BEYOND EXTINCTION by John Keeble

Author:John Keeble [Keeble, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: drone, speculative fiction, Romance, golden retriever, genetic, artificial intelligence, dog, future, environment, evolution
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Mark's vomit hits the roof and side of the limousine like a multi-colored blaster spray, the solids sticking where they strike and the liquid running down, streaking the formal numan4 silver grey paintwork with a slime ejected from the depths of his gut.

He chokes, brings up more, realizes that the spray has hit Aini too but he does not care. He retches again, one outstretched hand in the middle of the vomit on the limousine as he tries to steady himself.

The driver pulls a purple towel from the front seat of the limousine and thrusts it towards Mark. The sight of it, the color, clenches his stomach into another spasm and the liquid carrying soft solids ooze out of his mouth and down his chin, dripping in long strands like mucus onto his shirt.

"I'm sorry," he gasps, his breath gone, his stomach still heaving with nothing more to eject. "I'm sorry."

"Mark, my dear chap, it was my fault," says Aini happily, ignoring the vomit on his clothes and shoes. "I shouldn't have told you so abruptly. It is I who should apologize to you."

The driver, looking very human in his anxiety, pushes forward again, intent on helping Mark. But Mark shoves him and his purple towel away, opens the limousine door and gets his thin towel from his bag. He puts it over his mouth, his face, his eyes. I ate a baby and enjoyed it.

"Mark, you can use one of the empty houses to clean yourself," says Aini, firmly taking Mark's elbow and herding him off the street and into the nearest house. "We're ending a research cycle here and we have several houses empty."

Half an hour later, Mark emerges from the house. He is clean and clothed in shirt and pants – his size, but the same shapeless pastel cuts he had seen in the town center. He feels bereft, at a loss, something he cannot quite identify but which frightens him. They are taking control of me. I don't even feel like myself anymore.

The limousine driver grabs his ear and drags him towards the limousine. He wants to punch the driver but, with everything else that has happened, he accepts his fate.

The driver is a human-like figure, almost the brother of the woman who delivered his clean clothes. They are both unnervingly silent, treating him like... like... yes, like a farm animal. I feel like it too. A creature under the total control of another species.

When Mark looks up, he is relieved to see Aini casually striding towards the limousine. He is wearing his gown, sparkling clean from someone else's efforts. The limousine, too, is sparkling clean. The driver gives Mark one last thrust and runs to open the door for Aini.

Mark wants to snarl at Aini but he depends on him too much in this alien environment. "You did that on purpose," he says, his protest lingering in the air as a pitiful whimper. "You wanted to see how I reacted when you told me.

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