It was the mollusc that destroyed us. Q nome in particular.

And once we discovered the secret to living longer it was only a matter of logic that it be refined to new subjects. These new subjects were recently deceased human beings who fit the criteria which was, no external physical trauma, no cancer or other diseases and had enough tissue left for regeneration.

Even the experimenters were amazed at how people who had been dead two, sometimes as much as four days, took to the nome and woke. Not just conscious but functional, completely aware. Testing proved they were exactly as they were. Memories, emotions, instincts, cognition.

It was a great day, a great week but the world was quietly dividing into those who received Q nome: Rebodies, and those yet to experience first death: Prebodies. The term Rebody had come about through the media who favoured this term over zombie. Besides you couldn't call them zombies after watching the teary reuniting of families on t.v.

But soon, families were calling the Rebody Hotline with concerns about their recently revived loved ones becoming distant and unrelateable. This, the line said, was due to the sudden shock and ensuing stress of being reintroduced to life after witnessing the end.

This worked for awhile.

But as complaints grew more and more strange. the Rebody Concerns Officers had to be called out to investigate. One of these officers, Dale Walters, published his findings in 'Theories on Rebody Reintroduction' in which he interviewed over two hundred Rebodies and outlined their reactions to rebirth. The majority were suicidal yet knew if they acted on this the chances of being subject to Q nome were high. In fact with L 1593 this had been the case. He had been revived a full five times. In 'Theories on Rebody Reintroduction', Walters psychologically examines L 1593 and makes the following assessment:

 

" It is a growing concern that so many (Rebodies) are in fear of dying indefinitely but the far greater problem is of never dying at all. In the example of L 1593 there is a clear case of apeirophobia in which there is no cure at this time"

 

(Dale Waters, Theories on Rebody Reintroduction

Oakley Press, 2051)

 

This was true. Even the most vanguard scientists had no idea when the Rebodies would return to death permanently. Some even speculated this had become impossible which did none to alleviate the worry on either side.

This breakdown in understanding led to the First Crisis.

Without fear of dying and never coming back people were exercising this right in their hundreds of thousands. Some were doing it several times and a documentary was made about a group who did it regularly, the title, Death Junkies, made the term unforgettable. There was even a mention of some African countries making a sport out of death itself. A vague recollection of an article I read had rumoured that points were awarded on technique and originality but it had never been proven.

This lack of fear also created chaos among the masses. The Rebodies did not help the situation by keeping the knowledge of what happens after death a secret. A group was formed, The Society of Human Reluctance with over a thousand members, all Prebodies.

Despite their irreverent name this army had killed countless Rebodies and even attempted an assassination on the Minister For Rebody Relations.

Instinctively, the Rebodies fought back.

In turn a bloody civil war erupted with losses on both sides. However, for lack of foresight, the S.H.R. had diminished within weeks. Every Rebody they killed returned through Q nome. Not just that. Members of S.H.R. who had been killed would also be given the rejuvenating nome and would therefore become Rebodies themselves.

No treaty was declared, it just ended.

Despite victory, the secret was relinquished through the first Rebody autobiography aptly named 'Second chance at First Impression.' In this book S 2961895 details exactly his experience of the process of dying and being reborn. The following extract is responsible for so much of the sheer disorder that is seen today.

 

"I was thirty nine the first time I died. Car crash in the Lake District. The truck that struck me was twice the size of my Hybrid 40. It was all over in less than a second. I saw it coming but I was short on the swerve. Now.

I feel obliged to tell you yet guilty of the knowledge I hold. As I feel the information is important I am willing to sacrifice the media's opinion of me in order to divulge this highly sought data. And here it is.

The sensation you feel after death is not harmonious.

There are no bright lights or enchanting music.

There is no tunnel of gleaming beauty.

Darkness and agony.

Not a typical pain but an almost unimaginable torment. A dark beyond anything universal. It goes on and on. The dark and that brutal physical and emotional pain. Yes. Emotional. I still felt all things in my mind as humanistic. Even my memory was in tact which was unfortunate as I had to endure the mourning of those I had left behind.

You may say that I had been a bad person when I had lived so therefore I was experiencing a hell of some sort but I have spoken to numerous people of my own kind and they all have the same story. Priests, Vets, Doctors, Buddhists.

The dark, the torture, never ending."

 

( S 2961895, Second Chance at First Impression

Chatter Farm Books, 2061 )

 

It goes on in this fashion for awhile and it was alarming at how bad things got after that book and scientists were still no further toward a solid timeline of Q nome. In fact, a lot of scientists were opting for the unknown, committing suicide in order to become Rebodies. A hope for eternity in that form instead of an infinity in the agonizing dark as described in the autobiography. This wasn't a rogue approach. It had silently become mainstream thinking and entire countries were having referendums.

In Canada, for example, an overwhelming 90% of the population voted in favour of setting up suicide clinics they politely named 'Journey Stations.' Of course, this was 90% of 40% as more than half the population had already taken the journey themselves even before the vote.

All around the world Prebodies were filing in these killing houses. One family after another, euthanized for the luxury of an uncertain future. The means by which they were euthanized was actually rather peaceful. In the main room, or, Station 3, there was melodic music and fresh lavender in the air. But it was'nt lavender, it was perfumed cyanide mixed with refined opium. Not too traumatic on the physical body and compatable with reuse.

Then it happened.

Q nome finally gave up the aging medicine and one by one, every Rebody was once again, truly dead.

You see it did'nt matter how many times a person received the nome it was all about time. Billons of molluscs were kept in storage and as conditions were not of perfect habitation the effects drastically altered the molluscs abillity to produce the nome.

Before another generation of molluscs were born the already dwindling population of the Earth had hit below 1%.

 

I am one of the few humans left. In this time we hunt and gather. I am almost eighty five years old and our group diminishes by the day. Nobody has heard of a Rebody in years and any society once enjoyed is now once and for all at an end. We have lost the benefits of electricity and the cities have become lost zones of rape and violence.

But that is not what disturbs people in their sleep, what children whisper about at night.

It is this.

All who died are now in a place of extreme agony, of absolute, torterous dark with no physical form and no way back. Just the memories of life to regret in unspeakable absense. And this place waits for all those alive today. Even before that there is the hardship of the present to endure, this henious place to witness with no escape.

Waiting for the pain, for that eternal grimace of the dark, waiting

somehow, for the agony to end, forever.