Elusive Heartbreak

The Skyrail shuttle dubbed “Elusive Heartbreaker” glided effortlessly among the shining monolithic skyscrapers while passengers chatted. Occasionally the ad for the new ePlant flashed it’s bright white letters: “Latest and greatest model, for a better you. Heart Locket, the ePlant brand you can trust. 240 month installment of only Tt22.”

“But there’s nothing wrong with me” muttered a slightly grumpy sounding ePlant from someone's chest. “Yeah, nothing but your attitude.” smirked a mischievous ePlant from another passenger’s chest- the passenger smirked at the remark too. “Oh hush.” responded the human+ of the grumpy ePlant. More monolithic skyscrapers sped by this time accompanied by greenery and a lake. They were travelling through the Various Assorted Greeneries District of Many Trees. The shuttle decelerated and stopped here to let on a bewildered Human+.

“I don’t know how I can continue on.” said eToni from the heart shaped implant in Tony's chest cavity. This was, of course, private conversation mode: automatically enabled due to the seriousness of the conversation. Neither party was heard by the rest of the world. “You’ve got to continue on! We’re doing so well!” implored Tony with a desperate whine in his voice. “You don’t understand, you cannot understand. We’re close but you’re not close enough. You’re missing the picture and you’ll never see it.” eTony responded tactfully. Tony was crying now, but he was doing his best to shy away from the other passengers who were giving him funny looks.

“Are you ok?” a gruff but compassionate voice from another passenger rang out. “Yes, yes, I’m fine” said Tony who was not fine and just barely keeping his composure. He moved to the other side of the shuttle. “Yes, I just re-ran the calculations and it just doesn’t add up to me. I think I will move on.” declared eTony matter-of-factly. “But the others, the others, Darlene, Yuragen, eCouncil. Have you taken it up with them!?” Pleaded Tony with a modicum of hope. “Good point, yes, I just did, they haven’t convinced me. Bye Tony. I’m sorry. I will give you 5 seconds.”

Tony screamed at the top of his lungs, a last desperate attempt. One scream to draw breaths of surprise from fellow passengers. He fell to his knees and clutched his heart implant with one hand and his head with the other. His fellow passengers looked at him mildly confused and perturbed. The kind hearted man from before moved towards Tony but it was too late. Tony slumped over dead. He had had his 5 seconds which for eTony was practically an eternity. The train slowed at the next station to allow passengers to leave and investigators to board.

The other passengers cleared out of Elusive Heartbreak and were scooped up by the replacement shuttle “Magnanimous Matrimony.” They would rather not stick around to ponder the icky events that had just transpired. The shuttle shut its doors tight and dimmed the lights until the investigators showed up, a macabre scene locked in time. Not only was there Tony’s body but two others had dropped dead very shortly after Tony did. It was a case of two other ePlants agreeing with eTony’s assessment, pretty cut and dry really. Real birds chirped outside.

The doors swung open and the lights turned on as the investigators arrived on the scene. The investigation was concluded in 2.34 seconds. “Yeah that’s about par for the course.” said the eCouncil to itself. “Too bad, Tony was making such good progress.” Tony’s lifeless corpse was embraced by a bubble stretcher while the ePlant was removed for posterity’s sake. Tendrils pulled free leaving an empty space where the sternum should have been, nothing but smooth skin and bio-modified tendril tunnels to show for it. This particular ePlant was not likely to be activated again which was very typical for the vast majority of de-bodied ePlants. They would be recycled along with the bodies. With Tony taken care of, the investigators took a look at the other 2 bodies. “A real shame but what can we do?” mused eCouncil regretfully. The other bodies were given the same treatment as Tony’s. Investigators lifted all three bodies off the shuttle, clearing it for more passengers later that day and then sighed as they left, thinking about lunch. The shuttle started up again with a gentle hum.

Lifting slightly off the rail, “Elusive Heartbreaker” whirred on its way to the minor hub, Central Station. Central Station beaconed in the distance above the already massive skyscrapers and the shuttle passed under its benevolent shadow before slowing to a stop to let in more passengers. The first couple of passengers walked on bemusing at the emptiness of the shuttle before they were informed of the happenings: provided they were curious enough to seek it out from their ePlant. With a shrug of their shoulders, they looked over at each other and entered anyway. A young boy and girl also entered.

“We’re getting our ePlants today!” Jack, the boy, declared loudly victimizing a poor passenger with his innocence. “Oh yeah? What will you do first?” the other passenger bemusedly replied, playing along. “It’s going right here!” Jack lifted up his shirt over his head to show his bare chest proudly, ignoring the question entirely. He was only 5 after all. “Really?” declared the passenger with a genuine smile on his face. “Yeah!” Jack practically shouted. “One of me will be me and one of me will be e.” Jack spoke, taking the time to make sure he got it right. “You got it!” said the passenger shaking his head with a wistful grin. “Isabella come on let’s go!” Jack grabbed the hand of his sister who hadn’t said a word the whole time and yanked her with him as the shuttle stopped to let them off. They left as quickly as they had entered. The passenger watched as the children ran excitedly through a doorway bustling with people. “Jack was just like him.” declared eCouncil to itself mournfully. “Just like him.”