Epilogue

A week after Jarro McCourt's death, the results of the autopsy rested in a neat file on the desk of the police officer charged with the investigation of her death.

The report of the autopsy stated that the girl had probably died of a stroke. She had been probably dead instantly and had not suffered any pain. It was unusual for such a young woman to die of a stroke, but not unheard of.

The file of the leading expert on neurally stimulating computer games was a considerably larger folder. This report explained all about this new kind of computer games, which were being developed, and what they did to the human mind.

Then there was a file compiled by computer experts and neurologists about the computer Jarro McCourt had been connected to at the time of her death. The malfunction of the program had been examined thoroughly. In the end no causal connection between the malfunction and the girl's death could be found.

Finally the investigation came to the conclusion that Jarro McCourt's death had been a tragic accident for which no one was to blame and the files were sent to the archive.

oooOooo

Jarro McCourt's parents sued "New Dimensions", the firm, which had hired Jarro McCourt for the testing of their new computer game. They tried to prove a connection between the game and her death and claimed she had not been properly informed about possible risks.

The trial made it to the front pages of some tabloids.

They lost, because the court did not find for a causal connection of any kind between the computer game, its malfunction and Jarro's death.

Nevertheless, the computer game never hit the market and the firm finally went bankrupt.

oooOooo

Somewhere in England there is a small graveyard with a soft grassy lawn. Close to its crumbling wall, which is almost overgrown with ivy, there is a small marker of new, smooth grey stone.

Inscribed on it is the name Jarro McCourt, her date of birth, her date of death, and a quote from one of her favourite books, "The Little Prince", by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:

"Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."

There are small flowers in the grass above her grave, nothing fancy, only small daisies. But they bloom there all year, white and yellow, bright and cheerful.

oooOooo

THE END

oooOooo

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JunoMagic