Robert Proctor's Discussion Questions

10 Robert Proctor thought to himself. That’s where he thought he ought to begin to count down from to calm himself if he was afraid and in this moment, in this fraction in time, he was indeed afraid. He had seen and felt nothing after the unknown object had pressed into his stomach and, even now, was still encased in that very same emptiness. 9. Robert thought of his mother, was she stuck in the same darkness as he? If he called for her, would she answer? Realizing no one could answer his questions, Robert turned his mind to happy memories instead. He remembered the moments before the crash. The beautiful sleeping girl, the sun beaming and his mother doing the same, he remembered the fresh air and his mother’s cool voice speaking to him. Robert contentedly replayed those moments in his head a few times before deciding to search for more.8 Not long into his search, Robert became frustrated for,

despite his best efforts, he could not bring any other memories into focus. Though, only slightly discouraged, Robert continued his attempts, each one as fruitless as the one before.

It did not take long for Robert to realize that he, in fact, did not have any other memories.7. How is that possible? How could he not have any other memories? Robert thought disconcertedly. Did he have a concussion? Was he simply traumatized? Robert kept trying to think of any reasonable explanation, but he knew, in the back of his mind, that his condition was not caused by the crash. He did not know nor understand exactly what was going on, but he was certain it was nothing ordinary. Fear started in him like a forest fire ignited by a single cigarette. It started slow but began to pick up speed. The fear ate at him and his thoughts, threatening to consume him whole. It was going to burn him into nothing, Robert thought when suddenly, it ended. 6. Panicking, that was what Robert should have been doing, this he knew, but something stopped him. He did not feel panic nor anxiety nor fear, Robert felt as he had only a few moments ago, completely numb. Robert felt

nothing. He thought of his mother but had not felt the love and respect he once held for her, she was simply a woman, no better than a stranger. He thought of the sleeping girl, her beauty and trusting face now dull and plain. The truck driver, at a time, paralyzed in terror and surprise, now unimportant. Everything and everyone from his scarce memories, trivial and insignificant. 5. Nothing mattered. Robert did not care for anything at all. Robert knew nothing and felt nothing, he became part of the emptiness that enveloped him and that was when he let go of the last miniscule piece of his humanity for it no longer mattered to him. As soon as he let go, images filled his mind. Images at different angles of computers, bright lights, men and women in long white coats writing on clipboards and dozens of large shining metal containers the size of humans. 4. All these images flashed in Robert’s mind at a hundred miles an hour, none of them making any sense. Roberts mind turned into a chaos of strange images and sounds, each image and sound getting brighter and louder than the one before. Robert impassively watched the images rush by, no thoughts nor feelings for anything. This went on for a while, the images blinding and the sounds deafening until something broke through; voices. 3. The voices slowly shut everything out until they were all that was left.
“Experiment 4364, Robert Proctor, male, height of 6’4, brown hair, green eyes, mental simulated car crash at 12:47 am., mentally portrayed fear, confusion, happiness and sadness after the crash,” said a woman’s monotonous voice. “Over stressing and panic caused the final shutdown.”
“He was supposed to be the one,” whispered a man, his voice tinged with grief. “Robert was the last one. It was supposed to work.!” 2 “Dr. Laurence, I am truly sorry. Experiment 4364 showed such promise, but all of the emotions were too strong, too much to handle for him. 4364 was the last one, we must shut down Project Novus Vitae.” The woman stated coldly. The man sighed in fatigue and said in a defeated voice “Human cloning was my life’s work, 36 years of my life for nothing. Project Novus Vitae is officially terminated.” 1 “Final experiment 4364 has failed the test.”