"You have ten minutes until we begin Mr. Stevens. Would you like a beverage? Coffee?" The nurse was as pleasant as could be expected. But, there was a hefty price tag so Harrison expected nothing but the best. His friends were jealous of this latest extravagance but none of them could afford the treatment. It had taken months for Harrison to cash in every policy, trust, portfolio, and I.R.A. to come up with the price tag but he knew it would be worth it. "If only to leave this crap for one day" he mentioned to no one in particular. "What was that?" Jennifer was new to the clinic but wasn't new to these types. She needed this job but didn't really understand what would motivate a man or woman to leave it all behind and undergo such a thing. She waited a second for a response but the patient kept looking past her, as if waiting for someone. "I'm sorry miss. I guess I'm nervous." "Oh, that's quite alright Mr. Stevens. Can I get you anything?" Harrison considered her request but didn't feel the energy to answer. He felt weak from the concoction he took earlier and felt nauseous from the drink. Plus, his nerves were in a frantic state. He politely shook his head no and waited for her exit and solitude. "What am I doing here? This is nuts." he thought to himself. It was a new fad. Or at least that was the label the press was applying to it. Only one doctor was qualified to administer the treatment in the world. And he had assured Harrison that the process was painless and without memory. "Once a man begins there is no turning back. Nor will he want to." Those were the words Dr. Eisenburg had told him. It was called Nu U by the clinic. The professional term was Neuro-Transcendent Hyperbolarity. "Basically, the upper levels of brain activity that rationalizes and develops experiences and form them into the conscience as we understand them are reverted back to a state of immaturity and never allowed to develop again. A virtual state of innocence. Childlike naivety. Basically you'll forget the worries of the past and never have to put any more thought into mature problems again. You will find your youth that you have forgotten. And you will die a young boy." Harrison could still remember those words from his first consultation with the doctor. It was a choice that would take months to decide. But now, within moments of undergoing the procedure he had paid so dearly for, he was having second thoughts. The doctor had warned him this was possible but the payment was non-refundable. It was written up in the contract for the safety of the patient as well as the requirements of the insurance company. This was to prevent any lawsuits by the family of the patient due to the damage that could not be undone from the solution required to be digested prior to the procedure. The potion was a mixture of hallucinogens and stimulants required for neural pathways in the brain to be severed. Once administered it could not be stopped. The treatment was developed by a team of scientists with a different intent. Originally, in an attempt to rejuvenate the pathways damaged by neurological diseases, it was believed that the correction could be attained if the pathways were bypassed while administering a pulse of electrons in the dead areas of the brain. What the team found was the beginning of what would later be developed into Nu U. The last thing Harrison Stevens would remember was the nurse escorting him through the door to Dr. Eisenburg's office. For a moment Harrison screamed but the doctor remained calmed. They always screamed. It was the last effort by the brain before the final disconnects occured. It was the final cry of their humanity. As Mr. Stevens final round of treatment was administered, Jennifer wheeled him into the playroom. She would have to hurry. The next appointment would arrive soon. They were always on time. My name is Rueuhy and I approve this blog.
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