Renewal Eternal

1.1.1: New Beginnings

February 13, 2067

As a low thrum rent the air, high-pitched hiccups emanated from the corner of the room. David Peterson took a shallow breath as the thrum reached a fever pitch. Clean and clear plastic covered his face as air began to be forced into his mouth in a rush.

He tried to raise a hand to his face, yet, it would not rise. There was not enough air. Not enough. He tried to turn his head, yet, he was not able. Something impeded him. Every attempt met a solid object and as he thumped against it the hiccups from the corner of the room abruptly ceased. Fear coursed through him as he jerked his body back and forth like a rather short yo-yo. 'Was this the end?' He could not breath. His head began to feel light as dizziness overwhelmed him. In the background, he heard a faint, monotone beep above him as the the dulcet tones of high-heels clicked on the marble floor.

A warm rush of air touched his maligned form as his daughter, Carolyne, leaned down over him. The soft brush of golden curls touched his face as she adjusted his mask to a more comfortable position.

"Daddy! Daddy! Can you hear me?" She half-wept. Tears stained her plain, but pleasantly ovular face. It took some effort for him to bring any emotion to his face. This process...this battle had gone on for what felt like forever. In reality, it had been a little over two years since his 'cold' as Carolyne called it. She had always been like that. Too stubborn to see the truth even when it was thrown right in her face. A small, pained smile came to his lips then as he thought of his daughter in happier times.

Not that there had been many. He'd been a military lifer. Though, he never rose higher than Drill Sergeant and never saw action, he lived a transitory life like all lifers. Perhaps more than most. His temper always had been an impediment to his promotions. His ex-wife, Susan, thought as much. She blamed him, in their short marriage, for his constant reassignments. While it was not the reason she left, abandoning Carolyne in the process, it sparked the beginning of the end. If he remembered properly, though it was hard with all these drugs in his system, the arguments began then.

There were so many back then. He blinked. Drowned out by the thrum of the respirator, the murmured sobs of his daughter as she rested her head against his chest.

He must have fallen asleep. It had begun to happen more frequently in the past few weeks. The doctor said it was his body shutting down. Though, he still did not understand why a body would have to sleep when it shut down. Wouldn't it get enough of that when he was already dead?

Or like it. He had to remind himself. Rebirth. It had been promised. He rasped out a breath.

At the sound, Carolyne rose from his chest and wiped her eyes on a sleeve.

It infuriated him. A man, once so strong, was reduced to this. But he knew age was the great equalizer in the end. Depression overwhelmed him and tears came to his eyes, watering them.

"You can hear me, can't you?" Carolyne murmured as she saw wetness in his eyes. She thought his tears were for her and not his weakened position. It was better to let her remain mistaken. He attempted to smile. It was typical of her to think the best of him. She even supported him in this..endeavor.

'More like desperation born out of fear. That's how they get you,' he thought with more than a hint of bitterness.

A soft knock on the door interrupted their small moment. "Yes?" Carolyne said, somewhat flustered as she rose from the bed. "Excuse me miss, but I'm with Renewal Eternal?" The man, David could only see the tips of his brown loafers, said almost as if it were a question.

Speak of the Devil and he shall come. David attempted to snort. As the man walked into the room, David saw the sad-sack who would give him what he desired. Immortality. He looked like a bloke who had just finished his internship and this was his first assignment. A nervous step accompanied by a slouched posture, ruffled hair that hung over protuberant ears, and a wide, pale face that lacked the proper amount of sunlight bespoke a boy who had not yet become a man in David's eyes.