- Ubi asks.
- Not much. My friends warned me about the incident with Hugh, but only after nearly a week because I was traveling. I should have been here before, but I did not know how to approach of you, I knew that Hugh had not said anything about me, and the tragedy that happened to your wife, all that scared me. I know now that was silly, I should have come before.
- So, you're saying that you didn't surf the internet all that time. - Ubi asks amazed.
- The Internet - Anne says thoughtfully. By the way, I confess, I'm pretty sloppy about it, I don't like spend too much time on the internet. I like to wander. I'm on vacation since November, I tried avoiding screens since then. I really don't like be stalled, I like go out, and I do not like being at home too. I think when I'm on vacation I consciously avoid the internet. Sorry by that.
Ubi was surprised, how anyone can go days without surf on the internet. Thus Anne should not have seen the images of operation of Hugh. So she did not know what Ubi had done to save Hugh. This worries Ubi pretty much.
- How long have you said that you and Hugh have been dating?
- Oh! Not long ago.
- It is strange that Hugh did not say anything to me about you, or at least to his mother. Actually, quite a while that he was without a girlfriend. I mean, at least I think. Sorry I mention this, but since he broke up with such Marcy, he did not talk about some other girl, he brought some friends here, but nothing that I could see something more serious than friendship. Whenever he had a girlfriend he insisted on bringing the girl and presents her to me and especially to his mother.
- I know. I will not tell you that he and I were getting married or something like that. I've had other boyfriends, of course... but Hugh and I, that we had was something different. I never thought I would feel like that, although I was looking for that. But he and I, well... we knew it was love, love, deep, and intense. I could not think of any other guy, I just thought on Hugh. So it was, since I saw him pass in front of me. I know he is the love of my life. I dream of him, I love him.
Ubi had to see again the power of young love that exuded from the words of Anne. Ubi was silent, and both were silent, the room became a silent one. Ubi looked at the images of the screens, where the clinical status of Hugh arose.
- Anne - Ubi began in a tone tired - I have no good news for you. Perhaps go away and forget Hugh will be the best for you...
- No - Anne interrupted him. No! I know I will only feel once in a lifetime what I feel for Hugh, and only feel for him. I know that.
Ubi shook his head in a gesture of disbelief and Anne resented that gesture of him.
- Anne... you're so young, you have so much life ahead. It will be so difficult, that whole situation. I think you are not prepared for what will come. Let see something.
He rise from the couch and take Anne by the arm, they go towards a large screen on the wall. Ubi accessed a few commands. And the picture changed to show the hospital room where Hugh is lying in bed, there are many devices plugged at him. The look of Anne is intensified and a touch of strangeness transpired on her face. Ubi accessed commands and a zoom was taking place, showing more and more the face of Hugh, to a close up. Anne was thinking and looking at that face. And then she looks at Ubi.
- This one is Hugh. - Ubi confirmed.
- But his face - Anne said with surprise. What is this? Is this some kind of plastic surgery?
- No. There was only one way to save Hugh. What you see is not the body of Hugh. To save him, I had to do a brain transplant. It was the only way, the only one. So I can’t say what I really saved. I do not know if Hugh is alive. I insist with you Anne, go away and continue with your life. It pains me to say this, especially knowing how much you love my son, but you should give up, forget about ever met him.
Anne was very disturbed. There were clear traces of confusion on her face.
- From whom is this other... body? - Anne asked in a voice weakened.
- From another boy who had brain death just days before. It was all a set of coincidences so... Oh God! - Ubi vented.
- Another boy! What other boy? Who was this guy?
Ubi took Anne by the shoulders and turned her so she stopped looking so intently at the screen. He led her to the couch and the two sat side by side.
- Sorry Anne. I am truly sorry. I understand your pain, really do. I think for now, Anne, you should consider Hugh as a dead person. You must remove him completely from your life.
- I fear I can’t do that. Sorry.
Anne remained silent and completely bewildered.
- Are you okay? - Ubi asked worried. Want a sedative?
- No. It is not necessary. I do not like these things.
Ubi leaned back on the couch and Anne remained silent. Ubi felt that there was nothing else to do.
- Anne, I have to go to a meeting tomorrow and it will be very hard. I need to prepare myself. You know, I'm in the middle of a war, a great war. I would like you to go away now and leave me alone, sorry. Again, I regret all this tragedy. You look like a really nice girl, go live your life. OK.
Ubi finished his sentence with a smile, and stood up. He knew he was being hard on her, he could have insisted a little to her give up to Hugo, but he was not so convinced about his solution, anyway seem like she will not give up. Anne looked at him, and rose. They walked toward the exit. Anne was out of the house, when she stopped, turned and stared at Ubi. There was a placid and sad look on his young face.
- Good luck tomorrow - said Anna in a strong tone. I hope everything goes well for you. Bye!
The smile on the face of Anne was fading and she turned toward the street and walked to disappear from the eyes of Ubi.
He returned to feel alone in that house, with color images of those screens, which represented something he no longer understood.
The other day, in every E-newspaper had a reminder "Today at 15:00 am meeting of CHUG, go by ..."
Ubi arrived punctually at the meeting. He entered and sat in the chair that was reserved for him. There were three people in that modest room, Ubi, Sophie and Omaha. Sophie was quiet and motionless, Omaha has played with his digital paper, and the other members were shown on large screens, just online. Ubi was next to an empty chair that was reserved for Frances. The room exuded an intense calm, imperturbable silence, almost a singleness of poverty, but in fact millions of people were seeing everything that happening in that room, if a fly had flying around, millions of people would know that. It really was a deceptive calm, was a contrast, imagine a place with millions of people, how could there be calm and be so quiet, was the effect of technology, being without being, "to be is not to be", to extend the senses leaving the body. Yes, millions and millions of ghosts, beings without bodies are piled up in this small and simple room. It is the new History, no more curious huddling together, no more pushing and shoving, flashes in the eyes, microphones in the faces, no shouting of cheers or boos, no nothing, just ghosts, real ghosts. All that remains is just static in this room.
Ten minutes pass, a time that seems endless, and Frances is late. Then the door opens and Frances arises. Sophie throws her a look of disapproval and points to the chair reserved for her. Once Frances sits, she takes her small black plastic's bag and pull out a handkerchief. Ubi, who is sitting next to Frances, have his gaze fixed on that handkerchief, while he reflects about all the meanings of that small piece of cloth.
Sophie did not lose time. Any second is too long when you have millions of ghosts spying.
- I have called you both here today, because we need better information about some facts and we can better understand this whole situation - Sophie said solemnly. Frances, did you see that file, AIC2112, that I sent to you? The one with the images of the operation the patient Hugh, held here, at this hospital, for doctor Ubi who sits at your side at this moment.
- I didn't see. - Frances replied dryly.
Sophie has a face in profound grief. She waited a moment and asked:
- Why not, Frances?
&
nbsp; Frances kept quiet for so long that everyone understands that this was her answer.
- Are you still thinking that your son Louis is alive? - Asked Sophie.
- Louis is alive. - Frances said promptly.
Sophie stared at Ubi, made him feel all the intensity of the words that Frances had said. Ubi shifted in his chair, getting sideways, instinctively as if he were going out at any moment. Sophie seemed to be prepared for this setback, because with a few commands from her, she made arise at each screen, in front of every single person in the room, a summary of the facts, since the death of Louis ended with the transplant the Hugh's brain to the body of Louis, it was a summary of the file AIC2112.
While the images went by, Frances's face paled and sometimes her eyes were closed, and did not take long to her eyes began to tear and the handkerchief at her hands shows its uses.
Ubi looked petrified at those images, failed to show any emotion on his face. Except for a dry swallow that revealed how he was holding back, no emotion transpired from him. He was the perfect insensitive spectator before images on the screen.
Neither Ubi nor Frances noted that while they are looking at those screens before them, everyone else looked at them, since Sophie and Omaha to the millions and millions of ghosts.
When the images ended and the screen goes blank again Ubi still continued to look at it, and then looked at random, without looking at anyone in that room. Frances was with his handkerchief on