Savage Tales

Gerrold.
    "50,006 by your calendar."
    "Incredible. And what is this future world like?"
    "It's perfect, just perfect," said the man.
    "Great," said Gerrold.
    They got to a building and went inside. Gerrold heard babies screaming.
    "Hey, what is this place?" he said.
    "It's a birthing unit for population replenishment."
    "Why are we here?"
    "This is where we do the injections. Everyone gets them when they're born. You're just the exception to the rule."
    "Oh, okay."
    They found a nurse and the blurry man explained the situation to her. The nurse humored them and got a needle. She shoved it into Gerrold.
    "Ow," he said.
    "You're welcome," said the nurse, who left.
    "So what was that for? And where can I get glasses?" said Gerrold.
    "You'll see."
    Gerrold didn't see. But then he did. His vision corrected and everything went clear. It was amazing. It was even better than the vision he had with his glasses.
    "Jesus Christ!" said Gerrold. "I feel… great!"
    "Yes, that's normal. You'll never feel bad again."
    "Awesome," said Gerrold.
    "Let's go flying," said the man. "It should be an interesting experience for a 15th century person like you."
    Gerrold didn't correct him.
    "Say, shouldn't there be news crews and stuff reporting all this? I'm a special man from the past and stuff."
    "It's already been broadcast and will continue to stream as long as you liv e. That's part of the injection too."
    "Oh."
    Gerrold followed the man to an elevator and they went to the roof. A sparkling city with skyscrapers made of plants surrounded them.
    "Fantastic," said Gerrold.
    "Yes. Come over here."
    Gerrold came to the edge of the building. The man grabbed his wrist and leaped.
    "What are you doing?!" said Gerrold. "I don't want to die!"
    "Fly!"
    And it was just that easy. Like Superman, like Peter Pan, like an angel, they flew.
    "Fantastic," said Gerrold.
    After they had flown a few hours and seen much of this brave new world, they returned to the ground and found a Mexican restaurant. They ordered enchiladas.
    "This tastes so good," said Gerrold.
    "Yes," said the man. "Everything will taste good to you from now on."
    "Gosh, I can't wait to get back home and tell everyone about this. I'm just so happy. I could fly around and eat forever."
    "You want to go back to the past?" said the man.
    "Well, yeah, my family's expecting me for dinner."
    "Then go."

    And the man and the future world was gone, and Gerrold was once more in his bedroom. And A.G. was there.
    "Vrrrrt! Sir! You are back. I thought you had departed forever."
    "No, no, I'm back. And I've tasted the future. And it's amazing. Everything's… amazing."
    "I'm glad to hear the human race has not annihilated itself or been enslaved by robots, vrrrrt, ha ha ha!"
    Gerrold went down to dinner and it still tasted wonderful. He had been afraid the effect might not work here in the past.
    But the real test came after dinner. He climbed up on his bed.
    "Sir, are you – vrrrrt! – monkeying around?"
    "No, shut up, A.G. I want to see if I can still fly."
    "I say."
    Gerrold jumped off the bed and thought FLY! FLY! FLY!
    And he did.
    He careened across the room and bumped A.G. in the head.
    "Awesome, it works!"
    "You can fly? Vrrrrt! Amazing."
    Gerrold opened his bedroom window and flew into the night sky.
    "Be – vrrrrt! – well."

    The next morning the police knocked on the front door of the Kerblonoski residence.
    "Yes?" said Gerrold's mom.
    A police officer held up a photograph of a splattered body. "Good morning, ma'am. Is this your son?"
    She fainted.
    "I'll take that as a yes."
    When A.G. heard the news he felt as bad as a robot could. He tried to cry but didn't have tear ducts.

    In the future, the man who had escorted Gerrold was speaking with his superior.
    "Excellent work."
    "Yes, they always trust you, these foreigners from the past. Think that the future is all flowery and nice. And it is. But we want to keep it that way. I'd do anything to protect myself and my loved ones."
    "Of course. One small death for the sake of the many."
    "Although I do feel a minor pang knowing it was a boy."
    "Don't let that interfere. He had no suspicions?"
    "I doubt it. He trusted me. He…"
    "Cease this emotion. You did the right thing. You and the nurse will be rewarded. Know that the boy experienced a few hours of bliss before it wore off."
    "Yes, that's some consolation."
    Outside the forest city purred away under his feet, and although he felt physically copacetic, his mental processes still