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| Teague, Jason C. "10 Things Sci-fi Promised Us That DID Happen in 2013 (or Thereabout). " WebVisions. WebVisions, 3 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Oct. 2014. |
The meeting had dragged on for over an hour and James was ready to give up and fall asleep right in front of his coworkers. Their voices droned rhythmically beckoning him towards the land of dreams.
“JAMES!” He jumped up startled, opening his eyes to his colleagues’ curious faces, “What is your opinion on the Delharty deal?”
“Yes,” James blustered.
The confused staff decided continuing on that trajectory was a worthless effort. Throughout the remainder of the meeting, James was left to himself. He wistfully remembered the freedom of the past. Now all he had to look forward to was papers on his desk and endless meetings.
“JAMES!” He jumped up startled, opening his eyes to his colleagues’ curious faces, “What is your opinion on the Delharty deal?”
“Yes,” James blustered.
The confused staff decided continuing on that trajectory was a worthless effort. Throughout the remainder of the meeting, James was left to himself. He wistfully remembered the freedom of the past. Now all he had to look forward to was papers on his desk and endless meetings.
Back at home, James was eagerly greeted by his Labrador puppy Charles. Charles’s frantic licks and wagging tail brought a smile to his face that the monotonous day had wiped away. He was immediately reminded of Charles’s bi-daily walk. Outside he felt calm and content, the chirping of birds and dusky twilight helped lessen his stress. His wayward thoughts were brought back down to earth by a vibration in his pocket. He removed his phone and took a moment to register it was his sister in Florida. They had always been close and she never failed to cheer him up when needed.
“Hey Megan,” James said into the phone.
“James! How have you been?” her sing-song voice echoed.
“My job is literally torture, if only someone else could do it for me…”
“Don’t we all!” James laughed in response, “I’m a little busy now but I’ll make sure to call tomorrow.”
“You better!”
“Hey Megan,” James said into the phone.
“James! How have you been?” her sing-song voice echoed.
“My job is literally torture, if only someone else could do it for me…”
“Don’t we all!” James laughed in response, “I’m a little busy now but I’ll make sure to call tomorrow.”
“You better!”
As James lay in bed with Charles curled next to him, he reminisced over his past, carefree days. His depressing thoughts lulled him to sleep and his breathing fell into rhythm with Charles’s. James was awakened by a breeze flowing through his room. The cool air surprised him because he had made sure to close all the windows before sleeping. He opened his eyes and was confronted by the billowing form of a specter. James surprisingly felt no fear.
“What are you?” James queried.
“I am the answer to your greatest wishes.” the specter whispered.
James was suddenly invigorated by the connotations of this strange occurrence, “What do you mean?”
“Wait until the morning and all your dreams will come true.” The specter faded away and James was overcome by sleep.
“What are you?” James queried.
“I am the answer to your greatest wishes.” the specter whispered.
James was suddenly invigorated by the connotations of this strange occurrence, “What do you mean?”
“Wait until the morning and all your dreams will come true.” The specter faded away and James was overcome by sleep.
James awoke to the rhythmic beeping of his alarm clock and pale dawn light filtering in through his eyelids. He opened his eyes to be face to face with an exact copy of himself.
He thought back to the apparition of the night before and asked, “What are you?”
“I’m whatever you want me to be… at a cost,” the clone replied, “I will complete any task imaginable, anything your heart desires.”
James realized he had the unbelievable chance to change his life for the better.
“Do it! Do my job for me!” James whispered, scarcely believing the events that were unfolding.
“As your heart desires… but there is a cost, you will age faster every time you enlist my services,” the copy warned.
James’s joy blinded him to the warning, “Sure, sure, be off!”
His daydreams of his new life were cut short by the scratching on the door. James had forgotten to walk Charles. He stumbled out the door with his head in the clouds wondering how to fill his work-free day. The romance of the birds chirping was rudely interrupted by Charles relieving himself. He groaned in disgust at the task before him. The once bright spot at the corner of his eye darkened and the shade appeared.
“Any task you wish me to complete?” the shade rasped ominously.
James felt the weight of the world lift off his shoulders; the power he now possessed was greater than he had ever imagined.
“Yes, clean up after Charles!” James commanded.
“Do you accept the cost?” James nodded his head without a second thought.
The shade faded away and was replaced by another copy of James. The copy quickly went about its task and faded away as if it never existed. When James took Charles out again in the evening, the clone was once again there to fulfill its purpose.
He thought back to the apparition of the night before and asked, “What are you?”
“I’m whatever you want me to be… at a cost,” the clone replied, “I will complete any task imaginable, anything your heart desires.”
James realized he had the unbelievable chance to change his life for the better.
“Do it! Do my job for me!” James whispered, scarcely believing the events that were unfolding.
“As your heart desires… but there is a cost, you will age faster every time you enlist my services,” the copy warned.
James’s joy blinded him to the warning, “Sure, sure, be off!”
His daydreams of his new life were cut short by the scratching on the door. James had forgotten to walk Charles. He stumbled out the door with his head in the clouds wondering how to fill his work-free day. The romance of the birds chirping was rudely interrupted by Charles relieving himself. He groaned in disgust at the task before him. The once bright spot at the corner of his eye darkened and the shade appeared.
“Any task you wish me to complete?” the shade rasped ominously.
James felt the weight of the world lift off his shoulders; the power he now possessed was greater than he had ever imagined.
“Yes, clean up after Charles!” James commanded.
“Do you accept the cost?” James nodded his head without a second thought.
The shade faded away and was replaced by another copy of James. The copy quickly went about its task and faded away as if it never existed. When James took Charles out again in the evening, the clone was once again there to fulfill its purpose.
That night, with a triumphant smile, James unplugged his alarm clock. He slept more soundly than ever before, until he was awoken by the sound of scratching on his door. The abrupt awakening ended his contented haze. The corners of James’s vision darkened and the apparition reappeared.
“Any task you wish me to complete?” the apparition rattled.
“Yes, take out Charles.” James yawned already returning to his fluffy, dream world.
“Do you accept the cost?” the specter warned. The words fell upon empty ears; James had already returned to his slumber.
“Any task you wish me to complete?” the apparition rattled.
“Yes, take out Charles.” James yawned already returning to his fluffy, dream world.
“Do you accept the cost?” the specter warned. The words fell upon empty ears; James had already returned to his slumber.
Over the following weeks, James lived like a king. His endless copies faded in and out of reality to complete every task. There were copies for grocery shopping, washing his clothes, and all other mindless, repetitive actions. He was spoiled by this new reality. For over two months, James had separated himself from the everyday world. He realized he had not talked to his sister since her ironic call. He moved towards the phone and the shadow appeared at the corner of his eye.
“Any task you wish me to complete?” it whispered almost humorously.
James stopped in his tracks and truly opened his eyes. His gift had corrupted him to the extent that every effort was a burden. He saw Charles waddle in and instantly an assortment of his copies appeared to pet, feed, and care for him. He no longer experienced either the dull and pleasant aspects of his life. His dog barely noticed him, he had not gone outside in days, and he had completely ignored his loved ones. James stumbled backwards and looked himself in the mirror. The face looking back at him was unrecognizable. The mirror reflected a ghostly white figure with wrinkled skin and gray tufts of hair. James instantly felt the pain in his body that comes with old age. He turned about to face the shadow.
“What have you done?” he cried out.
“I warned you of the cost and you paid no heed,” the shadow cackled.
The creature disappeared leaving James alone with his decrepit copies. In shock, he collapsed on his bed. As his energy left his body, he was overwhelmed by the realization that his life had been wasted. He let out his final breath and across existence his spectral copies faded away into nothingness.
“Any task you wish me to complete?” it whispered almost humorously.
James stopped in his tracks and truly opened his eyes. His gift had corrupted him to the extent that every effort was a burden. He saw Charles waddle in and instantly an assortment of his copies appeared to pet, feed, and care for him. He no longer experienced either the dull and pleasant aspects of his life. His dog barely noticed him, he had not gone outside in days, and he had completely ignored his loved ones. James stumbled backwards and looked himself in the mirror. The face looking back at him was unrecognizable. The mirror reflected a ghostly white figure with wrinkled skin and gray tufts of hair. James instantly felt the pain in his body that comes with old age. He turned about to face the shadow.
“What have you done?” he cried out.
“I warned you of the cost and you paid no heed,” the shadow cackled.
The creature disappeared leaving James alone with his decrepit copies. In shock, he collapsed on his bed. As his energy left his body, he was overwhelmed by the realization that his life had been wasted. He let out his final breath and across existence his spectral copies faded away into nothingness.
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