THE ULTIMATE EXPERIMENT: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PART XI

                               Restarting The Ultimate Experiment

                                     An unpublished short story

                              THE UNLIMATE EXPERIMENT

A few days after Donald Ball’s visit, Virginia noticed a steady decline in George Stewart’s condition.  Every time she saw him she thought it would be the last.  Each time she approached his bed, Stewart appeared as a corpse, his complexion gray.  Only the occasional rise and fall of his chest signaled that his body still harbored life.

“How are you today, Professor Stewart?” Virginia did not expect an answer but he opened his eyes.

“I don’t think I have long for this world, my dear,” he said with great effort.  “But I am at peace.  I have one request of you before you leave.”

Two hours later, while making another visit, Virginia was paged by the nurse’s aide caring for Stewart.

“The professor passed away.”

Virginia went to pronounce him dead.  She had lost a patient and a friend.  Then she fulfilled Stewart’s last request.