Title: The Animal in Me- Subtitle: Resurgence of Transhumans
- Author: Yulia Yu. Sakurazawa
- Category: Cyberpunk
In a future society technology and biological engineering reshaped human life. The earth is not divided anymore to nations or races but to subcultural groups. Many people are trans-humans, and are treated as second-class citizens, since they are technologically or genetically modified. The Purity Party has a majority in the current government, led by President Yceberg, who believes in the sacredness of the body. The question is: how far he’d go to prove his point?
Theo Ruby is 32 years old, single man, a loyal soldier. He worked as the Head of Security at the Purity Party. Right after elections, he’d got infected with a mysterious virus which was deteriorating his body fast: within days he became paralyzed, unable to speak and on the very edge of death. It was an experience what would change anyone. After he was captured by the trans-humans and copied into Babel, he lives on in her body as a clear consciousness. After some time to adjust, his personality becomes more unpredictable and revengeful.
The Animal in Me
Resurgence of Transhumans
Chapter One – The Ball
Outside the fences, eager paparazzis fought the security, the cameras aggressive flashes flickered in the darkness. Only a few long-distance shots captured blurry images, and even those were about to be taken away by the sec eventually. The media hyenas struggle didn’t reach the upper-crust’s ears, who were celebrating the Purity Party’s recent win at President Yceberg’s luxurious resort.
Powerful politicians and prominent celebrities cruised in the illuminated tropical garden with fancy cocktails in their hands.
Yceberg casually chatted in the circle of men wearing shiny uniforms, his well-tailored, silver suit and bald head was easy to spot, which made Theo Ruby’s job easier. As the Head of Security he had to pay maximum attention to the president’s safety. He had clear orders to keep this party free of trans-humans. There was only one name on the list who was approved to attend the exclusive celebration, although she was genetically modified or maybe this was the exact reason, to have one to show off with. Lady Indigo was the wife of the United Africa’s ambassador and also the ultimate representative of trans-humans, but only a dull, snobby puppet figure in reality. Her distinctive purple skin was slightly fluorescent by the fairy-lamp’s dim lights.
She threw piled lobster cubes on her plate and slurped out the last sips of her Virgin Mojito. Theo Ruby escorted her while the ambassador left to a private room to discuss some sensitive topics, like how to treat the rebelling trans-human minority in United Africa. Lady Indigo knew nothing about politics but she had the looks to be among politicians: her chubby, mutant Eve-look with weird portions was evidently alien. Her color palette ranged from from avocado green to radiant indigo, she was sometimes gorgeously different, from other angles interestingly ugly. Since she was not considered bright enough or didn’t qualify for long conversations, she was engaged in stuffing her face with the lobster which constantly fell out of her swollen mouth even after numerous attempts.
Theo barely could stand the strong, sweet scent she emitted. Her puffy hands left brown fingerprints on the expensive porcelain plate.
“Are you in a reproduction phase?” Theo asked politely, trying to disguise his disgust by browsing among the replicated chilly tofu.
“Yes, unfortunately.” Her face blinked out of a fleshy, spore-bearing body of a fungus. “It takes forever to keep my clothes clean of spore marks.” She quivered her long eyelashes at Theo fighting for his attention. He took one step back, and checked again what President Yceberg’s position was. He was still talking to the ambassador behind closed doors, so he was stuck with this woman for a while. “It’ll pass in a month. Just avoid chemicals. Contaminated cells mutate easily,” he said and gave her a fake smile.
“I hope so.” Lady Indigo sighed. “Would you escort me to the Ladies Room, please?”
I’m so sick of this baby-sitting, Theo thought but it was part of his job. He raised the radio to his mouth and said, “10-100,” which was the code word for a bathroom break. “Copy that,” a distorted male voice answered and a heavily armed guard nodded at him from the opposite side of the garden.
Lady Indigo left a brown vapor trail of spores in the air as she entered the Ladies Room. Theo shifted from one leg to another and his thoughts revolved around the mysterious Project Revelation, a file which landed on his table this morning. His orders were to study the super-confidential document but all he wanted was to forget all that he had learned. If Yceberg goes through with this, it will just enrage the trans-humans. It can easily lead to a war just like it is about to happen in United Africa.
His thoughts were interrupted by an unpleasant, squeaking voice: “Mr. Ruby, I have some trouble in here, could you help me?”
“It’s inappropriate for me to go in there, Lady Indigo,” he said. “What’s the problem?”
“My zipper got stuck on my dress . . . I cannot go out like this. Be so kind and save me from my uncomfortable situation, please!” Her voice seemed desperate. Theo sighed and went in.
Lady Indigo stood almost naked in the middle of the room, her dress hanging on her pimpled, purple skin. Theo walked to her and tried to think of strawberry milkshakes and playful clouds to distract himself. He tried to fix the broken zipper on the sweaty velvet dress. The woman stood in front of him, looking at him through the mirror.
“Are you married, Mr. Ruby?” she asked.
“No, madam, my job doesn’t allow me too much free time.”
“It’s a shame, because you are a very handsome man,” Lady Indigo said with a wide smile. They looked very odd next to each other: a purplish post-op fungus hybrid and a creole man with Mayan face tattoos, wearing a braided beard and a military uniform. Lady Indigo’s hand reached for his trousers and grabbed his penis with a sex-starved move. Theo tried to step away but her grip was strong and she painfully squeezed his balls with her puffy fingers.
“What are you doing?” he asked, and peeled her fingers off himself. Her body fat rippled like the surface of the ocean when she was pushed to the sink.
“I want to give you a nice time. Five minutes of pleasure cannot cause any problems . . .” She pulled up her skirt, and spread her chubby tights. Slimy juice was dripping out of her pink pussy.
He grimaced and said with stifled voice: “I’m not into monsters.”
Her small eyes widened: “Is that so?” Her dull expression quickly transformed into something she hadn’t showed before: she seemed intelligent. “Don’t think that you are so special, Mr. Ruby. Your days are numbered and your services won’t be needed anymore soon.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a fact . . . I follow orders just as you do,” she said and jumped on Theo like a panther, forcing her giant lips in his mouth. He felt a fleshy tongue penetrating him, a sensation he never felt before. Theo took out his handgun and pointed it to Lady Indigo’s temple. She let go immediately but her smile just became more vicious. “Enjoy the rest of the night, Mr. Ruby.”
The Ladies Room door slammed behind him, he felt rage that he was fooled so easily. Was he supposed to report this to President Yceberg?
This bitch wanted to put me in an awkward position, be caught or whatever, but I won’t let anyone to know about this shameful story, he thought and a sudden wave of dizziness raced through him. Red spots bounced in front of his eyes as he rushed back to the garden to check on the president.