Winner (Short Story) - July, 2024
A Visionary’s Nightmare! (1st Position- 6th International Writing Competition) by Syed Huzaifah Ahmed - Pakistan
“Hello Professor. I’m very sorry for asking you to do this on such short notice. I know you’re a busy man so I’ll keep this interview quick.” said the man at the Professor’s doorstep. “This interview will be part of an article on the cover page of Dawn News, correct?” The Professor inquired. The interviewer replied “Of course!” so the Professor welcomed him inside. “No one has heard from you for five years since you retired! You were the leading scientist and founder of Gensec International, the largest biotechnology industry in Germany!” He said, sounding almost dramatic. “That, I was” the professor replied rather grimly. “Then suddenly,” the interviewer continued “four years after your contract with the military, when your organization was at its peak, you retired without making a single public statement. It’s rumored that you even told your coworkers and subordinates to do the same. The people have since been dying to know the whole story. So naturally this will be a hit on the cover page.” The Professor simply said, in his gruff voice “Good then, I’ll be over with tea” he had been preparing tea beforehand for the interview.
Once the two sat down in the living room, with the air conditioning turned on, the interviewer took a recorder out of his coat and turned it on. “So, Professor Mauren,” he started “you were the leading scientist and founder of Gensec International, the largest biotechnology industry in Germany. Before that you started by contributing to research done on prosthetic limbs in the local research facilities, while on the side you made your own firm to manufacture and sell artificial limbs. That firm soon developed into a large business with a dedicated research team spearheaded by you yourself. Then you expanded your horizons to make other ingenious inventions, micro-robotic medicines, organic batteries, stuff that people could only dream of. You and your company became famous for revolutionizing so many other industries” The Professor, looking down at his knees, replied “Yes, that’s true.” “Then you made a contract with the military, your business grew exponentially with their funding. But then you quit, without any explanation or public statement. The question on so many people’s minds is: Why? Why would someone quit at the height of their glory?” Upon hearing these words, the Professor clenched his fists and started trembling slightly. The interviewer, not noticing this added “I was hoping you could enlighten us on that.” The Professor spoke in a slightly louder voice while managing to keep his calm demeanor “Very well, I’ll enlighten you.”
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