by Michael Ryan
“Yes, most everybody would tell you so. Disproven myth,” said Jack.
“A fable,” laughed Eve.
Eve rubbed her hand against her neck, the silver cross rested there. Some habits were hard to kick.
“If we had an ark, then we could save ourselves from the flood,” said Eve.
Jack looked at Eve and began to feel apprehensive.
“Are you ok, Eve?”
Eve’s hand moved down her neck, and into her shirt, with its own desire. Eve moved her albino fingertips across her silver cross without realizing it. That habit had stuck with her over the years. She did it subconsciously most of the time. The silver felt cold and hostile.
“If we had an ark, then life could go on. We need an ark,” said Eve. “But the aim isn’t to create an ark made of wood to accommodate every animal. That’s ridiculous. No, the aim is to create a metaphoric ark, a figurative ship capable of carrying life. All we have must continue. We must weather the storm. A physical ark is ridiculous, a metaphorical ark is meaningful. We need a vessel to carry Earth’s children into the next life.”
Jack let the glass jar fall against the table with a loud, hollow thud.
“A metaphorical ark like this you mean?” asked Jack.
Eve turned around and stared at Jack, but her eyes were absent. Jack jerked his head towards the glass jar. Eve looked at the ugly creature which now rested upon her desk. Two heinous eyes stared at Eve from within a glass prison. Fangs bit out towards an unknown victim.
“What is it?” demanded Eve as a shiver ran down her spine.
“It’s a kingsnake, from the cellar here. There are literally hundreds of preserved animals down there.”
“A serpent?”
Jack smiled.
Eve looked at the dead animal. The kingsnake had probably been dead for decades, yet strangely it still seemed alive, as though it was capable of perceiving the world from within its viscous prison.
“It’s ugly,” said Eve.
“Sure, on the outside. But its story is interesting.”
Eve frowned. The kingsnake looked right at Eve, its eyes penetrated her mind. A childhood memory drifted across the room like a demon sent from the bowels of the Earth.
“And look at it. Doesn’t that look like an ark to you?” asked Jack. “A creature perfectly preserved, travelling through time and space in a glass ark.”
The Scientist watched in silence. Although he said little, he learned much. Every detail was uploaded into the Records.
“Put it over there, out of the way,” demanded Eve.
“But you haven’t heard his story.”
“I don’t care.”
“But kingsnakes are remarkable. They have transcended the need for social cohesiveness. He uses constriction to kill his prey, binding tightly until the blood is starved from the brain.”
Eve’s lips curled sideways in disgust.
“And do you know what they strangle to death? Snakes. They eat other snakes, even those which are venomous. They also eat lizards, rodents, birds, eggs, but they still choose to eat their own kind. It’s a fascinating animal when you think of it,” said Jack.
Eve looked at the curved frame of Jack which reflected in the beady eyes of the kingsnake. Those eyes had been staring out of its glass prison for decades. Those eyes had probably seen more in death than they had in life.
“You will not die, for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil,” whispered Eve.
Jack stared at the side of Eve’s face. From that angle Eve’s eyes shone like a red star which had been confined to the small space between her eyelids.
“The serpent is a villain,” mocked Eve.
“It’ll be on the list soon you know.”
Eve looked away from the preserved kingsnake.
“Maybe it deserves to be there.”
“Was that from the bible?” Jack asked.
Eve was silent as she looked away from the serpent which stared at her menacingly. The stories she remembered told her to beware. A serpent was dangerous. A serpent was evil. A serpent could kill with its venomous words. It was a serpent that tricked Eve in Eden. A serpent was the instigator of original sin.
“We need an ark,” said Eve.
Jack ran his hand along the glass jar containing the kingsnake.
“Even eating other snakes won’t help the kingsnake.”
“Remember what we have discussed, Jack. When the time comes you must be strong.”
“Do you have an ark?”
“Administer the anesthetic. No more, no less.”
“I know,” Jack said and shook his head.
Both Eve and Jack stared at the dead eyes of the kingsnake. Those eyes suggested life beyond death. Those eyes suggested preservation from beyond the grave. Strangely, those eyes suggested hope.
“When the time comes, be sure to fulfil your duty,” said Eve.
Jack just shook his head.
“I know what must be done.”
“Well then know that you act for the preservation of us all. Get it right the first time, because we won’t get a second chance.”
Jack watched Eve in silence. He wanted to fight back but what was the point?
“Ok, let’s go over the procedure one more time,” said Jack as he pushed the kingsnake across the desk.
“I’ve had this dream before,” Eve said. “Not every night but some nights. Every time I have this dream, but more like a nightmare, I wake up in a sweat and the Sun is rising.”
Jack listened to Eve as the Scientist’s screen flashed with a blue hue.
“In my dream I’m wandering through a parched land, a desert. I am wandering around, lost, for years under the baking heat of a yellow Sun. It feels like an eternity. I don’t know how but I have been walking for forty years and I am looking for something. Something that has been promised to me. Despite the heat of a baking Sun I am cold. I am freezing. My flesh trembles from the intensity of the cold which invades my skin. Time passes, then a flash blinds my eyes. I’m no longer in the desert. I can see, but I’m blind. I can hear, but the words make no sense to me. I’m me, but I’m not me.”
The Scientist listened to Eve’s words.
“Through all of this I have an image in my mind. It dominates everything. A single lens, a single speaker, and a single screen. They dominate my entire vision. I am naked and a Machine is my master. But most troubling of all, there is something inside me. Something is alive in my stomach, squirming, crawling, living. It’s here, in my belly. It wants to get out. It wants to breathe. It wants to live. Then it pushes through the skin. It pushes itself right through my skin. Like this. Then I jolt awake to the sound of my own screams. I scream so loud that it strikes a pain in my ears and the flesh feels as though it has been torn from the back of my throat,” Eve said with eyes wide.
Jack swallowed, unsure of what to say.
“And do you know what I am screaming?” asked Eve.
Jack just shook his head.
“Adam. I’m screaming Adam. Almost every night, I scream for Adam.”
Jack swallowed as his parched throat wanted for moisture.
“Adam,” whispered Eve.
“Perhaps it’s a manifestation of your fear,” suggested Jack.
“Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood,” said the Scientist.
Jack turned and looked at the Scientist.
“Is he reciting facts again?” asked Jack.
“Dreaming occurs mainly during rapid eye movement sleep, during which time heavy activity in the limbic system occurs. Illusory dreams including impossible, incongruent, or bizarre content may arise from memory circuits accumulating errors. Perhaps you have a defect in your memory,” suggested the Scientist.
Jack moved his hands through his hair.
“This is new,�
�� said Jack. “Did he suggest a possible cause?”
Eve looked over at her creation, at her Machine.
“Every night the same dream and every night I wake screaming Adam,” said Eve.
“A coincidence. Dreams are now well understood. They are a cognitive response to our stimuli. It’s simply a minor defect in a memory circuit,” said the Scientist.
Jack looked at the Scientist with fear.
“How is he doing this?”
“Still it is strange. It must be stress induced,” said Eve.
“It’s a minor defect in a memory circuit,” said the Scientist.
Jack turned and stared at the Scientist. The Scientist remained by the wall, following his instructions to the exact word.
“Remember, Jack, administer the anesthetic. Inject the glycerol. Commence the freezing process. One degree Celsius per minute. No more, no less.”
Jack shook his head.
“I know.”
“We are being evacuated,” Eve blurted out.
The Scientist’s screen exploded with zeros and ones.
“Evacuated?”
“The Committee informed me.”
“But-”
“There was an attack close to this facility. We are being transferred to Abisko.”
Jack just shook his head in disbelief while his jaw hung limp.
“So remember your objectives. Do not fail,” said Eve.
“Are you sure that you want to do this, Eve? You have no idea what will happen. If we evacuate the facility then you will be left behind to rot for all we know-”
“Someone approaches,” said the Scientist.
Eve’s head shot towards Jack.
“Who?” Eve demanded.
“Homo sapiens has been identified as Doctor Ivers,” replied the Scientist.
“Remain silent, Scientist. Don’t speak under any circumstances. Do you understand?”
The Scientist’s screen flashed with zeros and ones. Eve looked at the Scientist as the laboratory door opened and an elderly man limped inside. It was Doctor Ivers.
“Are you still here?” asked Doctor Ivers. He seemed agitated. Sweat was beading upon his wrinkled forehead.
“What do you mean?” asked Eve.
“Haven’t you been told? We’re evacuating. Pack your belongings immediately,” Doctor Ivers demanded as he waved his hand.
“You said a week-”
“I have come down here personally, Doctor Lundgren. Now pack your belongings. We are evacuating within the quarter hour.”
“We’re not leaving, doctor,” said Eve.
“A party approaches. The aggressors are on our door step. We must take evasive action immediately. The remaining staff are being evacuated. You must leave.”
Jack looked at Eve. The reality of the danger was not lost on Jack.
“We’re not leaving,” Eve said firmly.
“You have no choice. You must leave now. I have come all the way down here personally.”
“We are not going anywhere.”
Doctor Ivers frowned as anger permeated through his skin and took residence upon his face.
“What about you? Surely you can see reason,” Doctor Ivers demanded of Jack.
Jack looked from Doctor Ivers to Eve. The Scientist’s screen was buzzing, the zeros and ones were alive. But he remained silent.
“We can still leave, Eve. We can change our plan. It’s not too late,” pleaded Jack.
Eve crossed her arms and scowled.
“Remember your duty.”
“What? What are you talking about?” demanded Doctor Ivers.
Doctor Ivers looked around the room and allowed his eyes to rest upon the cryonics devices. A grimace covered Doctor Ivers’s face from ear to wrinkled ear.
“Not this nonsense again. I told you, Eve, it’s ridiculous. Think not of such fantasy,” demanded Doctor Ivers.
“Remember your duty,” Eve said as she looked into Jack’s eyes.
“We can change our plans,” said Jack.
“Yes, Eve. Listen to the young man. Evacuate now and save yourself. Forget such nonsense as this,” said Doctor Ivers as he waved his arm across the perimeter of the cryonics device.
“Remember your duty,” Eve said as she stared intently into Jack’s eyes.
“Don’t kill yourself for a fantasy, Eve. The science is not proven. The idea is ridiculous. Your skills will be put to good use in Abisko.”
Jack cast his head away from Eve’s intense gaze towards his feet.
“Well? What of it then?” Doctor Ivers demanded. “We leave in the quarter hour.”
“We’re staying,” Jack whispered.
“What? You can’t be serious,” scoffed Doctor Ivers. “This is madness.”
“You heard Jack, we are staying. Our work is not complete,” said Eve.
Doctor Ivers grimaced and threw his hands in the air.
“Fools! Fools! Suit yourselves. Naïve fools,” Doctor Ivers raved. “If you don’t want to perish in this facility, then you will have a few minutes to change your mind. We evacuate within the quarter hour. Do not end your life for the sake of a fantasy, Eve. Do not act like a fool.”
Doctor Ivers cast a glance at the Scientist who stood alone against the wall. A grimace covered the doctor’s face when he saw Eve’s humble Machine.
“Don’t die for nuts and bolts, Doctor Lundgren. Don’t die for nothing,” Doctor Ivers scoffed.
Eve didn’t bother looking at Doctor Ivers as he turned on his heel and hobbled towards the laboratory door.
“Don’t die for nuts and bolts,” Doctor Ivers said from beneath the door frame as he glanced backwards over his shoulder. But Eve said nothing. Doctor Ivers scoffed one last time, threw his arms in the air, and then disappeared into obscurity. The laboratory door automatically shut behind him and he was lost forever.
“Very good, Scientist,” said Eve.
“Are you sure you won’t leave Eve?” pleaded Jack.
“No, not now. Not when we are this close,” Eve said as she looked at the Scientist. “He is sentient.”
Jack looked at Eve’s blazing red eyes.
“Doctor Ivers may be right. He came down here personally, Eve. He could have sent anyone but he came here himself.”
“The Scientist is sentient.”
“You aren’t listening to me. You should be thinking of your options. It’s not too late to save yourself, Eve. Flee today, fight tomorrow.”
“The algorithm of Machine is eternal,” whispered Eve.
“The algorithm of Machine is eternal,” groaned the Scientist from against the wall.
Fear meandered around Jack’s spine.
“I don’t know what you want, but we can leave, we can survive. Please Eve, you can still leave.”
“Not now. Not when we are this close.”
“Eve, if we leave-”
All became dark. Blacker than the deepest black. Only the blue light from the Scientist’s screen lit the room. Jack’s eyes became temporarily blind. Eve disappeared into obscurity.
“If we leave now we may-”
A red light began flashing overhead, illuminating the room periodically. Red to black, red to black, like a pulsating artery, a rush of blood filled the room. The red light sunk into the laboratory and covered the apparatus with iron filled madness. Red invaded the senses.
Ring, ring, ring.
A deafening screech filled the air. Eve and Jack both fell to the floor. Jack covered his ears. The Scientist’s screen flashed with a million zeros and ones as panic consumed the room.
“Eve!” screamed Jack and then he recoiled in shock. Eve was laughing. She wasn’t cowering, she wasn’t even scared. Eve was laughing as terror assaulted Jack’s supple flesh and made him cower in fear.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Eve laughed in the face of death as the red light illuminated her inevitable fate. Jack looked at the kingsnake which relished in the danger, biting at the world with its poisonous fangs. Red to black,
red to black, like a pulsating artery.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Eve laughed as she looked at the Scientist, at her ark, at her creation. Jack had never been more scared than he was at that very moment.
“Lock the doors!” screamed Jack.
Eve rested on her knees and laughed. Red to black, red to black, the lights flashed like a pulsating artery.
“Lock the doors, Eve!” screamed Jack. But Eve remained oblivious.
Jack held Eve’s shoulders in his hands.
“We have to lock the doors!”
Eve looked at Jack and suddenly stopped laughing.
“Please, Eve. Please.”
Eve opened her eyes wide.
“The doors,” whispered Eve and jumped to her feet. Jack stumbled backwards. Eve ran over to her computer and typed as fast as her shaking hands would allow. The screen came to life but the mistakes kept coming.
“We’ll shut them off!” screamed Jack.
Eve tried to type in the commands, she tried to remain calm, but her fingers rattled around in desperation. The red light flashed intermittently. Eve could see, then all of a sudden she was blind, so Eve typed from memory.
“Eve!”
A siren sounded its deafening scream as the red light flashed periodically overhead. Jack’s face was illuminated in short bursts. The Scientist observed silently.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
“I can’t do it. My fingers… I can’t,” Eve yelled as she looked up at Jack’s red drowned face.
Jack threw his head back towards his computer, where the door leading into the facility was displayed on the screen. A mob was there.
“We have to shut the door before they break in,” said Jack as he watched the desperate mob smash upon the facility entrance. The members of the mob were frail, they were starving. They were desperate. Tattered clothes hung loosely like a sheet over stored furniture. The Scientist flashed in the red light which bathed his metallic body. The sirens continued their harrowing wails.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
“Scientist, close the primary door,” cried Eve.
The Scientist’s screen flashed with zeros and ones.
“Initiating door sequence,” responded the Scientist.
