Fantastically Delicious

“Thank you, Doctor. I’ll let her know you want to speak with her.”

John hung up, sat on a chair, and cried.

A few minutes later, he sat next to his wife Jane’s bedside at home.

Jane had chosen to stay at home since being told she’s terminal. She wanted to lay in her garden and enjoy her final days with her husband and their pets.

“What’s the prognosis, John? Please, be honest with me.”

“The doctor wouldn’t tell me directly. He wants to speak with you first, but when I asked him ...” John teared up and put his head on her chest.

“It’s okay, honey.” Jane combed her fingers through his hair. “I know ...” Jane fell asleep due to one of the painkiller therapies she was on.

John returned to his basement lab. With his doctorate, he knew he was close to a breakthrough in bio-nanotechnology. His test animals had already been successfully cleared of cancer, though they recovered so well that they ate through their cages and had to be put down.

John prepared Jane a meal and mixed in a concoction of nanites with her fruit juice—‘I know she’ll understand why I must try … Human testing will take years for approval. That won’t save her life.’

“John, this juice tastes weird. Did you wash the glass well?”

“Oh yes, it’s a nanoscopic vitamin mix to give you an energy and health boost.”

“Thank you, honey, that’s so thoughtful.” She took a sip. “I feel a little dizzy. John, what’s, what’s happening? I’m falling ...” She passed out.

John checked her vitals, all normal, but she fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning ...

“John! John!” Jane shouted.

John woke up as he, too, had fallen asleep while sitting next to her.

“Yes, dear, what is it?”

“John ... those vitamins really helped. I feel lively, reborn, and I can’t explain why.”

“That’s fantastic, dear. I’ll give you more with your next meal.”

“Meal? Oh, yes, John, I’m starving. Please hurry. I’m so hungry.”

John scrambled some eggs, with buttered toast, and orange juice with nanites.

Jane ate her meal while John roamed around cleaning the house.

“John! Help me!” She shouted.

John ran up to her ...

Jane’s mouth was filled with blood, and she ate half of her fork. Her teeth appeared damaged and missing.

“Oh, no!” John grabbed a towel and shoved it into her mouth. “Bite into this, really hard.”

“John, stop.” She mumbled and gagged under the towel. “I’m fine.” Jane smiled, her broken teeth now replaced with metal, but not just any metal ... the same silverware as the fork.

John stared at her mouth.

“What’s wrong with you, John? Can you bring me more of those edible forks? They’re fantastically delicious.”