Month: February 2014

5

  By

Un objecte brillava de manera exagerada a sobre de l’estàtua. Va trobar un bagul petit i el va fer servir per pujar-hi i agafar-lo. Era una clau. La va inspeccionar i va veure un escut medieval gravat. Era el mateix escut que hi havia dibuixat sobre aquella porta del segon pis!

La clau es va trencar després d’obrir la porta. Un calfred li va recórrer la columna. Es va adonar que portava en tensió des què havia posat el peu a la mansió per primera vegada. En canvi, aquesta habitació la relaxava. Segurament el piano reverberat i malenconiós que sonava a l’ambient i la llum blanca d’oli tenien molt a veure. Va decidir que tornaria sovint mentre investigava, per descansar i deixar per escrit tot el que li anava passant. Algun dia potser algú podria llegir les seves notes i fer-se una idea de la bogeria en què es trobava. O potser servirien per què el següent que passés per allà salvés el coll. Va utilitzar la tinta que havia trobat a la sala llarga de la llar de foc per escriure a la olivetti que hi havia a l’altra banda de l’habitació. Després, va inspeccionar els subministraments: “Hay un candil sobre los suministros. Su luz es muy reconfortante” Al costat de la llum d’oli va trobar una nota:

“Instrucciones para el depósito de cadáveres: tenemos nuevos datos respecto a esos “seres”. Aunque parezcan bien muertos pueden resucitar para evitar que vuelvan a “activarse”. Hay varios procedimientos:

1-Incineración

2-Destrucción de la cabeza.

En cuanto se descubran nuevos métodos se les notificará al respecto. Mientras tanto, para todos aquellos con apego a la vida, hemos dejado combustible en la primera planta de la mansión.”

Va comptar les bales que li quedaven: 3. Va prémer les dents i va sortir a poc a poc cap a la foscor. De sobte tres zombis van sortir corrents cap a ella. Va disparar com va poder, gairebé sense angle. Un dels zombis encara seguia en peus i li va mossegar el coll amb virulència.

A la pròxima. I si no, a la següent.

Va apagar la Game Cube i va treure el mini DVD. El va mirar un parell de vegades per sota i el va guardar a la caixa amb les instruccions. Va fer una fotografia a tot el lot. Després va entrar al seu compte d’eBay, a la secció “empezar a vender“. Va començar a escriure: “Resident Evil Remake de Game Cube (original español 2002, no players choice) en perfecto estado, casi nuevo.” Va afegir els tags “rareza“, “true classic” i “único” que sempre vestien molt i va activar la casella de “solo pujas en España.” Va establir un preu de venda directa en 20€. Després el va canviar a 50€. Sempre hi queia algú.

Si no, a la pròxima. O a la següent.

5

  By

O último que fixo ao seu carón

Ela quería lembrar o seu nome como unha etiqueta coa que arquivar o seu recordo, pero hai días en que Katerina sinte que todo semella seguir igual. Iso prodúcelle unha sensación espantosa, horrible, de profundo desarraigo que non pode soportar. Como se todo o acontecido durante a súa vida non servise para nada e que non hai  implicacións posibles, encrucilladas aceptables que axuden a encarar as posibilidades máis tenras e apetecibles do futuro.

Coser foi o último que fixo ao seu carón. Sentou nunha cadeira de brazos moi semellante á que tiña había anos naquel piso de Varsovia onde todo comezara para eles dous. O último que fixo na súa presenza antes de coller o avión foi coser aproveitando a raxeira intensa do sol das tres e media da tarde que entraba pola xanela. El estaba alí mentres ela tentaba coser, cunha corrección aceptable, un parche de Negu Gorriak na súa cazadora negra, aquela que a nai insistira en pagar había anos e que até o momento non vestía a miúdo porque pensaba que, malia que lle gustaba moito o deseño, a parte de abaixo, ao abrochar a cremalleira, non lle sentaba ben.

Katerina non puido comprobar se el a miraba namorado ou se tamén empregaba, esforzado nalgunha angueira, a luz intensa que quentaba as rúas dos arrabaldes de Varsovia. Quizais Francesc só miraba máis aló dos vidros da xanela, quizais imaxinaba o que farían á súa volta ao final da primavera cando as flores reinasen nos xardíns do pazo de Wilanów e Ulises os mirase, gardián, dende os frescos das paredes. Aquilo foi o último que fixo ao seu carón, coser.

Despois, ao gardar os aparellos de costura no seu lugar, levantouse poñendo a cazadora, deulle un bico, unha aperta que aínda lembra e saíu da casa dicíndolle que o amaba, que o quería, sen saber que era para sempre, que xa nunca endexamais volvería apreixar o seu corpo coa intensidade do amor que marcha pensando que a eternidade é medible. Quería lembrar o seu nome como unha simple etiqueta sen sospeitar que algún día recibiría uns datos asépticos que a axudarían a localizalo nun hospital de Barcelona: Paciente 500AC.

5

  By

Subject:  500AC

Location: Zone 56

Gender: Female

Height: 5 foot 6 inches

Weight: 6 stone 10

Hair: black

Eyes: green

Abnormalities:

  1. Wrist stamp, left arm.
  2. Several burn marks evident on upper and lower torso.
  3. Cominnuted fracture of the left tibia.

Conclusion: No major defects evident that could negatively impact study.

Approval for case file number: 79:20:NZ

Approval granted by Agent Francesc

Medic Report for case file 79:20:NZ

Initial report: Subject responded well to procedure. Visible burns and minor lacerations noted in pre-op were superficial and had no impact on surgery

Operation proceeded as expected and complied with the guidelines submitted to and approved by the supervisory committee.

Subject 500AC is the first person to undergo treatment using Substance Q. As such, detailed analysis of the treatment has been recorded and collected by the supervisory committee.

This medic report is for general personnel with appropriate clearance. It is to be used for training and quality control purposes.

Week One (after the initial operation): Subject 500AC has responded well to the augmentations. No visible rejection has occurred. Subject is still under complete sedation, as per supervisory committee order #17. All life signs are normal.

Week Two: Sedation has been alleviated and subject 500AC has begun to respond to stimulus. Eye movement, blinking and facial twitches have been witnessed in response to auditory and visual stimuli.

Week Three: Subject has begun to communicate. No prior knowledge to her entry to the facility has been displayed. Further testing is needed to verify whether this is the result of Substance Q or due to the accident that caused the previous injuries (see Abnormalities).

There is a progressive development of sensation from the head to the upper torso. The lower torso is still paralyzed.

Week 4: Full movement has been regained in the upper body. The lower body shows signs of sensation. Blood and urine tests have returned with expected results. The program is moving along as planned. Complete recovery due within original timeframe.

Month 3: Pain killers were administered when subject displayed discomfort in areas localized around the augmentations. The amount and frequency of the extra medication affected data collection and had to be reduced.

Subject became aggressive and appropriate sedatives were administered. Subject was then restrained in accordance with supervisory committee order #74 in order to evaluate project status.

A second operation was required to examine the full extent of damage. Erosion had occurred between the connective tissues, presumably due to underdeveloped Substance Q.

Case file 79:20:NZ has been delayed until further notice.

5

  By

Subject:  500AC

Location: Zone 56

Gender: Female

Height: 5 foot 6 inches

Weight: 6 stone 10

Hair: black

Eyes: green

Abnormalities:

  1. Wrist stamp, left arm.
  2. Several burn marks evident on upper and lower torso.
  3. Cominnuted fracture of the left tibia.

Conclusion: No major defects evident that could negatively impact study.

Approval for case file number: 79:20:NZ

Approval granted by Agent Francesc

Medic Report for case file 79:20:NZ

Initial report: Subject responded well to procedure. Visible burns and minor lacerations noted in pre-op were superficial and had no impact on surgery

Operation proceeded as expected and complied with the guidelines submitted to and approved by the supervisory committee.

Subject 500AC is the first person to undergo treatment using Substance Q. As such, detailed analysis of the treatment has been recorded and collected by the supervisory committee.

This medic report is for general personnel with appropriate clearance. It is to be used for training and quality control purposes.

Week One (after the initial operation): Subject 500AC has responded well to the augmentations. No visible rejection has occurred. Subject is still under complete sedation, as per supervisory committee order #17. All life signs are normal.

Week Two: Sedation has been alleviated and subject 500AC has begun to respond to stimulus. Eye movement, blinking and facial twitches have been witnessed in response to auditory and visual stimuli.

Week Three: Subject has begun to communicate. No prior knowledge to her entry to the facility has been displayed. Further testing is needed to verify whether this is the result of Substance Q or due to the accident that caused the previous injuries (see Abnormalities).

There is a progressive development of sensation from the head to the upper torso. The lower torso is still paralyzed.

Week 4: Full movement has been regained in the upper body. The lower body shows signs of sensation. Blood and urine tests have returned with expected results. The program is moving along as planned. Complete recovery due within original timeframe.

Month 3: Pain killers were administered when subject displayed discomfort in areas localized around the augmentations. The amount and frequency of the extra medication affected data collection and had to be reduced.

Subject became aggressive and appropriate sedatives were administered. Subject was then restrained in accordance with supervisory committee order #74 in order to evaluate project status.

A second operation was required to examine the full extent of damage. Erosion had occurred between the connective tissues, presumably due to underdeveloped Substance Q.

Case file 79:20:NZ has been delayed until further notice.