DC-95 : The Other Body

BROOKLYN

I WAS SURROUNDED by darkness, not a single light I had from my sight. I could not open my eyes. My eyelids could not be moved, stiff as glued to the lower eyelid. I felt the cold brushing my neck, spreading the shiver, but I could not tremble to feel it. My breath was heavy, every blast seemed to be steaming solid, like I was in a very narrow room. I heard the sound of my own heartbeat, not from inside my chest, but from an electrocardiogram that sounded near me. I did not know how close, I could not guess, but even though it was the only sound I heard besides my breath, I felt so noisy. Every pulse brought me back to my life, yet somehow brought me closer to my death.

———

My eyes opened very easily, my sleepiness was gone as I sat up on my bed. I felt so fit, fitter than usual. I did not even believe when the clock on the wall showed four o'clock, when I could not remember if I ever woke up this early. I went to the window that had not yet refracted the sunlight, the sky was still so dark, however the city was filled with the glow of the building lights that blazed here and there, lighting Manhattan at dawn.

The highway down there was not as busy as cars horn like eight o'clock, but fancy luxury cars roamed at this hour with drastic speed. The pedestrians scattered on the sidewalks, almost all dressed up crazy, they staggered and without direction, some carrying their companions to walk, helping them show the way home. Parties were the biggest factor why they all behaved like dogs without bones.

I wondered what it was like to live like that. Having friends in difficult times, enjoying intoxicating nights, rushing every morning to leave for work, receiving a salary and scattering it for the sake of self-satisfaction. My life was arguably only meant for the Falcon's District, and even endangered an unknown person, Carlouise, who could not enjoy her perfect life because of my existence in her supposedly beautiful and serene dream.

The open door woke me out of my thoughts, I turned, Claire stood behind the door still wearing her pajamas and wiping her dark eyes from sleep. "Morgan, why are you awake?"

"I feel so fresh, I think I'll watch the television until the morning comes, if you don't mind," I said, approaching the living room and the television was suddenly turned on without me taking the remote on the table.

"Wow, did you do that?" Claire asked, she was so fascinated, so did I because I never used my power for day-to-day activities or it would be very tiring. But this time, I did not even need to concentrate. "It looks like your strength is starting to increase."

I was silent, for some reason, Carlouise was the first thing that came to my mind when Claire said so. I was getting stronger, indicating she was currently weakening. I set it aside temporarily, trying to assure myself that what happened to Carlouise was not my concern, though honestly our lives were very much connected.

I started watching television, looking for fun stuff. Of course I found a soap opera such as Claire's favorite, only it contained more adult content, probably because it was aired at an hour like this. Jim once said the media was not good for us, because it contained things and tragedies that were very different from our lives, making us wonder what if we were in a romantic story like this. However, on the other hand, Jim also reminded that people who have such boring lives, always fantasize what it's like to be a secret agent.

But I could not help wondering how it would feel to have a strong relationship with each other, need each other, be friends, even intercourse and live under the same roof, hug each other tightly. All that looked beautiful, arousing the desire in the self that had been dead.

———

I finally managed to open my eyes, though only a few loopholes allowed me to see the scenery around, where I was in a clean white room, with many hoses and wires attached to me. The sound of the electrocardiogram happened at a slow tempo, I used a breathing apparatus, the infusion was still connected to my vein.