The Curse of Life

"What do we say to the Lord of Death? 'Not today.'" - George R.R. Martin

It was the quote that inspired Thea to find a way to 'beat' death, at least in a manner of speaking. She spent years recruiting willing participants to test her science and theories. Generally, the recruits were persons already nearing a visit from death, whether it be from age or illness. Their fear of dying made them willing participants, even though they knew it was a long shot... still that minuscule chance of it working kept them signing up despite failure after failure. Thea had become obsessed with breaking the curse of living, which was the inevitable reality of death lingering over everything. Her fear of death kept her from truly living life, as it did for many people as mortality weighed on their shoulders. This inspired her to seek a way to stop death... no matter the cost.

After years of failed experiments, Thea finally reached her goal. Her science seemed so simple, it surprised her that no one had discovered it before her.

"It can't be THIS simple... can it?"

Thea exclaimed to her long-time assistant, Patrice, as the shock radiated in her voice.

"You... you actually did it, Thea! You found the answer!!"

Patrice responded excitedly as she quickly began to notate everything into the record, both of them in awe that they may have actually beaten death.

During her studies and experiments, she became very focused on the underwater world and the animals that reside there. Many appeared immune to diseases that were deadly to humans, and creatures like the Greenland shark have extremely long lifespans. She knew that this was the key... the answer she had been seeking. Her experiments caused intense pain and suffering to her willing participants, which revealed the true extent that many were willing to go to in order to escape death's clutches. Thea expanded on the work of other scientists, and in doing so she discovered undeniable proof that long periods underwater slowed the aging process in the human body.

"I just... I can't believe we've actually accomplished this... FINALLY! After all these years and experiments... death has been beaten!!"

Thea wrote down in her journal that night, while also recording all of the details and steps as well. She wanted to ensure that she had it all saved 'off' the record somewhere... just in case.

Thea combined living underwater in a pressurized environment along with injecting cells modified from the Greenland shark and into humans daily for 12 months. Each subject in her trial survived with minimal complications, and their illnesses were miraculously gone. Cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, MS... all were seemingly cured by the end of the 12 month period. Thea included herself in the final experiment because she felt so confident it would succeed. She continued to study herself and the other subjects for 30 more years after that initial success.

"I have found that by spending 12 months underwater for every 5 years... 10 years of aging from the human body is seemingly erased! The test subjects were rejuvenated and with a continued routine injection of the modified Greenland shark cells, it continued to keep ALL of their illnesses & diseases at bay! It is truly remarkable! This is what I have been hoping to find... the purpose of all the countless hours of research and testing... all of the experiments that failed... they all got me closer to this moment! This is my gift to humanity... a way to finally beat disease, illness and death... no more loss and pain. Humanity can thrive and enjoy life without the curse of death hanging over every moment!"

Thea eagerly detailed everything in her journal, including her excitement over how much this will benefit and save humanity. Tears of joy fell from her eyes as she wrote down every failed test, every adjustment and improvement leading up to this incredible breakthrough.

After her study had enough solid evidence, she went public with it and revealed to society that she had indeed created the answer to immortality... or as close to it as could be achieved. While initially there were doubts, once other scientists performed studies and peer reviews were completed, Thea's results were confirmed.

"THE CURE FOR DEATH CONFIRMED BY NUMEROUS STUDIES AND PEER REVIEWS!!"

The headlines celebrated this great success, Thea's name was all over the place and so were the details and steps of her study. People lined up by the millions, desperate to be cured of their illnesses, desperate to reverse the hands of time and live indefinitely. Thea felt as though she had finally achieved her goal... her one dream... to end the curse of life by stopping death due to age, disease and illness. She knew that now people could live in harmony and happiness together as long as they wanted without the fear of aging or getting sick. She finally beat death.

Thea was celebrated as a hero to humanity for guaranteeing the survival of the species. She found herself approached by government officials from nearly every country to try to buy the Greenland shark injections that seemed to be the cherry of the whole experiment. They were throwing money at her trying to entice her to sell her secrets, but she knew no one country should have that much control over life and death.

"Thea... please be reasonable! You are an American! This achievement should belong to our country... America should come first! Think of all the money!!"

"I did NOT do this for money! THAT is exactly WHY I will be putting MY study, MY notes... EVERYTHING that is in the formula and process out publicly so that EVERYONE in every country can benefit from my discovery! This is not something to be monetized... can't you understand that?? Human life... the experience and joys and everything that goes into living should be something offered to ALL humans equally! It's about happiness, the right to live and not have illness, disease and aging hanging over as a reminder of how close you are to death! We are one... all humans... we should raise each other up because we can, not because we are paid or get something out of it..."

Thea argued as she shook her head in disgust over the government that is supposed to ensure people's rights are equal and heard, was instead trying to bribe her with money to keep control over who lives and dies in a sense. She wanted no part of it and she made sure that no one could use her research to get a leg up on it before anyone else. Plus, she wanted to control the methods used to ensure that the Greenland shark cells were ethically gathered without harming the animal. Or at least, that was Thea's plan... but humans always seem to show their true colors and need to have absolute control over anything benefiting the many.

She put all of her notes out publicly, including her formula for the shark injections. Thea felt that this would prevent any one person, country or corporation from being able to use her discovery to control people. She felt that everyone was entitled to a chance to live life for as long as they wanted, and to be cured of illness and disease without having to go broke in the process. Thea truly thought that she was helping humanity by gifting them with immortality... in reality, it was a double edged sword creating problems she did not anticipate ever. People began building actual homes underwater to call home. Corporations began to enclosed tunnel systems in the oceans and full businesses. They would charge people like the tunnels were toll roads, and before long, the oceans were riddled with fully enclosed cities under their surfaces.

Not only that, the Greenland sharks became a target and even though the formula only required a very small specimen from the creature, Corporations did not care to preserve anything. They began mass fishing missions gathering up the already endangered sharks, to move them to secure underwater plants where only they would have access to them for the creation of the formula. These majestic animals were stripped of their freedom and had their bodies used for monetary gain without care or hesitation by these CEO's looking to gain a stronghold in the immortality market. They began charging people hundreds of thousands of dollars to have the treatments done, and this created a unequal class system once again hanging over society.

"I gave the world EVERYTHING! Including methods for ethical gathering of the shark cells!! BUT THEY STILL FUCK IT UP!! They don't want to listen! They don't give a FUCK about ANYTHING but themselves! These assholes in government... these fucking corporations... GREEDY SONS OF BITCHES!!! They are DESTROYING my life's work... MY dream... they have turned it into... a fucking nightmare..."

"I'm so sorry, Thea... I am so sorry..."

Patrice tried to comfort Thea, but it was no use... nothing could comfort her now.

Thea was enraged by the greed and evil happening because of her research and discovery. She was heartbroken. This was not what she wanted... this was NOT her vision! She hoped that her scientific discovery would finally unite the world in peace. Instead it caused the class divide to greaten and an even worsening crisis as only those with money could afford the treatments. This infuriated Thea because it was the exact opposite of what she hoped to accomplish, and on top of that an amazing animal was facing total extinction because of her. The oceans had become full of these new underwater cities, causing irreversible damage to the ecosystem, destroying and disrupting the ocean worse than ever before. Only the 1% with their unlimited funds could afford to live in these underwater cities, and others had to take jobs in them to experience life in the ocean.

Thea became determined to undo the horrendous damage she had inadvertently caused. She began trying to find ways to mimic the underwater backwards aging without the need of actually being underwater. She also attempted to make a synthetic version of the Greenland shark's cells so that perhaps the very few remaining specimens could be released. Unfortunately, her attempts were unsuccessful and the last remaining Greenland shark was harvested for their cells 35 years after she first went public with her "cure for death". As the years passed, the remaining cells from the sharks became harder and harder to get and the formula became extremely difficult to obtain. The CEO's of the corporations were hording their supplies to ensure that only themselves and people of their choosing continued to receive the injections.

People who were living longer due to Thea's discovery were suffering again, living in fear once again as the formula supplies became a rare commodity for the public. They did not know what this meant for them once they were no longer regularly receiving the injections. This was something that was not tested or planned for because Thea believed society would work together to grow and flourish in greatness as humans. She was wrong. Instead they continued to use power and greed to control others, except now they had control over who lived and died too.

"Humanity will fall. This is the inevitable reality of humankind. An inability to be empathetic towards others... a need to have power, money and control. This is not the gift I wanted to leave society... I hope someone will find a cure for greed, narcissism and corruption. I discovered a way to nearly live forever, but I did not realize that humankind would twist it into such an evil thing... I did not know it would cause more death and destruction than it would prevent."

Thea wrote in the last page of her journal, tears leaving stains on the pages.

"Death is not the curse of life... humanity is..."

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