A Short Story

Vain

            It was just another day for me, Bonum Geras, waking up, sticking a breakfast sticker under my jaw, kissing a picture of my wife. We couldn’t live without each other and that remained true until the day she died, I learnt to move on. Every day I wish she was here but that drunkard had to swerve the wrong way at the wrong time. I kiss her picture just to remind myself what she would want me to do, to move on and I do every morning. I work in the most successful company in the world, Magna which is located in the center of San Jose, California. Magna made the breakfast sticker, an artificial body part for all body parts, a perpetual motion machine, and the cure for any disease in one pill. I didn’t know how they made these things, it was always the other division or a secret project. Only this morning I realized that I didn’t know what I did in the company, I could not recall a single project I worked on.

            The bus pulls in and I get on and sit next to my best friend and work buddy. I asked him “so, Cadre, what do you do exactly at Magna?”

“Are you serious man, we have known each other for almost two years and you don’t know what I do,” Cadre said almost spitting out the words.

“Just refreshing my memory,” I replied defensively. “I am getting old you know, if you count thirty-five as old.”

“I’m the chief of advertisement.” I could hear the disappointment in his voice

“But what exactly have you done in the past week, can you recall anything specific?” I farther asked.

Clearly disappointed in his best friend he replied,” I advertised the company, but come to think of it I don’t really remember anything specific, except advertising.”

“Same here, I don’t know what I did other than the actual job programing for the network, I can’t even recall basic office routine,” I sit in silence thinking and so does Cadre.

Something is horribly wrong, how is it possible that I go to work every day and not remember what I did a week or even the day before. Today I’ll photograph it all and look at the pictures back home. I took out camera phone and started taking pictures of the bus ride. Moments later the bus squeaked to a stop right in front of the Magna building. I got out and stared at the building, even after two years this building never ceases to amaze me. The sheer size of the building is phenomenal in itself but the shining golden with fountains in the front and a height that ranks with the tallest of buildings, above the clouds just seems like overkill to me. Nevertheless it is a spectacular sight.

I walk into Magna up to security, there I pass the security DNA test. To keep people safe and from waiting the company installed a system in which the person brushes the back of their hand against a rough surface, the skin cells left on the surface and then instantly scanned for a DNA match with a company worker. The light turns green signifying that I passed the security check and I walk into the elevator and punched the floor fourteen button. In the elevator I met my boss Anton and greet him politely.

“Say Anton, I can’t remember what I have done at work, it’s like when I go home I have memory loss and I’ve talked to other workers and even they are having the same problem. Would it be okay if I take break to go to the hospital, get a checkup?”

“Sure” Anton replies alarmed. He then takes out his phone almost immediately after replying and starts dialing.

I enter the hospital’s revolving doors and follow the signs plastered on the wall to a checkup room. The silent room is empty except for a bed and a large computer interface. There are no humans but myself in the room no bigger than a bathroom with space grey walls. I fill out a payment form as instructed by the interface and lie down on the bed. A loud whirring sound fills the room and bright lights shine upon my face, I squint to control the light level. Seconds later the room is dead silent again, I get up and a paper prints out of the computer. To my surprise the paper says I’m perfectly fine cognitively, so I go back to work to repay for the wasted hospital expenses.

            I return to Magna only to be denied security clearance, the light started flashing red rapidly which meant this wasn’t a simple denial of security. Two security guards come and grab my arms taking me somewhere else, I struggle and flail wildly to break free. Once in a more isolated place one of the men holds me back and the last thing I see is the other guard’s fist.

            Bright lights blind me as I open my eyes, the room is small with plain white walls and a camera in the far corner. I see Cadre pleading for forgiveness. Confused I ask Cadre, “what’s going on?”

“I’m sorry man, I really am” Cadre frantically repeated again, his face covered in agitation.

“Why are you sorry, what happened?” I replied almost yelling.

“Anton has given me instructions to interrogate you, he said you are leaking the programming information to other companies for money, the rest is classified.

            I tried telling him that I didn’t do this that I am being framed but that didn’t stop him. Cadre began asking all sorts of questions about how and which companies. I denied all the claims against me and did not answer a single question because why should when I am innocent. Cadre took out a piece of paper and scribbled something down making sure he came in between the camera and I, showing it to me it read:

I know you’re innocent. I heard Anton saying that you are to blame because you were questioning others about memory.

He continued asking questions as if nothing happened so continued answering assuming that the room was bugged. He began writing again his hands drenched in sweat and shaking in fear. He showed it to me:

            The door is unlocked, hit me hard knocking me out and run. This is your only chance.

I glace up and see his look of approval. I shove Cadre as hard as I possibly can and bolt for the door, the world seems to blur around me. I instantly recognize where I am, a room on the far corner of the ground floor. I can see the street bathed in the light of the sunset, I must have been in the interrogation room for hours waiting and stalling. I can also see the main computer on the floor, the one connected to the main database with all the info on the company. My hands start itching to get the information that might put Anton in jail for a long time. I hear the alarms go off and I know I have to make a decision. If my login details have been deleted I get caught for sure but if they aren’t I can hack the program and find out everything, after all I’m the one that programmed it.

I dash to the computer and thank the gods my login worked. I start bypassing the network securities and there everything I need to know pops up, but all I can think about is getting the hell out of here. The alarms ring seemingly louder and louder, a bead of sweat rolls the side of my face. I pull out the camera phone just as security finds me. Pumped with adrenaline I hastily take pictures and sprint to the exit, the sound of hurried footsteps closing on me. I keep running till I notice that they are not stopping, they intend to catch me and they won’t stop till they do. My legs burning I decided to give them the slip, but how? An alley is in the distance and I know that this is my chance, looking back I make sure a couple of people are between security and me. Diving into the alley I stick to the walls making sure to be obscured by darkness. I try to take deep breaths to calm down but it’s no use the adrenaline is bracing myself for the possibility that the saw me dive, the possibility that it all ends here. A good five minutes later and I know I’m good, I’m safe. The police is the only option, I mean where else can I go? I make my way to the police station just as the sun set and twilight filled the sky. I walked in and went to the counter.

“What can I help you with, sir?” the officer inquired politely.

Taking out my phone I replied “I have hard evidence that can…”

“Sir, you have evidence that can what” the officer impatiently said.

“What am I doing here?” I wondered