The Human Popsicles

A Story by Sami Khalil

Just in time for Halloween...

Damien Hirst: 'I flirted with the idea of pickling people' | Art | The Guardian

The Human Popsicles by Sami Khalil

(Just in time for Halloween)

His eyes turned like pearls when he died. A professor of psychology, at U.C. Berkeley, passed away suddenly from a terminal, renal cancer.

As a futurist, searching for immortality, he donated his body and wealth, upon death, to the famed “California Institute of Cryogenics.” The president of the institute was a pioneer in the preservation of human bodies, which he had his inspiration from the Siberian salamanders who get frozen for years and years, then walk away unharmed when the ice melts.

As the professor’s body was flown to the facility, his wife and son filed a lawsuit to no avail for his “will” prevailed. They realized he did not leave them a dime.

First, they thought Cryonics: That is the preservation of bodies, in frozen states, using liquid Nitrogen, in the hopes of reviving them at later dates, was pseudo- science (regarded with skepticism within the mainstream community). Secondly, they wanted him buried in the family cemetery. Little they knew, as time passed, that cryonics patients are no longer frozen, but “vitrified” away from the past, crudely done, ad hoc process.

As I was reading this, I rolled my eyes unfathomably at this distant prospect of human desire, turned to my wife to say, Are those imbecilic people serious? Dead is dead! (Although I believe in the afterlife). Only by God’s power and might can they come back to life with new bodies. Science is not afforded those miraculous, restorative powers.

She nodded her head in approval as her curiosity was aroused upon reading the article. She said: “Life extension is possible through many disciplines, but life’s restoration is the domain of God. Only Him has the power of immortality. Those human popsicles will burn in Hell.”

I did not want to start an argument (God knows we had plenty), I turned to her saying, we will all have our first brush with death. We must forge ahead in science though, knowing its limitations, doubts and trials, keeping our faith in the absoluteness of God’s might.

That night, my wife and I could not sleep. Unbeknownst to us, talking about a subject too much, will haunt the human psyche. We both had terrible images, for a month, of frozen humans’ nightmares with pearly eyes shinning bright. Suddenly, they were all thawed out, released from their giant vacuum flasks known as Dewars.

Jauntily wayward, they roamed the streets after the “Deep Freeze.”

© 2022 Sami Khalil

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Reviews

willweb

I don't handle the cold too well but maybe, just maybe this is something I might try someday if the need arises and if not, I will stick with chocolate covered vanilla ice cream on a stick. : ) That was very cool (no pun intended) my friend.

Posted 2 Years Ago

2 Years Ago

Hahaha! I like your response my friend for I laugh at those people who believe in this particular sc.. read more

Lydia Shutter

I am not sure I believe that cryogenics will work. It's true many people do believe it and they will spend lots of money to ensure they are kept on ice. The last will and testament always wins in a court battle. The wife and family had no chance of winning. Visions of zombies danced in your heads, eh? This sure is an eerie story, Sami. Very well written. Your religious beliefs are expressed well between the lines. Lydi**

Posted 2 Years Ago

2 Years Ago

Hehehe! So true and well said. I include my beliefs in my writing. I respect the beliefs of those wh.. read more

Patricia Wedel

dearest Sami… this is an an amazing Write… I personally do not like to be chilled. To melt my 💜 Heart is a Thrill. In the Autumn we have Sunny days and Chilly days… but only in Winter do we have Ice Cycles. Human Popsicles is an Eerie phenomenon. Your Imagination is Levitating and even Einstein must be fascinated. gently, Pat