DETECTIVE THORN Who pays your bills?
TAB FIELDING I do.
(Soylent Green, 1973)
riots; protests; death in unrest
not because soylent green is people
but because soylent green is scarce
people kind of know
they've always kind of known.
corporation signs neon bright:
don't just buy soylent green
buy our soylent green;
Minimum 75% Free-Range Guaranteed
hotter; burning; wildfires; flooding
house fires; blood;
The Year: 2064
The Place: New York City
The Population: Unknown;
best estimate says
almost a billion
Martha's eyes are lined but
skin smooth black-porcelain bald
still has the same red silk robe
and her voice is a rich throat-croak
from all the pollution and the smokes
she can afford.
Furniture?
sweetie nobody has furniture any more
except for old men…
and me, eyes crinkly as she smiles
at the shaved queer
bound on the bathroom tiles
young man bewildered
here on father's advice
we'll get you something better,
maybe an off-brand device?
he's seen the ads of course,
he knows what a device is,
conceal-able unreal
sexual wife or
husband or whatever you want
it is fully customisable.
he never understood that,
fully customisable; when dad
spoke about furniture it
kind of made sense she
was who she was and
came with the apartment.
off-brand, she'd said. like
something from a hacker?
She smiles, and takes him
through the back room
through a door disguised to
look like mildew
what is this... a...?
a menu she says and grins
the ipad is cracked and the corner
flashes with some kind of static but
he can see them clear enough
skin colour; hair style; fatness;
thinness; weak; busty; buff;
whatever configuration of
lover you'd ever
desire
it will be ready in less than a month
her voice in his ear sensual
and gross
but he
desires.
he fills out his wants
his preferences his
most perfect lover
even Martha gives him
privacy to choose
as he leaves she sees
in his eyes, he the
customer feels she's
committing a sin
even more than him
but she knows.
so the blueprint goes
to the hacker behind the scenes
who finds the best candidate
from profiles on screens
those who've signed up
to become a device
and they arrive at his shop
(hidden behind an unassuming block)
knowing the deal
but not quite
still nervous that he'll cut
and he'll dice but he is a
kind older man with heavy-set
eyes and a great bedside manner
who offers a slice of cake
it's delicious with a slight
green tinge and as they're
eating he explains the consent
doesn't want to infringe on the
rights they've reserved when it
comes to the content of
the surgery.
Reasonably satisfied that he's
abjured any liability under the
law he
begins
and when they're complete
you wouldn't ever know
who walked in to see him
that morning
Miranda.
new person new skin
new curves new lips
new angled jaw line
new bones new hips
new thigh gap to hide
her ten-inch dick
(so his mates don't see it)
larynx shaved down
to give a new voice;
she knows nobody'll
listen when she uses it to say
it's her choice
but she goes to him regardless
her new life
elevated Miranda,
introduced by Martha
case of cash in hand, a
knowing smile and a laugh as
they share strawberry jam and beef
no more soylent green and
he'll never quite know
what they know.
what a ride they're taking him for.
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