Finally, I could breathe again. I still felt this void; a empty cavern that dropped down into oblivion. Maybe I'm being a bit over dramatic. Call it melodramatic if you like. I liked to call myself vastly realistic rather than vastly negative. Where was my soul underneath all this mass of vast technology?
Don't touch me. Don't touch me. Please don't touch me! I wished over and over again in my head. Yes, that's right, I'd imagine them all away; I'd block them with my severely damaged, overly violated brain.
Great Plan Henri, I thought sarcastically.
I'd be numb for now, just like they wanted me to be but later I'd be unstoppable.
Soon I'd be unpredictable as the wind, furious,unstable and uncontrollable as
a storm. I'd beat every system, overcome every new program; I'd shatter every firewall and crush every upgrade to smithereens. How I was to do this, I had no idea. I was just fuming about what I'd do, if I was stronger and had more confidence. Confidence was not necessary for our survival; Certainty was of vital importance to this new world order. Here, I was artificial skinned, a wireless antenna fused into my brain. It was a monitor, I later figured out. I didn't figure it out on my own, actually, I was told by someone who had the decency to be honest with me. This monitor was placed dangerously close to my cerebellum. This can be translated into plain English as my neck. Yes, a microscopic nightmare, had been planted in my neck, so the madmen could monitor me at all times; thus the name monitor is used. Not a pretty picture, I know. It's also a bit funny due to the fact, this idea was established in the year of 1953(possibly even earlier) in a low budget movie named "Invaders from Mars". No, it is has no connection with the later 1996 Jack Nicholson, Sci- Fi parody film "Mars Attacks". "Invaders from Mars" has a slightly similar story, only the martians in this 1953 classic wish to enslave the human race through complete mind control. Than some odd 30 years later, director Tobe Hooper took on the task of filming the remake starring Karen Black, Lorraine Newman, Timothy Bottoms, Louise Fletcher and legendary Sci -Fi star James Karen. Oh yes, I almost forgot, the Hunter Carson, the gifted young actor who plays the lead role in the film. Hunter was the real live son of Karen Black by the way. Tobe Hooper made those extremely graphic and haunting films such as "Poltergeist" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Anyway enough with the film history; as I was saying these aliens drilled little rods (made of copper no doubt) into the necks of humans. They used some sort of wireless signaling system, that could only be controlled by their slimy leader, who in the 1986 remake resembles a giant brain with a face on the front of it. Someone obviously must have read from Madeline L'Engle's Book Wrinkle in Time. A Giant Brain in that story too. Is this plagiarism or was this just a appreciative nudge to the author? One may never know. It maybe just the inevitable pattern of Science Fiction. There are only so many plots out there to choose from, so it's no wonder that screen writers have a tendency to repeat themselves. These stories of Science Fiction are so predictable that we often have takken them for granted. The irony is we humans used to laugh at this concept of aliens, neck probes, and super advanced technology. Even I used to laugh but no one's laughing now. It's not because we're reflecting now on our present situation but because we don't know how to laugh anymore. The laughter we once had, has been taken from us. Some of us no longer remember what laughter is. Joy is now a simulation. We can now be programmed to be happy , if our alien masters so wish. I can't remember the last time I laughed. There is probably not enough space in my brain's hard drive for me to process any more new programs. Somehow they keep adding program after program. They added yet another upgrade: new eyes. I hope they didn't replace them altogether. I hope they just made a few improvements and left it at that. Dose their greed have no end? They erase nearly everything that is remotely human from my anatomy and they expect me to me grateful for it. These Mad men never know when to stop. Throw in the towel and calling it quits clearly must not be in their vocabulary. If it isn't broken don't fix it comes to mind as well.
Perfection.Perfection. Perfection. Everyone and everything must be perfect. Every living creature has room for improvements.
These improvements suffocate us, they cripple us and they make us weaker not stronger,the way they liked to think.
" How are you feeling?"
Who said that? I couldn't quite see my target, if there was one. The world was still obscure and my vision was still too blurred. Excellent. First I can't breathe, now I can't see. I just love my life.
The voice seemed familiar. All I could see of the face was a vague outline.
"How are you feeling Henrietta?"
Oh so it's you, the mystery man in my life or should I say the mystery voice in my life. The voice was not only familiar it was warm and the tone was now more direct and personal.
"I...can't...see".
I responded in agonizingly slow manner.
"Splendid. Have no fear, you'll soon regain your sight Henri. You're world is bit fuzzy right now. This is merely because your sight is new, quite new".
" Wait these are still my eyes. Please...they didn't take them from me did they?" I longed to rock back and forth just so i could calm myself. Mostly, I just wanted to distract myself from the growing nausea that was creeping up on me. I wanted so much to cry but what good would that do me? This eye sight business was bad enough, i didn't need to make my life any more complicated than it already was. I already felt a fool for panicking in front of him. Even if I had the emotions in which to cry my eyes out all over the place, this reaction might be seen as weakness. Then i would be sent back to the operating table again. I would rather be thrown to the mercy of a wild pack of wolves then be in the hands of those Mad men. Death would be instantaneous. I don't mean to be morbid but death would be most welcome. If Death came for me ,I admit I would not fight him. If those wolves didn't kill me, I would at least be free to run with them for the rest of my days. I've heard of people being taken in by wolves. It wasn't uncommon for wolves to be merciful They were usually timid by nature and only savage when provoked. I think that there was a bit of me that still ran with the wolves of my dreams, a vicious and livid part of me with claws uncut and at the ready and teeth glinting naked in the moonlight. I think I was more of a fox small, unintimidating but fierce and capable of massive destruction. Foxes were known for their lightning speed reflexes and they're fine fighting skills. They could also be a bringer of death. They could fight till the sun goes down and even when the sun has fled unders the guise of darkness is when such creatures truly come alive. I live by night. I hid in the darkness even under the wings of shadows, my blood boiled. I may appear just another happy perfectly numb, robot, let me tell you, my spirt is a Fox; my soul has the wings of an owl and thanks to the new surgery they've given me, I can see for miles. This means the next time, I'll see my enemy before they come too close. I will use their upgrades against them. I'll be waiting for the opportune moment, when their guard is down then I'll run to where the wolves are and disappear into the wild.
"No, your eyes are quite safe, Henrietta.
Their quite intact. Now just give your eyes a few moments to adjust. Don't over exert yourself. These things take time". The welcoming voice consoled me.
Give her time. Let her adjust. Just wait, she'll be ready before you know it.
What was everyone waiting for? Who were they to say I was ready? They replaced my very own skin with synthetic materials. Had I been ready then?
This was just another Mad men, another member of the Madcon crew. He's a henchman. This guy didn't actually care about me. He is a fraud. He's just playing
me, thinking me a fool; putting on a show, hiding behind a facade of concern.
Every one of them wore a mask they expected us humans to wear one as well. I used my newly developed strength to rise from the seated position I was in.
"Don't call me that". I manage to speak in the iciest voice I could muster.
"Don't call you what Henrietta? It's
your name. The name of your birth. The name you were born with. Infact it is the very name you had, before you came here. Why should i not, call you by it? It is yours isn't it?"
" Yes I admit it used to be once but it isn't anymore. I have a new name now, a better one. A name they have chosen for me. The name which you use is of someone who no longer exists. This Henrietta you speak of is dead, only I live now."
I of course did not believe a word of what I spoke. I was merely playing him in return. I was just wearing another mask just like those madmen had taught us to.
"Ah, I see and what do they call you now? What is this new and improved you speak of, that has been so rightfully chosen?
Please do tell, i would be most interested".
Was he mocking me?
What was my new name anyway?
"Gisele". I quickly recalled.
"Gisele. Gisele? That is the name they have chosen for you? You have to be joking. I mean, excuse me, of course you cannot be joking; it's just such a surprise. No, you don't look like a Gisele. Gisele is generally a french name but the meaning of the word is mainly derived from German. So it is not only a delicate name,
it is a name of harsh beauty, a cruel beauty given in pledge if you will. In Germanic terms it usually refers to a child. You are certainly no child. You are full grown. You definitely are not frail delicate and childlike. You may be beautiful but you are not harsh in appearance nor do you posses a cruel spirit. So no, Gisele dose not suit you. Henrietta suits you better."
Had he swallowed a dictionary recently or perhaps an encyclopedia? I wasn't about to ask him. I wouldn't dare challenge him. He was afterall stil of their kind. I know this because, they, the aliens usually have a strange accent you can't place. I was hearing a Puerto Rican pattern mixed with a slight Egyptian inflection. Puerto Rican with a Egyptian twist. liked it. It was sort of catchy. It sounded more like an exotic cocktail that or a exotic brand of cigar. How about a Puerto Rican with a Egyptian flair. Now that was a dance, I will gladly join as long as he was there to lead me through the steps.
Focus Henri. He is a alien. This is the enemy we are talking about. This is the enemy you are fantasizing about. He is not into you. You have no idea what this guy is planning to do with you. You are alone with a strange man you don't know. This should be a big red flaming flag for you right now. He might have you sent back to the Madcon labs. You've been there too many times. Too many times you've suffered at their hands. Too many times they've violated you and invaded your privacy. Yes maybe you never were conscious when they actually touched you with their gloved hands, under the knife. It's the part of not knowing what they did that really kills you. They took from you everything you loved most about yourself and the human world. He's one of them. He works for them. He'll only hurt you in the end. Don't let your gaurd down too easy.