Eterna

Would you take forever?—Michelle Liew

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Evelyn Kong’s smile was too wide; she could barely contain her triumph. And her good cheer was understandable–Eterna, the newest nanomedical treatment in her scientific arsenal, didn’t just extend life–it restructured existence as humans knew it.

The controversial scientist had earned her self-assurance—for discovering the elusive key to immortality, one that she had originally designed to repair defective genetic flaws.

But only the elites could pay the price. Evelyn’s birthchild had thrived and given the Eternals a lift, physically and socially. But the rift between them and the naturally aging population had only widened, in more ways than one.

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TV cameras. Newspaper reviews. Media appearances. Eterna graced the world stage to much fanfare, with KongCorp and Evelyn Kong at the helm.

Eternal youthfulness was the perfect succubus. She lured, manipulated and charmed; Eterna topped the scientific charts, with everyone wanting immortality as a tangible offering.

But every succubus eventually unveiled herself. The society she had in her fingers stopped advancing; the forever notion negated progress. The elites she charmed hoarded the power of Eterna; “haves” and “have nots” had new meanings.

Evelyn Kong reveled in the revolutionary treatment’s glory; she remained the young scientist every company had to employ. But she was a mere scientist; with Eterna reserved by the gilded set, she became outclassed by the very system she built, unable to afford the treatment she created. The mirror cruelly reminded her—crow’s feet, age lines, and white hair.

They had returned.

And this was the mere cusp of her troubles. Eternals cornered her, their faces filled with confrontational ire. Their once-perfect lives had crumbled; in their place were lives marked by hollow pride and eternal resentment.

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Evelyn’s attempt to defy mortality had torn open Pandora’s box. Her inbox filled up with irate Emails, threats and desperate demands from Eterna’s corporate backers.

“Eternal youth in exchange for the self? Who’d want the second if they have forever?”

The lure of eternal youth hadn’t touched all. The force of non-Eternals built, headed by a renowned maverick, Daniel Bong.

“I’d rather sacrifice my life than lose myself completely,” were his words to her as he deactivated the nanites he once purchased.

The Mortality Conundrum ensnared Evelyn. The unfair divide stoked the ire of the non-Eternals, who demanded the treatment be banned The Eternals, as expected, clung to their immortality for dear life. Groups assembled outside their houses, their slogans growing louder, more hostile.

The chaos became a monstrosity. In its grasp, many Eternals fled, the non-Eternals in hot pursuit. But integrity had touched a few—they deactivated their nanites, willingly accepting the fragile gift of mortality Providence had given—knowing that there was more than living forever.

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The Clash of the Titans peaked—-with Evelyn an integral part of the drama. The non-Eternals and Eternals hurled insults, staged kidnappings, perpetrated murders—-“turmoil” was an understatement to describe global society. Earth’s people stood at the precipice of a new societal order—one where immortality and mortality were no longer theoretical debates, but a visceral struggle.

Evelyn found herself so caught up in the conundrum that she did the only thing she could—she cut the web.

The only solution—seclusion. She vanished into oblivion, but not without a project—she worked on a way to reverse Eterna, forever.

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Years of self-imposed exile gave Evelyn what she sorely needed—time for instrospection. She developed a habit that she never thought she would have.

She started a dairy. And on its pages, she found HERSELF.

“I never thought that Earth would descend to such an abyss. This divide, so sharp, so absolute. I wanted to correct what I thought was society’s worst flaw–mortality. I never once asked whether it was appropriate, something we should change. We feared death; but we feared the consequences even more. Eterna was supposed to be a cure-all, a go-to solution of our dreams—but with the great chasm she created in society, she became a nightmare.

In my pursuit of defying mortality, I created a fractured world.

I understand now; immortality is not the answer, but an Alcatraz. For all its promises of eternity on Earth and consummate power, its truth lies in the very thing we try to break free from; a bitter end.

I have failed. I did give them what they wanted, but it wasn’t what they needed. I ignored the truth. They needed the truth; that life embraces fragility. The Eternals may live in a gilded cage, but resentment, pride and forever anger locks them in. The rest of humanity? It struggles, unable to open the gift that was meant for all.

Now, I walk away from it all. Not because of shame, but because I accept what cannot be changed. I choose peace. Not for myself—I now understand—but for everyone who has been caught in Eterna’s web.

I thought that I could fix this world. Make it a little better for everyone. But creating Eterna taught me a lesson—the pursuit of perfection is the most imperfect quest we could ever have embarked on. We cannot escape who we are–mortal.

Tomorrow, I will rise, just as I did today, and face this same world. An imperfect world. One that isn’t eternal. But it IS worth living for. I will grace it as I am. Fragile. Old. Fleeting. Dying. Human.

The number of sunrises I will see is not uncountable. But for now, I am content to witness what light there is. While I still can.”

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Twenty years later….

The mansions of those who once sought the solution to Death stood empty. The streets were quiet, save for those who sought to make it come alive–with a new quest.

The world began to stir, resonating with the hum of former Eternals. They had obtained Forever Life—with no meaning. No joy. A future of emptiness. One without glory.

And they wanted Life. Not forever. But one filled with happiness. Glorious, memorable moments. A future of worth. One where they could share meaningful moments.

Evelyn returned, with a solution. An antidote that would erase forever, returning a life of worth to the world.

But would the world take it?

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This story is entirely original. Any AI tags is coincidental.

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Today’s book–Unbroken by Jennifer Neugin