Grey: A Novella

Chapter 36

They performed the operation shortly after. I came out of the hospital two days later.

Well, this is just peachy. Not only have I lost my wife, but now I'm $1,000 in the whole. Could things get any worse?

Turns out they can, but I will get to that in due time.

After work, I was finally able to read through Jeffrey O'Brien's journal. They kept me so busy, I wasn't able to make time for it. Plus, I didn't wanna get caught with it there. No one there is to be trusted. The journal sure hinted at certain things, but it never said them outright. Plus, there was no proof for any of this. It was useless.

I threw it down on the floor and went to watch the news.

"In other news, the revolt in Japan has been dealt with. A few weeks ago, about 100,000 people protested complaining that the Greys had gained too much power. The government of Japan has talked to the protesters and convinced them that the good things the Greys brought to the table far outweigh the bad ones."

Japan, huh? That was my old stomping ground. I never been before the Greys came, but once they built those transporter gates, getting there was as easy as walking across the street. I started wondering about that protest. I did a lot of wondering around that time. How could you manage to convince 100,000 people that they were wrong? Humans were stubborn creatures. Even if given the facts, they would do mental gymnastics to justify them. What was really going on here?

While I wondered, I took out some origami paper I had lying around and started making cranes. I had learned the great art of origami when I first went to Japan. I hadn't had time to do it recently, but now with the wife gone, it seemed all I had was time. The act of touching and folding the paper was quite soothing, I must admit.

I must've made about ten cranes when it all began to hit me. I was alone, all alone. Looking for the truth was a lonely road. There was no one that could help me on it. I started spiralling into despair. I suddenly knew what it was like to have your body feel like lead. I poured myself a glass of gin and lit a cigarette. After both were done, I was none the wiser. Suddenly, the doctor's voice telling me to lay off them came in my head. That didn't help things.

I decided that I didn't care if I was going to an early grave. I couldn't get rid of these comforts of life, especially not now. I was gonna get to the bottom of this before I died, though. I would make sure of that.

I lit a second cigarette and thought about all I had lost, trying to remember if I had gained anything out of this. A thought suddenly popped into my mind. There might not be anybody who could help me on my quest for truth, but there was someone who could help me take my mind off things.

I called Susan. I had taken her number the night of the murder and I knew it was too early for her to be at work.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey, Derek. How are you doing?"

"I've been better. Not sure if I've ever been worse, though." I told her what had happened.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry. I can't believe she just left you like that. And that heart attack must've been so scary."

"Yeah. Listen, there's an old-timey movie theatre that shows the classics. It's all American, none of that holographic bullshit. How would you like to go with me sometime?"

"Why, sure. I'm off tomorrow. What movie did you have in mind?"

"All Quiet on the Western Front. It's a personal favourite of mine."

"Oh, I've never seen that, but I've heard great things from everyone who has. Pick me up at 7."

"7 it is. See ya then, babe."