REBOOT
By Janet Elizabeth Swainston
Danny was drunk, at least he felt drunk, as he staggered out the doorway of the bar after last call.
He stopped and leaned against the wall, observing the street and swaying slightly.
‘maybe I should go back inside and call a cab’
‘I’m in no shape to drive’
‘no’
‘you only live across the street’
‘go back inside anyway’
He turned and put his hand on the handle of the bar door, steadying himself as he did. He pulled but the lock clicked and there was no going back.
With a heavy sigh, he turned and faced the street again.
Straightening his jacket, he ambled down the sidewalk a bit, in the direction of his apartment building. The street was empty; no cars or foot traffic. He blearily glanced at his watch.
‘where is everyone’
‘what time is it’
‘oh, it looks like it’s uh…late or early, whichever’
The time on his watch read three thirty in the morning. He paused at the entrance to the shawarma diner, hoping it might be open. It was dark.
‘stupid shawarma place’
‘should be open for hungry people at this time’
‘people suck’
‘ought to reboot the entire human race’
‘damn’
‘really wanted shawarma’
‘never mind, home has food or something’
With a shake of his head, he glanced across the street towards his building. It was close, but seemed very far. With another deep sigh, he continued stumbling on his way, using the street lamps to stop from falling down.
After a few moments, he decided he should cross the street.
He looked both up and down, looking for traffic. The distant traffic light blinked from red to green, directing no cars as there were none. With a grunt he stepped to the curb and glared at the buildings across the way.
Except, he was facing an alley. It was a dark alley, with a movement sensing light at the end. It was dark and looked ominous.
‘it’s just an alley, how can it look ominous’
‘King could make it look ominous’
‘you’re not King’
He scoffed at his thoughts and stepped off the curb, weaving his way across the street towards the alley.
As he reached the opposite curb, the light at the far end of the alley snapped on. A figure in a dark coat and fedora stood outlined in the light.
Danny stumbled at the sight and almost hit the pavement with his face. He was able to snag his hand on a streetlamp to stop his fall. He pulled up short, his breath skipping as he stared down the length of the alley at the dark figure.
The figure began to walk slowly up the alley. Danny shivered and goosebumps crawled up his neck to his hairline.
‘dude, stop it, it’s just a guy’
He decided to get moving. His apartment wasn’t far, only a five-minute walk or less, if he was sober. Might take him ten but he decided to get moving.
His legs seemed to be frozen, then his feet tangled, his breathing still staccato.
The figure moved closer and though he still couldn’t see his face, he could see something small and rectangular in the hand; something that could be a taser.
Danny shivered again, goosebumps now prickling his scalp.
He started walking as fast as he was able, towards his apartment. He could see the lobby lights, so close.
Footsteps thudded behind him, steady and coming closer.
Danny tried to up his speed but his fear and inebriation were preventing him.
He reached the edge of the parking lot.
The footsteps were right behind him.
Danny swerved into the parking lot, hoping to lose his pursuer and go in the back door.
As he stumbled down the slight incline towards the parked cars, the footsteps retreated and Danny felt relief.
He stopped by a white SUV to catch his breath, feeling a little nauseous.
‘see, you were just being crazy’
‘nobody chasing you’
‘idiot’
‘irrational idiot’
He stood there a moment, head bowed, eyes on the ground, and fighting the urge to vomit.
A pair of shoes stepped into his line of sight, silently and without warning.
He stood quickly, giving himself a head rush, barely able to see the figure’s face before a strong hand grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and turned him to face the SUV.
He was shoved against the car, the strong hand on his jaw, two fingers pressing into his larynx and preventing him from calling out.
A strong body pressed against his back and buttocks.
‘oh shit, this guy’s gonna hurt me’
Instead, the figure pressed the end of the rectangular box against the base of Danny’s skull. Electrical current sparkled weakly between the box and flesh for just a moment. Then the figure released Danny, who slumped to the ground, kneeling, and his face pressed against the SUV’s door.
The figure looked down at Danny, then strode calmly off into the night.
Early morning faded to dawn, with Danny’s still breathing body slumped against the SUV.
The back door opened to the apartment building and a woman strode purposefully towards the white vehicle, as she chatted on her phone. She stopped short as she saw Danny’s body slumped against her driver side door.
“Oh my god, you should see what’s on my car….no, not bird shit or a flyer…a drunk…passed out…yeah…I’ll call you back.”
The woman made a disgusted noise and shoved at Danny with a well shod foot. He slumped over onto the ground.
Looking annoyed, she leaned down and poked at him. He didn’t move.
“Jesus, dude, you must be pretty drunk, but at least you’re still breathing. I’m calling 911.”
The woman retreated to the steps and made her call.
In a few moments a police car rolled up.
“Hmph, fastest the Po po have ever responded.”
She spoke to the police and they approached Danny, putting on their gloves.
They pulled him to his feet and tried to get him to walk but he was unconscious, his eyes open.
They loaded him into the cruiser and drove off.
After dumping him at the hospital, a doctor examined him and determined he was alive, breathing and there was brain activity. Another doctor joined him and they administered an adrenaline shot to see if they could clear his system of alcohol.
Danny just lay there.
More doctors and then some nurses and then some specialists came to see Danny.
They determined he was alive, with all the brain activity of a new born child, but an inability to respond.
The hospital administrator arrived to see what the issue was. A nurse had to tell him.
“They can’t tell what’s wrong with him. It’s as if someone rebooted him so he’s back to being a baby again.”
The administrator scoffed at the nurse.
The nurse, miffed, stalked off for her break. She picked up a newspaper with a headline that read “MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM, Patients are like zombies”.
Down the hall, Danny lay in a hospital bed being poked and prodded, but inside his mind he was thinking.
‘mama?’
THE END
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