this is a short story called dose. I’ll be making some more comments on this once it’s finished
6.43 – wake up
6.44- take morning pill from the smooth slot beside my bed and dissolve on my tongue
6.45 –wake-up complete and amble along to kitchen
6.46 add breakfast cube to water, allow dissolving for 12 seconds, swirling in glass knock back
6.48 -shower and feel the food cube expand in my stomach. Muse on the fact that it’s the perfect balance of nutrients for my age, weight, height and physical activity level which really isn’t much compared to some.
6. 55 -dress and take work pill before leaving the house
7.06 -get metro to work. Notice that everyone is still groggy. Man in red tie has top button of his shirt open and the tie looks quite untidy. Probably let his child o it for him before leaving the house.
7.42 -get off metro near the office. Notice that everyone is far more focused. Man with red tie looks much better now. All buttoned and neat as it should be.
7.50 -arrive at building. Feel the work pill fizzing though my body as I start to focus more and more on my objectives for the day.
7.55 -sit at my desk, turn on my monitor and begin to check my e-mail.
8.03- notice that my colleague it late again and holding a cup of coffee.
She’s been late more and more, obviously she doesn’t prescribe like most people so she’s not able to get herself out and things. She even occasionally eats solids. What a strange woman. I’m surprised she’s even able to keep up some times.
9.15 -get a call from Jason. His picture doesn’t pop up, very strange. He tells me he’s sent something my way. A pill arrives in my tray. He tells me to take it so that I can deal with this better. I pop the pill out of its little plastic bubble and take it. I don’t have to worry, I trust and love Jason even though the work fizz that’s going through my body.
“It’s a new one” he tells me. “I had to order it specifically about a week ago”
I nod. His tone of voice had told me there was something serious going on. My stomach had immediately tensed up. It was obvious that what I had taken was meant to cushion the blow for something like this. The work focus went away; it would have worn off at midday anyway but still. My body relaxed, endorphins were being pumped through my system, and tension was evaporating away.
“Una dear, I’m sorry but I have to leave you. I’m sorry, I really am” he hadn’t taken the same thing as me. It was obvious, it must have been expensive. “It’s just well…..there’s somebody else”
I nodded “so who?” My voice was calm relaxed, even slightly relived.
“Suzanne from the marketing department, we’ve been seeing each other for about a month now”
“Well at least you told me” I responded then hung up.
12.00- leave the office for lunch. Notice that the pill Jason had sent me still hasn’t worn off. After thee and half years he knows me well so probably requested a tailored dose.
12.30- I take my second work pill for the day with the end of my smoothiee.
1.00 -Back at my desk.
1.46- I collapse while walking to the copier…….
I wake up. The room is white, warm bright and comfortable.
I don’t know the time. My head hurts. I move my hands to where my tray should be for the wake up dose but there’s nothing there. I hear a noise. It’s the monitoring of my heart. It speeds up slightly as I realise I’m not at home. The room is a hospital room. There are monitors, tubes and wires mostly sticking into me. I feel pain. I don’t like this.
A few minutes later a man in a white coat walks into the room. He’s tall; in his forties the smile on his face seems manufactured somehow. Like all of the best pieces of the movies put together on his face. It’s obviously been paid for but it’s insincere.
“Now my dear” he starts
“You’re probably feeling a little uncomfortable, this is perfectly normal”
“No kidding, this hurts you idiot” Was all I could think. I just nod.
“Now unfortunately you had a little episode. What you had sent to you was an incorrect prescription of relaxant, that counteracted with the Ph27014, or more commonly knows as the focus or work dose”
He stopped to take a breath. I began to think of Jason and was having some thought of him trying to poison me.
“The problem here is that this type of issue was never encountered in the trail of this new dose so it was completely unforeseen. Naturally the company will be making a large cash settlement”
He smiled at me then. I really didn’t care; things were hurting, real genuine pain! Jason leaving me for somebody else. I was hurting alot.
“Unfortunately this has also done permanent damage to your system. We can’t repair it” He paused for a moment.
“Can you please just give me something for the pain” I croaked.
He looked sad for a moment “Miss, how long have you been prescribing?” He asked.
“Since I was a child, but please the pain, it’s really sore!” Tears were forming in my eyes.
“I’m sorry Una, but we can’t. The damage means if we try to give you any dose it will more than likely kill you. You have been taken off the prescription list. This means no dose for any emotions or situation. Even minor pain and discomfort like this now”.
I was shocked; he’d used my first name and no dose ever again. I couldn’t speak. At this stage I’d be requesting a dose of some kind from the catalogue appropriate the situation but now, now nothing.
I began to cry, it was the first time I ever remembered crying.
“I’m sorry, there’ll be a trained professional assigned to you from the company to ensure that your transition is as smooth as possible”
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