章 4: Benita

THE (gentle) splashing of the shower, reflected off the smooth bathroom tiles, flinging rhythmically but in random directions.

Blood pooled down the drain, mixing along with the soft flow of grade-7 radioactive water, dying the already soiled floor with a crimson hue. Dark brown mangled flittered through the cascading fluid, touching the walls with a wide spread fingers.

Hardened areas of greyish calloused skin on the palm and the fingertips shaved slightly against the soft bathroom wall, bringing down a few pieces of wet cement amidst the rushing water.

In the next second, the flowing water stopped. The thirty seconds worth of daily shower had been used up.

[Do you wish to spend more Credit Points to have more water?]

"No."

In response to the holographic image as well as the robotic sound, a raspy voice of a young man echoed within the enclosed space of the bathroom.

His response couldn't have been more accurate. Why should he shell out extra credits for a bath with grade-7 water? There was no telling how many cycles this specific water had gone through before reaching him.

Exiting the makeshift shower, the young man casually snapped his left fingers.

"BZZZZZ!"

Thick stench of stale air waves neither cold nor hot passed through him, drying off the remnants of water on his skin.

Billions of pixels fired to life simultaneously under his command. Light crept up the walls as though the sun had peaked. An orange hue over a calm sea appearing on all six sides of the room, looking seemingly realistic.

Staring at the surroundings, the small, cramped room reeked of chemicals and filth. The walls were stained with years of neglect, and the floor was littered with discarded test tubes, flasks and empty needles.

At the center of the room, there was a dirty table covered in various pieces of laboratory equipment, some of which were caked in dried blood and grime.

The laboratory equipment itself wasn't at all close to standard laboratory but a haphazard assortment of old and broken machines, some of which had been scavenged from abandoned factories or bought second-hand from other dealers.

The young man moved around the room with practiced ease.

In the corner, a small kitchenette consists of a Nutrient tap, a sink with a leaking faucet, and a mini-fridge. Dirty dishes pile up on the ground, and the pantry consists of a few cans of cheap, processed food.

By the side of the wall was a single window with cracked and chipped frame providing a view of the bleak urban landscape outside. The window that may or may not be covered with an old newspaper to block out the harsh light and prying eyes of outsiders.

In the changing cubicle, a neatly folded cloth was on the bench, and the mirror set in the wall. On top of the pile of clothes was a simple steel watch, and weighted beneath the watch was a dark black bag. The young man took a deep breath and went to face the mirror.

This is always the toughest part. Nearly a decade and a half he'd been doing this,

and it still jars him to look into the glass and see a total stranger staring back. It's like pulling an image out of the depths of an autostereograrn.

For the first couple of moments all he could see is someone else looking at him through a window frame.

Then, like a shift in focus, he felt himself float rapidly up behind the mask and adhere to its inside with a shock that's almost tactile. It's as if someone's cut an umbilical cord, only instead of separating the two, it's the otherness that has been severed and now, just looking at the reflection in a mirror.

Getting used to the face, the features in the mirror managed to look mangled. There were blood marks and scars everywhere. The stranger had done quite a number in him.

His thick cropped hair was black

shot through with grey. The eyes were a speculative shade of blue, and

there was a faint jagged scar under the left one. Just as the young man was getting used to it.

A popping sounds echoed from the west wall as well as hissing sounds which originated from the machine connected to the wall in his kitchen. The Synthetic NutriFluid was ready.

Blinking his eyes in specific pattern, an holographic image popped up within his line of sight. Static noise filled the airwaves and an ad begins, followed by a distorted voice speaking in a hushed tone. "Are you ready to take the first step towards becoming a true Cyberpunk?" the voice asks, as the ad fades out to the sound of electronic music. "Upgrade your life today with our latest state of the art cybernetic implants."

The static clears and the ad transitions to a smooth, synthesized beat. "Introducing the latest in cybernetic implants. Enhance your strength, your speed, your agility. Become more than human."

The young man squinted his left eye repeatedly, changing the frequency of the receiver until a pretty news caster lady popped up, covering about one third of his left vision. The opacity of the augmented reality was low, not affecting his sight too much as he downed the grade-7 Synthetic NutriFluid in one go. This would be enough for him till the next day.

"This is your daily dose of drug news in the neon-soaked, high-tech world of cyberpunk. Today, reports are coming in of a new designer drug on the streets, known as 'NeuroBlitz.' It's a potent psychoactive substance that allegedly allows users to access deep levels of their own consciousness, resulting in intense hallucinations and altered perceptions of reality.

Authorities are warning that NeuroBlitz is highly addictive and has been linked to a number of violent incidents and psychotic episodes. Street gangs and criminal organizations are said to be behind the distribution of the drug, with reports of turf wars and gang violence increasing in areas where the drug is prevalent.

Meanwhile, in other news, there are rumors of a new cybernetic enhancement that promises to enhance human strength and reflexes to superhuman levels. Dubbed 'CyberBoost,' it's said to be a game-changer for those seeking to gain an edge in the competitive underworld. However, critics warn that such enhancements could have dangerous side effects, both physical and psychological, and could further exacerbate the already existing societal divides between the haves and have-nots.

Stay safe out there, and remember: just say no to drugs."

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