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By Rakhi Bhatnagar
By Vishwas Nicholas.

Destiny

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	By Rakhi: Unable to repair the ozone crisis, the Earth is now transformed into one giant greenhouse, where hydraulic cells and hover cars have become the common mode of transportation. Since the early 21st century, disease and defects spiraled out of control. But the human race, like always, innovative as it is, has come up with a way to pull sheep�s wool over the eyes of human suffering - the manufacturing of clones. The ability to clone has been perfected just for the cause of providing spare organs for humans. The system has it so that the clones are born alongside of the coinciding human babies. At birth, the mother cradles her baby in her arms with love and compassion, while the clone is sent down to the Underground, a facility deep under the surface of the earth that provides an adequate environment ensuring a healthy growth for all clones. Thus the caste system is created, where humans are the superior species and clones are the sub species. In society, humans never acknowledge the existence of their clones, but make sure their clone�s ID number is on their donor card. To them clones are not human, and their sole purpose is to simply supply the humans, spare body parts in the anticipated event of an accident or disease. The clones are shunned by society and kept in the isolated depths of the Underground; they are the scum of the earth. -------------------------------------------------------------------- She buttoned up a white, silk shirt over the pair of black pants that she was wearing, allowing her piercing black, straight hair to gently stroke the tops of her shoulders. She looked one last time in the mirror to make sure she appeared professional for the interview. The interview she had been so excited to receive. She shook her head at the mirror and said, �He picked you, Roshani, out of 500 people�. The massive emblem of a sheep pasted on a wall, stared down at her as she parked her sedan in front of the Dolly Cloning Foundation. She sat for a moment trying to remember in what century and year, Dolly the sheep, had become the first successful clone, but gave up and entered through the revolving glass doors. Only two security officers cleared her before she reached the office of Dr. Menka, an African American and also the leading scientist in the technology of cloning. She knocked gently on the grand oak doors and heard a gentle, �enter�, before she pushed them open. Standing behind a lavish, mahogany desk was a tall, greying man with a set of kind eyes behind the thin, black frame of his glasses. �My name is Roshani Dahal, it�s nice to meet you Dr. Menka.� She shook his hand and wondered, how did he manage to attain such fine wood to decorate his office? �It�s all artificially simulated to appear like fine wood, but might I add, a lot more expensive.� Dr. Menka replied as if he had read her mind. �I�m sure you have questions before I brief you on the protocol and the dos and don�ts about your research.� �I got the internship?� she asked dumbfounded. �Yes you have. I realize you�re young, about 26,� he says referring to her file, �but you have confirmed my original assessment that you�re a hard working student, who knows to abide by instructions.� He smiles, shining his aging but brilliantly white teeth. �You�re here to research for your thesis paper, correct?� �Exactly, I am interested in the clones; how they behave and what their ability to interact are. I want to do some research so I know what to base my thesis on.� �That�s absolutely fine by me and now for the do�s and don�ts. You will be assigned your own clone to work on, but remember, no physical interaction can take place between you and your clone. You will only be allowed to read the clones records on the computer database from your apartment for the research.� �Can they write? Read? Understand and comprehend what you say?� �Just the little that I taught them, of course it is against protocol to interact with them, but I know you�ll keep this between the two of us.� �What will stay between the two of us?� �Ha. You have a good sense of humor young girl. Now everything you need to access data on your clone is this number,� he handed her a card, �so there will be no need for you to come down to the office or even enter the facility. The Underground is forbidden to everyone except me. Not even security has access without me around.� �Thank you so much doctor, for allowing me this opportunity.� She shook his hand and walked out of the office, grinning from ear to ear to conceal her excitement. The last rays of sunlight disappeared leaving the white glare from the laptop to illuminate the room as she read the notes about her clone. Beside her, two lasagna pills, three cheese pills, and a tall glass of water sat ignored, waiting to be swallowed as the hour hand on the clock seemed to be jogging past the numbers. The facility provides exercise machines, food pills, their own cell, and time for the clones to interact with one another. However, her clone as well as the rest, never shows any signs of conversation but simply gestures to others. She concluded in her notes that this could be due to the fact that clones were deprived of an education. Only after a day of research, Roshani began to realize, these clones actually live like humans. To her a human was a live, breathing, and thinking individual. Society thinks the clones are immobile, not able to think or take care of themselves, when in actuality, if given the chance; perhaps they might lead a life very similar to ours. Lord, we humans are morally corrupt. How can we willingly confine these� people? They might not be just clones� if they have a mind and a heart of their own, then they are people just like me. Individuals, unique! Now completely enraged, she said to herself, perhaps I should write my thesis paper on the similarities between a human and their clone. Try to make people aware they are wrongfully treating clones. To do this the mental capability of her clone had to be tested, to see if it could actually think for itself. But how am I to accomplish this? Dr. Menka said interaction with my clone is forbidden. She continued to scan the records and database, searching for clues she may have overlooked. And then it happened as if though by accident. She noticed a small sheep icon, just like Dolly, at the bottom of the screen, in one of the indiscreet pages of the records, staring at her. She clicked on it expecting more mundane data as a new screen unfolded. To her astonishment an old e-mail system appeared. But e-mail has not been used for over a century! Anyway just try it to see what this is about. She typed a quick letter and hit the send button. Rays of intensified sunlight, passing through the greenhouse ceiling surrounding the earth, shone into her dark, cool, air-conditioned room. Then the silence of her sanctuary was disrupted by a beep, which stirred her out of a deep sleep. The repetitive beeping sounded like drums being beaten near her ears and she jolted out of bed. Where is that racket coming from? Suddenly, like a torpedo locked onto its target, she fixed in onto the desk, the laptop. She cleared the screen to find the message, �You�ve got mail�, written in cheerful colours, blinking carelessly. She hesitated for a few moments, having not used e-mail before and then clicked the mail open. Hello, I am 334. I have shoulder length hair, black, straight. I am 26 years of age. Are you my human? Who are you? Her limbs collapsed; her arms fell to her side, her body slumped back into the chair, and her mouth hung ajar. She can write? She can use a computer? She can even ask questions? This is totally contrary to what we have been told about clones. Is it my clone or some one just playing a prank? If it is really my clone then this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Being up close and personal with my own clone will give me all the information I need to write my paper. It�s against protocol, but when else will I get such an opportunity? She pondered for a while about how to reply and finally wrote, Hi 334, my name is Roshani Dahal. I am the human that they cloned you from. But, we are not supposed to have any contact, so please don�t mention it to Dr. Menka. I want to know you better, understand you better, so please will you help me by answering some questions? She waited nervously, what if she tells the doctor? Or maybe I scared her off. If she continues to interact with me, I might be able to prove that clones are more than just immobile tools for harvesting organs. They are perhaps actually� humans. Oh please reply, she thought anxiously. With a lump in her throat she waited for the once irritating beeping sound, which was now transformed like bells from heaven. Roshani, I not tell doctor and want to help you. I have a dictionary now, so my spelling should be accurate. Please stop feeling anxious, you are making me feel it too. I think I know why, is it because you are waiting for me to send mail? I want to know, if I am in cell, then where are you? As she read this, Roshani was absolutely shocked; it�s like talking with a small child, and how did she know I was anxious? Can she feel what I am feeling? I know I can�t, but if she can, then oh lord that means every clone has a connection with his or her human! Oh God! This is going to be the greatest discovery of all time! She quickly wrote back to 334 and asked the clone to tell her what she felt after reading 334�s mail. Within minutes, 334 replied, you had an overwhelming feeling of happiness, maybe you figured out something important. But you did not reply my questions. She was now laughing with happiness, my clone has an ESP connection with me, she�s not only human, but has felt everything I�ve felt all my life! Quickly, remembering the questions, she replied to 334. Yes, your reasoning of why I am expressing those feelings is 100% accurate and I am extremely astonished by this. This means you felt everything I have all of my life, which must have been very confusing for you. I am sorry about that. You live in the Underground, a facility prepared for only clones, deep under the surface of the earth. While we humans, live on top, under the basking sun and the blue sky. The surface is absolutely wonderful, with trees, flowers, and freedom. I�m sorry, truly, but society will never allow a clone to come up to the surface. Only one of us can be up here, I guess it�s our destiny. She exchanged mails with 334 constantly throughout the day for the next three weeks. She tried to train 334 to use her ability to its full potential. Soon, by sensing Roshani�s feelings, 334 knew exactly where she was in the apartment. 334, by using this technique, could identify what color shirt Roshani was wearing. Gradually, in those three weeks, Roshani introduced 334 to the outside world, by going to a park and swinging on a swing. Describing the visit to the park and the swing, 334 wrote, you were not on the ground, more like floating back and forth, but clutching to something. As your hair moved, my hair had a similar sensation, but did not move. How I wish my hair could feel what yours did. Roshani helped 334 with grammar and taught her how things function on the surface; transportation, banking, and how society thinks they are superior to the clones. 334, these past three weeks have brought us closer together. You are like the sister I never had, more like a twin sister actually. Twins are two humans born at the same time from the same mother, they look alike but their personalities are very different. You are like my twin, except you feel what I feel, which makes you very much like me. Now, more than ever, I want to help make the humans realize how loving, caring, and compassionate all you clones are. Most of all, I want to bring you up to the surface, to show you how wonderful it is. But I know I will never be able to achieve that. This narrow-minded society would never allow it! 334, I want to assure you, that if I am ever involved in an accident, I will not allow them to kill you for your organs, I would rather die than allow them to kill you. You are after all, like a sister to me. Roshani was totally startled by the reply she got to her mail. Is that all I am to you Roshani? Your research? What you wrote was quite touching, but I could sense your emotions as you wrote it, and I know for certain you were not being sincere. How dare you try to toy with my emotions! You promised to make people understand that we clones are just like humans, and then you say we�ll never get to see the surface! I promise you I shall see the surface, even if it is only at the expense of your feelings. I know you are ready to start writing your thesis because I can sense that you are satisfied with what you have learnt about me and all the other information you have gathered. So I see no further need for us to communicate. Completely taken aback, Roshani tried to make sense of what she read and tried to explain herself in her reply. Please 334, you misunderstood my last message and I know you�re very accurate, but I think you misinterpreted my feelings. From the start I promised not only you, but myself as well, that I would make certain humans realize that clones have the right to live a life equal to that of a human�s. You are not just my research, you�re a friend, and you�re like a sister, like a twin. Please read my last message again because I did not mean to hurt your feelings. She hit the send button, and sat back in her chair confused by 334�s sudden change in attitude. What did I say that offended her? I care for her. She surely must know it. From all the tests, she definitely must have sensed my sincere feeling of compassion. What�s going on? The beeping cut through her deep trail of thought, flashing the message, �You�ve got mail�. You planned to hurt my feelings right from the start Roshani. I should have seen it coming. I told you I do not want us to communicate any longer. Roshani stood up this time, placed her hands on her head and thought, this is not 334 writing, it has to be someone else. 334 can sense my feelings perfectly. She could not have written all this. Something must have happened to her. So she quickly replied asking 334, are you all right? You don�t seem to be yourself today. What happened? Please tell me! A day went by with no word from 334. Roshani began to worry even more. She was certain that it was not 334 writing; it had to be someone else. But she couldn�t go to the doctor for help because she had defied his protocol. She was left with choice but to go down to the Underground, into the forbidden facility. The faint image of Dolly stared down at her, as she darted under the moonlight through the parking lot of the Dolly Cloning Foundation. A citywide security strike was broadcast on the afternoon news, which made her hope the alarm system at the facility would be switched off. As she broke the window of Dr. Menka�s office, she covered her ears anticipating the alarm to be activated. Nothing happened, how could I be so reckless to take a chance like that? I have to find 334. Come on, smarten up and don�t get caught, she needs me. The hallways, dark and empty made it hard for her to find the elevator. She could barely see the signs pointing the correct direction, and headed to the elevator with the keys she found hidden under a vase, in Dr. Menka�s office. It seemed easy to get into the facility, but once inside the elevator, she realized that getting out was impossible. There was only one button indicating downward, but nothing to get back up. She thought, doesn�t matter what happens next, I have to make sure 334 is okay; I�ll worry about getting back later. The facility was unlike anything she had imagined. It was illuminated brightly, with colourful mosaics on the wall. The ground was kept clean, plants grew everywhere, and there were couches placed in little groups along the corridors. The place was massive. She peered into the cells through a small, round window in the doors. Each cell was equipped with its own computer, bathroom, bed, and wardrobe. She looked at the number on the door and realized she had to walk down another two hundred doors. This is it 334, here I am, she thought as she opened the door, took a step inside, and saw no one there. Where is she? What happened to her? Am I too late? An open book sitting beside the computer caught her eye. She picked up the large, novel like book, and scanned through the pages before realizing it was 334�s journal. Her journal? She could write this well, before we started e-mailing? She lied to me? Roshani sat on the bed, and began to read the last message in the journal. Today, everything went according to plane. Roshani is worried sick about me, and at the moment trying to figure out a way to come and rescue me. Keep thinking! How na�ve she is. Dr. Menka was correct, she is young and gullible, or else this wouldn�t have been so easy pull off. How dare she think herself more superior than me! I am three times smarter than she�ll ever be! She thought I was illiterate, mentally slow, deprived, and down right stupid! If only she could know the truth, but Dr. Menka wouldn�t want anything getting out. Those incompetent, uncompassionate humans would tear him apart if they knew he taught us to read and write. But my telepathy deserves all the credit. It�s good she isn�t aware she too has it too; otherwise I would never have gained her trust! Yes fool, your plan to break in will work, because the alarm system is shut off. She has finally come up with the most obvious plan. What a genius I am, to make all this happen when the strike began. Dr. Menka will be so proud of me tomorrow, when I am up on the surface, living the life of Roshani Dahal, my pathetic, useless human. Damn, she�s already in the facility. Perhaps I should leave the room � that way she can enter her new home, her new cell, on her own. My new cell? My new home? What does she mean, where is 334? She thought desperately trying to absorb all the information she had just read. Bang! The cell door slammed shut. She spun around to see her face with shoulder length, black hair, starring back at her through the small, round window. It took a while for the truth to kick in. 334�s plan all along was to use Roshani to escape, to be free, to roam the surface, and leave Roshani locked up in the forbidden facility. No one knew she had come down, nor did anyone know she had been in contact with her clone. She would not be missed neither 334 discovered. The perfect plan. She stared at the face behind the window and thought, but why 334? But why? Destiny, replied 334 telepathically.

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