Part 2 Death

Chapter 4 Awakening

Ari, 01:12, Jun 20th, 3048, Wednesday

What this is? A hospital?

Uh. Wait, time.

It’s blank?

D: - Don’t worry, you’ll see it soon.

A: - Who… Who are you? What happened?

D: - Shoot for your best guess.

A: - I didn’t die. Or did I?

D: - You did for sure. You were dead for a little more than an hour. I’m a doctor here, you can call me Doc, and this charming lady is Ness, my assistant.

A: - Is it some kind of afterlife?

D: - Nop. Still life, try to close your eyes, now it should be visible.

NAME: Ari; GENDER: Male; SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Gay; BIRTH: 08:15, October 17th, 3015; TRANSITION DEATH: 23:47, Jun 19th, 3048-01:12, Jun 20th, 3048; DEATH: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

A: - Wha…? Transition? What with these multiple X-s? Gay?????

D: - Explanation is part of standard procedure. Don’t rush, I’ll answer all your questions.

A: - Good, what is transition death?

D: - It’s time while you were dead. You aware, that after death all bodies are collected for cremation and we don't have any afterdeath ceremonies.

A: - Yeah.

D: - There is a little more to it. After bodies are collected, they stored for five hours before cremation and some people awaken during second or third hour. This is called transition.

A: - Wait. Is it happening to everyone?

D: - No, it’s super rare. One person in a few years.

A: - But why, how?

D: - Reason unknown. We don’t have many people to study and much less these who capable of researching it. But we do know that body condition stays stable within first five hours, as potential ground for transition.

A: - Is Jane..?

D: - Your wife, I suppose. No, I'm sorry. Awakening almost never happening to people who know each other.

A: - Almost?

D: - Just few cases so far and it’s more than 3000 years already.

A: - What is it with X-s in my death date? Am I immortal or something?

D: - It’s just masked. No one could see their death after awakening. According to statistics it’s most likely another 60-70 years. Still it could be less or more and there is no correlation to your current age.

A: - Sounds like something from pre-timeconscious era.

D: - Not quite. Our bodies don’t age and women cannot get pregnant.

A: - Why?

D: - No scientifically grounded explanation found.

A: - Oh, very helpful.

D: - Your sarcasms is a good sign.

A: - Whatever. Is second awakening possible?

D: - No. Bodies turned to irreversible state the moment you die. Same as after 5 hours past the first death.

A: - So there is a chance to wake up for everyone, but not everyone wakes up?

D: - Something like that. You can check the library later for history, statistics and all researches done.

A: - And what’s next? I mean, what I supposed to do?

D: - You just continue on living. However, I’ll enhance your body with health monitor and location tracker. And from now on you must to follow particular rules when you spend time in the city.

A: - What rules?

D: - No introduction; no contacts with anyone you knew before; communication limit with new acquaintances is half a year; you should change your looks regularly but refrain from anything flashy. While in the city if any of your past or expired contacts appears nearby, you’ll be notified and must leave immediately.

A: - But how, if we are not introduced?

D: - One-way introduction is recommended. But even if not, system still have ways to pinpoint people you had conversations with.

A: - What if I refuse to leave?

D: - You’ll die. You don’t have regular life protection now, therefore you may be killed or die from a disease.

A: - Who monitor locations and kills people?

D: - It’s automated.

A: - What if system make a mistake.

D: - So it be. Current solution is tuned during first thousand years and no new optimization options found so far.

A: - Sound suspicious.

D: - Algorithms are designed to protect us, not harm. If you decide to join programming department you may do your own research on this.

A: - You mentioned no introductions.

D: - Yes, but only outside. Among us it’s ok, yet some prefer not to.

A: - Wait, are all ‘nameless’ in city from here?

D: - No, only a few. Movement just appeared to be handy. Sticking for long is too much of the trouble. Most of us prefer to stay here and just go for sightseeing sometimes.

A: - Oh, yeah that location tracking sounds like pain. And, by the way, where we actually are?

D: - Crematory rinks.

A: - So they are not a decoration.?

D: - You’ll see.

A: - Why all this secrecy and hiding?

D: - It's optimal way.

A: - How could it be? Was I … always?

D: - No necessary. Do not doubt your past preferences and explore new condition. Don't worry, you'll be fine. Most likely you’ll end up falling for similar traits regardless gender.

A: - Unbelievable.

D: - Why are you look more surprised then being alive?

A: - Don't know, it just seems impossible.

D: - Ahaha, then kiss me and see for yourself.

A: - Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?