Part 10 (1/2)
I answered, ”I'm here,” then created two clamps and pulled a thread taut between them.
After a few moments the thread began to vibrate. ”Robert?” came the voice of Dr. Solomon.
”I'm here, Doctor.”
”What happened? We lost communication with you.”
”I was interrupted. Sorry. I got back to you as soon as I could.”
”We were worried about you.” He sounded genuinely concerned.
”Well you should be. But I'm fine for the moment. Look, I'm going to ask you a question and I want a straight answer. It is very very important that you answer this question.” important that you answer this question.”
”I'll do my best.”
”Am I dead?”
Silence. Then I heard an audible burst of air escape from his mouth.
”Doctor, am I dead? dead?”
”No, Robert, you're not dead. You are very much alive. I was just surprised by your question. And before you ask again, as I know you will, I will tell you where you are. We discussed it with the psychologist and he said as long as we don't get into any repressed memories you should be okay.” He paused.
”Well?”
”You're not dead, Robert. You're in a coma.”
”--What?”
A coma. I know this will sound strange, but the world you perceive around you is being fed to your mind by a computer. You're in a simulated level four non-REM sleep state. The computer is artificially planting sensory information into your mind through electronic stimulation. The results, as you can see, are quite real.”
”That explains the program.”
”Yes.”
”So-- you hooked ten of us up to a computer and gave us an environment we could relate to.”
”Well, almost. We made the basic structure but you're finis.h.i.+ng the work we started.”
”Are we all in comas?”
”I'm sorry. I can't tell you that.”
”Okay,” I said, getting frustrated again. ”Then why did you ask for me personally in the program?” I said, getting frustrated again. ”Then why did you ask for me personally in the program?”
”Look, Robert, this isn't easy for me either. I want to tell you what you want to know, but I've been advised not to share certain things. You have to trust me. Our primary goal right now is to get you and the others out of there. But before we can do that we need to learn more about why you're not coming out on your own.”
”I'll tell you why,” Humphrey interjected.
I'd almost forgotten he was in the room.
”Our souls have lost their way back.”
”Who am I speaking with?” asked Dr. Solomon.
”I don't remember my name but you can call me Humphrey, it's the name I've chosen for myself,” he said, displaying his grumpy nature.
”Okay, Humphrey, are you one of The Ten?”
”Yes.”
”And what makes you think your soul can't get back?”
”It told me it's trapped here.”
There was an awkward pause.
”Humphrey talks to his soul, ” I said.
”I see,” said the doctor. ”I noticed a tinge of sarcasm in your voice, Robert. Don't you believe him?”
”Well you have to admit, it sounds a little... ah... He does spend an awful lot of time alone.” you have to admit, it sounds a little... ah... He does spend an awful lot of time alone.”
Humphrey shot me a look and opened his mouth to speak.
”It's very likely Mr. Humphrey is correct.”
Humphrey looked as surprised as I was.
”Come again?” I said.
”I know it sounds far fetched but hear me out. In order to design this system we needed to conduct extensive tests on brainwave activity. As I'm sure you both know there are countless chemical and electrical operations that take place within the human body. We had the arduous task of mapping those electrical pathways. The computer is using the map we developed in order to feed impulses to your brain, and your brain is interpreting these impulses as sight, touch, and so forth. Right now you are using the portion of your brain, which controls your sense of hearing. When I speak my voice is translated into the computer as electrical impulses, which your ear would have would have sent to your brain. In a sense I am talking directly to your brain. And in turn you are sending back vocal responses, which are translated and reproduced by a synthesizer. The computer is monitoring all of these sensory operations.” sent to your brain. In a sense I am talking directly to your brain. And in turn you are sending back vocal responses, which are translated and reproduced by a synthesizer. The computer is monitoring all of these sensory operations.”
”O-kay. But-- what does this have to do with Humphrey talking to his soul?” But-- what does this have to do with Humphrey talking to his soul?”
”I'm getting to that,” he said, showing restraint. ”So far we've isolated all of the electrical signatures and their corresponding responses. That is, all except one. We call it the phantom signature. When we tested normal subjects this phantom signature was a source of much frustration because it caused a bleed over into the other channels. But when we tested coma patients we found this particular signal to be absent. Some of my colleagues believe a person will go into a coma when there has been major damage to the portion of the brain which generates this phantom signal. When the signal is removed consciousness ceases to exist. We don't understand how or why. It just does. And this energy leaves the entire body not just the brain. Something definable departs. --So, why not call it the soul?”
Humphrey looked skeptical.
”But he's not really talking talking to his soul. Is he?” I asked. to his soul. Is he?” I asked.
”He believes he is and his perception is very important to his recovery. The mind holds a great many secrets and we have only begun to scratch the surface. If we can somehow guide his soul back to his body perhaps his brain will turn the function back on.”
”It's more than that!” Humphrey protested.
”I would be the first to agree with you, Humphrey,” said Dr. Solomon. ”I'm sure it's more than just a chemical process. I would love to be able to claim fame as the man who discovered the soul. But from a scientific point of view we can't prove anything.”