TITLE: No Right Answer
AUTHOR: MikeJaffa
SYNOPSIS: White Blood Cell learns he has something in common with the body he lives in
DISCLAIMER: Cells at Work! Is owned by David Productions. I am making no money off writing this fic
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The YouTube channel Doctor Hope's Sick Notes had a review/commentary on episode 8 of Cells at Work, and he pointed out that a red blood cell carrying carbon dioxide is slightly bigger than one carrying oxygen. My silly muse ran with it.
I am not sure whether to post a comment on Dr. Hope's video with a link to this fic. But if anyone wants to get word to him about it, be my guest.
WARNING: Do not eat or drink while reading this fic
8
8
8
8
"Hey, Red Blood Cell!" White Blood Cell U-1146 called. He was walking up a street with Killer T and NK Cell, and they realized they were coming up behind Red Blood Cell A3803.
She looked over her shoulder and smiled. "Oh, hi, White Blood Cell!" Red Blood Cell A3803 said.
Seeing her smile somehow made White Blood Cell's day brighter. He smiled and said, "You didn't get lost again, did you?"
"No," she said. "I'm delivering oxygen here to the cerebral cortex." She nodded to the tall glass skyscraper they were all approaching.
"What a coincidence," White Blood Cell said. "We're headed there, too."
Red Blood Cell got nervous. "Why? Is there a problem?"
White Blood Cell looked at NK.
NK smiled and said, "It's a little treat of mine. We did fight well against that cancer cell, and I didn't have to carry them too much-" (Killer T bristled a little but said nothing.) "—so I thought I would share with them something I find fun and interesting that also motivates me." She paused and added, "You're welcome to come along, too. I wouldn't mind a foursome. It's nothing scary. Honest."
"Thanks, but I really want to keep up with my rounds today."
"Well, some other time then. I'm always around."
They entered the lobby. A cell in a white shirt with pens in his shirt pocket was waiting for them. He smiled. "NK. You made it."
"Hey, Neuron." NK gave her friend a hug. Then she turned to the others and said, "Neuron, I would like you to meet White Blood Cell U-1146 and Killer T Cell. And the girl with the cart here is Red Blood Cell A3803. Don't let her timid demeanor fool you. She is the toughest red blood cell out there. Pathogens are terrified of her. They beg me to kill them before she gets to them. You don't want to know what she does to them." NK faked a shudder.
Red smiled sheepishly. "No, not really."
"Are you coming with us…?" Neuron asked.
"No, just delivering oxygen." She pushed her cart to the reception desk. "Hello. I'm delivering oxygen."
The female cell behind the desk stood and peered at the crate. "Yes, let me just see…Service elevator to the fifth floor. Down the hall to the left."
"Thanks." She pushed her cart. "Well, see you later White Blood Cell-"
"Ma'am," the receptionist interrupted, "the service elevator is down the other hall."
"What? Of course. Well, later guys!" She headed down the correct passage.
The immunity cells followed Neuron into an elevator. Once it had started up, Killer T said, "Ok, NK, what's the big secret? What did you drag us all the way up here to see?"
"The outside world," NK said.
The other two immunity cells were flabbergasted.
White Blood Cell stammered, "What do you mean by that?"
"What do you think?" NK said. "What this world is, what's beyond it—the Neurons have access to the systems with all the info."
Killer T demanded, "And why did they tell you?"
The elevator stopped. As they followed Neuron out of the elevator and down a hall, NK said, "I asked. I was feeling a little bored and, honestly, a little burned out. I wondered what I was fighting for. So I came up here and I met Neuron. He showed me around and told me the truth. And at first, I didn't believe it, even when I hung out in mission control."
White Blood Cell asked, "Is that where we're going? Mission control?"
"No," NK said. "The brain cells are a little twitchy about people being around all the servers, so Neuron helped me set up…well, some of my favorite clips from the memory and the optic nerve."
White Blood Cell and Killer T stopped in their tracks. "Wait," Killer T stammered. "You mean…we're…"
"We're going to see what this body sees," NK said. "Coming, boys?"
Neuron led them to an office where he set them up at a desk with a computer. He said, "If you need anything, just yell."
NK smiled. "No problem."
Neuron left and closed the door.
NK began working her mouse and clicking on tabs. "Ok, boys…get ready for what is literally unbelievable. A clip from this morning. Here's the face of our world."
The video started. They were looking at a mirror on a bathroom wall. And in the mirror…
White Blood stammered, "Wait, he looks like…"
"I told you you wouldn't believe it," NK said, "but it's true: We're all living inside a person, and from the outside, he looks just like us. At the moment…" she pointed at the screen. "…we're inside his noggin."
Killer T growled, "And they're keeping this secret from us!?"
"Not really," NK said. "Neuron was all too happy to show me around and show me what's what. I wasn't' sworn to secrecy or anything. It's more like, everyone is focused on their jobs and not really interested. Even the neurons. They run things but if you ask them, they'll tell you they don't feel the need to publicize it but they will share with anyone who comes to the door and asks. Just no one comes to the door and asks. Which is a shame."
"Wow," White Blood Cell marveled. "Any more?"
"Oh, yeah," NK said as she started clicking on options. "This one is really mind bending."
It was outside in a park on a bright day. NK stopped the clip in the middle of a…camera pan? Head turn?...and it stopped on a huge statue, a wire frame sphere with shapes on it.
White Blood Cell said, "What's that?"
"That," NK said, "is a model of Earth. It's the world our world lives in—him, and seven billion just like him. Humans, they call themselves. And this particular statue is in a place called Queens, New York."
Even Killer T was awed. "So our world has a world? Well, of course, but…man…"
"I know, it's a lot." NK started to smile as she clicked her way to another clip. "This one is…I don't know why, but I think it's hilarious!" She settled on a clip with an image of an attractive blonde woman in jeans and a short-sleeve shirt.
Killer T said, "Wow! She looks nice. And…she's another world, too? With red cells and white cells?"
"Yup," NK said. "Now watch."
NK clicked on "play." The woman in the video turned her back to…their world, they realized…and said, "Tell me the truth, honey—does my butt look bigger?" The clip stopped.
NK laughed.
White Blood Cell said, "I don't get it."
"Neither do I," NK admitted, "but I checked with Neuron. When she said that, his…the world's…stress level went way up."
Killer T said, "What happened? What did he say?"
"I don't know," NK said. "For some reason, the rest of that clip won't-"
There was a knock on the door and Neuron opened it. "How much longer are you guys going to be?" he asked. "My supervisor is getting a little anxious."
NK stood up. "And that's our cue, guys. I told you, they really don't like blood cells being anywhere near their servers."
As they walked down the hall, White Blood Cell said, "Amazing."
"Oh, man," Killer T lamented. "You're going to get all philosophical, aren't you?"
"Well, think about it," White Blood Cell said. "We're part of a person who looks just like us from the outside. But what about his world? And what about what's inside us? Where does it end?"
NK said, "I don't get that deep into it. But when I get a little burned out, I remind myself that I'm part of a person who is depending on me to do my job. Know what I mean?"
They had entered the elevator lobby. White Blood Cell said, "Yeah, I understand what it's like to fight for someone."
NK Cell keyed the elevator to go down. "Anybody we know?"
"What? I don't know what you mean, NK Cell."
"Oh, come on, White Blood Cell! You think the rest of us are blind? You two are the talk of the circulatory system. You should hear what the macrophages are saying about you and-"
The elevator door opened, and Red Blood Cell was standing there.
"—Red Blood Cell-" Then NK Cell saw Red. Her smile broadened. "Oh, hi, sweetie! We were just talking about you and what a great job you do. Weren't we, White Blood Cell?"
"What?" White Blood Cell stammered. "Well, yes, of course."
Red Blood Cell stepped out of the elevator and said to White Blood Cell, "Listen, have you got a minute? There's something I want to ask you…privately."
NK said, "Let's go Killer T!" She and Killer T entered the elevator. But as it started to close, NK stopped the door with her arm. "Oh, White Blood Cell? One of the macrophages has an apartment in the bone marrow she can let you use." She wiggled her eyebrows and retreated into the car. The doors slid shut.
Red Blood Cell looked up at White. "What was that all about?"
"Nothing," White Blood Cell said as they crossed to a bench.
"Well, did you have a good time?"
"Yeah, I…Red Blood Cell, would you believe me I told you that this body, this world, is a person who looks just like us from the outside?"
"I have heard rumors like that now and then," she said as they sat on the bench. "Kind of amazing to think about."
"So, what's on your mind?"
"Oh…well… We've known each other for a while, White Blood Cell. You're not just another immunity cell to me. I consider you a friend, and hope I'm your friend, too."
"Oh, absolutely, I definitely consider you a friend, Red Blood Cell."
"So I trust you," Red Blood Cell went on. "And you're obviously way smarter than me. No, you are! So I've learned to trust your judgment. So when…this…started really bothering me, you were the first one I thought to come to. I need your opinion on something."
"Well…I'm not expert on anything beyond killing bacteria, but I'll do my best. What's bothering you?"
"Well…it may be nothing. Kind of silly, maybe. Promise you won't laugh, White Blood Cell."
"Never, Red Blood Cell! What is it?"
"Well…lately I've been noticing that when Red Blood Cells have carbon dioxide, they look just an itty bitty bit chunkier than when they are delivering oxygen. Not so you'd notice, but you do see the difference in the people you go all the way through the lungs with. But no one has said anything, and I was wondering if it was just me. It's really started to bother me, and I need to know one way or the other." Red Blood Cell stood up, turned her back to White Blood Cell, looked over her shoulder, and said, "Tell me the truth, White Blood Cell—does my butt look bigger than it did when I got here with the oxygen?"
8
8
Even though there was no chance of someone running off with Red Blood Cell's carbon dioxide laden cart, which had been left by the reception desk, NK and Killer T agreed to stay by it until Red Blood Cell came back.
They didn't have to wait long. An elevator opened and Red Blood Cell marched out. Her expression was impassive. She favored NK and Killer T with a polite smile and nod and left.
Another elevator opened and White Blood Cell walked slowly out. Even though his flesh and clothes were white from head to toe, he was ashen.
Killer T said, "Hey man, you all right? What happened?"
White Blood Cell nodded. "I get it," he said. "I understand completely. There are questions for which there are no right answers." He looked around. "It's quiet around here. Why don't we head up to the scalp and make sure there aren't two or three…hundred…pathogens that need killing? Let's go."
THE END