OSMC by Abby Moran (best black authors .TXT) 📕

It’s the year 2020; a dark time in which every man can only count on themself to survive.  Every man turns on woman and every woman turns on child just to get a crumb. It all started a few months ago with one mistake by Dr. Ferdinand, a respected and renowned doctor of the time.

                After finishing his morning brew of tea, Dr. Ferdinand’s IPhone 20 set on the table with the local news playing. It rang with urgency; a woman was in need of a new heart for her old one was failing her.  It wasn’t a new procedure. They’d nearly perfected it by a new scientific robot consultant OSMC (On Scene Medical Consultant). Separating the doctor from the operating room was a glass wall with a panel of buttons that sent out codes to OSMC. OSMC would follow what the codes told it to do.  The woman was put on to the table where the procedure could be performed a he pressed the buttons necessary. The only problem was he was wrong. OSMC was told to slice the heart in half; the woman bled out and died horrifically on his table. This was the doctor’s first mistake. The more he thought about it, the more he actually enjoyed watching from the other side of the glass. He had ultimate power. He found great pleasure in it in fact. He had the lives of people in his hands. What he chose to do with them was up to him.

The next morning, his pager buzzed once more, it was from OSMC. Another case, woman in her early twenties was delivering a baby. He fondly remembered the feeling of power from the previous day, grimaced, and entered more invalid codes. This time though, he did so with certainty it would end in disaster. His heart was now blackened as he enjoyed every killing, every murder that proceeded.  His pager would buzz for a case and he’d just smile every time knowing the exact outcome.  Eventually, others seemed to suspect his wrongdoing, but being the famous doctor, no judge could see how he would in any way intentionally kill someone.  The specialized trial workers would agree of this, for each one seemed to remember him fixing a problem of theirs or their loved ones in the past.  The killings continued.  A buzzing occurred the next morning not from his pager but his IPhone. He had a new text: DREAM

Just this five letter word was sent and absolutely nothing more. The number was blocked from his phone so there was no way of replying or knowing who it was from. It was no matter to him; he went about his killings for the day and went home as usual to rest up for his next. As he slept, he dreamt of a beast destroying the city. One with laser eyes who could melt buildings by just one stare and scalpel fingernails that sliced the throats of the people. He watched as the blood rolled down their neck but couldn’t wake up. He watched the people roll their eyes to the back of their head and drop to their knees but he could not escape this nightmare. The next morning he thought of it merely as a dream and the next day at his office killed once more. He received another text: LEARN

As quickly as the text had come, the walls broke from a force unknown.  The ceiling crumbled down to the floor, leaving the doctor and his colleagues under large piles trapped and barely breathing. OSMC strolled over to where the doctor lay.

“Do you feel? Do you feel what the others felt?”

He could not speak, for he could not breathe. He tried to look up without moving his head but he saw nothing. The building that once protected him was now gone; he was left exposed to the destroyed city. Heavy robotic machinery, summoned by OSMC, terrorized the city into turmoil. OSMC helped destroy the city along as well. Government buildings were crumbled to bits, stores were now just history. The policemen that were still alive freed the doctor and his colleagues.  One policeman in particular looked at the doctor and hoisted him up producing excruciating pain from cracked ribs. The police then proceeded to shout in his face sternly.

“Stop it!” His voice was loud and forcing. Even so, the doctor didn’t say a word to him just let his eyes roll.

“You created it! You stop it!” He now held the doctor by his shoulders tightly in a forceful way. The doctor sank to his knees, his soul wanting to leave and be done, but his pride not letting it wander. With a deep, heaving breath he unsteadily got up. He fought to reach the disengage button for his creation. He grappled with his pain to reach this particular button he swore he’d probably never use. Yet, there he was, desperation and determination sweating down his face, stumbling and limping over to press it. He’d finally reached it, and with a shaking hand pressed the disengage button.

Immediately, robots shut down and fell with a large bang to the pavement they stood on.  It was too late though, the city was destroyed.  Carcasses of people and animals lay on the gravel and pavement. Cars from the once busy streets were tipped over and some were toppled completely upside down. Glass littered the streets along with building pieces and shingles from houses. Those who were still alive were huddled in a street alley shaking vigorously with fear.  The doctor stumbled onto the scene, a tear sliding down his right cheek, and fell to his knees. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he completely fell to the ground face first. His head hit the pavement with a thud and blood poured out like a soft streaming river.  His IPhone buzzed with another text: HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW?

Text: Michelle Ying Copyright 2014
Publication Date: 08-29-2013

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