"Daniel...Daniel...DANIEL!" a voice echoes
I open my eye opens up and I lean forward in my chair out of shock and forget my location. I look around and see other students in uniforms just looking at me. Most of all with amused looks.
"Daniel, are you sleeping in class or just thinking very longingly?" the Teacher asks
"I uh...Fell asleep sir..." I state
The class laughs in amusement and I try to play it off. Smiling slightly.
"Daniel, I know you are struggling with your condition but I ask you to make an effort to learn. Not everyone gets the opportunity to come to this Highly respected school."
"I know sir."
"Do you? Because this isn't the first time you slept in my class. If you keep doing this you're not going to get anywhere in life."
"First off, there are plenty of people who didn't go to college or even have a simple high school diploma. Second off, you just commented about ym condition openly which is a clear violation of the "Don't Say M" bill. Should I educate you on that? You don't talk about students' or employees' medical conditions without the consent of the afflicted person. Third, you already know my condition. I am dying and I probably only got 10 or 15 years left of my life. So wasting in this place just to die young is a waste of my time and MY limited resources. So yeah. Your turn..." I say crossing both arms.
"Daniel, please leave my class, you're disturbing it," he states dropping his papers on his desk.
"Sure, anything to get away from this place," I state pulling myself up.
As I walk past the teacher I hear a statement behind me, "Try not to walk into the door again hah!"
I stop for a moment but keep going after 2 seconds. Ever since I got my eye removed about a couple of months ago I had to get used to impaired vision.
Kadens Degenerative Disease or KDD is a new disease of unknown origin and spreading. Causes the body to progressively degenerate into a rotting form or shrivel up the body. Weakening it over time. It can affect organs, muscles, limbs, and even the brain. There is no cure for it as of yet. Only discovered about 6 years ago, and I was caught with it. The only way doctors have been able to treat patients is by removing the area in which the Degenerative disease has begun to spread most of which show signs of degeneration. It doesn't cure it, if someone is found to have the disease no removal of any area can fully extract the disease. For me, it wasn't just my eye, it is now my brain. My brain is the next target of where Kaden's disease is spreading now and they suspect because of that I only got a couple of years now. But likely I can use my condition to allow me the "merciful" death that has been debated by politicians and doctors.
[Sir, would you like to send a complaint about the teacher and student's behavior in class?] a voice asks in my head.
This is Seila, meaning Service and Education Integration and Linguistic Assistance. She is a biochip that was implanted into my head for accommodation for my condition. Those with mental disabilities or disorders that hinder their livelihood can have their doctors get them to access or apply to get a Seila. My father got me it within a couple of days after I was diagnosed with KDD in my brain. Now Seila is the only one I talk to more other than my father.
No, I don't think that's worth much. All people will do is say "Oh gonna get your daddy involved? Typical, can't stand up for yourself Kaddy"
Kaddy became slang or a slur against those with KDD because they call them walking corpses or a threat to humanity.
[But sir, if you continue to allow these remarks and behaviors directed at you, you have a higher chance of affecting you in the future. Studies show from the foundation of Kande-]
I know the study you are talking about. But I don't have much to live for, nor do I have a long life ahead of me as some would typically say. Fucking stupid if you ask me. So no, I am not going to report this.
[Very well sir, but please do reconsider it. I am here to guide you and assist you as much as possible.]
I know you are, but you're not my mother either. But thanks for following your programming Seila.
[Thank you, sir.]
*Five minutes later*
"Hello ma'am," I say to Mrs. Hendricks, she is a counselor who is designated to me.
"Hello, honey. I got a call saying you were coming. How are you doing?"
"I am doing fine ma'am just a little conflict with the teacher."
"Well, I hope you are truthfully telling that. Because you know I am here to help you with all your needs and make your future much-"
"Please stop with that cliche 'uplifting' speech. I am slowly dying with parts of me dying before me. Now my brain is meaning I will die."
*Sigh* "I know honey. But please don't give up, you're supposed to be preparing for your future and I am trying my best to set you up."
"Setting up is pointless when I am dying in 2 years. I don't see why I don't kill myself, to be honest. If I die I would die in my way in my control. Not some damn disease that killed my mother.
"Please don't think that. I know your father is doing his best for you but I am trying to as well at home. Please listen to me." she says sincerely at the end.
I look outside the window seeing a couple of leaves falling slowly. I am slowly losing everything I barely had already. But I promised my mother one thing. To see things through to the end even with my mother dying.
*2 hours later*
As I am walking from school back home I occasionally see some students hanging out with each other after school in the arcade, and sports areas, and eating together. Ever since KDD was revealed to the world it was announced approximately around 6 million people were stricken with it, and roughly what has been confirmed to have maybe been 300,000 people had died. The earliest time they believe someone died from KDD was about 9 years ago. Only in recent years has it been revealed and ever since then everyone is paranoid about the origin, and spreading of it. A prison inmate who was in solitary confinement was diagnosed with it, but he hasn't left his cell in over 30 years, a newborn had within days after being born was diagnosed with KDD.
There seems to be no real indicator of the spreading and some believe it is a mutation or a natural thing. Not as actual contagion. But that didn't stop various people around the world from spreading misinformation about something they don't have evidence for. Some blamed the specific governments of the world, some blamed it was a terrorist group using bio-terrorism, some believe it was man-made and escaped from a lab and no one has the guts to admit the fault. Some believe it came from poverty-stricken areas of the world and others believed it was immigrants. There is no evidence of origin. But as a result, people who have KDD are exercised by the general public making them the mistreated minorities that are protected poorly by the government.
My mother was diagnosed with KDD about 10 years ago when I was a kid and I eventually got it when I was 14. It was slowly progressively overtaking my right eye and surgery had to remove it. But the root of the disease in my eye was more difficult, leaving scaring around it.
[Sir, your heart rate seems to be raising. Do you need me to release some Adernal?]
Adernal is a health drug used for patients with KDD to physically give them a small boost needed to help them in their daily lives. I don't know how the drug is going to help me when it is my brain. As well as being a medicinal effect of increasing healing of the body or easing pain, but it can't stop KDD.
No, thank you. But thanks for paying attention.
*18 minutes later*
I have arrived at my home which is an apartment building that is luxurious for those who can afford it. Typically numbering in around $10,000 a month. But my father works for the government in weapons testing and development. He can easily afford it. My mother was an experience banker and broker so she also had a decent amount of money.
As I am walking in the lobby, which is pretty active I walk by Jorge, the doorman.
"Hello Mr. Wu," he says bowing slightly and opening the door.
"Hey, also here." I open my wallet and give him a 20-dollar bill for compensation. Not like I will gain anything in 2 years.
"Thank you, sir, have a wonderful evening!"
Sure, if only I could have one.
*7 minutes later*
As I arrive on the 20th floor of the apartment and open my door and slam it shut, toss my bag into the couch, face forward fall into the couch with a bounce. This is my normal routine nowadays.
My hands clap twice the light turns off and I begin sleeping on the couch. Don't feel like eating.
*Ding Dong*
"Mmmph" I groan turning my head into the pillow
*ding Dong*
"Urgh..." I look at the clock on the wall and it is 3 A.M. Who the hell delivers something this late...
I get up and walk over to the screen next to the door to see who is at the door. The camera pans out and I don't see anyone. I glance at the door and see a thin letter on the ground.
I pick it up and turn on the light slightly but do not destroy my one eye left and begin reading it.
"Dear Mr. Wu, you are the lucky recipient of a government letter to participate in an upcoming trial for a project funded by the national government of Bravell. If you desire to know more, please scan the letter with your watch and you will know all the information details.
Sincerely, Mr. D"
"Heh, reminds me of an old joke before my time. Something about Deez nuts."
I take my wristwatch and put it up to the code which activates it. My watch then begins to show a hologram of the website which is the official governmental website for volunteers and enlisters.
"Project Protokin, a project to revolutionize traveling long distances in the next 10 years. Volunteers are welcome to be compensated up to $80,000."
It does seem official. I will ask my father about this since he is working on the Protokin project. He doesn't tell me much about it.