Charles

1. The Last Bed Sore

Charles finally did it, he contacted Harry Barnes and told him that he was dying. Charles was getting too old for life. Quite a sad life; his muscles and bones were all weak now, and he had never married. How sad can his life possibly get?

Harry was getting old too, it was just eight years ago that his wife passed away. He had a few knee problems now and then, but nothing critical. Was it because Harry had been married that he wasn't in a condition similar to Charles, who was undeniably bed ridden or as Charles put it, "Backache Ridden" just to put emphasis on the pain.

Charles pondered for some time about his issues, and perhaps his condition might not necessarily be fatal...

***

There was a much louder than usual knock at Charles's room door. Charles was lying upright in his bed and knew exactly who it was.

"Come in Harry." said Charles.

Harry opened the door and closed it softly behind him. After that, he walked over to the side of Charles's bed with very swift movement.

"Charles, I came as quickly as I could. I'm sorry to hear about your illness. If there's anything I can do, don't hesitate to..."

Harry couldn't carry on. Charles kept smiling at him. It was a very unusual kind of smile. A smile that said, "I'm up to something." Harry became extremely curious.

"What's going on?" asked Harry. It seemed as if Charles's depressed situation faded away for some reason.

"Harry my friend, I'm not dying. I only told you that, because I knew you would come straight away if I told you so."

"What! You're not dying!?"

Immediately, Harry turned his head towards the room door and marched forward.

"Why would you make a joke like that? I had to leave an important family meeting just to hear you say something nonsensical. Have you gone mad!?"

When Harry reached the door, he stretched his hand forward towards the handle and just before his fingertips touched it, Charles said something...

"No More Backaches."

The moment Harry heard those words, his entire body froze. His spine and fingers shivered, and his breath became short. He turned around to face Charles.

These were the words that Charles told him would change their lives, once he knew what needed to be done. It seemed as if Charles finally did it.

"What did you just say?"

"If you don't mind Harry, could you please help me into my wheelchair, I'd like to show you something."

Harry did as he was asked without saying a word. He was in a state of shock. Could this be real? Could this "No more backaches" work? Harry helped Charles into his wheelchair and made sure he was comfortable.

"Could you please push me over to that wardrobe Harry." Charles pointed at a large wardrobe in the corner of his room. Harry did as he was told. When they were in front of it, Charles said, "No more backaches!" And the wardrobe door opened, which revealed a long passage leading to the mysterious something Charles wanted to show Harry.

"Charles, what's down there?"

"I'll give you some info on the way. Now let's get going before my back gets any more spasms." Harry continued pushing the wheelchair down the lengthy passage.

"If this works Harry, we can say goodbye to our old and shrivelled bodies. No more knee and back pains. No more bed sores. Well, for me that is. And another thing, this will be the most life changing event in the history of science!"

"Are you saying you really found a way to make us young again?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Not only that, but perhaps something more. These scientific experiments always give surprises."

"What kind of surprise?"
Harry was a bit scared. He hoped this experiment wouldn't kill them. He was definitely not prepared to risk his life.

"Don't worry Harry, the surprises from my inventions are only fantastic, nothing less. We're here."

They reached steel doors with words written on the bar handle, "Change Is This Way". Charles used the same words he used for the wardrobe door to open, and the doors opened, revealing a large room and a strange looking machine in the centre of it.

"Harry quick! Help me into the nearest capsule."

The machine had two capsules for one person each. The part of the machine which seemed to be the engine, was very tall, almost five meters high. The capsules were on either side of it, very close to the ground. Easy enough to get into.

Harry helped Charles inside the capsule. "Harry, now you go and lie in the other one."

"You're one hundred percent sure this will work Charles?"

"It will more than just work." said Charles with a smile.

That was enough for Harry. He climbed into his capsule and lied down on his back just like Charles did. Both capsules' glass lids closed automatically.

"Are you ready Harry?"

"I trust you Charles."

"Then let's do it."

Charles touched a small red panel near his hand and it turned green. The sound of the machine started, and everything changed.

-To be continued