Like A Fairytale

Bonus 8.1

The year 2061. February 28

Third cycle.

Dead. Unusable. Garbage.

When Bao went to visit the two bodies again, they were gone.

Disposed of, as one of the researchers told him.

Bao thanked him for the information, returned to his room, and got rid of all the food he had eaten before.

Elrik found him a few hours later in the tiny bathroom, sitting on the floor and staring at the wall.

"My dear friend?" Elrik hurried to him, sat down next to him, and put an arm around his shoulders. "Aren't you feeling well?"

Bao just shook his head.

"Are you sick?"

Another shake of the head.

Elrik sighed. "I heard you were in the lab?"

"How were they disposed of?"

"The two bodies?"

"Yes." The two people.

"Oh." Elrik let go of Bao and pulled up his knees. "Well, we can't bury them. And they weren't real people to begin with. They were cremated. Their ashes are being kept. One of the researchers wants to try to make diamonds or something out of them."

Bao frowned. Diamonds? From the ashes of dead experiments? What for? "Diamonds made from people?"

"Sort of. Somehow we have to appreciate the sacrifice of these bodies, don't we? They have no soul, no will... But it feels wrong to just dump their ashes into the outside world. I like the idea of diamonds better than our previous method of disposing of the ashes. As with all the dead."

"In the outside world. Without a grave?"

"Exactly. Who should visit the grave? Could there be one? How are we supposed to dig one when even the plants are dangerous?"

"And diamonds, jewelry, would be better?" Bao found the idea rather macabre.

"If it works, then ..."

"You want to sell funeral jewelry? Make money with death? For what? Glitter?" Bao rolled his eyes.

Elrik, on the other hand, grimaced. "No. Maybe a sparkling monument? In addition to our cities, we also need a seat of government at some point. Maybe one day we can live in normal cities and villages again? Have real cemeteries again? And a sparkling statue will remind us of all those who made it possible."

"Hm..." Bao nodded, but he could better imagine that rich people would carry around this kind of diamond as jewelry. A pompous sparkling statue? The idea wasn't bad, but no less macabre. Brazen. It wasn't a peaceful rest for the dead.

"If it works, you can keep the diamond. The one from the dead clone. You can keep it in a box, hm? Like a grave." Elrik smiled. "Come on. You've moped enough. Let's play cards. It's distracting. Will you let me win?" He winked at him.

Bao let his friend pull him up and smiled tiredly. "Just because you're a bad loser, should I let you win?"

"Exactly!"

(c: sasi)