she
asked.
“To see you and
Katie. To see your faces. To see you smile... and laugh. God, I would give
anything for that. I mean the two of you have done so much for me and I have no
idea what you look like. I hate that. It’s not fair. You know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I think I
do,” answered Ethyl.
“So, when do they
want to operate?” he asked, accepting the finality of the situation.
Ethyl didn’t
respond. Her mind was racing a mile a minute and she couldn’t answer. With her
arm linked with Daniel’s she just kept walking, mulling over the same thoughts
in her mind: Was she giving up? Was she? Nanobytes wasn’t a dream. It was
more−much more. She’d built it to help people−to cure them. They
were right on the cusp. But if she gave up now−who would know? Who would
know? Who would know?
Noticing her
silence, Daniel turned toward her−her breathing was off. He prodded her.
“Aunt Ethyl? You’re not saying anything. What’s up?”
There was still
no response and he prodded her again. “What gives, Aunt Ethyl? For as long as I
can remember you’ve always been there with a pep talk − a rah, rah, rah,
pushing me on − but now? Why are you so quiet?”
Ethyl couldn’t
answer. She wanted too, but she couldn’t bring herself to express the war of
thoughts raging in her mind. Fearful of the consequences, she just kept
walking, taking step after step, contemplating her options in silence.
Exasperated, Daniel pressed harder−his voice becoming emphatic. “Aunt
Ethyl? What is it? Why won’t you answer me?”
The response that
finally came was low and strained, barely a whisper. “There might be another
way.”
The words
inflamed Daniel−his excitement surged. “What? Tell me! What???”
Ethyl was doomed
and she knew it. Drawing Daniel to a nearby bench, she instructed him to sit.
She then sat next to him and spoke quietly in his ear with a voice that was dry
and shaky.
“When you came to
live with us four years ago,” she began, “I was intrigued by your maladies and
I couldn’t let it go. I knew that something had to be done. So I had you
tested−more than once. And I started manipulating your DNA strands,
combining them with embryonic T-cells and nanites to see what was possible.
Worse yet, I began channeling funds from my company and utilizing the efforts
of my staff to figuring out how we might cure you. For the longest time I
didn’t think we’d be able to do much. Things didn’t go well. But in the last
six months we’ve seen a huge breakthrough. At least I think so. But nothing’s
been tested. I’m not sure...”
“Not sure about
what?” asked Daniel.
“If it will
work,” she responded. “The procedure is radical ... and possibly dangerous.”
“I don’t care,”
said Daniel.
“That’s because
you are young−you think you’re invincible. Daniel, the procedure is
beyond any medical boundary known today−it borders on science fiction. It
combines DNA from animals and insects, and utilizes a new nanite power source,
a rare isotope that we’ve barely tested. It’s years away from clinical
testing...”
“So why are you
telling me now?” asked Daniel.
“Because it’s now
or never and I may never get another chance. I’m being pushed out, Daniel. The
backers supporting this company are unhappy with my lack of progress. It’s all
about money. They want to sell Nanobytes to the highest bidder. And when that
happens my research will end. I will be replaced and everything I’ve dreamt and
worked for will be gone.”
Daniel jumped to
his feet. “Then use me!” he exclaimed. “Use me, Aunt Ethyl... before it’s too
late. Please!!! I would rather try anything than to have to give up my eyes.
And if it doesn’t work − they can always operate and take them out! What
do you have to lose?”
Ethyl swallowed
hard. “But what if I make things worse? How would I explain that to Katie?”
“Katie would
understand. And you won’t fail,” said Daniel,
asked.
“To see you and
Katie. To see your faces. To see you smile... and laugh. God, I would give
anything for that. I mean the two of you have done so much for me and I have no
idea what you look like. I hate that. It’s not fair. You know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I think I
do,” answered Ethyl.
“So, when do they
want to operate?” he asked, accepting the finality of the situation.
Ethyl didn’t
respond. Her mind was racing a mile a minute and she couldn’t answer. With her
arm linked with Daniel’s she just kept walking, mulling over the same thoughts
in her mind: Was she giving up? Was she? Nanobytes wasn’t a dream. It was
more−much more. She’d built it to help people−to cure them. They
were right on the cusp. But if she gave up now−who would know? Who would
know? Who would know?
Noticing her
silence, Daniel turned toward her−her breathing was off. He prodded her.
“Aunt Ethyl? You’re not saying anything. What’s up?”
There was still
no response and he prodded her again. “What gives, Aunt Ethyl? For as long as I
can remember you’ve always been there with a pep talk − a rah, rah, rah,
pushing me on − but now? Why are you so quiet?”
Ethyl couldn’t
answer. She wanted too, but she couldn’t bring herself to express the war of
thoughts raging in her mind. Fearful of the consequences, she just kept
walking, taking step after step, contemplating her options in silence.
Exasperated, Daniel pressed harder−his voice becoming emphatic. “Aunt
Ethyl? What is it? Why won’t you answer me?”
The response that
finally came was low and strained, barely a whisper. “There might be another
way.”
The words
inflamed Daniel−his excitement surged. “What? Tell me! What???”
Ethyl was doomed
and she knew it. Drawing Daniel to a nearby bench, she instructed him to sit.
She then sat next to him and spoke quietly in his ear with a voice that was dry
and shaky.
“When you came to
live with us four years ago,” she began, “I was intrigued by your maladies and
I couldn’t let it go. I knew that something had to be done. So I had you
tested−more than once. And I started manipulating your DNA strands,
combining them with embryonic T-cells and nanites to see what was possible.
Worse yet, I began channeling funds from my company and utilizing the efforts
of my staff to figuring out how we might cure you. For the longest time I
didn’t think we’d be able to do much. Things didn’t go well. But in the last
six months we’ve seen a huge breakthrough. At least I think so. But nothing’s
been tested. I’m not sure...”
“Not sure about
what?” asked Daniel.
“If it will
work,” she responded. “The procedure is radical ... and possibly dangerous.”
“I don’t care,”
said Daniel.
“That’s because
you are young−you think you’re invincible. Daniel, the procedure is
beyond any medical boundary known today−it borders on science fiction. It
combines DNA from animals and insects, and utilizes a new nanite power source,
a rare isotope that we’ve barely tested. It’s years away from clinical
testing...”
“So why are you
telling me now?” asked Daniel.
“Because it’s now
or never and I may never get another chance. I’m being pushed out, Daniel. The
backers supporting this company are unhappy with my lack of progress. It’s all
about money. They want to sell Nanobytes to the highest bidder. And when that
happens my research will end. I will be replaced and everything I’ve dreamt and
worked for will be gone.”
Daniel jumped to
his feet. “Then use me!” he exclaimed. “Use me, Aunt Ethyl... before it’s too
late. Please!!! I would rather try anything than to have to give up my eyes.
And if it doesn’t work − they can always operate and take them out! What
do you have to lose?”
Ethyl swallowed
hard. “But what if I make things worse? How would I explain that to Katie?”
“Katie would
understand. And you won’t fail,” said Daniel,
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