A drop of water

Part 2

You know how it is: they find some new technology, start to sell it all over the world, it becomes popular and everybody is grateful to that genius, who made it. Then they say a big Thank you to him and give him a price, which means a lot of money and repute the world over. Everybody’s happy. Except this time it all went terribly wrong…

- Mr Lack, what are you doing?
James Lack, the director of the loading company turns to face the speaker. It appears to be his employee Mr Turner.
- Doing my work. Loading the ship.
The progress went far. So nothing is done by man anymore, only machines do the hard work like loading something. But man still has to follow the process, unless something goes wrong. So here James was.
Mr Turner smiles at him. But that’s not a good kind of smile. It’s exactly the same smile grown-ups give children when the latter one’s do something stupid.
- That’s not what I meant, - said Mr Turner. – I wanted to ask why the speed of the process is so very much slow.
He said those last words, stressing each. And after his mouse formed the last one, his smile faded.
- I thought that the machine of that kind shouldn’t be loaded faster.
- Ahh… - Mr Turner shook his head. – You see, that’s where you’ve made a mistake: you are not supposed to think. You are here to load and I’ll do the thinking. Now, I expect the machine to be loaded by sunset.
- But sir, it’s not possible…
- Listen, I really don’t care. I want you to do it. So get to work.
James nodded after a small pause. Mr Turner smiled with satisfaction. He went away, looking at his notebook. When he went out of sight, James shook his head: he didn’t like it one beat. But he turned the switch on maximum anyway. What could he do? An important man…

- We are ready to go Dr Turner, - said a femail voice behind him.
Dr Turner… He couldn’t get used to the name yet. But he liked it. It maked him sound important. He was a doctor now, not just Mr. There are thousands of Messrs, but he’s a doctor now.
- OK, - he nods. – In ten minutes then.
The assistant nods. She’s a beautiful woman, pushing her thirtieth. He might have asked her out, but she’s already married. Mrs Bunny Sursley. His thoughts are interrupted by Mrs Sursley’s voice:
- Ready in 10, 9, 8…
She counts back. And his heart starts to beat harder. In a few seconds he’s going to become a legend. Maybe kids in schools will even study his work. He beamed to himself for he was very proud. He is making a history. Who will be laughing now, father?
The counting is ended and the echo of working machines can be heard all round them. Turner beams at Mrs Sursley, and she smiles back.
- We did it, - she says. – You did this.
She points around them to indicate the machines. He can feel happiness and joy spreading through his veins. He laughs and rushes to hug her.
But the ship suddenly moves. Turner falls to his knees. The smile left his face; instead the expression on his face becomes puzzled. Another jerk. His notebook falls down from the table. The alarm activates. Turner gets to his feet and looks at Mrs Sursley. She is as pale as marble.
- What’s happening? – he asks her.
- I don’t know.
They hurry to the computer. She stops dead in her steps, staring at the computer.
- I don’ understand, - Mrs Sursley manages.
- Oh, God, - Turner whispers.
The main engine is broken.
- No, it can’t be, - Turner says and pushes Mrs Sursley away from the computer, coming closer. He starts to push buttons chaotically. – No, no. We have to stop this.
Mrs Sursley puts her hand on his and says, tears running down her cheeks:
- That kind of thing…
She pauses for a second, not able to bring herself to say it. But then she sights and whispers:
- Cannot be stopped. We are going to blow up in 10 seconds.
Her whisper can hardly be heard through the alarm.
- No, no. It can’t be…
He stops looking in her eyes, shining with tears. And then mouths:
- I was supposed to become a man of history today.
- One, - she whispers.
It’s so simple a word, he can’t make sense of it at first. And then the darkness swallows them.