The Sleeping Plane

"Not... not the same?"

Martin repeated blankly, stammering, "But... but how is that possible? I asked around. Their symptoms were exactly the same!"

"Oh? Are you sure?"

"O-of course, of course! They all had movements like dancing, unsteady walking, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech... and they... they gradually became demented, their memories getting worse and worse..."

As Martin spoke, his voice took on a sobbing tone. He pleaded, "How could they not be the same? They were obviously exactly the same!"

"But Cornelius is an old man, while Renina is still a child. That is one difference, isn't it?"

Drill Youth counted on his fingers and patiently said, "Cornelius's illness came on suddenly, and it only worsened because he did not receive treatment in time. Renina's illness, on the other hand, gradually worsened over several years. The doctor told you it could not be cured. That is the second difference."

His voice grew gentler, yet every word struck Martin's heart like a hammer.

"And most importantly... Cornelius fell ill because blood vessels in his brain became blocked and ruptured. But what about your daughter, Renina?"

Martin's lips trembled as he said shakily, "Renina... it was because of her genes... it was inherited..."

"See? That is the fundamental difference."

Drill Youth said evenly, "One is the sudden death of a bodily function in a certain area—in simple terms, it is a stroke."

"The other is a system that was loaded with the wrong program from birth. After barely functioning for some time, it begins to slowly and steadily collapse."

He bent down and looked directly into the other man's tear-filled eyes. "So... how could they be the same?"

"Not the same... If they are not the same..."

Martin slumped to the floor, as though all the strength had been drained from his