Immortality

This time when he came home on his annual vacation, She felt he was a bit different. He was widely read and used to talk non-stop. If you say it is hot, he would be able to tell a news article he read about how the Everest base camp has a stream now, while in the past trekkers had to melt snow to get fresh water. He had strong opinions on some topics. She remembers getting into a long winding argument on the type of politics that is good for this country. He was a strong believer in science and had very different ways of looking at issues. He felt that to govern a complex country you can side step on many small issues and focus on one single big problem like supplying drinking water to all households in the country. She disagreed. She felt progress should be organic without big bang changes.

None of that was happening this time. He was rarely talking, forget debating on issues. He was quiet most of the time, reading books and mostly sat silent at the dinner table. But once in a while she felt she could connect with him on the past. He asked if her favorite is still non-fiction and even mentioned a latest best-seller she must read. He talked about some of the classics and asked her if she would have a look at Kafka’s works. He was very attentive when she spoke. He took her out to her favorite shops and even drove out of town on small picnics to the nearby forest. When she wanted to buy some art items at the other part of the city, he joined her without a mumble. This was in sharp contrast to what he used to be. He never liked to come to the malls. He hated the time he wasted standing and looking around. He detested the deodorant smell, the bright LED lights and the constant background noise of the people and the channel music. Surely he felt more humane this time around. He never tried to impose his views and she felt he was very discerning.

On one of the trips to the nearby forest, while walking around the resort where they stayed, she asked ‘How is your work going ?’

‘Not bad. We released the first prototype. I would say it is quite successful’.

‘I only vaguely recollect that it is something to do with the human computer interface’

‘Yes. Thats about it. How man can interface with machines in the future when Robots come into our personal lives.’ he said.

‘Is it very hard?’ she asked innocently.

‘No. Not really. A large part goes in simply thinking about the problem itself. Since I am adequately funded I can afford to do this without the constraints of time. Most of the research stays in papers and conferences and dies. Very few can be brought into mainstream for public consumption’ He talked a bit more than usual she felt.

‘When you are on such long running targets, how do you manage to hold onto it?’

‘That’s why only a few can do it. Also, there is the question of old age and death …’ he was about to continue and suddenly paused as if he stepped on something he should not have.

‘Yes, I used to wonder why the whole world is studying physics and maths. But then I understood that that is how we have ensured the research continues on this. Newton to Einstein to Hawking. It is evolving continuously beating death’, She felt happy she could chip in her own answer.

He was nodding his head in agreement. He said ‘Yes, you are absolutely correct on that’. After walking for a while he suddenly said, ‘there is a better way to beat death’.

‘What? How ?’

‘When a person who is deep into something dies, it takes a while for another one to come to that point. Also, there is no guarantee that someone will ever be interested in that and continue on that path. That’s why it takes centuries for new breakthroughs to happen. This is something I have found an answer while working on my research’, he said.

‘You mean you could get around death ?’ She asked.

‘Sort of’, he said.

For a while she was speechless. She looked at him. He was smiling at her. When they got married several years ago, she felt he had a potential to change things. When he went off to work in a secret government project, he had to be away from home for long periods, running into months. Whenever he came back on vacation, she used to make up for all the time. Love, fights, debates, kid, dream about their future. But he was always tight lipped when she asked about the work he was up to. This time he came back after a long gap. Six months. She was on the verge of frustration without him. The moment she saw him at the airport, she felt like running and hugging him and showering him with kisses. But he looked so different. He was warm and smiling and hugged her lightly and then started to walk towards the car. And over the days, what she observed of him made her think that he has changed. But now she realized that all those change in him is due to those death defying research and the major breakthrough. It has surely caused him look at life differently. He is no longer going to be his past what she saw of him. But she liked his current form very much. He was more loving and caring than before.

‘It must be the success he got after a long drawn battle’, she thought.

She wanted to talk further on the ‘How’ part of it. It was dark by then and they had to return to the room.

Several weeks after he left to work on his project, she got a call from him.

‘Why don’t you pack your bags and come over here?’ he said.

When she entered that large campus, she was directed towards the main reception. It was a sprawling area. A person greeted her and directed her to sit on a large sofa. On the wall opposite to her, she saw his photograph among the super star researchers of that institute. He looked a bit younger and charming. The letters under the photo said ‘1967–2019’. ‘What?’ she gasped in shock. As she went near, her heart started to beat fast. Yes, she saw it right. Her husband is no more. Most of the other photographs also had researchers who had passed away.

She turned back with trepidation. Images of her walking with him talking about death flashed in her eyes. What is real? Did he die soon after that ? Then who had called me ? She went back and collapsed on the sofa.

She opened her eyes to the soft pat on her cheek. He was standing there with a glass of water. ‘Drink the water’, he said. She was still dazed. Her mind was not thinking any more. It was stuck in that forest walk. Time had frozen for her right in that scene.

He waited for her to come to normal. ‘Don’t worry. I am alive’, he said. He walked her to the cafeteria nearby. ‘What’s happening’, she muttered. He ordered coffee for her. ‘I died before I came on vacation’, he paused and said, ‘One day when I was in the lab, I collapsed. My heart stopped. It was at a critical point in my research. I had just created the prototype of a bionic implant with a neural engine that can revive a dead person and enhance all his bodily functions, including his brain. And I became the first person to experience my own invention. My assistants were quick enough to plant it inside me. There is no difference. But I feel I am more human. I am no more that brash fellow you were used to. I am a better person now, though I am an android.’, he laughed.

She was staring at her immortal husband in disbelief.