The cells multiplied at an unprecedented fast rate. Minute by minute the genetically designed organism had taken shape, venturing into unknown territory, beating to its own drum. Dr. Green had monitored the development as it grew closer and closer to becoming a completely functioning genetically engineered human heart. In the twelfth hour he stared at the blood pumping and pulsating through the heart in amazement and awe, for the heart had reached its completely functional state. He listened to the heart with his stethoscope. It beat loudly in his ear …boom, swish, boom, swish, boom, swish…

Dr. Green felt exhausted from the long hours waiting for the heart to be born. He yawned, rubbed his neck and forehead, which were wound tight from stress and drifted off to sleep. He dreamed about a giant heart. The sound of an enormous heart beating and pulsating echoed against the pristine white walls of the laboratory. The heart was alone; its sheer mass dominated the laboratory in which it was born.

The dream ended as Dr. Green gasped for air and ripped his tie lose. The tie had wound itself tight, almost choking him. He took several deep breaths, walked around the empty lab, looking to see if there was someone hiding, who may have attempted to kill him. After a few minutes of searching, he realized he was alone. He wiped the sweat off his brow, crossed his arms, stared at the heart and nervously said, “What are we doing?” Then he looked again at the heart, smiled and with confidence said, “We are going to save lives.”

Fred Sinclair a 35-year-old patient with sparkling blue eyes, tanned skin, and shortly cropped blonde hair, was in his hospital bed waiting for a heart transplant. He was born with a weak heart, which was damaged by a heart attack, which he had a few days ago. Fred’s hands trembled with fear and worry as he stared at Dr. Green reading his medical chart. The doctor looked up and Fred said, “Got, bad news?”

Dr. Green responded warmly, “No worries. We have a heart.”

“Who died?”

“A…that’s not the case, ah, how do I put this?”

Fred interrupted, “What are you getting at?”

“No one died, it’s more like something’s been born. A genetically engineered heart’s ready for transplant.”

“Joke’s in bad taste.”

“No joke. Didn’t you see Today’s Science News? An amazing breakthrough’s happened. You’ll have to sign a ton of paperwork the lawyers have drafted, then we’ll do the surgery.”

“Let’s do it. I’m sure Sally and my lawyer will agree.”

Fred’s lawyer gave him the go ahead. The conversation with his wife was strained. He looked into Sally’s loving green eyes, glanced at her beautiful ballerina figure, as she sat in the chair, with her legs stretched towards the bed, and said, “A heart’s ready…it’s not a donor heart.”

She giggled and said, “It’s a baboon heart, you’re joining your relatives.”

“Real funny. I’m serious, a genetically engineered heart’s ready. With it, I could be blasting down the ski slopes, cycling through Europe with you, hiking, mountain climbing, you name it, and it’s our life. Should I take it?”

“Wait. Feelings come from the heart, it’s playing with…”

Fred interrupted, “Sweetie, you’re my soul mate. My love for you is in more than my heart.”

“Yeah, I know. But, I keep thinking ‘bout Tom, our neighbor. He hated country music and spicy food before the transplant, now look at him…hot sauce practically with every meal and some new country tune is always blaring from his stereo. If he changed that much with a donor heart…what’ll happen…if, a…. I don't know. This choice feels like lightning, pretty to watch out the window while snuggling safe in bed, but scary if it hits you.”

Fred interrupted, “Sal, you’re being ridiculous. Come over here and let me hold you.”

Sally hopped on the bed curled up in Fred’s arms, kissed him on the cheek, and rested her head on his chest. As her head rested on his chest, his hand caressed the back of her neck, then delicately tickled her belly and gently stroked her breasts. Then he held her hand firmly and said, “I know my likes and dislikes; nothing’s going to change that. It’s tearing me up waiting around for someone to die.”

“Fred, whether you take the donor heart or not a person dies. Stop feeling so sad about it.”

“That’s not me. I’m a vegetarian, because I don’t want some animal to die just so I can eat. Taking someone’s heart makes me feel like I’m killing the person."

“Then why the hell did you agree to take a donor heart?”

“I had no choice. But this is right for me. I hope you understand.” Fred gently caressed Sally’s hand as he waited for an answer.

“Fred, I love you.” Her hand shook as she said, “If this is what you really want, then ok.” Fred pulled Sally closer and they kissed passionately. As Fred held Sally in his arms, he listened to his own weak heart beat…baah, baah, baah, baah. His emotions were mixed…one second he was feeling excitement for the new heart, then apprehension, and sadness for having to abandon his heart.

The next day after the operation Dr. Green came into Fred’s hospital room and said, “No worries, operation went smoothly, how you feeling Fred?”

“Not so good, can’t feel, numb all over.”

“Let me listen to your new ticker,” Dr. Green put his stethoscope on Fred’s chest and listened to the heart beat…swish, boom, swish, boom, swish, boom. “Fred, we’re going to check your circulation, blood pressure and run some tests.”

Dr. Green reviewed Fred’s records, ran several tests and consulted with his colleagues over the next few days. To Dr. Green’s and his colleagues' surprise nothing medically could explain why Fred would feel numb. It made no sense. His heart was acting, as it should. After a few more days of monitoring, Dr. Green dismissed Fred from the hospital.

A few days later when Fred and Sally were in bed she sensed something was different about Fred. She put her arms and legs around him like spoons. He threw his right leg over her which caused her skin to pinch against his. She said, “Ouch, less weight.” He took his leg off and tried again. His thigh slapped hard against her leg again. She said, “Fred be gentle.” He responded, “I thought I was.”

Two weeks later they were in bed when Sally said, “I miss making love. Why don’t we anymore?”

Fred responded, “It’s not necessary, since we don’t want kids.”

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean? When we were dating sometimes we did it twice in one night. Since we’ve been married you’ve always said we were practicing just in case we wanted to have kids. “

Sally reached over and placed his wonder rod, which was her affectionate nickname for his private part, in her hand and started stroking it. She said, “I miss it.” She continued rubbing it and gradually he became hard. She said passionately as she hopped on him, “Ride in cowboy.” Once he was inside of her, he did not move. She moved up and down and he continued to remain motionless. In frustration she said, “Show some passion, it’s like you're not there.”

"I know Sal, it’s not in me like it used to be. I’m sorry.”

The next week for Valentine’s Day Sally got Fred a Ghiradelli’s milk chocolate bar, which his favorite treat. He looked at it and smiled like he was real happy that she got it for him. He ate a few bites and said, “It tastes metallic.”

Sally said, “Let me have a bite. She took a bite, then another bite. She chewed each bite slowly in her mouth and savored it. When she was done she licked a crumb of chocolate off her lip and said, “It’s delicious.”

“Have it, it’s yours.”

Two months later Fred’s parents died in a car accident. At the funeral, he coldly said, “I remember loving them, but now I can’t say what I feel.” Later that day Sally said, “I can’t believe what you said about your parents. As long as I’ve known you, you said your parents were like your best friends. What you said at the funeral was so cold, knowing how much you loved them.”

“Sally, I can’t talk like I used to. I hear my heart beat and it seems foreign.”

“Give yourself time. Remember it took you a while to get used to me being in your space. I bet you’re body needs time to get used to the heart.”

“No that’s not it. It’s like I’m an electric unit with screwed up wiring.”

A few days later they were at the Trattoria, one of their favorite Italian restaurants for their wedding anniversary. Fred looked at the vegetarian entrees, which he normally chose to eat and hesitated. He stared at the menu, listened to his heart beating and blurted out, “I feel like having a steak.”

“You what?”

“I know…I haven’t eaten steak in 20 years. Something’s going on inside me.”

“For the first time since you had your new heart, you said you feel. It sounds like you’re having a feeling.”

“It’s not a real feeling, like the kind I had with a human heart. It’s different. It’s …an energy pulse. It’s like a message is being sent to me that says eat meat. I don’t feel it. I hear it. No hearing’s not right, it’s a pulsing wave through my body somehow.”

“You’ve lost me. Maybe your metabolism’s changed. Have the steak.”

When the waitress came by he said, “I want the steak medium rare.” Fred took a few bites and choked as it went down his wind pipe. He swallowed some water and cleared his throat. He took a few more bites of the steak and opened his mouth wide. Bits of steak fell down his lips which he licked off with his tongue, while his mouth remained open.

Sally said, “Gross close your mouth, please.”

He closed his mouth and noticed that his heart was beating louder than usual. He continued eating the steak. With each bite the beating of his heart grew louder and louder. SWISH, BOOM, SWISH, BOOM. A strong pulsating wave vibrated throughout his body. His whole body started shaking. He stretched out his arms and put his hands over his ears.

Sally looked at him with concern, and said to herself, “What’s wrong, why won’t he tell me. He looks so pale and scared.” She placed her hands over his as they shook violently. A pulsing wave vibrated a message that was sent to his brain. It said, “The meat is too cooked. I need blood.”

A second violent pulsing wave shook his body. It sent another message. It said, “I need blood, I need blood,” which was repeated rhythmically with each beat of his heart. Over and over the message beat. In terror he screamed, “Help!”

Sally screamed, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s…aaa..thhee Frraannkkkeennsstttooonnniiaaann heeeaaarrrtt” He screamed struggling to get the words out. He took a deep breath as his face turned ghastly white and said before collapsing from the exertion. “Circuit’s blown, the wiring’s more screwed up.”

Fred was rushed to the hospital.

At the hospital Dr. Green looked at Fred with concern. Fred’s face looked deathly pale, the veins on his neck and hands were bulging underneath the skin. Dr. Green asked, “What happened?”

Fred took a few deep breaths and said, “You’ll think I’m nuts.” He breathed deeply and said, “I ate a steak tonight for the first time in 20 years. I got a… it's hard to describe, a pulse wave telling me, “The meat’s too cooked. I need blood.”

“You, what?” screamed Dr. Green, as he thought of his own dream, the color drained from face. His palms shook as he put the stethoscope on Fred’s chest. He heard SWISH, BOOM, SWISH, BOOM, pounding 10 times louder than it should. Fred’s heart sounded like it was twice the size of a normal human heart. He put his hand on Fred’s chest and felt the heart physically expanding underneath his fingers and screamed, “No, no, no.”

Fred took another deep breath and said, “What’s wrong?”

“You’re heart’s growing at a very fast rate. We have to operate immediately to stop the growth.”

Fred interrupted, “That can’t be.”

“It was genetically coded to be just like a human heart, nothing more. If we can’t stop it, it’ll kill you. It’s already hard for you to breath, blocking the oxygen from circulating. The heart needs the nutrients in your blood to keep growing and functioning, it's already straining the blood supply in your vital organs.”

Fred took a few more deep breaths and said, “Before you operate I want to talk to Sally alone.”

“Fred make it quick.”

“Sally I know I’m going to die. Frankenstonian’s heart’s sucking the life force outta me. I didn’t understand until the heart started talking. If the doctor can’t stop its growth, let me die. At least maybe I can feel death. That’s probably not possible, it’s a damned feeling. At least I can experience it, I have to…I can’t live this way. Kiss me goodbye.”

Sally kissed Fred on the lips as a river of tears streamed down her cheeks. Dr. Green walked into the room with an orderly. Sally pulled herself away from Fred and walked out of the room.

They operated until 1 AM, five straight hours and could not stop the growing heart. They removed the heart and returned it to the laboratory. In the laboratory Dr. Green watched the heart continue to grow and beat. He looked at it and wondered how the heart grew beyond the genetic code they had designed. He watched the heart in shock and horror as it expanded to the size of the laboratory sink. He screamed, “Help, help, trouble in the lab, help.” He knew that he needed help to end the experiment.

A security guard heard his scream and ran to the laboratory. He glanced at Dr. Green and at the large pulsating heart. He reached into his pocket and opened his switchblade. He looked up at the doctor for confirmation. Dr. Green nodded yes. The guard stabbed the heart repeatedly. Blood dripped on the floor and splattered against his shirt. With each cut the heart repaired itself and grew in strength.

Dr. Green stared at the heart and was mesmerized by its capability to grow on its own. He remained motionless, almost paralyzed by the horror of his creation. When the heart reached five feet in diameter, the guard, yelled, “Man, snap out of it, this thing’s outta control. I don’t wanna be around when it’s hungry. What’ll kill it?”

What the guard did not know is that the heart had grown a snake like artery, which had wound itself tight around Dr. Green’s legs under his pants. The artery was burrowing a hole into Dr. Green’s right leg. When the artery had reached the blood supply, Dr. Green felt a slight tingling sensation, then numbness. Dr. Green responded to the guard’s question in a detached soft voice, “Try, aaah…don’t know.” He no longer cared what happened. He just wanted to understand the heart. He thought about experiments, that showed cells record feeling. The feelings are then sent to the brain for processing and to the heart for understanding. A heart without human feelings could not recognize cellular feelings. The heart had blocked the understanding of feelings, by its very existence. That’s what was happening to him and explained the numbness.

The heart viewed the human as a host, that it needed for survival. It went beyond its genetic design as the engine for human life. It wanted its own life and started growing and evolving.

Staring at the heart, Dr. Green knew it must be killed. He could not move and help the guard, for he had become part of the heart.

The guard screamed, “Forget it… there’s no time,” as he frantically opened and closed cabinets, searching for something in the laboratory to kill the heart. He opened a supply closet and found a blowtorch and aimed it directly at the heart.

He watched as orange flames, burned the heart. The smell of its burnt flesh was sickening. When it was dead, he looked at its blackened charred remains and felt chills run throughout his body.

He started to walk away from the heart when he smelled smoke. He turned and looked back at the heart, fearing that it had started to live again. What he saw was only its blackened charred remains. He shrugged his shoulders and glanced back at Dr. Green, who stood motionless with a frozen look on his face.

The guard’s pant legs had caught fire. He ran towards the fire extinguisher on the opposite wall as the flame grew and grew, enveloping him in flames. He smelled the burning of his skin. He collapsed in pain and screamed, “Get the extinguisher, doc!” As he was dying he noticed that the whole laboratory had started to glow with the flames of a growing fire. Within a matter of minutes, the entire laboratory caught fire. The heart had sent its last pulse wave as it was burning. It had learned to spread its energy pulsing wave in one last beat, as the laboratory went up in smoke, it said, “Fire.”