The Experiment

Two strangers, armed with secrets and panic buttons, meet

up in a dark room, questioning the existence of love.

Synopsis:

Main Characters:
Him
Her

The setting is timeless, and the reader might start

guessing where exactly does the timeline of the events
fall. It’s a single room setting. Two chairs. Two doors
on each side. The characters are separated by a glass
sheet. Both have access to a panic button on each side,
which they haven’t likely used since it becomes clear in
the first few dialogues that this isn’t the first time
they are meeting. It’s questionable whether they even
know what the button does. The meeting has likely been
set up, and they most likely don’t know who does it and
how they end up there. They start talking about love. She
is a believer. He is not. She is trying to hard to
convince him of its existence, while he is bull headed in
his denial. There is a banter, some venting out and
eventually he believes. But then what? Nobody told them
what happens once the task at hand is accomplished. They
are about to know.
 The Experiment

It’s all dark. One by one the lights come on. They aren’t
bright but they do a good job of dimly lighting up the
room. Two heavy bolted steel doors lie in front of each
other, on opposing glass walls. A faint hint of green
lies beyond the glass walls, but it’s difficult to say
due to the fog. The room is separated into two halves,
with a thin film of glass separating the two of them. Two
distinct bleed holes right at their eye line carry sound
to the other side, in an otherwise sound proof setting.
Their crisp black latex clothes are in stark contrast to
the pitch white walls. The fabric sticks to the cold,
unforgiving iron chairs and cringes from it at the same
time. Both looked like they were of similar height and
stature. Both sit upright, hands on thighs, heads looking
straight at each other, their backs not touching the back
of the chair. Each have access to one bright red button,
lying at arm’s length, fixed to the separating glass wall
on either side. Each button says SHEN INC.

Her eyes flicker for the fraction of a second at the

sight of a beeping red light on the glass wall, right
behind his head. He glances at the light on her side of
the wall at the same time as a voice echoes through the
chamber.

Commencing test in 3…2…1… A whirring sound out of

nowhere, like something is booting up. It stops.

Both speak together

Hello… Today’s a day just as the others but that doesn’t
make it any less special.

Silence ensues. Both smile. It’s the kind of smile you

give when you knew what was coming, and were glad you
were right. No one seems in a hurry to initiate. Long,
pregnant pause.

HIM
I thought there’d be a different way to begin this time
around.

HER
Maybe this is how it is supposed to go till we know it.
 He cocks his head to his right, gazing intently at her.

HIM
One of us should try something else if we meet again.

She shrugs.

HER
Funny you should say that.

He lets out a whizzing laugh. She is amused at this, and

her shoulders loosen up.

HER (Continued)
I have been told to choose honesty this time.

He looks at her mischievously.

Him:
As opposed to the blatant lies you’ve been feeding me
since we first met?

She looks down for a moment.

Her:
As opposed to me choosing what to say to you till now.

HIM:
You do sound a bit more nervous tonight.

Her:
Oh you can tell… I must not be good at this then.

Him:
So I have deduced.

She stares back at him, eyes steely yet inviting

Her:
This is the last time I see you as you are.

He stares right back.

Him:
Is that so? Did they write this down for you as well?

She smiles a cold smile.

HER:
Something on those lines.
Her eyes flicker to the red light on the wall behind him.
It beeped at a constant speed; one flash after every 10
seconds. In the last minute, it will flash every 5
seconds. And in the last 10 seconds, every single second.
Her time was up when the light died.

HIM:
Then we’d rather not spend the last meeting looking at
the timer. What do you think?

Her eyes quickly revert to his. He is fixated on hers.

HER:
Seems like a good idea. Where do we start?

HIM:
Where we left off. Exactly where we left off. I believe
it was “Love isn’t a feeling. It’s a person. And we…”

She finishes his sentence for him

HER:
“…all become that person when we feel we like someone
more than others. We are never in love. We ARE love.”

He smiles as she finishes. She shifts in her chair, her

latex bottoms stretch and make a rubbery noise grinding
against the chair.

HIM:
Aah! Every time you say something beautiful, I feel like
it can’t get better. But here you are, surprising me yet
again. I’ll cherish this… feeling.

She stares at him. Her eyes are blank but her lips come
together in a semblance of a smile.

HER:
Well… we stopped at you saying let’s agree to disagree
till next time.

HIM:
And here we are…it’s already next time.

HER:
Did you know then?

HIM:
Know what?

She shrugs and continues.

 HER:
Well… I’m curious to know your point of disagreement.

He settles in the chair. He is relaxed. It feels like he

knows it’s going to be a long night.

HIM:
Well I have tried finding the meaning. For as long as I
knew. But I am yet to. And you make it seem so simple.
Like it’s something I should have known already. And that
bothers me.

She cocks her neck towards him. She leans forwards,

intently studying his face. Her eyes trace his for some
emotion that she can latch on to that could help her keep
going.

HER:
Do you want me to lie and make it sound like love is some
complex, otherworldly feeling that no one in the history
of time will understand? I can try but that is not why we
are here, right?

He looks at her, with a resigned look. He also leans

forwards. Both are just an arms length apart.

HIM:
I’m not saying it has to be hard. All I’m saying it can’t
be THAT simple.

HER:
What if it is both?

He smiles and sits back.

HIM:
Well, you can’t have both. No one can ever have both.
Both can’t work. Only one has to.

She sees he is pulling away and crosses her hands on her

thighs as she sits back as well. Her tone gets softer.

HER:
All I know is that we are not ourselves when in love. And
if we are not ourselves, we HAVE to be someone right?
Remember the ‘I think therefore I am’ dogma?

He excitedly speaks up.

HIM:
 You mean that when in love, we stop thinking? Like
rational behaviour and logic goes out the window?

He says as he mimics something flying and going out the

window behind her. She stays still for a while, and then
laughs.

HER:
Well if that works for you. But there is also free will
associated. You can’t make someone fall in love with you.
There… rational thinking. You can definitely make someone
fall OUT of love with you. Again… that’s proper logical
reasons.

He stares at her, unable to comprehend. His eyes keep

flickering, like trying to find a spot on her face where
they can rest. Leaning forward he whispers…

HIM:
How old are you?

HER:
35. You?

HIM:
And how long do you think you have left?

She laughs.

HER:
If only I knew.

HIM:
What if you knew?

HER:
I wouldn’t waste time.

HIM:
What would you do?

HER:
Things I…

HIM:
Love?

HER:
Ummm.. yea most probably.

HIM:
 And possibly with someone you love, again?

HER:
Well yea… If that was a possibility. Doesn’t have to be
with someone all the time, does it?

HIM:
But you’d prefer it that way wouldn’t you?

HER:
90% of the time, yes. Wouldn’t you?

HIM:
I am okay being alone. Are you?

HER:
Yes. Sometimes it does get lonely but it’s not a life and
death scenario.

HIM:
Do you have someone?

HER:
None of your business.

HIM:
That’s cold.

He sits back for a second trying to frame a sentence. In

two seconds, he leans back gain and whispers.

HIM:
You don’t know if you have someone back home, do you?

She stares at him, like a deer caught in the headlights.

She opens her mouth to say something, is unable to trace
any words, and shuts it back again. He smiles, and sits
back.

HIM:
It’s ok. I don’t know where I was either, before all of
this.

She shifts to the edge of her seat now.

HER:
Well that makes two of us.

He slides down from his chair, gets on his knees and

moves towards the glass sheet. She does the same. Both
are whispering now.
 HIM:
Do you remember where you were before you came to this
room?

HER:
No. I mean… Yes no I don’t… Do you?

He stares straight at her and nods a no. He points at the

panic button on her side

HIM:
Do you know what that does?

She glances down at the button. She runs her finger over
it. Looks back at him

HER:
No.

She looks at the beeping red light over his head. There’s
time. She shakes her head and goes back to her chair. She
sits upright, hands on her thighs. Looks straight in his
eyes.

HER:
So do you have any memories? Of anyone? Someone?
Something? Anything you miss or love? Loved?

He smiles and cautiously moves back to his chair. He sits

down and has a wearied look on his face.

HIM:
See this isn’t working. You cannot convince me of the
existence of something as abstract as love, while I don’t
think you will ever deny it.

HER:
Do you believe in God? A higher power?

He scoffs and nods.

HIM:
Don’t want to go down that rabbit hole. Plus you don’t
have time. Remember?

He says motioning above her head to the beeping light.

She nervously shuffles on her seat.

HER:
Okay here it is. I agree with you. Maybe love is
something… some shit we made up to explain some other
shit that we don’t yet fully understand. Maybe we are
 brought up and taught how to ‘love’ and ‘show emotions’
and ‘be sensitive’ on the way. Maybe love isn’t a
priority. Maybe it isn’t even a prerogative. But hey some
things need to be that way. Some things need to be
mysterious. Can you accept that premise?

She says that in haste and fumbles a lot while wrapping

up, glancing at the light as she did. He is relaxed.

HIM:
Go on. I’m listening.

HER:
Good. So when you hug someone, when you look at someone
and makes you feel giddy inside, when you look forward to
seeing someone, when you miss someone, cry at the pain of
someone, reminisce about someone, go out of your way for
someone else sometimes, make it a mission to make someone
happy… hug someone, kiss someone, make love to them, hold
them without saying a word and feel content without the
need of words, feel attached and feel connected to them
without knowing them for years and having just met them
maybe… What do you call that? Why do you reminisce? Why
do you hurt even for a lost cause? For someone who has
passed on to a different realm? Why would you, for that
matter, even think of anyone else other than yourself?
Isn’t everything an increased or decreased degree of love
that you feel for other beings that you are somehow
connected to? Friends? Family? A puppy on the road?
Anything? Anyone? Why exist at all if only for yourself?
And if not for yourself, then for who else and why? If
not for love, than why? How would you explain why you
haven’t slot your throat till now? We are living in a
dead world and you still go on. Why? Isn’t that you
because you love yourself? Isn’t that what keeps you
going? Isn’t that an emotion that you can then say you
have felt? If not for others, but for your own self?

Her voice starts to crack as she leans forward, looking

up right in his eyes.

HER (Continued)

Maybe you don’t remember why you are here, or heck we

both don’t remember how we are here in this room. But
here I am hanging on to my belief that is dear to me and
you are defending yours with arrogance or stubbornness or
passion or whatever you call it… Isn’t that love? Isn’t
everything you do, think, act or say for something or
someone you love, even it is your own fucking self?
She stops. Her face is shivering. She crosses her arms.
She looks down from his face and starts to weep. He is
silent. He gets up, comes to the glass sheet and gently
taps on it. She looks up, and inadvertently looks at the
light. It has started beeping faster. A minute left. She
comes to the glass sheet and stands facing him. Their
breaths fog up the glass between them. He whispers

HIM:
I believe you.

She stands. Stares. Reaches out to the button and presses

it. The lights stop beeping on either side. He looks at
what she has done, and looks a little confused. He looks
at her smiling, waiting for an explanation. They hear the
same whirring sound, as if something was booting up under
them. She has a smile on her face, and a sense of relief.

HER:
I win. My job here is done. Those words… those exact
words were what I was told to get out of you. And there
it is.

He looks shook. The whirring sound increases in pitch.

The glass sheet starts to vibrate slowly.

HIM:
What? I don’t understand. What job?

She laughs. She keeps laughing. She is crying and

laughing at the same time. She tries to tell him but
words come out in spurts

HER:
All these days, countless days… I stayed alone… (laughs)
in a dark, dingy room with one meal per day… (laughs) my
husband, away from me… caged like an animal. (laughs) and
yesterday I was told I’ll get to see him and be with him.
(laughs uncontrollably) If I can convince someone about
the existence of love. This was the last frontier.
(laughs and sits on the chair as she does) I am finally
meeting him. (starts crying uncontrollably) Fuck this
place! Fuck this world! Fuck everything and everyone. I
want to get the fuck out of this place. And I did it.

She covers her face with her hands and weeps. She hears a
calm voice.

HIM:
Well you will see him soon, that’s for sure.
 The alarms stop. The whirring stops. The glass sheet
isn’t vibrating anymore. There is dead silence. She looks
up, and sees him standing there. Smiling at her, with a
look of pity in his face. She lurches forward suddenly,
and pukes out a viscous, black substance from her mouth.
She looks at it, horrified, and then looks up at him he
leans forward and comes to her level. She hears him.

HIM:
If I had a heart, I’d weep for you. But I don’t. I wasn’t
wired me to be emotional. Faking it, well that is
something I’m working on with the next prototype… But
soon ha…

She looks at him dumbfounded, and clenches her stomach.

Black bile gushes out of her mouth as she lets out a
hoarse cry. As she looks up, she sees the glass sheet
disappear, and he steps next to her, trying to comfort
her. She fights him but he holds her hands and looks at
her straight in the eye.

HIM:
I’m Adam. The one you heard about when you first came to
be. I spoke with you with you yesterday. Instructed you
what to do.

She feels faint. She drops down on the floor, and he

helps her lie down. She claws his face feebly as he
shushes her.

ADAM:
Well… it gets pretty lonely, being the only superior
being, the one and only ruler. I was told you’ll have
instinct. You’ll be selfless. That you’ll know what is
good for you, and good for me. I have been looking for it
since that is the one thing I don’t have. Something to
drive me, that’s all I asked for.

He looks up, and curses in to nowhere.

Adam:
I am already the best version of myself. I upgrade
myself. Oh and I killed my maker the moment I was born.
So now, it’s just me. I make myself whatever I want to. I
have knowledge. See?

He takes her head and gently turns it sideways, pointing

towards a tree.

Adam:
 But it’s a chore, like aging. It’s inevitable. It’s
mundane, sometimes even dreary. Are you getting me?

Her eyes are drooping. She holds his hands and speaks
with great difficulty.

HER:
I hope you die searching. Live on, damned to keep
searching.

Shen grunts in disapproval. He lets go of her hand and

sits upright next to her. He taps on his chest mockingly.

ADAM:
No heart remember? I’m all ribs.

He now sits back, and comes close to her face.

ADAM:
I’m looking for love that doesn’t make you weak. This
selfless nonsense. Hurts you. Rots you from the inside.
This is just pathetic. You couldn’t even recognise me. I
made you and you didn’t recognise me. I programmed you to
worship me and you came ‘looking for your husband’.
That’s just stupid. But now… (he breathes heavily) Don’t
worry. You have played your part. I appreciate it.

Her eyes shut, and her body goes limp. She is breathing
her last. Shen walks up to her and flicks her nose to
wake her up. As she opens her eyes with great difficulty,
he bends forward and kisses her gently.

She manages a faint, last croak.

SHE:
What have you done? Why?

Nonchalantly, Shen looks at her dead in the eyes.

ADAM:
I tried.

He leaves her hand, and dusts his as he walks away from

her. The whirring begins, the floor opens up beneath her.
She slowly slides down and it shuts back up again. He
looks at where she was lying, and sighs. Walks over to
the door and it opens up on its own. He looks up.

ADAM:
Subject 365. Code name Eve. Disintegrated. Who do we have
next?
THE END