Always Greener by J.R.H. Lawless

Author:J.R.H. Lawless [Lawless, JRH]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: augmented reality, black mirror, corporate dystopia, corporations, douglas adams, dystopia, grass is greener, humor, implants, liam argyle, live your worst life, reality television, rebellion, satire, science fiction, TV, dark humor
Publisher: Uproar Books
Published: 2020-02-18T06:00:00+00:00

30

Usnavi Musibay’s excitement was contagious. Liam was so proud of getting him onto the feed. If there were one saving grace about the whole sordid business of the show, it would be this one, that he had helped, at his level, to make the world aware of the plight of people like Usnavi, be they handicapped like him, displaced, or just plain down-and-out. The world would do something about it, would want to help, once they knew, once they had shared his reality. How couldn’t they? The boy was just so damn likeable.

Today was a big day for Usnavi. He was due to start a new medical trial, and the Corporation behind it—a branch of SyneDeal, the freeloaders—were pulling out all the bells and whistles to turn it into a publicity event, given the show and its live viewers.

Usnavi was more than happy to abandon his usual routine, which from his explanation consisted mainly of unmarked commercial buildings and service doors, and took great pleasure in the VIP lab tour he was now getting, taking Liam and all of the other viewers along for the ride. They were even telling him a bit about what they were putting into his body, for once.

“We’re all very excited about our new line of ninja viruses, Mr. Musibay,” said the SyneDeal PR doctor with the white medical coat and the friendly AR nametag labelling him as “Doctor Flatt.” He ushered Usnavi over to the middle of the room where an AR display had been set up, showing an entertaining but confusing combination of molecules and DNA helixes, rotating freely in the air. “Our proprietary ninja virus techniques are the way of the future, Mr. Musibay.”

Liam guessed that Usnavi had been called ‘Mr. Musibay’ more times today than in the rest of his life put together.

“Bacteriophage viruses have been around forever, of course, and human beings have used them since before we were human. Our noses are full of them, for example, housing them and relying on them to feed upon harmful bacteria in the air we breathe.” Liam decided he would take the doctor’s word for it, and avoid visualising that too clearly.

“We’ve been using bacteriophages widely for decades now,” carried on the presumably good doctor, “ever since bacteria strains resistant to the old antibiotics became prevalent. Of course, the medical body should have foreseen that this was only postponing the problem and that the worldwide use and abuse of bacteriophages would lead to the evolution of bacteriophage-resistant disease strains, in turn. It’s basic natural selection.”

Usnavi spoke up at this, possibly to show that he hadn’t fallen asleep. “Does that mean we can never have a lasting treatment for germs? One they won’t grow resistant to?”

“Excellent question, young man,” answered the doctor, pleased as a dog with two tails, and just as surprised. “That’s precisely where our ninja viruses step in. Through an alliance of bio- and nano-engineering, we’ve been able to create viruses that are armed and ready to deal with just about any kind of harmful bacterium.

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