock on the open door.

“Hello,” a nurse, Diane, said. “Hey, Mr. Lebell. I’m just making my rounds. How are you feeling this evening?”

“Tired, to tell you the truth,” Gerald grumbled, still looking away.

“That’s okay. You’ll get a good night’s rest then.”

“...”

“Did you take your medication?”

“Yup, at dinner.”

“And your nighttime pill?”

“...”

“Mr. Lebell?”

“What?”

“Did you take your nighttime pill?”

“I don’t need it.”

Diane moved into the room and stood over Gerald. “I think you should take it. Doctor’s orders. It’ll help with the stomach pains.”

“Meh. It’ll be fine.”

“Please, Mr. Lebell—”

“Just call me Gerald, for the last time.”

“Fine, Gerald. You need to take your medication or I cannot leave.”

Gerald turned over. “Fine. Where the hell are they?” He grabbed his glasses off the nightstand and slid them on.

“Are these it?” Diane picked up a small clear cup that was sitting on the side table. She handed the cup to Gerald and said, “Let me get you some water.” She got up, went to the sink, and brought back a cup of lukewarm water. “Here you go.”

“You know I’m only doing this for you,” Gerald said with a grin right before he took a swig of water and washed it down with the pills. He lifted his tongue afterward for proof.

“Happy? Now let me die in peace.”

“Die?” Diane’s voice went up. “Why do you think you’re going to die, Mr...Gerald?”

Gerald slowly sat up and put his back against the wall. It took the wind out of him. “It’s just a feeling,” he said between short gasps.

Diane didn’t know what to say, so she put her hand on his. She smiled and blinked a few times. “My grandma said the same thing before she passed.” Emotions were bubbling up. “I don’t want you to die, Gerald.” She wiped her nose and dabbed her eyes.

“It’ll be okay, Diane.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t really. But either way, you’ll still be here. The world will still have your beauty.”

That got Diane to smirk.

“Go on, now. Maybe I’m wrong and we will see each other in the morning for breakfast.”

Diane nodded. “I hope so, Mr. Lebell.” She smiled and stood up. “Sleep well.”

“I will,” Gerald said, set his glasses on the nightstand, and slid back down into the warm blankets.

Diane flicked off the lights as she exited and left the door open a crack. Gerald turned back over and knew he lied to her. This was it. It was time to go. He closed his eyes for the last time and drifted off to sleep.

---

“Wake up.”

“Wake up, sir,” a woman’s voice called out.

“Come on, there you are. Stay with me.” The voice echoed. It felt like a dream.

Gerald felt his eyes slide open. The world was bright, too bright. He felt like he’d been sleeping for days but still tired. Everything was blurry. His arms and legs wouldn’t move.

He felt like he weighed four hundred pounds.

“Try to relax for a bit, Yeralt,” the woman said.

Gerald couldn’t see her, but silhouettes started to form around him. He was laying on what he imagined was an operating table. Damn it, he thought. Why couldn’t they just let me die?

“What happened?” Gerald managed to get out.

“You were living as Gerald Lebell. You died at the age of ninety-four. You never married but had one kid that you were unaware of. You worked as an electrician for fifty years before retiring. Your favorite snack is Animal Crackers and you hate the show Jeopardy.”

Gerald blinked through the lights. His muscles were starting to work. He felt his toes wiggle a nudge and his fingers tingle.

“That was your life,” the woman continued. Her voice was pleasant yet stern. She repeated, “That was your life. In a few hours, you will remember your real life as Yeralt Com Talurtine. The memories will flow back slowly as your brain readjusts until eventually you will fully become Yeralt again. Unfortunately, your memories as Gerald will fade away as the Artificial Life fluid leaves your body in the form of sweat or urination. You will feel no pain and only some mild emotional discomfort as one life ends and the reality of this world begins to come back.”

She paused for a moment and whispered something to another silhouette.

“I want to congratulate you, Mr. Talurtine, on the successful completion of Artificial Life without any premature deaths. Your data is important to the AL Group and we hope to see you again soon. If there is anything we can get you while you recover, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Water,” Gerald groaned. His voice was raspy and foreign.

The woman giggled, along with the others in the room. “I’m sorry Mr. Talurtine, but you do not need water. Water is...a part of AL and is necessary in that life. Not this one. Don’t worry, you will remember soon. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend.”

Yeralt opened his eyes wide and saw the woman with short blonde turn and walk. Her legs were covered in blue scales. He blinked and lifted his hand to block the bright lights. His hands were covered in purple scales with little yellow dots.

This is a dream, he thought. It has to be. He closed his eyes again without sleeping. Memories of Gerald’s life flashed through his mind. He tried to hold onto them, to watch them like a home movie, but as soon as he recognized one it was gone. His life was fading into nothingness.

---

Image by Johannes Plenio from Pixabay