Read Online Sequence by Arun Lakra - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Arun Lakra
Tags: science, Literature & Fiction, Genetics, fate, Faith, World Literature, dna, math, award winner, Luck, probability, sequence, Arun Lakra
Ads: Link
checks each coin on the ground.
DR. GUZMAN
That was Pascalâs Wager. He said even though the existence of God cannot be determined, we should wager as though God exists. Because that way you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
MR. ADAMSON
Exactly.
DR. GUZMAN
Only Pascal went
mad
. Mr. Adamson, youâre not in a wheelchair because of some divine plan. You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
MR. ADAMSON
No! Thatâs not what happened.
DR. GUZMAN
Your bone-dice is nothing but a meaningless coin flip. God has no plans for you because he doesnât exist.
MR. ADAMSON
How do you know that?
DR. GUZMAN
Because luck is embedded in our DNA. So we donât need to invoke anything from above or from beyond. How did life begin? God? Or luck. You donât need both. Theyâre mutually exclusive. Itâs the chicken
or
the egg. So which is it? Decide for yourself. I say, in the beginning,
in our blood
, there was luck.
MR. ADAMSON slumps against his wheelchair, still on the floor.
MR. ADAMSON
Not a single tails.
DR. GUZMAN
What are the odds?
MR. ADAMSON rolls up his sleeve.
MR. ADAMSON
If I give you my blood, will you give me back my briefcase?
DR. GUZMAN produces a syringe and tourniquet.
DR. GUZMAN
Not only that. I will, one day, repair your defective gene. I will make you walk again.
She ties the tourniquet.
If Iâm right, you will become the luckiest man alive.
DR. GUZMAN jabs the needle into his arm.
Auditorium
CYNTHIA
You really canât lose.
THEO
What if⦠I get a stake in your test?
THEO produces the gun. He loads it.
What if this time, I use
six
bullets?
Laboratory
DR. GUZMAN
Quick and painless.
She snaps off the tourniquet.
Thank you, Mr. Adamson.
DR. GUZMAN pulls his id card from her pocket. She glances at it, returns it.
Theodore. Gift of God.
MR. ADAMSON
How did you know that?
DR. GUZMAN
I had a goldfish named Theodore.
Auditorium
CYNTHIA
Theo. Please justâ
THEO
Open the envelope. Open it.
THEO lifts the gun to his head.
Laboratory
DR. GUZMAN hands MR. ADAMSON his briefcase.
DR. GUZMAN
I have to know. Whatâs the combination?
MR. ADAMSON
One one two, three five eight.
DR. GUZMAN
Really? Why that number?
MR. ADAMSON shows her his watch.
DR. GUZMAN
11:23:58.
MR. ADAMSON
My watch stopped at the moment of impact.
Auditorium
CYNTHIA
What the hellâ
THEO
If the test result is positive, Iâll pull the trigger.
CYNTHIA
Are you insane? Put the gun down.
THEO
Open it. Please. This is what you wanted.
Laboratory
MR. ADAMSON
What if God doesnât want us to be lucky? What if God doesnât want us to win the lottery?
DR. GUZMAN moves toward the door.
DR. GUZMAN
Then thatâs not
fair
. And maybe we, the terminally unfortunate, need to take matters into our own hands.
DR. GUZMAN feels in her pocket for the key. Itâs not there. She turns.
MR. ADAMSON snaps open the briefcase.
MR. ADAMSON
Then this is Godâs will.
He points a gun at DR. GUZMAN.
Auditorium
CYNTHIA
No. Put the gun down. Please.
THEO
I finally figured out how to share my luck. By giving myself a stake in your daughter. I can change your luck.
CYNTHIA
Because you canât lose? Because youâre too lucky to die?
THEO
Exactly! So the test result will have to be negative. If I canât lose, she canât lose.
CYNTHIA
Youâre very kind. And a little psychotic.
THEO
I couldnât help my child. Let me help yours.
CYNTHIA
Iâm going to tear it up.
THEO
Iâm not going to die. Trust me.
CYNTHIA
How do you know that?
THEO
Because youâre here. Something brought you here today. Tell me this. Did you cheat? In the book draw? Are you here, right now, because you stuffed the jar with your name?
Laboratory
DR. GUZMAN
No. Itâs not Godâs will. Itâs yours.
MR. ADAMSON
This is why He brought me here. This is why He kept me here. I know that
DR. GUZMAN
That was Pascalâs Wager. He said even though the existence of God cannot be determined, we should wager as though God exists. Because that way you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
MR. ADAMSON
Exactly.
DR. GUZMAN
Only Pascal went
mad
. Mr. Adamson, youâre not in a wheelchair because of some divine plan. You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
MR. ADAMSON
No! Thatâs not what happened.
DR. GUZMAN
Your bone-dice is nothing but a meaningless coin flip. God has no plans for you because he doesnât exist.
MR. ADAMSON
How do you know that?
DR. GUZMAN
Because luck is embedded in our DNA. So we donât need to invoke anything from above or from beyond. How did life begin? God? Or luck. You donât need both. Theyâre mutually exclusive. Itâs the chicken
or
the egg. So which is it? Decide for yourself. I say, in the beginning,
in our blood
, there was luck.
MR. ADAMSON slumps against his wheelchair, still on the floor.
MR. ADAMSON
Not a single tails.
DR. GUZMAN
What are the odds?
MR. ADAMSON rolls up his sleeve.
MR. ADAMSON
If I give you my blood, will you give me back my briefcase?
DR. GUZMAN produces a syringe and tourniquet.
DR. GUZMAN
Not only that. I will, one day, repair your defective gene. I will make you walk again.
She ties the tourniquet.
If Iâm right, you will become the luckiest man alive.
DR. GUZMAN jabs the needle into his arm.
Auditorium
CYNTHIA
You really canât lose.
THEO
What if⦠I get a stake in your test?
THEO produces the gun. He loads it.
What if this time, I use
six
bullets?
Laboratory
DR. GUZMAN
Quick and painless.
She snaps off the tourniquet.
Thank you, Mr. Adamson.
DR. GUZMAN pulls his id card from her pocket. She glances at it, returns it.
Theodore. Gift of God.
MR. ADAMSON
How did you know that?
DR. GUZMAN
I had a goldfish named Theodore.
Auditorium
CYNTHIA
Theo. Please justâ
THEO
Open the envelope. Open it.
THEO lifts the gun to his head.
Laboratory
DR. GUZMAN hands MR. ADAMSON his briefcase.
DR. GUZMAN
I have to know. Whatâs the combination?
MR. ADAMSON
One one two, three five eight.
DR. GUZMAN
Really? Why that number?
MR. ADAMSON shows her his watch.
DR. GUZMAN
11:23:58.
MR. ADAMSON
My watch stopped at the moment of impact.
Auditorium
CYNTHIA
What the hellâ
THEO
If the test result is positive, Iâll pull the trigger.
CYNTHIA
Are you insane? Put the gun down.
THEO
Open it. Please. This is what you wanted.
Laboratory
MR. ADAMSON
What if God doesnât want us to be lucky? What if God doesnât want us to win the lottery?
DR. GUZMAN moves toward the door.
DR. GUZMAN
Then thatâs not
fair
. And maybe we, the terminally unfortunate, need to take matters into our own hands.
DR. GUZMAN feels in her pocket for the key. Itâs not there. She turns.
MR. ADAMSON snaps open the briefcase.
MR. ADAMSON
Then this is Godâs will.
He points a gun at DR. GUZMAN.
Auditorium
CYNTHIA
No. Put the gun down. Please.
THEO
I finally figured out how to share my luck. By giving myself a stake in your daughter. I can change your luck.
CYNTHIA
Because you canât lose? Because youâre too lucky to die?
THEO
Exactly! So the test result will have to be negative. If I canât lose, she canât lose.
CYNTHIA
Youâre very kind. And a little psychotic.
THEO
I couldnât help my child. Let me help yours.
CYNTHIA
Iâm going to tear it up.
THEO
Iâm not going to die. Trust me.
CYNTHIA
How do you know that?
THEO
Because youâre here. Something brought you here today. Tell me this. Did you cheat? In the book draw? Are you here, right now, because you stuffed the jar with your name?
Laboratory
DR. GUZMAN
No. Itâs not Godâs will. Itâs yours.
MR. ADAMSON
This is why He brought me here. This is why He kept me here. I know that
Similar Books
