The Cure for Death

Maria stared at the paper in front of her with her mouth partially open in shock. The story's headline read: "Cure of Death Found!"

Scientists had long been trying to lengthen mankind's life and they had recently discovered that with the help of artificial intelligence, nano-chips could be embedded within the body to continue sending the signals to the cells improving health and fitness. At first, it was simply used to help trauma patients heal faster and more effectively and that was what Maria had known about.

That all changed today with the article elaborating that a few of the most elite members of society had willing volunteered their money and bodies to the pursuit of this goal. These people had done it for the last 20 years and looked younger now then when they agreed to try these nano-chips outside of care for immediate concerns. Now that there was a long-term study done, the cure for death was going to be marketed for everyone.

Maria sighed and slowly closed the paper before setting it in her lap. Closing her eyes, she imagined all of the possibilities that would be available if she could live forever. She could spend more hours working, get paid more, and then be able to travel to all of the places that she wanted to see: Italy, England, Scotland... Without death looming over the human race, they would be able to make such big advancements in so many areas!

Opening her eyes and coming back to the moment, Maria checked her bank account balance and smiled. Two weeks from now, when the cure would be sold at every drug store in the area, she would get to buy it. It was going to cost her every cent that she had in savings, but it would totally be worth it!

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150 Years Later

"Maria, what are you doing?!" The screech of her boss' voice pulled Maria's focus back to what she was supposed to be doing. "Were you daydreaming again?!"

"I'm just tired." Maria responded.

"You just had your nano's checked. They were fine. There is no reason for you to be tired - it is all in your head!" Maria's boss growled out as he set another pile of receipts on her desk. "Make sure that you get this finished before midnight!"

Maria merely nodded as she once again wished that she had never been given the cure for death. Now that everyone who had refused the cure had died, the world was so much worse than when she had so eagerly accepted treatment.

People didn't die, so there was no reason for them to rest more than the 5 hours that were still mandatory. Since everyone could work such long hours, there was no higher paychecks and she still wasn't able to travel. All of her friends and family had either died or were in the same situation that she was in: deep, deep buyers remorse.

Maria would never be able to die. There were those who tried to kill themselves, but it was almost impossible to succeed with the advancements that the nano-chips had made over the years. AI had taken lessons from octopi DNA and now people could even regrow body parts. It would be cool... if there was something worth living for anymore.

People didn't die, so there was no reason for anyone to have a family in this new world. In fact, to avoid further over crowding of the planet, you had to apply for a license in order to be allowed the chance to reproduce. Otherwise, the nano-chips were permanent birth control and sent signals to stop the woman's body from releasing an egg. It was great not having to deal with periods anymore, but it was terribly disappointing that she, like so many others, had been denied the license.

People didn't die, so there was no retirement to look forward to. You would work for the rest of enternity. Most places still gave their employee's a few days off a year for a 'vacation' and 1 day a week was mandatory, but what could one do with that and still not really have more access to wants as the needs were still so expensive?

People didn't die, so there wasn't much point in keeping track of the days. One of the side effects of no one around them dying in the last 40 years was that emotions started fading. There had been a paper on it a few years back that Maria remembered reading where it was estimated that without the sadness and happiness from time sensitive milestones, that humanity wouldn't feel anything in another 50 years.

Maria could relate to that. She was tired. It was the best way to describe it. There was no zest for life. There was no real time tables for anyone to use anymore. She, and so many other people, were simply the new machines keeping society running. There was nothing to elicite intense sadness. There was nothing to look forward to. They were just machines that would never break down.

Maria's mom had died 70 years ago now. They had argued about this cure and Maria had been devestated that her mom refused to let her daughter buy her the treatment. Her mom had told her that one day Maria would get to see why death was a blessing.

Maria understood now all too well. Living forever only meant that you were trapped in the same society without any major reason that change the status quo. Those who worked the menial jobs before would never not work the jobs. In fact, she knew that she was lucky that she still had her job. There were plenty of people that would never die who begged for food.

As the time got later, Maria knew that her meal would be here soon. The nano technology meant that eating was a luxury. Everyone had a daily shake that their bodies' would need to continue healing, but real food? That was no longer needed. All that any person needed was the daily shake, check-ups to the nano-chips, 5 hours of rest, and a box that would keep the body from being exposed to too many of mother nature's storms.

Anything more than that? Well... luxuries were still only for the elite...