BESK - The Living Device

Come on – a my house, my house a come on

I’m gonna give you candy

Axel opened his eyes. He raised his hands and purred like a kitten as he stretched.

Come on - a my house, my house a come on

The song. The phone. Yes, his phone rang with that song. His favorite song.

‘Hello?’ Said Axel in a sleepy voice.

‘I have news. They accepted it! They accepted your project! Congratulations! I hope to see you today. '

‘What?’

Axel rubbed his eyes. The stranger on the other end of the phone was saying strange things to him. He had dreamed something, but he couldn't remember what it was, because the stranger's voice kept him from concentrating. The song was in his head.

‘Axel, are you sleeping? You better get up! We have a reason to celebrate! I'll be waiting for you in the office in an hour and a half. Make sure you're there! '

'Whatever you say. I'll get up in a minute. '

‘Great, buddy!’

‘Don’t call me that.’ Axel’s cheeks flushed. His eyes suddenly widened; moisture appeared in the corners. A small tear rolled down his face.

‘I’m sorry. Well, I'll wait for you. See you soon!'

Axel leaned back on the bed board. He had already remembered who the stranger was who called him early in the morning. It was his boss, Phillip Mordin.

Only the dream he could not remember. When he closed his eyes, he could see a red sweater and beige pants. The thought of these clothes made him shiver. He dreamed of them for the first time. He knew who was wearing them without having to see his face.

He got out of bed and stood in front of the mirror. He didn't like what he saw, but it didn't irritate him so much. He no longer paid attention to his appearance, even though he was only thirty-nine. He was single. His friends, who were quite a few, advised him to find a girlfriend. She would help him, they said. Maybe they were right.

"If you don't lose that hermit beard, any woman will hardly look at you," he thought.

He put on his frayed pants and one of his many navy-blue sweaters. He brushed his teeth quickly and left.

***

'Hello! Since I've been waiting for you! Congratulations! We did it, can you believe it! You made it!'

‘Yes, that’s right, Gus. We did it. 'Axel confirmed. He did not share his assistant's enthusiasm.

‘You don’t look very happy. And you have to. You are… what is the word? Revolutionary! You have to get excited, be proud of yourself! We did something great! You realize that this machine is the future, don't you? I'm so happy for you, Mr. Bruun!'

‘Rejoice for yourself. This would not have happened without you. Well done, young man! ’Axel smiled forcefully.

The door to their office opened. A fat man came in with a shake. His smile flooded his entire face, which had expanded beyond recognition. He held a bottle of champagne in his hand.

‘Well, boys, we’ll drink for you!’ Said the fat man. ‘Axel Brown, I’m proud of you! Gustav, you did great. A great future awaits you. '

‘Thank you, Mr. Mordin! It means a lot to me.'

‘When will the presentation be?’ Axel asked.

'Even tomorrow. Afternoon. Everyone can't wait to see this beast.'

Philip Mordin, the fat man who liked to scream every time his coffee wasn't exactly what he wanted, pointed to a green box that said BESK. He approached it and patted it, as a father pats his son when he scores a goal while playing impromptu football.

‘I wish you knew how much money you brought us, Bruun. Lots and lots of money. I'm so happy!' Mordin left the bottle next to the computer and left the room. He would probably drink another one into his own office.

‘You jerk,’ Axel said.

‘Yes, he is. And yet, congratulations. I think that's exactly what you needed, since you know... your son and everything. And now you have the opportunity to prove those stubborn people who didn't approve of MAGNUS that they made a mistake. '

Axel agreed. He was well aware that he had created something great, something no one else had done. Something that would probably come into mass use in a year or two. He was a little happy. The computer he had been working on for the past year and a half had finally been recognized. He would get rich. But at what cost?

The image of a little boy wearing a red sweater and beige pants reappeared in his head. He could see him only in the back. Had he forgotten his face? No, impossible. But he still couldn't imagine it.

‘Are you all right?’ Gustav asked.

Axel was not in the mood to talk, but he liked the young man very much. Twenty-five years old, with a brilliant mind, an unobtrusive sense of humor. He treated everyone around him with respect.

'Yes. I've just been thinking about my son lately. This computer was our dream. Now it is a reality, and he is not there. It is true that there is no complete happiness... Don't you have friends? Why don't you go out with them, have fun? See you tomorrow, on the big day. I want you to be fresh!'

‘Thank you, Mr. Bruun. If you need something, even just a conversation, call me.fr'

Axel smiled and nodded friendly. He needed conversations, distractions, but he wouldn't look for them in his assistant.

He was left alone. He sat down in front of his creation and stared at it. He started humming:

Come on - a my house, my house a come on

I’m gonna give you candy

Rasmus' favorite song. He remembered how they traveled in the car, it played on the radio, and an innocent child's voice began to sing from the back seat.

A smile appeared on Axel's face. Marie was sitting next to him then, also joining Rasmus. One of their last happy days as a family. Axel would then receive the MAGNUS offer. He would be so ambitious about it that work would suddenly become his number one priority. His wife would start making sullen faces, his son would pull away from them, he would stop sharing, he would stop rejoicing.

He would stop humming his favorite song.

A few months later, the "incident" would happen, as it was called on television.

Axel knew it was pure child suicide. His son had done it himself. It didn't happen during a game; children don't play like that while they're home alone.

An incident? The bag accidentally slipped on his head? No way.

Axel sat in front of the computer with his eyes closed. In his trance he saw his son again. As he had found him. In the corner of his nursery, with a bag on his head, motionless.

‘Rasmus! Rasmus! What are you doing? What did you do, friend? '

"Friend." That's what they were both called. Father and son. Until Axel stopped paying attention to his child, the two were friends.

He was trying to untie the cord the boy had wrapped around his neck. "Incidentally," of course. But the dexterous children's fingers had worked a miracle. It took him a minute, which seemed like an eternity, until he managed to slip the bag out of his son's head. His face was blue, tears were visible on his soft cheeks, his eyes were open and red. His hands were already cold.

Marie burst into the room and rushed to the two of them. She was shouting something incomprehensible, trying to wake Rasmus, shaking his body, blaming Axel for everything. He watched in silence, sitting on the bed. Tears streamed down his face as well. He didn't hear a word of what his wife was saying. He thought, he blamed himself. He prayed for the child to move, to ask his mother to shut up.

He knew that would not happen.

His son was dead.

He jumped up from his chair in shock. He rubbed his eyes. His gaze passed through the computer disinterestedly. Then he was startled. He looked at the nasty machine again.

There was a shadow on the green plastic. Reflection. He brought his face closer. The silhouette took shape and color. Red on beige, in the shape of a man. Of a child.

He turned. There was nothing behind him.

He looked at the computer again. The reflection was there. He saw his son on the computer.

‘Rasmus?’ He said in a shaky voice.

It was Rasmus, no doubt. What was he doing in the stupid box?

***

Axel and Gustav, the creator of the most modern computer of its time, and his assistant were sitting in the office where the magic had taken place. It was an hour before it would be presented to investors. Gustav had dressed up with a wonderful suit, combed his lush hair back, smelled of cologne. Axel looked like every other day; he hadn't shaved yet.

They stepped from foot to foot, Gustav absorbing the sweat from his face with a handkerchief he hid in his sleeve.

The BESK computer was staying in front of them, pure as a tear. Gustav had personally passed it with a damp cloth.

‘Should we test it one more time?’ The young man suggested.

That would be at least the hundredth time the machine had been on and off since they had arrived. Axel was tired of the constant rehearsals, but he agreed.

'As long as you're happy, Gus!'

One push and the box began to growl. It only took thirty-five seconds to turn on. The small lights began to light up one by one. First in red, then in green. Everything was fine. The computer was working.

'Buddy?'

Axel and Gustav turned. They had both heard it. They were alone in the room.

‘What was that?’ Axel asked.

'I don't know. Probably someone in the hallway shouted.'

Gustav's face showed that he did not believe his own words. There was nothing outside but complete silence.

'I'm here, buddy.'

Children's voice.

They looked around again. Nothing.

Axel shivered. Tears streamed from his eyes.

'What's happening? What for God's sake is this? Gustav asked. His face was pale.

"I think this is my son, Gus."

‘But, didn't he...’?

'Yes. Why don't you go out and get some fresh air.’?

Gus didn't need a second invitation. He evaporated from the room at the speed of a bullet.

Axel turned slowly and cautiously in all directions.

His eyes fixed on the computer. He got closer to him. He touched him lightly, as if expecting it to be burning. He withdrew his hand.

‘Rasmus? Is that you, buddy? Is that you?'

"Why did you do it, buddy?" The child's voice appeared again. There was pain, accusation.

Axel cried. Lump was stuck in his throat; he couldn't say anything. His tears streamed down the computer, rattling. Silent, painful wheezes came out of his mouth.

‘You killed me, Dad! You were not my friend. You forgot me. You killed me and my mom. You killed us, buddy!'

Axel remained silent. He didn't know what to say.

'How is Mom?'

'I don't know,' the man managed to say. ‘I haven’t spoken to her since we found you… on that awful day. She left me. She said it was my fault. '

‘I hope your other child lives longer than me. But I don't believe it. I will kill him too, ‘said Rasmus.

Axel was leaning against the machine, wrapping it in both hands, hugging it and sobbing.

‘I didn’t want that to happen, buddy. You are my only child; I love you so much. I loved your mother too. But things happened. I didn't have to work so hard, I had to pay attention to you. I'm sorry, buddy, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!' Axel stammered. He paused between words to catch his breath or snort. Yellow bubbles protruded from his nose.

‘You killed me, my friend. You chose to be a father of a computer instead of being my friend. You killed me!'

Axel felt a touch on his shoulder. He looked up from the computer he had hugged. He didn't want to look, but he did. His little boy was sitting next to him. His friend. He looked him in the eyes. His face was blue.

The man sat on the ground facing him, leaning his head on the computer. He took his hand, cold.

‘Now I will kill you too. You and the child you love more,' said the boy.

Axel wrapped his arms around his knees and shrank. He was scared to death.

'You are dead! You do not exist! There's nothing you can do to me! '

There was a louder crackle from the computer than usual.

The lights began to flash. In an instant, everything calmed down. The next moment there was a soft rumble. It gradually grew into a melody. Cheerful and lively music could be heard from the computer.

Rasmus began to sing. He was smiling.

Come on - a my house, my house a come on

I’m gonna give you candy

Come on-a my house, my house, I'm gonna give a you

Apple a plum and apricot-a too eh

Come on-a my house, my house a come on

‘I love this song!’ Said the boy.

‘I know, buddy. She was your favorite.'

‘Exactly, buddy. You know me very well.'

'Do not kill me. Please!'

Rasmus was smiling again.

The music stopped. There was a buzzing sound.

A spark came out of the computer. Cannon. It smelled awful, on burning cardboard.

'Do not!'

‘You killed one of your children. The other will kill you.'

***

Gustav put out his cigarette on the ground and threw it in the cup that was left in front of the building. He was worried about Axel, but at the same time he was afraid to go up and see what was going on.

Enough, he was already a grown boy. He had graduated from university, helped create a revolutionary computer, planned to propose to his girlfriend, and could not go up to the third floor and peek into his office. Probably they had both imagined something, and now, as he climbed, Axel would stare at the computer. It was half an hour before investors came to see their creation. In half an hour, everything would be fine, because the people with the money had already approved the project. All that remained was to make it official. He and Rose, his girlfriend, could go somewhere. He would be able to afford an expensive honeymoon, because in half an hour he would be rich.

He took the elevator.

The hallway smelled strange. Gus's stomach tightened into a ball. Something was wrong.

'Think how rich you will be in a while,' he said aloud.

He approached the door. The smell there was even stronger. He knocked, but no one answered. Maybe his colleague had fallen into one of his trances again?

He opened it.

A wave of smoke wafted through him. It smelled disgusting. It was dark in the room.

‘Mr. Bruun? What happened? Mr. Bruun, are you here? What the hell is going on?'

He headed for the computer. He could see the flashing lights in the smoke. Green, red, green, red. Then they all went out.

He stepped slowly. The smell was awful.

"It smells like death," said Gustav Moller.

Someone was lying next to the computer. He looked asleep, but Gus knew he was dead.

‘Mr. Bruun? Are you OK?'

"No, he's not. Now it's your turn," said the child's voice. Sweet and innocent.

***

Marie was lying on the couch in her living room. Although she was only thirty-seven, her hair was gray, the circles around her eyes were getting darker and darker, and wrinkles had appeared on her forehead and around her lips. Her breasts were drooping.

Again, there was no interesting movie to watch. She turned the news on.

‘Failure before the presentation of what is considered a revolutionary BESK. The computer that was supposed to be approved today has exploded. The information is unconfirmed, but from the footage you see at the moment, it is clear that the machine not only broke down, it just exploded. '

Marie straightened and turned up the volume.

‘The two men, Axel Bruun, 39, and Gustav Moller, just 25, have fallen victim to their own invention. An investigation is currently underway, which police have declined to comment. '

The small TV showed Axel's office. He and his assistant lay sprawled on the floor. Their faces were blackened like coals.

The door opened and Marie turned, startled. A little boy wearing a red sweater and beige pants entered. He sat on the couch next to her. She smiled.

"I did it, Mom," he said.

'I love you sweetheart!'

They began to sing, shaking their heads. They were smiling.

Come on - a my house, my house a come on

I’m gonna give you candy

Come on-a my house, my house, I'm gonna give a you

Apple a plum and apricot-a too eh

Come on-a my house, my house a come on…