expensive V.I.P. suite. The first segment from sixteen to fifteen stretched the longest because it lacked a halfway mezzanine which all the ship's other stairways had. It was straight, narrow and the steps were a smaller size. He was not in a hurry but irritated and not paying attention until an army officer monitoring his floor prodded him with a baton to make him move faster. Armada turned to give the Chink a few choice words and missed a step. Down he went the full flight, landing head-first at the bottom. His neck had been twisted away from his shoulders at a sharp angle. It was broken and he was very dead.
The soldier scoffed, "Clumsy, stupid Americans."
There weren't many words of kindness or praise spoken at Amada's graveside service nor people standing in respect. Only one representative from his bank, law firm, brokerage and his personal physician joined a priest from the local parish who had drawn the short straw. Two old, black men sat at a distance on a motorized hoist waiting for the short ceremony to finish. No relatives, friends or ex-employees were in attendance to offer testimonies, eulogies or humorous remembrances. It concluded in less than in ten minutes and within two hours his plot lay indistinguishable from five hundred others. The night came and Victor did not dream.
Then...
"Welcome back Mister Armada. Nice to see you again," said Joy. Faith nodded in agreement. "Your little free fall down the stairs was rather unexpected wasn't it? We didn't see it coming either."
He blinked a few times then checked out his body sitting in the same lounge chair as before. "What the... is this another nightmare? I can barely tell real life from fantasy anymore," which pleased the girls.
"Not a fantasy," answered Faith. "You're here with us again even though you're dead. But lucky you, you can still dream and you will, without the every other night routine you cooked-up by using No Doze. It will be the Full Monty from now on. Awake in in the daytime to contemplate your sins then live their fates at night." He stared without comprehension.
"Your physical body is still in the grave," explained Joy. "This," waving her hand at him, "is your soul. You know: the important stuff. Everyone has one, including scum like you. For us lovelies, your sudden passing is a game changer but we've seen it before... Don't worry, Sweetie, it's still do-able. Thank heaven." The girls looked at each other and roared in laughter. "Did we just say, Heaven!" they almost fell out of their seats. Victor gave an ignorant, stupid smile. "You didn't think our team was going to permit you to lie all peaceful and comfy in your coffin until the Judgment Day did you?" chided Faith. "This may sound redundant and tedious but you have an obligation to finish the game. All your victims are in the stands watching and cheering you on! And, as time passes more players will be added, increasing the number of dreams. On the downside, Joy and I will now have to pick new conclusion dates due to your unfortunate accident. The end will be accelerated."
Joy interrupted, "You don't think he'll become like that man from Macedonia who enjoyed the mental aspect of dying do you? We had to transfer him to another department," she explained to Victor. "They use much more vigorous methods. Trust me, you don't want to go there."
Victor whispered, "When will the game be over? How will I know? I'm already dead... what do you want of me?"
"Why Mister Know it All, we're surprised and a little disappointed you haven't figured it out." Faith answered with pride, "It's over when you lose your mind. You know... go crazy. Duh, insane." She redirected to Joy, "Shall we tell him we just had another addition to the game, a new player?"
"By all means. His name is Bruce and he's a sky diver!" exclaimed Joy. "Isn't that exciting?" She cracked a humongous smile, "Say Dude, aren't you afraid of heights? This could be major fun!" Armada became dull-eyed as drool ran down his chin.
"Now we're getting somewhere!" declared Faith.
Victor found himself standing behind the newest player, Bruce, positioned in the jump door of a sky diving plane cruising at seven thousand feet. All the other club members had already bailed out and deployed their chutes for a soft landing in a designated, safe, open meadow. They (Bruce and Victor) had ten seconds before their turn came. Armada's new partner, felt happy and sad at the same time. Glad to avoid months of wasting away in an isolated Medicaid death house built to protect the general public from terminal AIDS patients. His significant other had passed six months earlier which left him devastated and empty. Bruce had contracted the disease also. His own strength was ebbing quickly and he was close to being forced into the same facility to await the inevitable, dehumanizing end. Not only that, in a month the INS planned to deport him back to Columbia because his work visa had expired and he couldn't find another employer to vouch for him after being laid off at the cigar factory. Hopeless. Bruce had vowed not to take the same route as his lost love.
Victor, melded into his mind, shrieked, "No, no! Not this way!"
Bruce tucked the dangling rip cord under his vest. "I'll be with you soon, my love," and leapt into the cold air. Down, down as Armada screamed all the way. Game over.
As many as a hundred people a day die in large metropolitan areas - many by suicide.
Sweet dreams...
Into the Above
Victoria Colony, The New World
"As we all know our first settlement was established by an exploration mission sent from the Above many centuries ago. Over time, the prodigy of those dedicated pioneers have thrived, multiplied and expanded into the wonderful six colony society we enjoy today." reviewed the mayor of the amassed residents. "We have lived in peace and good health as long as anyone can remember. Yes, there were occasional intruders - mutant wildlife which accidentally wandered into our realm but were successfully repelled or destroyed. Sadly, we lost a few precious, valiant defenders but overall it was a small price paid to continue to live in safety underneath the uninhabitable, poisonous world of the Above. My friends, as you have come to learn in the worse possible way, there is a new threat - more lethal than any in the past. It has inflicted suffering and pain on our families even unto the death of our beloved offspring. Let it be known, this blight is not being borne by this hamlet alone. A noxious, lethal gas from the Above has seeped into our and the neighboring communities of our expanded brethren and taken a grievous toll on all. I and my fellow council members dispatched representatives to the surrounding settlements with the intent to form a specialized team to combat and halt this heinous, germ warfare attack. They responded gladly with great enthusiasm and support by offering and sending knowledgeable, trained personnel to enable the formation of a professional defensive unit to find and eliminate the threat. I salute our volunteer fellow colonial brethren. They are the best of the best!" A resounding response burst forth for the team of twelve selected members - two from each settlement, assembled on the stage behind the speaker.
"Within the hour these brave souls will depart on their arduous ascent to the Above to locate the source and stop this deadly gas flow into our communities. A task of this magnitude has never been attempted before. They will need to retrace the tracks of the Pioneers with extreme caution. Who knows what perils have developed within the trails first traveled? Their path will be unknown and in all probability, dangerous - yet I am totally confident in their ability to overcome all treacherous obstacles and complete their task. We salute their courage, dedication and love for us all!" which prompted another round of deserving praise. "These heroes will now spend a short time with families before their ascent into an alien land in our defense."
With their personal goodbyes said and well-wishing done, the twelve member expeditionary team assembled beneath the ancient tunnel from which their forefathers had descended to escape the perils of the Above. The ever-present, noxious gas still flowed steadily in a sufficient quantity to reach beyond the farthest colony and inflict grievous harm to the young - even unto death. The team members were strong, young adults and could tolerate the toxic air for a reasonable time, not indefinitely for sure. Plugging the tunnel entrance would not suffice. The surrounding outside walls w
ere old, crumbling - porous, overhead and in every direction the pollutant seeped through. The threat had to be stopped at its origin. "Apply your (breath) intake protection," directed the leader and physically largest member. "Let's go."
The ascent was slow, the passage had shrunk. Their traction constantly shifted beneath due to the now near-powder dirt. Collapsed sections had to be re-dug but after many hours they came upon an air chamber - a place to take a break and discuss the viability of their chosen route. "Okay, we'll take a little time to rest and assess our situation." The leader explained, "You should have realized by now the true magnitude and difficulty of this mission." He hardened his voice, "It will only get worse... much worse. If anyone is having second thoughts, this is the time to speak up. No ill will shall be afforded you. Many with good intentions attempt the impossible, few succeed." One by one each member was polled and all reaffirmed their commitment. "Thank you all, now let's continue." They had no maps or directions for reference; the forefathers could not imagine anyone attempting to return to the Above. The expeditionary force assumed upon entering their present rest stop the next -