Excerpt from "The Twelve"

Ethan, a successful entrepreneur, has lost his drive in life after becoming a widower. To help cope with his apathy, what appears to be an imaginary friend aids him in pushing his boundaries.

Serena - “Hey Ethan, see that girl over there?”

Ethan raised his curious brown eyes in the direction of a stunning blonde standing at the opposite end of the bar. The ambient lighting behind her created a glow around her edges. A short black dress accentuated her shapely figure. As she made a brief glance in Ethan’s direction he was taken by her uncanny eyes. They shined an unusually spectacular emerald green.

Serena - “I dare you to go talk to her.”

He was fixated for a moment, until he noticed she was now gazing directly at him. Quickly shifting his stare towards the luminescent bottles behind the bar, he pretended as if he didn’t notice her.

“Last call for alcohol!” Shouts the bartender.

Ethan held a blank look in the direction of the bartender.

“How we doin buddy,” asked the bartender, “it’s last call.”

“Yeah I heard you the first time. Just close me out please,” Ethan mutters.

…

It was a clear night walking home from the bar on the streets of Paris. Looking up, the stars twinkled in the dark void, almost as if they were waving hello to planet earth from afar.  Autumn was fast approaching and the temperature was dropping more rapidly than before. It was the first night this year that it was cold enough to see the vapor condensing from your breath. Ethan held a brisk pace with the long legs on his 6 foot frame.

“What happened back there Ethan?”

“I don’t know Serena. Honestly, I just didn’t feel like it.”

“It really wasn’t that hard of a dare you know.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It wouldn’t have hurt for you to have just gone up to her and talked to her.”

“Why put myself in a situation of obvious rejection?”

“You’re quite the optimist aren’t you!”

“Whatever…”

“It's not even about about the girl anyway! What are you afraid of Ethan? Really! What happened to the guy I once knew that loved life and had no fear to live it?”

Fiercely squinting his eyes and clenching his coat around himself, he started walking faster.

“It’s getting f*****g cold out here,” he grumbled. “Let’s just get home.”

…

Ratatatat, the doorknob rattled. Flinging open, Ethan stumbles through the front door of his house. The main hallway’s ceiling and walls shimmered with projected lighting that mimicked rippling water. The colors shifting between turquoise and deep blue. Two enormous fish tanks sit parallel to each other, mounted within each wall. Taking off his coat he misses the hanger and moves on. Lazily stopping in the middle of the hallway and looking to his right, he peers through the fishtank at his office on the the other side. A desk lamp is left on. Fluttering holographic images hover in front of it. Ethan feels a sense of contentment seeing it and begins to forget about the lame evening he just had. A moray eel peeks it’s head out of it’s coral home, catching Ethan’s attention.

“Hey Mel,” says Ethan, greeting his pet with a smirk.

Taking a few steps forward and and looking through the fishtank on his left he can see the adjacent living area and on into the kitchen. He hangs a left at the end of the hall and approaches the wet bar at the corner of the living room. As looks out the window onto the city lights, Ethan empties his pockets onto the counter between two yellow lighting elements hovering in mid-air. In his pockets, a set of two matching keys and a smooth, small white pebble that he held between his thumb and index finger a few seconds before placing it down gently.

Ethan hated carrying those keys, but he had no choice. He was still waiting for his automated entry system to be installed at his new home. Well new to him at least. It was actually over 100 years old. A really nice Long-Lifer couple, sold it to him. They loved the old fashioned entry, which was not quite Ethan’s taste.

Long-Lifers are senior individuals that benefited from a new medical breakthrough labeled Cell Rejunification. Beginning in 2014, the BioMed Corporation received a significant donation from the Methuselah Foundation. They amped up their research campaigns and began extensively experimenting on how to prolong human life. Cell Rejunification was discovered in 2033 by Doctor Damien Caldwell, a scientist at BioMed. Dr. Caldwell discovered a way to reset human cell DNA using newly extracted DNA from cultured stem cells.

“It doesn’t technically stop the aging process, it simply fools it into thinking you’re younger.  Essentially turning back the clock, cells start producing in the same way they did at the selected earlier age.” -Dr. Caldwell | newMED Magazine

Cell Rejunification (CR) spawned the New Human Project which accelerated research. Prior to its public release in 2079, the availability of CR was limited to those connected to BioMed and the Methuselah Foundation. The oldest documented Long-Lifer to date is 192 years old and looks like she is in her 50’s. Anne Globel, the wife of Dan Globel, the former CEO of the Methuselah Foundation. He died in a small plane crash while on an Alaskan excursion.

Cell Rejunification has taken off as a fad as well. In the past year, it has replaced almost every form of aesthetic surgery.  Aesthetic CR, dubbed Waxing, can do almost anything from healing old scars to even changing a person's eye color. Unlike Long-Lifer therapy, Waxing is much simpler and only takes one session to produce the desired results. The price tag for getting Waxed was beyond what most could afford. Despite this, the popularity of Waxing grows because results last the average rate of cell degeneration. Which is years! Used by the wealthy and eclectic, it has produced some interesting and strange results. Some adult patients have deliberately forced their appearance to have skin like a toddler or even manipulating skin color to unusual hues.

Fortunately for some Long-Lifers, their therapy fell under the Life Contributor Preservation Act of 2088 passed by Earth United (formerly known as the UN). This meant based on what a person did in their life to contribute to humanity, large or small, their Cell Rejunification expenses were covered as a Long-Lifer.

…

“Ben, please set ambience for sleep,” commanded Ethan as he entered his bedroom.

The main lights dimmed, the walls bloomed with slow fluctuating tones of violet and the room filled with the resonation of gleaming crystals. The voice of an elderly fellow with an Old English accent chimes in.

“Good evening Ethan. I have replaced the bed linens while you were out. I presume you’re sleeping alone tonight… again?”

“Very funny Ben.”

“I apologize sir. My sensors hadn’t detected the presence of another person. Per your predicted evening scenario, I was expecting a female companion.”

“Yeah don’t remind me.”

“If you’d like, I will adjust my AI assumption levels?”

“No Ben, it’s fine. I like that you think ahead.”

A small circular pedestal sit atop Ethan’s nightstand. Upon it a  holographic figurine flickers on, it’s appearance was like Benjamin Franklin himself.

“Permission for inquiry sir.”

“Go ahead, shoot.”

“According to statistics from the past year, the current predicted evening scenario has a less than 10% chance for success. Shall it be updated?”

“Haha Ben, can't one hope? Hope is needless when your chances are good. Then it becomes an expectation. Personally Ben, I choose hope versus expectation. It makes things a little more wonderful when they come about and a much less painful when they don't... and it’s not even about the girl anyway.”

Ben's hologram flickers as he raises his hand to his chin as to be pondering something.

“May I make another inquiry sir.”

“Sure Ben, go ahead,” replies Ethan, growing weary.

“What is it exactly that you are hoping for?”

“I… uh, okay enough inquiries for tonight Ben.”

“Very well sir…”

“…I’ve updated your portfolio for you based on today’s financial transactions. You’ve had several messages throughout the day as well. One pertaining to the Orion project.”

“Anything I should be concerned about?”

“No sir. I have handled all inquiries for you at this time. You’re off the hook sir. You only need to return Mr. Luncrest's call tomorrow regarding the Orion project.”

“Thank you Ben,” states Ethan with a proud smile.

“You’re welcome sir. I will have your report waiting for you with your morning coffee.”

“Excellent. Goodnight Ben.”

“Sleep well sir.”

Ethan’s head hits the pillow. The lights dim and with perfectly timed reverberation from the ambient soundscape. An unexplained surge then comes over Ethan’s body that feels as if he has just been given tranquilizer. A gentle voice hums in his head and his lumbering eyelids fall.

"Serena - “Sleep well Love. We'll try again tomorrow.” 

Author's Note

This is my first writing I've attempted. Because of this I realize my style is probably rather unorthodox. I've proof read it, but I'm positive there are still plenty of mistakes. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.