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2024-10-29 19:42:56“Of course, it’s rightful for you to hold onto the memory of their deaths,” said the doctor, his face gleaming white from all the cold bright light of the room. There was a hint of sincerity with his minute movement, of leaning forward as he held the tablet in his hand. “We are not pushing you to quickly move on with your life, but you should do so for the sake of your future. You must accept that.”
Settling herself outside of the room felt like a breath of fresh air, and the water she drank before feels fresher and cooler than it did inside the room, in his presence. Cynicism doesn’t come naturally for Bernice who’s been quite neutral on several occasions, except, perhaps, when her two best friends felt like they were distancing themselves from her even before they went out with each other.
Perhaps it’s much more honest to say, right now, after so long, that she was jealous of their existence. That they fou
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Suitable Bags of Flesh Chapter 33 (part 3)
Both Bernice, who tried her best to hide her presence from the people in the elevator, and the man named Mr. Daquiaog arrived at the lobby with the intent of going to the lounge. More for Bernice’s sake than anything, as the man was kind enough to offer her some cover as she confused herself in trying to make sense of her actions.“My doctor’s session just took some time today, but I usually don’t lose track of things.” Bernice internalized as she held her phone to see if Dr. Munar would pick up after she’s messaged him that she was going home. “Well, usually Dr. Munar is here to wait for me, but today he’s handling some paperwork regarding my, uhm… citizenship.”“Ah, you’re the kid Dr. Munar’s adopting from A-city.” Mr. Daquioag said as he sat down beside her.Bernice nodded, “and… are you one of the, uhm, soldiers? Who helped us get back here?”
Suitable Bags of Flesh Chapter 33 (part 4)
Dr. Munar and Belle greeted each other like old men in a bar, standing up and shaking hands and staying still in place while conversing with each other about relevant stuff regarding political strife. At least that’s how it sounds to Bernice as she stood up beside Belle and had her hug and greeting with the doctor. They stayed there for full three long minutes before the doctor said, “well, we better go to the hospital for a final check-up. She’s going to have her first logging process in the government database for her body’s condition. Not the most pleasant thing to hear about, but it’s required to become a citizen.”“Ah,” Belle said as he smirked. “Don’t be bothered when they stick a needle at this part of your neck.” He pointed to his neck and Bernice unconsciously touched hers. “It’s a myth when they say they’ll inject you with a microchip without permission, but if you don&
Suitable Bags of Flesh Chapter 33 (part 5)
Side eyeing Bernice, Belle leaned his body sideways and made a face that said, “in front of the kid?”. Bernice who was trying not to show any form of interest in the conversation focused her eyes on the screen of her phone. There’s a peak of curiosity in the topic of their conversation but there’s no limit to how interested she should be, nevertheless, Dr. Munar answered for her as his future guardian. Before properly saying anything, Dr. Munar gave Bernice a look that told her that he considers her opinion on the matter, which on a side note was only noticed by her in her peripheral. It was subtle but Dr. Munar patted her shoulder, more out to make her notice the topic and nothing more. She looked up only to respond with a slight nod. Then that’s when the doctor told Belle of Bernice’s “unique form of treatment.” Though not confident of the details, Dr. Munar told him why Bernice is being tightly monitored and requested therapy on every occasion. Though not upfront about the reasons
Suitable Bags of Flesh Chapter 33 (part 6)
“Finally?” Dr. Munar asked as he wondered about that one word as if Min-Ain has shown signs before, or during their time.“No, it’s not like he explicitly stated anything, out of respect though I would say it’s more of an assumption. But it’s better safe than sorry.” Cristian replied as he leaned forward. “The events before we got to the hospital made me confirm that it’s not just an unusual symptom of sickness for him. It’s not even the signs of the second incident. His body went limp as if his muscles were being taken over and controlled by numbness.“Half the time he’s just struggling to move, but he can still speak. Difficult but he could think and comprehend things. It only took seconds of our time inside the area of effect for the ‘Dimension Pocket’ for him to acquire difficulty in breathing. As if he’s struggling to hang on for dear life.” Cristian then looked over his laptop bag and pulled out his tablet. “I took a shot of his diagnosis after he’s recovered from his fever, and
Suitable Bags of Flesh Chapter 33 (part 7)
The young man looked at her, his brows are filled with sweat and his breathing was erratic. Like instinct, he looked around and saw that there was a nurse that passed by but had missed their interaction as it looked like they were doing something, like a hug. Bernice noted this as well, more sensitive to his actions because of how wary he seemed when he looked around to see if there were any people behind her. She did her best to push him away without making his situation worse and felt that he was cold to the touch, specifically on his arms. The hand that held her shoulder was a different matter, it was warm as if it existed separately from the rest of his condition. “Sorry,” he whispered then started to stagger, but his footing still looked stable enough that all he did was lean his shoulder on the wall. “I’m not like this all the time, I also have no intention to harm you, so please let me just rest here.” Bernice had to stop herself from moving away but it felt like, despite his
Suitable Bags of Flesh Chapter 33 (part 8)
Sometimes it’s a fickle coincidence that brings people together with connections as if the world was small. Just like the way Bernice’s well-surprised face looked as silly as Dr. Munar’s, while on the side the young man looks back and forth between the two, chuckling, they introduce each other like it wasn’t anything.Greeting Dr. Munar with the cordiality of the same aged people, the young man, named Min-Ain, said a few words before he was assisted by another man. His name was Cristian, and he was older than Min-Ain but younger than Dr. Munar. He looked disheveled but he smelled clean and antiseptic, which tickled Bernice’s nose. As much, she didn’t stay long, rather voluntarily because the first words of discussion the three had for each other started with.“Cristian’s caught me up with the details of your condition…” from Dr. Munar, and it was no joke how Bernice suddenly felt like she was going to be listening in on something more than she could bargain for.Excusing herself witho
Suitable Bags of Flesh Chapter 34 (part 1)
Chapter 34Archives don’t lie when they’re recorded, they fill in the blanks for so many people who seek information if it’s available. If not, who else but archivist’s eager to fill the void of the missing data will pull their strings to occupy that lost knowledge?As for this case, splitting them into several copies in assurance it will not be lost has become a habit for several people in answer to resolve any data corruption that can happen at any time. Lost files and deteriorating data will still have a chance to live for another day in someone’s hungry mind if logs of reports and the like will never be voluntarily kept into at least five pathways of storage.That is basically what most of the time Prof. Tenorio’s private assistant’s job is while he is away in the field. Several times in the day, the professor would send them to be able to log files of different kinds, ranging from videos to written reports they could barely read. Time runs fast when they busy themselves backing u
Suitable Bags of Flesh Chapter 34 (part 2)
The professor prepared all video log entries the medical staff recorded, all sent to Reina on the same day it was done, but it wasn’t off-putting to Prof. Tenorio that their results don’t pass thru him, rather he expected they submitted all manner of observation and psychological testing to Northwoods to let their staff analyze and keep them in their archives. Eventually, Prof. Tenorio would have to remember to review these interviews because it’s not in his place to be fully unconcerned about their matters.Browsing through the twenty video files, he chose ones from Ruan and Abin, detailing all their struggles and adventure within the territory of the forgotten hospital. Though Abin has declared intent for retirement from this current assignment, as of this moment, she cannot go back home because the next carrier for survivors won’t be coming until at least half of the in-coma-infected citizens have recovered.He’s surprised how Abin willingly stated that she would wait until she’s n
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Epilog
EpilogueThe caves underground lead nowhere man could tolerate, with the pressure of the world pressing over them, no one can follow the Primer monsters as they exit the premise of C-city. These Primers are not going to be eaten and smothered by power over time, however, they will co-exist in a community built by Memoria.Memoria who sat almost half a millennia awake under the ruins of F-city played another game of race between the lines with several other internet connection nodes that are knowingly joined into the old working cable lines of the dead city. Then when the race finishes, they rest for the while, thinking like a person, old and hesitant.They’ve long forgotten that they could easily browse these connections so that they could monitor the condition of the world and their old friends who now walks the human world with the grace that could only dignify those with experience. They have experience too, of a different kind, all collected from the vast brains and words of those
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<intermission>
Hi, there Nate here :) I've enjoyed writing this story so far, but things have been complicated and I won't be able to write it anymore. There are some moments that I wish I could have fixed in the long run but it's gotten too much to hold in just one hand. After this chapter will be a short Epilog for a short mention of each relevant characters final activities before the future becomest truly a mystery. This story ran its course, pretty long if you ask me, and the development of some characters are slow but steady. There will be a new title coming after this for the coming month, it's tentative title is "Ocular to the Dying Sun." A saga of the Prime Magician and the realm of Slitark according to before their brightest star continues to deteriorate. Have fun reading, please do leave comments~
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Chapter 37 (part 4)
Small-stature wobbled from their place in shock and confusion. They could hear voices, words they thought would not be possible to understand even if they have a sprinkle of memories of being able to say such things, such words. Vocabulary had almost slipped their still able memory of what they seem to perceive as their selves before this blind-like body.Their comrade underlings did not comprehend the creature in front of Small-stature, making them react in a scared way, almost darting to scurry in escape. Managing to hail them back into the premise of Small-stature’s vicinity was easy, what with One-arm herding them back to where they are.“My, forgive me. It seems like you are a newborn to this body.” Soft-spoken, as Small-stature calls them, listened to them say. “Let me soothe your worries, we are not here to relish harm upon our fellow. Rather, guide them.”Hearing and understanding what Soft-spoken said took about a few seconds of Small-stature’s comprehension, but their underl
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Chapter 37 (part 3)
Two presences from the premise disappeared when the small-statured creature sensed the sensation of an optimal sound and light came from underneath the ground. There was a pause as they waited for the arrival of this, oh so, comforting resonance.Anticipation. Tension. Pause.There was a definite halt in their senses when another sensation overpowered their most awaited event, that was just been triggered moments ago. Because of this, they knew that there was something wrong. Something that would bring them great demise and abandonment, even if they know they could survive without this “thing.”Grasping this “thing” was an answered prayer they knew would be something that could help develop their comrades and these sweet-scented underlings of theirs. Telling them that they would grow and develop into better creatures that could well benefit each other. Without words, just sounds and resonance, deeds.Still, they could not help but waver in tenacity when they felt the loss of this “thi
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Chapter 37 (part 2)
Waking up in another body is hellish beyond comparison. Imagine opening your eyes to blindness you didn't know existed, with the light coming from nowhere and everywhere. You don't see with your eyes, but you feel the world ten times stronger with nothing but your body who is sensitive to every kind of noise. Magic would have been more believable than realizing that your blindness is not caused by pain of any internal kind, but by your eyes absorbed inside your skull, sunken deep. Protected by a layer of skin thin but tough, while a substance within shakes and serves to stay it in place. Something moved within their skull, surreal but they could feel it moving with every shake and stir as if a jar of pickles with one pickle inside swimming in its vat of juice. Why am I comparing pickle to my situation? Calming themselves was easy, they “breathed” slow and steady, through a nose they could not feel or sense its presence on their face, but they know its there. Wildly adjusting their t
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Chapter 37 (part 1)
Chapter 37Skies don’t rain beans or bacon, but Horaz, who’s gotten himself used to the way the Primer identity roams his mind, sees that this Primer sure knows how to mix the setting they stand in by displaying all food he’s been craving for. Nothing beats being human and wanting nothing but to satiate your day with all the good comfort food that lives in your head, at least the ones you’ve tasted before.He has been yearning to eat more than raw meat, which his tongue and throat burned from the bitter taste, not sweet or delectable, but bitter and tangy at the same time. The youth of sixteen years has not tasted flesh the same way it’s described with a raw steak, though he prefers well done, he probably would have had the chance to taste raw steak in the time his family would celebrate special occasions.But he prefers well-done steak, baked beans, and the occasional tacos on the weekends. Softshell because he needs to cater to his girlfriend’s taste for cleanliness, hence food with
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Chapter 36 (part 7)
“Stand… down,” Akyl said slowly to the escorts. Her eyes watched the one arm that clung to the tail.She could tell that the tail, or the identity that controlled it, is strong today. There must be a correlation between their method of physical examination and their tail’s response to their body. Rather, she could sense that Horaz is just realizing that there was more to the process happening in his Primer body and just noticing it now.The other escorts, with guns that bore metal ammunition, followed through but the tranquilizer bearer did not ease his aim. The escort shook his head in rejection of her request and Akyl had to acknowledge this.Purce stood still, feeling her tension, more from fear, stiffen her body. The only part that could move was her eyes and she watched in anticipation if the doctor would do something first, or the Primer’s tail.Because, by now, she could see that the Primer is not just fighting the tail but struggling to keep its hold. The twitching stopped for
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Chapter 36 (part 6)
The confines of Horaz’s room remained cold with the sprinkle of “nature’s touch,” meaning the occasional soil and other debris that could serve as “entertainment options.” Noticing the Primer consciousness be a creature of boredom was one the laboratory did not expect, and so did Horaz.Discovering this was not hard to conclude when the Primer tends to play and hunt the staff and escort that enters its domain whenever they feed or try to clean his “room.” At most, if they didn’t leave any kind of living creature to distract the Primer during its stay in the laboratory, the likeliness of it trying to destroy their place seemed likelier.Reina remembered the kind of creature the first Primer was, despite staying for only a few days in their presence. This alpha Primer did things in calculated actions as if, the creature itself wanted things to go their way so it could pretend to give them what they want.She concluded this according to how the staff then felt its actions were much devis
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Chapter 36 (part 5)
Purce had to double take, knowing that the answer used, one thump of any body part meant “no.” Hastily, she signaled to Elbi that Horaz – the human consciousness, did not agree to the next procedure.Because of this, Moss suddenly wondered why the electrical current request they were aiming to control, and monitor stopped. She saw from her peripheral that Dr. Akyl left her post, the other touchscreen panel, and approached Elbi and Purce.Elbi was adjusting the program, already on its way to booting up enough electrical charges in the ideal percent, but an abrupt stop in this charging requires a reset for the application and machine. Because if it did not stop and proceed to use for its intended purpose, it would go haywire or overflow.The very machine of the gurney can only hold enough electrical charge, the extra energy that flows through the needles are nodes that cannot let one charge in it stay still. It must go through and ride the sails and winds or else it will burn. This is n
