Cognitive Deviance

9. Ghosts

March 25, 2045 - 11:30 PM

"Hey, Cohen," Doug said, barging into the office. "How much longer is the deadline?"

Arthur Cohen sat down at his desk, clasping his face in his hands out of frustration. He and his colleagues only had a week until their deadline. Either they had to find a newsworthy story or they were all out of there. That's why he wasn't very fond of people. It was impossible to please all of them.

"I already told you, Doug," Arthur groaned. "We got one damn week. And once we have it, we'll only need one more story before May. I already promised some of the guys at MindLock we'd give them the spotlight at their rally for Mental Health Month."

"Why did we do that again?"

"Well, the guy I promised it to thinks it's because I care about his cause and wasn't aware of his manipulative streak. But in reality, it was so he could just shut the hell up."

Doug burst out laughing. "Damn activists, am I right?"

Arthur laughed along with him. He brushed his hand through his dark brown hair before checking his watch. "All right, buddy. It's pretty late. Why don't you get on out of here and get some rest?"

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm gonna do when I get home," Doug replied as he grabbed his suitcase. "Don't tell the doctor-cops this, but these four guys gave me some of those 'Gasm Gas tubes all the kids are taking nowadays. Haven't seen them since. Hopefully, that means I don't owe them anything."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You actually got your hands on some Wonderland Mist?"

"Yeah, man! Wanna try some?"

"Not gonna lie, I'm tempted," Arthur replied as he scratched his head. "But I probably shouldn't. I heard some people say those things cause schizophrenia. Or worse: erectile dysfunction."

"So what? They have pills for both of those! That's just how the world is nowadays."

"Well, you can head on home and fill your head with random voices or put on a dress and call yourself a woman or whatever. But unlike most people nowadays, I still have my mind together."

Doug chuckled. "And that's why nobody likes you. Have a goodnight, Cohen!"

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle. "Goodnight to you, too, Doug."

Arthur returned his view to the screen in front of him as Doug closed the door behind him. There were two images on his screen. One was a map of Philadelphia and the other was a news article format for the story he'd eventually find. The lack of a title for his article disgusted him as well as the rest of its missing components.

Then the lights went out. Arthur was left alone in the dark, with only the soft glow of his holo-computer giving him sight.

"Goddamn it," he muttered. He leaned his head forward, hoping his secretary was still there to hear his call. "Lily, could you call the electric company? Someone might be screwing around with the fusebox again."

He jumped in his seat as he heard glass shattering beyond the door to his office. The light from his screen helped him make out the items on his desk, but he couldn't find anything he could use in defense. The door creaked opened, and he rose from his seat and backed into the wall. If he got the timing right, he could bolt to the emergency exit beyond the other door, one that led out into another hallway toward the stairwell.

Footsteps grew closer. He could make out multiple silhouettes in the dark. Everyone in the room appeared to be holding some kind of weapon, either a blunt object or a knife. Most of them were a few feet shorter than him, but he couldn't distinguish a single face. The sounds of glass crackling as they walked across the shards sent a shiver down his spine.