Perfect Flaw Read Online Free PDF

chopped tomatoes and--“
    “Next.”
    It’s been two hours and they are at holo-picture number 147. Mays sags in her chair and the Smiler’s smile is but a whisper of what it was at the beginning of the session.
    “Listen, Smiler-lady, I’m starving and dying of thirst. Can’t we continue this charade tomorrow?” Mays rests her head back on the chair.
    “You know what you need to do.”
    “This is a load of crap. I’m leaving.” She gets out of the chair and tries the door. It’s locked. “Let me out!”
    “Not until you tell me something P.E. Sit down. Please.”
    “No.”
    “No problem. You can do this standing too.”
    The Smiler taps the pad. A single red flower appears.
    “Some brainless florist left it behind so it’s about to be dumped into a shredder and made into a poisonous tea for some unsuspecting old bag.” Mays gives the Smiler a meaningful glare.
    The Smiler sighs. “I’m sorry, but you leave me no choice, Mays.” She taps the pad and Mays arches her back and screams. It lasts no longer than a split second. Mays falls to her knees gasping for breath. A moment later she vomits. She can’t help but observe it’s flecked green -- the green leaf salad with soy-and-rice-wine-vinegar dressing served at lunch.
    “How…?” Mays wipes her mouth and then hugs her arms around her bony frame.
    “It’s my little Smiler secret. I preferred not to do that, but you weren’t responding. So can we try again? I’m going to give you another chance on this same one.”
    Mays opens her mouth, then closes it again.
    “It’s pretty,” mumbles Mays.
    “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
    There’s a click. Mays stands up and tries the door. It opens. She turns to look at the Smiler who beams at her. Mays scowls and leaves for her evening dietetic meal.
     
    ***
     
    “--so I figure it has to be in my genes or something,” drones Suzu. “I practically lay on the kils just from inhaling the smell of candy. I’m so weak-willed that I…ummm…Mays? Are you okay?”
    “Whuh?” Mays’ complexion is grey, her greasy hair grazes her shoulders now, and the circles under her eyes are at their widest. She is a skeleton draped in pastel-green cloth.
    Suzu leans towards Mays and whispers, “You’re finally losing it for real, aren’t you?”
    “Who isn’t?”
    “I’ve been here longer than you so I’ve seen it plenty of times.”
    “Yeah, well, this place is killing me. And picture-lady is the worst. I would do anything for the chance to take that holo-pad and jam it up her ass.”
    “Yeah, she’s a real bitch of a Smiler, isn’t she?” Suzu attempts a smile, but it fades quickly.
    “These Smilers…Why are they obsessed with changing us? Why can’t they just let us be?” Mays shivers.
    “There is a way out of sorts. But it’s, well, permanent.”
    Mays lifts her head slightly. “What do you mean?”
    “Because you end up kinda, umm…dead.”
    “Oh.” Mays looks down again. After a moment, she says, “Tell me.”
    Suzu lowers her voice. “I’ve been keeping an eye on the meds they use around here, and I happen to know that a particular combination is deadly. But you have to take them within a few hours of each other.” Mays doesn’t respond. “One is Ferilak. That’s for vomiting and nausea. And the other is a sedative -- Sintaline. I’ve seen them give that one when one of us got out of control. So if you get both of these in you, you’ll be out in a flash.” Suzu snaps her fingers for emphasis, making Mays jump.
    “How do you know this?”
    “I used to be a pharmacist, remember?” Suzu’s smile confident for a change. And it actually makes her look rather attractive, thinks Mays. Oh, dear. Was that a P.E. thought? No. She stomps the thought out of her mind.
    Mays considers Suzu’s idea. A part of her is terrified, but another is fascinated. She decides to push it away for now. She has to shore up some energy. Picture-lady is still to come.
     
    ***
     
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