A Planet That Longs to Forget by Rey S Morfin

Author:Rey S Morfin [Morfin, Rey S]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2020-05-28T22:00:00+00:00

‘We, of course, employ 31 people in this facility, including myself and Mrs Loroa, who you have already met,’ the researcher was saying. We’d been ambling around the complex, down long, dull corridors, and through rooms filled with scientific equipment that I didn’t even begin to understand. Thus far, I hadn’t been told anything even remotely interesting.

The scientist continued, ‘Sixteen of us are researchers, the other fifteen are in roles such as admin, legal, acquisition, etc. You know how it goes.’

We walked down yet another long corridor, which had plenty of rooms coming off each side, typically containing personal offices.

‘Myself, I am responsible for-’

‘How close do you think you are to curing the ‘Liks?’ I finally blurted out.

This question caught the researcher off-guard. ‘Cure? I mean- These break-throughs take time, and we can’t exactly plan for when they’re going to happen.’

‘But you’re close?’ I pressed.

‘Could be weeks away,’ he replied, and I felt hope. ‘Or it could be decades.’ The hope faded again.

I noticed a door up ahead. It wasn’t made from the same flimsy metal as the rest of them coming off this corridor. Instead, it was thick, bulky, as though trying to prevent people from getting in, or something else from getting out.

‘What’s in here?’ I asked as I began to push it open.

‘Stop!’ the research said, oddly high-pitched in tone. ‘Stop, please! I’m afraid we can’t have you going in there.’

‘Why?’

‘It’s…,’ he started - and then paused for an almost imperceptible amount of time. ‘You’d need proper safety gear.’

‘Well, let’s get some, then,’ I suggested.

‘And you’d need a research license,’ he added.

Hmm.

We continued onwards down the corridor, and I glanced back once at the room I’d not been allowed in, making a mental note of its location.

‘So how you planning on curing the ‘Liks, then?’ I asked.

‘I’m sorry?’

‘You know, what’s the science behind it?’

He shook his head. ‘I… I’m not sure I’d be able to explain it. Not in… Layman’s terms, at least.’

‘Try,’ I suggested. ‘As I’m getting my cheque book out, after all.’

What is a “cheque”, anyway?

We entered a larger laboratory at the end of the corridor, illuminated entirely by neon lights. The researcher stopped, turned to look at me with cautious eyes.

‘I… err…,’ he stammered.

I took a gamble. ‘You’re not curing anything here, are you?’

There was no response from the scientist.

‘Are you actually working on something, or is this just some big con?’

‘I-’

‘It doesn’t feel like you’re not working on anything. I see all the notes around. Something’s going on, I just don’t know-’

The man raised his wrist to his mouth and sputtered into his console, ‘Security to the main lab immediately, please.’

Right then.

I slid my hand to my favourite gadget - my very literal trick up my sleeve. As I activated the EMP, I heard a whoom as the lights and console went out around me.

Wasting no time, I took advantage of the distraction to run back down the corridor to the only room I’d not been allowed entry.

Where else were the secrets going to be hidden?

I swung around the corner into the room and looked around.

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