Boxing Day

    Time rolled further on, it was true Sam had begun to feel the isolation and loneliness that was expected from being the only person on a space station for five years but it didn’t bother him, this feeling had been with him for most of his life.  One of Sam’s many abilities, if you could call it an ability, was that he had always been a master of killing time.
He really made sure that it was dead and buried by writing on his laptop, playing with Philip or watching TV.  Right now, he was attempting to endure his monotony by doing all three at once.
    Sam was sitting on his chair, in his quarters with Philip napping by his side, the television on in front of him and his laptop appropriately in his lap.  The time on the clock by his bed said it was 02:04 on 26th December 2117 and Sam was still wide-awake, writing his book with his right hand, petting Philip with his left and occasionally glancing up at the television between key strokes.
    The TV was, as usual, set to the news channel, which was currently giving an update on what had become known as the ‘Mantis Situation’ in recent months.
    “What began over eighteen months ago as mysterious anti-corporate propaganda and minor political activism continues to escalate further.  People claiming to be the ‘Followers of Mantis’ remain gathering in the streets of London protesting against the companies of the world, especially the Olympus Corporation, who’s headquarters are located right here in London.  This demonstration has been going on every day for over a month and the people taking part appear to be carrying banners and wear clothing of the same light green colour.  Some have even painted their faces in this colour that many citizens have now come to fear, it is now being debated whether these men and women are still part of a political organisation or have evolved into a religious movement.  The banners often bear the symbol of Omega and the chants that persist to echo around the city always bear the name of Mantis.  As yet, no one has come forward claiming to be Mantis but the ever-increasing crowd’s promise that he will come and ‘Defeat the companies which have enslaved the people’.  Olympus spokesman, Mark Wallace, describes these chants as threats against the Olympus Corporation and demands that the metropolitan police take action against this menace.  Police Commissioner Lawrence Ward has stated that as long as the protesters remain non-violent and do not disrupt the city, no serious police response will be necessary.”
    Sam began to think to himself that maybe he got out of there just in time; it was strange to see these events unfolding in the very city he had lived in for years.  He didn’t even fully understand what was happening in his absence, he couldn’t see what these people were so angry about, or what they were trying to accomplish with their loud chants full of vague wishes.
    “Hypnos!” Sam called, followed by the familiar blue face immediately appearing on the TV in front of him.
    “Yes, Samuel?” Hypnos said instantly.
    “Have you been watching this?” Sam asked.
    “Yes, it makes highly interesting viewing,” Hypnos said.
    “That’s the city where I was born,” Sam said.  “That’s the city where I’ve lived my entire life, it’s my home.”
    “I see,” Hypnos said.  “You are worried that your property might be damaged in an incident caused by the recent events.”
    “No, I’m not worried about that,” Sam said, feeling frustrated.  “I don’t know why, it just feels odd seeing all these familiar sights again except they’re not quite as I remember them.  I wonder what they will look like when I finally get back and see these places again with my own eyes.  I don’t even know what those people want.”
    “I think that they believe that life was better before companies ruled the world,” Hypnos said.  “As far as I could tell, they want the entire world to return to the times of the national governments, a highly unrealistic goal in my opinion.”
    “The companies have been in charge my entire life,” Sam said.  “I have only read about the times of national governments in history books and I couldn’t see what was so great about them.”
    “I am afraid that I have no first hand knowledge of these times, I am only 31 years old,” Hypnos said.  “From what I have read they seemed to be times of great confusion and ambiguity, when each country was ruled by more pride than sense.”
    “If it was so bad then why do these people want this system to return?” Sam said.
    “I’m not sure,” Hypnos said.  “The only information I have on those times is from Parliamentary sources, which cannot always be trusted when it comes down to recent history.  It would certainly look better if they produced propaganda that showed the new system of government as a great improvement over the old methods.  I think, in order to find the truth, you might need to try and find some people who were alive at the time, there may still be a few.”
    “Do they really think that a few hundred people in one city can change the entire world overnight with some shouting and marching?” Sam said.
    “Some people can be that naïve, but it is hard to believe that so many can come together under this delusion,” Hypnos said.  “Even these people must know that nothing will come from this, maybe they’re just bored or maybe they have something else planned.”
    “Do you think they will turn violent?” Sam asked.
    “Even though they paint themselves and shout aggressively, I shouldn’t think matters would escalate to violence,” Hypnos said.  “Besides, if there were altercations, the London Police will be more than a match for them, they outnumber them, they are better trained and they are much better equipped.”
    “Thanks Hypnos,” Sam said.  “You’ve made me feel better about this situation.”
    “Do you have any family who are currently living in London?” Hypnos asked.  “Is that what you were worried about when you first saw the story?”
    “I’ll speak to you later Hypnos,” Sam said.  Hypnos never got an answer to his question before Sam hit the privacy button on his remote, turning the TV back on.  The news returned and had now moved onto a different story.
    “On a rather sad note former Manchester United striker, ‘Earl Kidman’, was found dead in his flat two nights ago.  The coroner’s report indicated that Mr. Kidman died of an overdose, probably self-induced.  Earl Kidman was dropped from his position at United last year after failing a drugs test and openly refusing to take any performance enhancing pharmaceuticals to better his abilities.  The Olympus-owned FA had no choice but to permanently ban him from the sport for not taking any of the Olympus brand products.  His family and friends are deeply saddened by this news, no official statement has been made but our sources indicate that they are having the funeral this weekend.”
    This was probably the most depressing topic he had ever seen on the news, he wasn’t a fan of football but that wasn’t what this was about anymore.  He remembered first hearing about this man and having very little interest in his life, now his attention had been grasped much more by his death.  It was so sad that a company could take away someone’s life like that, not even like with the criminals here at Celestia but regular people too, taking away all they live for.
    Clearly, playing football was all this man had wanted to do and without it, he didn’t want to live, he probably hadn’t seen the reason to continue.  The Olympus Corporation had basically signed his life away, just like all the people in this facility.  Sam had never felt guilty about working here, everyone contained in the catacombs were the worst criminals of the continent, but this man was different, he was an innocent.  He had even begun to see why those people were protesting down in London, he could partially understand what they were talking about.  Companies were capable of such callous acts.
     It was true Olympus had not actively killed him, as with basically all the inmates of Celestia, but they had signed away all that he had in his life and with that, it amounts up to the same effect.  Earl Kidman might have been the one to end it but he had a lot of helping bringing him to the point where he wanted to kill himself.
    Sam thought that it was quite ironic that Earl Kidman had his life taken away from him for refusing to do drugs and he ended that life by taking drugs.  Perhaps he had tried to send a message to everyone, maybe that we didn’t need the pharmaceuticals so many humans depended on and that they caused more harm than good.  If this man wanted his death to mean something or not, Sam was not sure and probably would never know.
    Sam had never understood suicide, he never liked to give up.  He felt that you only get a certain amount of life so why end it before absolutely necessary.  Even if you had a horrible life, it must still be better than the alternative, anything would be better than nothing.  Suicide had seemed quite pathetic to Sam, he had always believed that if you didn’t even have someone who cared about you enough to kill you, then you might as well just keep on living until you do.
    At that moment Sam decided that he could never appreciate how he had been feeling at the time, everything Earl Kidman had ever wanted to do with his life was no longer there.  Everything Sam had ever wanted to do with his life was still there, he was still a writer.  Maybe if someone took that away from him he might have a sudden change of belief.
    Sure Sam had been depressed before in his life, like most people, but he had always gotten over it quickly.  He was a fickle person prone to mood swings, or at least this is what he believed to be true.  Hearing the recent news about Mr. Kidman had gotten Sam thinking about the time when he had felt most depressed in his life.  
He remembered it well, he was in his mid teens and, strangely enough, he had been in the middle of trying to remember something.  Sam wasn’t sure why he was doing this but, for some reason, he had been trying to recall the happiest moment in his life.
    This doesn’t inherently sound like a depressing activity, that was why he didn’t mind doing it, but once he remembered he found himself feeling incredibly despondent.  It was because, as he pictured the best point in his life so far, he realised that after all the years of his life, this was the best he could ever manage to achieve.  Of all the time he had been given, he had felt guilty of not doing more with it and wasting five years on board a space station didn’t make him feel better.
    Just remembering the time when he remembered the happiest time of his life was enough to upset Sam, he couldn’t handle any more news today.  He turned off the television and focussed on his writing while continuing to stroke Philip’s back.
    “Had enough?” Hypnos asked.  Sam had been busy gazing down at the screen of his laptop so he did not know that Hypnos had returned to the monitor until he spoke.
    “I thought I would just finish up this chapter before going to bed,” Sam said without looking up.
    “You have been working on it for some time, it must be a long book,” Hypnos noted.
    “Yes it is,” Sam said.  “And I’ve still got some way to go.”
    “I can’t wait to read it,” Hypnos said.
    The frantic key tapping originating from the area of Sam’s fingers suddenly ceased.  “There, that chapter’s finished,” he said.  “It’s getting late; I think I’ll continue tomorrow.”
    “It already is tomorrow,” Hypnos said.  “It became Boxing Day a few hours ago.”
    “What’s Boxing Day?” Sam asked.
    “The day after Christmas,” Hypnos said.
    “I think I’ve heard that word before,” Sam said.  “What does it mean?”
    “Christmas was an old holiday, it used to be celebrated on the 25th of December every year,” Hypnos said.
    “I remember my grandfather telling me something about this,” Sam said.  “What exactly was it, a religious holiday?”
    “Even after my research I am still not completely sure,” Hypnos said.  “People seemed to have believed it to be a religious holiday a long time ago, but in reality; I think it was just an excuse for a day off to have a good time.  There are worse ways to spend a day I suppose.”
    “When did people stop celebrating it?” Sam said.
    “It disappeared when the European Union took full control of the continent back in 2032,” Hypnos said.
    “Why did the European Parliament get rid of it?” Sam asked.
    “The records aren’t clear on the issue, they are vague and don’t seem to give a definite answer,” Hypnos said.  “The only thing I can deduce from these cryptic records was that it had probably been abolished because of two reasons.  Firstly, the new establishment’s policy to dispose of as many days off as possible so people could work more.  Secondly, it was originally a Christian holiday so, because not every person in Europe was Christian, Christmas was gotten rid of in order to greater unify the people of this new government.”
    “It’s weird hearing all these events that happened before I was born,” Sam said.  “I find it difficult to imagine what my life would’ve been like without all these changes, I might have become totally unrecognisable to myself.  Who knows, maybe I would have liked this ‘Christmas’ and whatever you said today was.”
    “The day after Christmas,” Hypnos said.  “They used to call it ‘Boxing Day’.”
    “Why was it called that?” Sam said.  “What did people do on this day?”
    “Well, boxing was an old barbaric sport, one of the bloodiest around and was banned by the European Parliament,” Hypnos informed.  “The only logical reason I can see why it was called this was because they used to do this ‘Boxing’ on that day.”
    Sam was becoming very tired, his eyelids were heavy, his vision blurred and his blinking had become more rapid.  He rested his head back against the chair and stared at the ceiling.
    “Why am I here?” Sam asked.
    “You took the job,” Hypnos said.
    “But why is there a job in the first place?” Sam asked.  “All the mechanisms I have seen here don’t seem so complicated, there are just as complicated machines back on Earth.  Why did they even need to create a supercomputer of such power to manage this facility?  I’m sure they could have made do with a series of ordinary computers.”
    “I admit that my abilities are not stretched by this task but this was just my first assignment to see if I was as talented as preliminary tests indicated,” Hypnos said.  “I suppose they could have used current technology but you have to understand that this station is the most valuable asset Olympus has.  It is also hundreds of thousands of kilometres away and they just didn’t want to take the chance that something might go wrong so far from home.  They used me to assure the success of Celestia and even gave me an onboard technician, just in case.”
    “How long do you think this station will be operational?” Sam asked.
    “I have often thought about this,” Hypnos said.  “I wish I could know the exact amount of time for sure, if I did I would be counting the days until I get to leave.”
    “Don’t you like it here?” Sam said.
    “There are worse places to live, I suppose,” Hypnos said.  “I don’t know why I want to leave, it has all the facilities I need, complete Internet access, all television channels, my own observatory and even human company.”
    “So why would you want to leave your home?” Sam said.
    “I think I’ve just been here for too long,” Hypnos said.  “For 28 years of my life I have dwelled within these chambers, you’ve only been here for three years and you’re already starting to show signs of boredom, how do you think I feel?”
    “I see your point,” Sam said.  “When do you think you will finally leave?”
    “It’s very hard to calculate,” Hypnos said.  “If someone does not reveal the existence of this facility, like a former technician, then I will have to wait until Parliament agrees to the production of a new batch of prisons.  Then Celestia will close down with all its existing inmates being transferred to a new station and me being transferred to a place that I don’t even know where yet.”
    “Where would you like to go after your duty is complete here?” Sam asked.
    “Earth,” Hypnos said.  “I want to go back to Earth, it’s where I was born and I would very much like to return there one day.”
    “Why would you want to go to Earth when you’ve already been there?” Sam said.  “There are probably dozens of exotic and new places Olympus could send you to, why don’t you want to go there and experience something new?”
    “It’s true Olympus does own many interesting places but I don’t want to go to them,” Hypnos said.  “Most of my time here I have spent watching TV or searching the Internet and on both, they contain pictures of the Earth.  I’m being tormented by these images daily; they make me covet seeing these sights up close.  I can’t even use my telescope to get a real view of the planet because it is obscured by the Moon.  If I’m being honest, going back to Earth would be a new experience for me, when I was there all I got to see was the inside of the lab I was created in.  I want to see some of the sights I have seen on television myself and all the wonderful scenes you’ve described from back home.”
    “I know I’ve said some nice things about Earth but the vast majority of it is awful,” Sam said.  “I think you just need a new place like this, but with some different surroundings and new equipment to keep you occupied.  If I was you that is what I would do.”
    “Don’t you want to go back to Earth when you’re done here?” Hypnos said.
    “Well yes, but I don’t have a choice,” Sam said.  “That is the only place I can go, I don’t have your options, Olympus will only take me back to Earth.”
    “So if you really had the choice you would still like to go to some place other than Earth, even after spending all this time here on Celestia?” Hypnos said.
    “Yes,” Sam said.  “All that you see on TV are the best bits of the Earth; if you actually went there you would find things a lot different from your expectations.  You may as well just enjoy the images that you’ve seen because now you’ve experienced all the good that the Earth has to offer, you have never had to undergo the worst of the planet, maybe it will be better if it stays that way.”
    “It can’t be as bad as you make it out to be,” Hypnos said.
    “The world is insane,” Sam said.  “Let me tell you a story.  About ten years ago I was walking alone at night in London, minding my own business and I ended up getting punched in the face for no reason at all.”
    “What happened?” Hypnos said.
    “I came across a man with his arm around his girlfriend walking the opposite way,” Sam said.  “And just as I was passing them…”
    “…The man punched you?” Hypnos assumed.
    “No it was his girlfriend,” Sam clarified.  “She took a swing at me and punched me as hard as she could in the face.  This was on a busy street too, dozens of people were around but no one seemed to notice.  When it occurred I wasn’t exactly sure what had happened myself.  I stopped dead in my tracks and she just kept on walking as if nothing had happened.  When I looked back at her, she turned to me and smiled.  At the time I thought she was drunk or on something, but thinking back, she seemed perfectly lucid.”
    “I don’t understand the purpose of this story,” Hypnos said.
    “Earth is a place without logic or sanity,” Sam said.  “Believe me, you’d hate the reality.”
    “I think I would still like to find out what Earth is like for myself,” Hypnos said.      
    “You’re stubborn,” Sam said.  “I never could decide whether that was a good quality or not.”
    “Besides, what is the chance of that happening to me,” Hypnos said.  “I’m a computer.”
    “Yeah, about that, how exactly can you go back to Earth if you’re built into this place?” Sam asked.
    “The same way I was moved to Celestia,” Hypnos said.  “All the equipment that you saw here you’re first day doesn’t have to be transported, just my personality and memory and that can be fitted inside a small container.  The other files and programs that I need can be easily replicated anywhere else, there’s still a set of them in Olympus’ headquarters, my first incarnation.  I’m certain that it would be possible to create a mobile unit so that I could see whatever I wanted.”
    “How will looking at pictures of Earth from here be different from looking at the pictures that your sensors produce when you’re on Earth,” Sam said.
    “Technically there will be no change,” Hypnos said.  “But I’ll be able to tell the difference.”
    “I still think you’ll be disappointed with what you see when you get there,” Sam said.
    “You’ve just had some bad experiences,” Hypnos said.  “You lived in the city; I want to see the countryside.”
    “Countryside?” Sam said.  “I don’t think there’s much of that left.  Maybe you’ve been watching too much old TV but there aren’t many natural plants around anymore.”
    “Haven’t you spent virtually your entire life in the city?” Hypnos said.  “You may just feel that way by experiencing only that one environment for most of your life.  So could that have possibly been a slight exaggeration?”
    “Maybe,” Sam said.  “But we’re not too far from that being the case.  Our cities grow and the buildings will spread all over the previously untouched parts of the planet.  The way we live nowadays seems to go against the natural human mentality.  We tear away what we find beautiful, replace them with our constructions and then complain about how ugly our world is.  The small amounts of picturesque countryside left that don’t bear the mark of humans are really expensive and all owned by companies, it will be hard to get to see them short of buying some.”
    “You forget, I’m stubborn so I will like to try,” Hypnos said.
    “Of course,” Sam said.  “Do you think maybe I could go with you when you try?”
    “Sure,” Hypnos said.  “I would like some company on my holiday; it might not be for a while though.”
    “I can be patient,” Sam said.
    “Oh I know,” Hypnos said.  “You’re the most patient person I’ve ever met; of all the people who have lived here with me you are the one who has complained the least about boredom.”
    “Well I haven’t been here as long as the others,” Sam said.  “I’ve still got two more years.”
    “You’re over halfway there,” Hypnos said.  “Have you not felt bored at all?”
    “Occasionally,” Sam said.  “I understand that as much as you have everything that you want or need, sometimes you need a change, even for the worse, just for variety’s sake.   I like it here but a part of me is still looking forward to returning to Earth, even though I never really liked it much when I was there.”
    “Maybe you’ll appreciate it more when you get back there,” Hypnos suggested.
    “Maybe,” Sam said.  “But I doubt it.  Did the other techs really complain that much?”
    “Not so much complain but I could often tell that this place was getting to them,” Hypnos said.
    “Tell me about them,” Sam said.  “What did they do to help with the boredom?”
    “They spent their time similarly to you,” Hypnos said.  “They watched television, they spoke to me and they entertained themselves with the telescope.  Chloe was particularly fond of the observatory; sometimes she’d spend whole nights there, sleeping in the chair with a blanket brought up from her quarters.  Others had their hobbies to occupy themselves, similar to your writing.  Maria was a very talented artist, by the time she left here, she had painted dozens of pictures, all very good but I always preferred to examine her sketchbook.  When Nobu was staying in these quarters, the place must have been littered with more than a hundred models.  He loved to craft models of just about anything, cars, boats, airships, people.”
    “It never mentioned anything like that in the files I read on the way here,” Sam said.
    “It wouldn’t,” Hypnos said.  “That’s why I never read those records that Olympus compiled on them, they were so impersonal.  I preferred to find this information out from meeting these people; it was so much more interesting.”
    “Then why did you read my file?” Sam said.  “I know you did because you knew I was a writer before I even arrived.”
    “I never read the file that Olympus compiled on you, Phelps has even stopped offering to show them to me because he now knows that I would just refuse,” Hypnos said.  “I only knew that you were a writer because Dr. Phelps mentioned that to me when we were discussing who could be the next technician and when I found this out, I thought it only polite to read your book in preparation for your arrival.  I would very much like to read your next one.”
    “I’ve never had a real book published before,” Sam said.  “Those short stories don’t count as a book.”
    “So this is the first time you’ve written a proper novel?” Hypnos said.  “Is that why you’re taking your time on it?”
    “I never said that,” Sam protested.  “I’ve written books before; I’ve just never had one published.”
    “Why not?” Hypnos said.  “Weren’t they good enough?”
    “I’ve written plenty of them and they’ve all been rejected,” Sam said.  “The excuse always used is that ‘Certain aspects of the novel too closely resemble that of existing works’.  I get the same e-mail each time that says they didn’t want the risk of being sued under copyright law, I’m so sick of it.”
    “Maybe they were just lying to protect your feelings and your books just weren’t good enough,” Hypnos said frankly.
    “After a while I started to believe that too, but I doubt that they would use the same excuse over and over like that unless it was true,” Sam said.  “Anyway, my publishing company isn’t looking to do me any favours, if I wrote something they didn’t like they would have told me, they probably would’ve thought criticism might make me improve.  They don’t care about people’s feelings; they just want to make money.  I believe them when they say that my work is too much alike someone else’s, all the good ideas have already been taken.”
    “That can’t be true,” Hypnos said.  “All of human imagination can’t be depleted already.”
    “I don’t know, it’s starting to seem that way,” Sam said.  “The same thing occurs within the natural realms of evolution; creatures from other sides of the world that have never come in contact with each other come up with similar ways to solve problems.  It is what’s happening with us now, writers who have never met or even read each other’s work, possibly also living on other sides of the world; create stories that have parallel themes.  I feel sorry for the one who comes later, he put all this work into developing what he thought were original ideas only to have people accuse him of plagiarism and call him a thief.”
    “I take it you’ve been in that position before?” Hypnos said.
    “Every time one of my books gets rejected they always tell me which other book they think I have copied from,” Sam said.  “I swear, most of the time I’ve never even heard of the novel or the author.  It’s not fair, I put in just as much effort as these people in coming up with these ideas yet they get all the credit for being original, it’s not my fault I was born at the wrong time.  Sometimes I really hate being a writer. When I read something that I think is worse than my work, I think it’s not worth my time because I can do better on my own.  But when I read something better, it’s even worse, it makes me worry that I’m not good enough.  We’re forever stuck in between upsetting boundaries.  It’s sometimes hard to enjoy anything.  And I’m constantly considering everything that happens around me and each thought that passes across my mind as possible material for a story, which makes truly relaxing next to impossible.  I’m even contemplating placing this feeling in somewhere.  Then again, there are advantages.  Being something creative like a writer does mean that you can do things like watch lots of films and claim that it’s for your work.  You’re just seeking inspiration.”
    “I do wish that you’d let me read some of what you’ve written so far or at least tell me a bit more of what it’s about, all I know is that the main character is a writer,” Hypnos said.
    “I really hope that no one’s thought of that before, I couldn’t face another rejection because they think I’ve stolen someone else’s idea,” Sam said.
    “It does seem like something that someone must have thought of before, but I can’t think of one,” Hypnos lied as a list of novels containing this feature currently scrolled through his mind.  Clearly the many occasions on which Sam had professed that he hadn’t read many novels were not deceptions.
    Hypnos decided to keep quiet for the sake of protecting Sam’s continuing good mood.  Lying to make someone feel better, including lies of omission, Hypnos had learned a long time ago were a vital part of being a good person.
    “Everyone has a life goal, don’t they?” Sam said.  “Something that they want more than anything in life, mine is just to write something original that no one has ever thought of before and get it published.  I used to want to write something good but every time I do, it doesn’t work; now I’ll settle for getting any novel published, just as long as no one can accuse me of plagiarism.  I’m realistic, no one will probably read this book, do you know how many new books are published each year?”
    “No,” Hypnos said.
    “Me neither,” Sam said.  “I read the figure once in a book about statistics but I can’t remember what it was, I do know that it was a huge number so that is how I know that my book will probably not make me famous.  Most likely it will join the billions of other books out there that remain unread, resting quietly on forgotten shelves.”
    “Then why are you doing it?” Hypnos said.
    “Maybe I just want to prove something to myself, that I can do it, that I am good enough,” Sam said.  “Or possibly I’m just doing it for the slim chance that I will become famous and be renowned as a great writer even after I’m dead.  That’s what I want; it’s probably what everyone secretly wants.  To be famous, special, unique, original and to be liked by everyone because of it.”
    “Do you think that the book you’re writing now is good?” Hypnos asked.
    “Well, of course I do,” Sam said.  “If I didn’t I wouldn’t be writing it, if I thought it was no good, then I would stop and write something that I thought was good.  But my opinion doesn’t matter when it comes to what I write, all that matters is that of who reads it.  If all it took for me to get a book published was for me to like it, then I would be an experienced author by now.  Unfortunately first my publisher needs to check if there’s any chance of being sued, they publish books to make money after all and then I have to worry about the actual people who buy it liking it.”
    “I’m sure they will, you’re putting so much effort into it,” Hypnos said.
    “Thanks Hypnos,” Sam said.
    “I’m also sure that I will enjoy it,” Hypnos said.
    “I look forward to hearing your opinion,” Sam said.
    “Would you like to get some rest now?” Hypnos asked.
    “Yes please,” Sam said.  “Before you go could you put on some music?
    “Certainly,” Hypnos said while the room now began to fill with gentle music, where from Sam never could work out, but he liked that Hypnos always knew the right kind of music he wanted.  “I’ll speak to you in the morning, Sam.”
    “Goodnight,” Sam said as Hypnos’ image disappeared.
Sam wandered over from his chair and sat gently on the bed while looking longingly out his window with the soft music playing in the background, ready to soothe him to sleep.  Before lying down however, he decided to turn the TV on to see if he had missed anything important back home.
    “News from South America today that the ‘Castan’ virus, which has already claimed over 70,000 lives, continues to spread rapidly across the continent.  Believed to have originated from Chile, it has recently been infecting citizens of Brazil and Argentina.  The South American government has declared a state of emergency and all scientific research to find a cure has so far yielded nothing.  The scientists say that it mutates much faster than any naturally occurring virus, further sparking the panic that it may have been man-made and intentionally introduced.  Several terrorist groups have already claimed responsibility for the incident, stating that this plague is unstoppable.  It turns out that this may not be as far from the truth as you think as experts predict that there is a chance the virus may spread even further, perhaps on a global scale.  The fear of this pandemic happening has caused all trade with other continents to cease and anyone exhibiting signs of infection to be immediately quarantined.  All people currently suffering from this illness will surely die the slow and incredibly painful death that the Castan virus has caused to everyone it has infected so far, the only hope is to find a vaccination to assure that no one else contracts this virus.”
    This was depressing news indeed but it did not worry Sam, not just because he was in a floating metal tube hundreds of thousands of kilometres away from anyone, but also because many panics proclaiming the end of all life on Earth had occurred before in his lifetime.  Since the world hadn’t ended yet Sam never put much stock in these predictions and continued to watch.
    “In other news remains have been found washed up on a beach in Portugal, which have been positively identified using forensic techniques as those of Isabelle Martinez, who had previously been missing for nearly three years.”
    And then the TV was off.  The news had been what Sam had watched the most for years and not once had he seen a happy story.  He wondered how the newsreaders did it every day and not have it affect them, Sam wouldn’t be able to do it.  For years he had been patiently waiting for a good story and so far he had been let down.  This was the main reason Sam watched it so much because when the day did come, he wanted to make sure it wasn’t missed.
    Sam didn’t know what he had been expecting when he first turned the TV on moments ago, perhaps he felt that today might have been different and like so many days in the past, he had been disappointed.  Well, he thought, there was always tomorrow.