The Grasshopper turned on the camera above the command desk and called Erivan.
“Mr. President… Mr. President…” he said with a exhausted voice.
“Grasshopper! What’s going on?!” shouted Erivan in a panicked fear, seeing the entire operations room on his screen with bodies on the floor.
“Don’t worry… Everything is alright… please, don’t worry…” the Grasshopper whispered.
“What do you mean ‘alright’?!” Erivan asked hastily, but with a calmer voice. “You’re wounded, Grasshopper!” He shouted again when he saw Grasshopper’s bandaged body. “Is it a serious wound? Will you survive? Where are the rest?!”
“I’ll tell you everything… sir… let me just catch my breath…”
“Alright…”
“I carried out your orders…”
“Did you? Really? Congratulations, Grasshopper!”
“But…”
“But – what? Speak up!”
“I’m trying… I’m exhausted… so…”
“Alright… alright… take it easy, but what?”
“I was attacked by… my…”
“Who? Your people? Why? Impossible!”
“Possible… possible… Mr. Presid…”
“Did you manage to kill them all?
“I did… don’t be angry…”
“All five of them?”
“Yes…”
“And all the rest in the Command?”
“Yes… don’t be angry… I was defending myself…”
“How can I be angry? As long as you are alive, Grasshopper! Is it a serious wound? Who will help you? Who will treat you if you are alone in the Command? Will you bleed out?”
“I won’t… don’t worry… I’ve already gotten the bullet out…” The Grasshopper moaned as he bent over to lift the bullet and show it to Erivan. “And I’ve sown up the wound…”
“You operated on yourself? Without anesthesia? You’re a hero, Grasshopper!”
“My loyalty to you… my upcoming mission… it gives me superhuman strength, Mr…”
“Grasshopper, Grasshopper!... do you see that it was the right decision to send you up there?”
“I see… Mr…” Grasshopper passed out. In doing so he hit the command desk with his forehead, right on the wrong icon, and he disconnected the link with Erivan.
YOU ARE READING
The Grasshopper
Science FictionImagine living in a world where Consumerism is the constitutional order, and where the Inspectorate is in charge of destroying goods whose season has passed, so as to maintain the Balance. In this world you can survive only if you work and buy goods...
