iDENTITY Page 5

  “Hey, wake up, you jerk. Help, save me from old pig face,” said a feminine voice.

  A pig in a man’s overalls chased her, grunting and wheezing like an old man.

  Randall stretched, opened his eyes, and smelled the stench. He nearly puked from the smell of animal dung, sweat, and rotten food. But the dream turned out to be a reality and his worst nightmare. After being thrown in this dark pit with concrete walls, a trough of green liquid, and only the light from a small window ten feet above him, he despaired at the thought of rotting here forever. A sentence he was not willing to accept.

  He blinked at the strange site in front of him, a room full of hybrids— animals that dressed like humans but acted like savages. The animals with some human characteristics huddled together with food and water bowls in a separate large jail-like pen. They mumbled in pain and fear. Those that fully turned into animals were chained to columns or left to roam around the basement. Others drank from a large trough filled with green liquid, like what Randall ingested in the lab. Some tore into each other, hungry for food; others cowered or hid in the corners. Body parts covered the floors; animals screamed in pain; and blood was splattered on the walls, all being recorded by the security cameras above.

  A torture chamber created at the expense of unsuspecting people, who wanted to make a better life for themselves. The greediness of Optimal’s executives enraged him. The fact that they knew what was happening down here sickened him. Claws grew from his hands, his teeth sharpened, and his body shifted into a wild beast, ready to tear into the next creature that challenged him.

  He howled, shaking his mighty head as the basement vibrated. The snake and pig cowered in the corners. All the animals stood on edge, awaiting his next move. He strutted around the room, daring anything to attack him, eyeing the room through his mountain lion’s eyes. He saw his world in finite details: rotten food from previous feedings, wooden objects blocking his way, the ceiling draped with cobwebs as spiders escaped down the walls. He smelled fresh meat, a combination of animal and human scents. Their strange bodies, mutations of animal parts protruding from human forms, disgusted him.

  He noted the sunlight above warming his strong body, his own possible means of freedom. Sensing the others feared him because of his strength and power; he knew he could tear anyone of them apart in a split second. For once in his life, he commanded the room in this chaotic world where misfits lived and survived. Earlier a voice had challenged him and Randall became cognizant of a snake-like creature with a tiny human head. She now lay coiled in a corner.

  Randall despised snakes of any kind. His eyes focused on her, shocked that she could speak to him. He moved toward her and nudged her with his giant paw. She squirmed, opened her large blue eyes, and pursed her full lips. Her body uncoiled and elongated to her full height in a challenging pose. Randall moved forward and exposed his teeth. The others hid in their corners and waited for the confrontation. Only the sound of creaking pipes could be heard.

  “Hey, I’m not afraid of you. Who do you think you are, the king of this hellhole?” said the snake. She flicked her tongue at him.

  Jaz

  When Jaz stepped off the transporter, she breathed a sigh of relief. First, Sydney didn’t recognize her and she finally got off a ride that felt like eternity. Secondly, she made it in one piece after the sleek, turbo-charged eco-van picked her up and took her back to her apartment. Jaz remembered it felt like an angel was coming to save her.

  “Are you Jaz Jensen?” a voice asked from the rolled-down window of the van.

  “Uhh…yeah. How do you know me?”

  “Steven Walters had me follow you last night and make sure you made it to your appointment. My name’s Enrico. Get in.”

  She quickly jumped in the back seat of the car as it belted her in before taking off at 200 miles per hour. The rush of the engine drowned out her screams.

  Now five hours later, she arrived at the Meridian for her life-changing appointment. When Steven first presented her to the executives at Space Ventures International, they seemed a little skeptical due to Jaz’s limited experience and credentials as a model. She watched Mark’s eyes pick her out from all the rest of the candidates to read first.

  “Just act naturally, be yourself, and act like you know what you’re doing in the booth,” Steven whispered in her ear.

  Many of the other girls looked at her jealously and cast doubtful eyes as she stood in front of a transparent gravity booth and imagined herself in space. The instructor gave Jaz some instructions and presented her with ear plugs. She put on the shimmering space suit, stepped into booth, and listened to the cues. She flew from the walls to the ceiling, executing tumbles and spins while reading the promotional lines effortlessly as she smiled at the audience. It was her smile and spirit that caught the new VP’s eye.

  The other candidates flubbed their lines or vomited or shrieked in fear as they moved upside down and upward in the booth. “Let me down now; I’m going to die,” yelled a candidate with many years of modeling experience. But Jaz proved herself again throughout the day, undergoing a battery of physical and mental tests, from climbing a fifty-foot boulder and swimming in a frigid pool, to being locked in a dark, confined space for several minutes. She amazed herself and others by passing them all with determination and grace.

  Jaz laughed to herself as she became the number one candidate, either through luck or that green pill. Those girls with their perfect make-up and bodies didn’t measure up, even with their bragging and posing. They pierced her with their death stares as they left the audition.

  I’m still the youngest at 19, but nobody knows me and I have nothing to lose. Just keep pushing and get in front the camera, Jaz thought.

  The next day she found herself jetting to a California desert location to simulate an outer-world flight, the eventual goal being to fly to Eden, an earth-like planet discovered in 2030. Space Ventures would be the first company to touch down on the planet and Jaz would be its spokesperson. It was a dream come true, not only to be given such a juicy assignment, but to know she would go to a planet not yet inhabited, but soon to be visited.

  The twelve-passenger van glided smoothly through the atmosphere, piloted by an experienced astronaut and crew of scientists and engineers. Jaz gulped air as they landed in the remote area that used to be a forest of redwoods, but now contained sixty-foot cacti.

  “Don’t worry, the air’s very dry, but just relax and wear the mask at first to adjust. That’s why we’re heading for Eden, which is our only hope for survival in this century,” Mark said to Jaz.

  The Drought of 2020 had torched the land, leaving only the cacti and a cracked surface. The heat sucked the moisture out of the air with a temperature of 130 degrees as the ground crumbled. The crew observed the circumstances and set up some plastic boulders, plastic trees, life-like fragrant flowers, and a small pond as a backdrop.

  The new transparent mask allowed Jaz to breathe and cooled her face. She followed the crew outside in a tight, shiny silver suit and three-inch space boots as they set up a climate-controlled transparent wall and structure around the vehicle. She took off the mask to repeat the lines just said in the studio as the hot desert air touched her face. Jaz felt a tingle and twitch. Suddenly the clothes felt tight, her hair frizzed, and then Jaz’s face began to balloon. She felt dizzy and couldn’t breathe. Jaz licked her parched lips and focused on the commercial.

  “Do exactly what you did at the office. Just smile and promote our exciting Space Venture Tour. Take one. Action,” said Mark.

  In slow motion, Jaz mumbled the lines, having difficulty standing still and forming the words. She froze, fear and expectations overwhelming her. She flubbed her lines again and again.

  “Space…space…ven… tures…the… per….fect. time-- I mean ride. Space Adventures, Space Ventures.”

  “Wait, something’s wrong, you look and sound different. It seems like you’ve gained weight and your face is bloated. Let’s try it again. Take
22,” said the photographer impatiently. Mark talked tersely to his staff, asking them to give her some time as she drank a glass of water and applied some gloss to her lips.

  Jaz felt sick to her stomach and started to have a panic attack.

  “Please, I need a break, it’s… the heat’s getting to me.”

  She excused herself and ran back to the van. The mirror in the van’s bathroom reflected the old Jasmine, plump and frazzled. Anxiety kicked in and she hyperventilated. Geez, forgot to take my pill! I’m so stupid. Wish my mom were here to help me. Can’t go back to those high school days, not ugly Jasmine. She quickly popped the pill into her mouth and gulped it down with a huge glass of water, burping on the acid taste in her mouth.

  Jaz closed her eyes and a vision of her late dad appeared: “I wanted so much for you. I worked hard to raise you and give you a home, you better make me proud.”

  She closed her eyes and was determined to become someone, to exceed his expectations. She’d been given the chance of a lifetime, she just had to believe.

  Relaxing and imaging herself to be that beautiful, skinny model, the transformation began to take place. Thirty minutes later, she saw her eyes brighten, her hair straightened, her clothes adjusted, and the face in the mirror appeared smooth and beautiful again. Relieved, she breathed normally and muttered, “Got to get through this before they become suspicious.”

  “Jaz, honey, are you okay? They’re waiting for you,” said Steven as he tapped on the door.

  She hesitated, then remembered her dad’s words.

  “I’m ready now!” said Jaz. She marched out of the van and gave Steven a bright smile. The photographer scrutinized her, with a look of total shock on his face as he adjusted his lens and guided her first movements.

  A simulation of Eden blended in the background as if Jaz were already there. Inwardly she shivered, but outwardly she focused on the task at hand, and nailed the take on the first try.

  “Introducing Space Ventures, the perfect ride of our time. Take a trip and explore the universe. I’m Jaz and it’s out of this world. But don’t take my word, check out our site for more information on new times and travel dates. Be the first in your neighborhood to walk on Eden!”

  Jaz imagined her dad smiling down on her from the heavens above.

  “Perfect, the new Space Ventures spokesperson is born! The commercial will be posted on all G Net sites before we return. Everyone will be dying to go to Eden. Let’s wrap up and head for the office,” said Mark. He patted her on the shoulder and winked at Steven.

  “I knew you could do it. My instincts were right about you,” Steven whispered to her as they climbed back into the air-conditioned van. Jaz wiped the sweat from her forehead and suddenly felt the walls closing in. Just relax— they loved you, she told herself.

  The space van lifted gently from the desolate place, picking up speed. Jaz shivered and felt relieved that she had fought her demons, checking herself in her make-up mirror. The old Jasmine had vanished. The face looking back at her smiled confidently, her eyes gleaming and her skin glowing and blemish-free. In the next few days, she would schedule a facial and consider that anti-bloating diet. She sucked in her stomach and pinched her thighs. Then she turned to look back at Steven and Mark, who were fully engaged in the marketing plans.

  Jaz sat up straight and stared at her perfect reflection in the windows as the space van landed smoothly on the rooftop of the Meridian Building. She marveled at the new technology that allowed the van to land on a building perfectly. Mark thanked her and excused himself as he got off at the Space Ventures’ floor. Steven and Jaz rode to the top and in seconds landed at the top floor in the Star Casino.

  “How about a drink to celebrate your first promotion? We can discuss your trip to Eden,” said Steven as he ushered her into the transporter.

  “Sure, why not?” said Jaz.

  Just then, she received a text from Matt: “Viewed the commercial and you looked great tonight, babe. A real star and so proud that you’re my girlfriend.”

  She blushed as she saw the wall monitors displaying visions of Space Ventures’ latest streaming commercial. As they stepped into the casino, a small crowd of adoring fans rushed toward her. “Jaz, can we have your autograph?!” they screamed.

  “You’re a star, darling. The face of consumer space travel to Eden, the new Earth. Enjoy and drink up!” said Steven. He handed her a drink and stood aside so she could greet the group of mostly excited young males.

  She almost fainted at the sight, never having experienced such love and attention. She carefully signed ‘Jaz’ on napkins, smiling graciously as Steven fielded their questions. After an hour of their undivided attention, she collapsed in the seat at the bar, where an imported lobster tail and a glass of sparkling water had been placed before her. She took a small sip and avoided the buttery dip.

  “I never knew fame could be so tiring,” Jaz said, blushing.

  “Jaz, I just got a call from Mark; your face has gone viral. He wants to sign you up for an exclusive contract. But I’m getting other offers. What’s next is up to you.”

  Steven beamed and turned away to answer another call.

  Visions of her dad flooded her brain. The 2020 Drought dried up most of the jobs and having a landscaping business worked against him. He drove himself to death, providing for her and her mom, driving large space vans across country night and day, only to succumb to a heart attack at forty. He pressured her to be the brightest, most beautiful, and most popular girl in her class, but during his lifetime she failed him miserably. His expectations for her were high. She wished he could see her now.

  “You have to help your mother; she can’t work with that disease—multiple sclerosis will eventually debilitate her.” She remembered his words right before he died and vowed to send money home once she had a real job.

  She spotted Matt on the other side of the room. He grinned and headed straight for her. “Jaz, honey, you didn’t tell me that you’re a big star. I’ve been trying to track you down all day.”

  Glad to see the handsome cowboy she just met the night before, she rushed into his arms. Fame and a new boyfriend were still new to her and she felt nervous and shy.

  “Who is this guy? I can have security make him leave,” said Steven.

  “No, he’s a friend. Can we have some privacy? Thanks, Steven,” said Jaz.

  Steven apologized and said he would call her about the next assignment.

  “Friend, is that all I am to you? You have been on my mind all day. Let’s go back to my place; I have something to show you,” said Matt and pressed his lips to hers.

  They walked through the adoring crowds as a beaming Matt held tightly onto her arm, observing their admiration. Down the transporter and several blocks away, they climbed into his tiny Eco VW Bug and sped away.

  Jaz swallowed another pill and she checked herself in the mirror as they pulled up to Matt’s apartment. Still perfect, she thought.

  Maggie

  Maggie knew she could face the brash Vera Vixen after a quick blow dry at La Salon that morning and some inner affirmations. With her stomach in knots, a belief in karma and the little green pill gave her the confidence to handle this interview. But a scene from the past clouded her mind.

  “Your blog lacks excitement; the readers need something more, everyone’s so bored. Why should I read this?” said Vera.

  Maggie remembered offering one-word answers, then shutting down the meeting with a click of the delete button. Her tactic to retreat rather than confront never got her anywhere so being MJ helped her fight back rather than being the mousy, submissive Maggie.

  Vera’s raspy voice pulled her back to the present and the fact that she was in her home. She sipped some wine from a coffee cup as she faced her old boss, looking directly into the monitor. Needs a wrinkle lift and hair replacement. Must I deal with all these seniors? Maggie thought.

  “Just had time to quickly scan your blog this morning; George convinced me to revi
ew it. Said it was the next trend in entertainment. I love your idea of transporting readers directly into your novel, but the romance genre doesn’t quite fit our targeted readers. Can you address this issue?” Vera asked, her glasses posed on the end of her pointy nose, scribbling some notes.

  “Half of your readers are women and they still want a good love story. Everyone will be fascinated with the idea of being in a Sim World.”

  “Can you tell me more about the characters? How do they view love? What’s new about this?” asked Vera.

  “Love 2040 lets you experience the characters’ love story from a reality standpoint. You are right there, living their story with them. I want to bring romance back to today’s stark reality.”

  “Yes, Maggie’s approach is very contemporary, bold, and straightforward, not just the simple, little love story. The technology aspect is phenomenal, and with so much potential. I respect your opinion, but open your mind, Vera. You need to experience it to love it,” said George.

  “Well, George, I want to remind you that you hired me for my candid and direct style. We want to give our readers what they want and please our stockholders who pay our bills,” Vera explained with her usual condescension. Her eyes widened and her cheeks sported two spots of deep red.

  “Just to assure you, Vera, I’ve been writing my entire career and so far, my blog has received thousands of likes and followers. Every chapter is a new adventure and it will sell.”

  “I’m glad you and George are so confident. I will have to step into the Sim World and see what the excitement is all about. Has another editor reviewed this? By the way, you look like a younger, prettier version of someone I know. Did we ever work together?” Vera asked.

  “Anything’s possible. Thanks for the compliment. George, what’s next? I feel there’s so much potential here,” MJ said with a hypnotic stare.