The First Law of Thermodynamics by James Patrick Kelly

Author:James Patrick Kelly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PM Press
Published: 2021-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Donut Hole

Characters:

Tonya, a medical technician

Emily, a psychiatric technician

Manny, a patient

Time: the future

Setting: a re-bodying lab

At rise: Emily is working on unconscious Manny. He is stretched across three or four chairs and is hidden from the audience by a sheet.

Emily knocks and enters.

EMILY: Sorry I’m late. The tube was a zoo … What the hell?

TONYA: Relax, it’s only an eyeball.

EMILY: On the floor?

TONYA: I dropped it.

EMILY: You dropped an eyeball?

TONYA: They’re kind of slippery. Pick it up?

EMILY: What? With my hands?

TONYA: If you don’t mind.

EMILY: I do mind. I told you I’d be here—why didn’t you wait?

TONYA: They delivered that damaged brain so I had to finish building him. The clock was ticking.

EMILY: (picks up the eyeball gingerly) Sterilizer or trash?

TONYA: Five minute rule. Sterilizer.

EMILY: (deposits it) Now what?

TONYA: Pop another eyeball in, would you? I’ve got to keep this brain seated until the spinal cord fuses to the stem.

EMILY: Where?

TONYA: Cooler. Second drawer on the left.

EMILY: (opens it) Nope. Tongues.

TONYA: Your other left.

EMILY: Got it. (inserts eyeball, inspects Manny) You have been busy. (uncovers Manny, out of sight) Wow, primary sexual characteristics too?

TONYA: Yeah, well, the time factor. Time to get him powered up, see how much of his mind came through the scan.

EMILY: Didn’t do him any favors down there.

TONYA: Everything is to scale. He won’t complain. They never do. ( steps back) Done.

EMILY: (checks tablet) Yep. Brain has just begun the handshake with the new body. Close the skull?

TONYA: Do it. I’ll set the paddles.

EMILY: Spray some damn clothes on him first. If he wakes up naked, he might start dissociating.

TONYA: Right. (does this then sets paddles) Initial pulse 2,000 volts at 20 microseconds.

EMILY (enters data on tablet) Biphasic shock 2,000 volts. Duration 20. Clear.

(paddles fire SFX. Manny grunts.)

EMILY: A spike of consciousness, then flat. More juice?

TONYA: 3,000 volts, same duration.

EMILY: Clear.

(paddles fire SFX)

MANNY: (gives an inarticulate cry, sits upright) Oh, shit. (sees the two techs) Really? Uploaded?

TONYA: Afraid so.

MANNY: How did it happen … I mean that I’m here?

EMILY: You’re supposed to tell us.

MANNY: (dazed) And this … this isn’t really me. (examines himself) A different body.

TONYA: Brand new. Still on warranty.

EMILY: So you’re not surprised?

MANNY: No, I guess I’m not.

TONYA: That’s a good sign.

MANNY: How long?

EMILY: Only a couple of days. We started building you Tuesday?

TONYA: I was here Monday. Where were you?

MANNY: No. How long was I … gone?

TONYA: Dead, you mean?

EMILY: Technically he wasn’t dead.

TONYA: Technically is just a word.

EMILY: They got the brain out in time.

TONYA: And froze it.

EMILY: Frozen, right.

TONYA: As in not alive. Technically.

MANNY: It was my birthday. It’s hazy but I remember Mina was there. Our kids.

EMILY: So you have a name? For yourself, I mean.

MANNY: Of course I have a name.

(they wait)

MANNY: It’ll come to me.

EMILY: (enters data on tablet) Time to stand you up. Get that brain talking to all your new parts.

MANNY: Right. (He is shaky; the techs help him up) What’s that music?

EMILY: You hear music?

TONYA: What kind of music?

MANNY: (listens) Like that. Tell me you don’t hear that? (hums a tune)

TONYA: Damage to the auditory cortex?

EMILY: Maybe just tinnitus.

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