Of course you’ve always had it, the label on your forearm. Your parents didn’t splurge for the Stork Premier package, so you’re stuck with the in-unit advertising. A lot of people don’t shell out to Stork, after all, money’s too tight for too many people these days, and buying a longsleeve shirt is cheaper than paying for Premier.
The etched words, like they’ve been burned into your flesh, have always said “COMING SOON”, and you’ve gotten used to it. Stork has a lot of advertisement real estate, so it’s only natural you happen to be six years down the queue.
…Seven years down the queue.
….Ten years down the queue.
…..Sixteen years down the queue.
……and you’re twenty, and it’s not changed from “COMING SOON”. It’s not that bad–sure, your lovers have been a bit surprised that Stork hasn’t sold it off yet, and your friends joke about it, but it’s not like you got stuck with a brand you don’t like or anything.
You have nightmares about it, sometimes. Bad nightmares, ones where your flesh bubbles and boils into new shapes, into horrific brands, into things you don’t even like or use! It makes you shudder awake, seeing the GIGABREAD logo on your arm when you’re allergic, but…it’s something you can live with, you know?
It’s something you can live with.
“COMING SOON”, it says, as always. You live with it. Sure, it loses you jobs you were otherwise qualified for, because it could turn into an adversarial brand. Sure, it loses you friends, when they realize you could turn into a shill for a brand they don’t like at any moment. Sure, it loses you sleep. Sure.
You stop applying to jobs.
You stop trying to make friends.
You stop trying to sleep.
It’s one of those sleepless nights, when you’re staring at it in the dark, when you know what you have to do. It’ll void warranty with Stork, sure, but…
God. You can’t. You can’t do this anymore.
You get the antiseptic. You get the gauze. You find the sharpest kitchen knife you have.
“COMING NEVER”.