By David J. Sumerz

Copyright Page

This work is a product of dream state. Any resemblance to real persons, places, or events is purely coincidental.

Title: The China Sindrome

Edition: First Edition

Publication Date: January 5, 2025

Copyright © 2025 David J. Sumerz.

Written by David J. Sumerz.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Introduction: A Note from the Author

When I first wrote this book, I had no idea how relevant it would become in today's world. As I re-read it recently, I was struck by how much of what I envisioned has either come to pass or mirrors the unsettling truths of our time. This book, *The China Sindrome*, began as a vivid and haunting dream in early 2021—one that compelled me to write. What you hold in your hands is the product of that experience, a story born from a dark, thought-provoking vision of our world and its future. 

This book tackles sinister themes, political and societal greed, and the encroaching influence of artificial intelligence—issues that some may find uncomfortable. It's not for the faint of heart, nor is it suitable for children under 12. For teenagers, I encourage parental guidance. My hope is to spark conversation, reflection, and a deeper understanding of the forces shaping our world today. 

About This Print Edition

While I have released this script online for free, this print edition comes with a small cost associated with printing and distribution. I’ve kept the cost as low as possible to ensure that everyone can access this work. However, if you’ve appreciated this content and feel inspired to support my work, I encourage donations to help fund future projects. 

Your contributions will not only assist with releasing my next script, *Dimensions*, but also help bring my poetry albums and additional 84 unpublished works to life. Donations are entirely optional but deeply appreciated. Please give from the heart—whether it’s $1 or $1,000, every bit helps keep these stories alive. 

How to Donate

If you’d like to contribute, here’s how: 

- Cash App: $Davidjsumerz 

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For feedback or questions, please reach out via email: davidjsumerz@yahoo.com. Your thoughts and constructive criticism inspire me to keep creating meaningful, high-quality content. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Your support—whether through reading, donating, or sharing—means the world. Together, we can bring these stories to light. 

Sincerely, 

David J. Sumerz 

I HAD THIS DREAM

THAT I WAS AND F.B.I. INVESTIGATOR

PROJECT INSTIGATOR

PRIVATE INFORMANT

PUBLIC TRAITOR

YOU SEE?

EVERYTHING I DID

WAS TO BE HIGHLY CLASSIFIED

IF I WERE TO BE SUMMONED....INDITED

I WAS INSTRUCTED TO LIE

AS THE SUITS ESCORTED ME

THROUGH THE MUDDY COURTYARD

TO THE MAIN GATE

THE GUARDS IN THE TOWER

HAD US IN CROSSHAIRS

IT WAS A DICY FATE

A STROBE OF LIGHTS

CRISSCROSSING OUR PATHS

AS YOU HEARD INSTANCES OF SCREAMS, FITS

AND UNCONTROLLABLE LAUGHS

AS IF THOUGH, SOMEONE HAD BEEN TOLD

A JOKE

THAT CAUSED EM' TO HAVE A STROKE

PARDEN THE PUN

A COMICAL DISASTER

DIED RIGHT THERE IN HIS CELL OF LAUGHTER

AT LEAST HE DIED WITH A GRIN

POOR BASTARD

IT WAS RAINY

MUDDY

EVERYTHING WAS ALREADY DARKENED

IT WAS DIRTY AND GOTHIC

THE SKIES WERE BLACKENED

WITH SMOKEY CLOUDS

CRUISING BY

IT WAS FOGGY

MY SUIT FELT SOGGY

AND THE COMMISSIONER'S CIGAR SMOKE

EVEN OUT HERE

IRRITATED MY EYES

HE SPOKE

THIS IS AS FAR AS WE GO

THROUGH THIS GATE IS A SWAMP

OF A SHOW

THE GUARDS AND WARDEN WILL

ESCORT YOU FROM HERE

I HOPE THAT IS RAIN

NOT TEARS

RUNNING DOWN YOUR FACE

THIS HERE IS A PLACE OF MADNESS

SO, WE’RE TAKING YOUR EMOTIONS

WITH US

WE NEED ANSWERS

DON'T LET HIM INFILTRATE YOUR MIND

WE NEED CLUES

KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU

IF YOU CAN SECURE SOLID ANSWERS

THROUGH THIS JOURNEY

YOU'LL MAKE DISTRICT ATTORNEY

THERE ARE FORCES THAT WILL MAKE

YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.........................

YOU SEE?

I WAS INSTRUCTED

TO EXTRACT INFORMATION

FROM MULTIPLE PATIENTS

IN THIS MAXIMUM-SECURITY ASYLUM

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF IN SILENCE

AS THE GATE CLOSED BEHIND ME

WHAT HAVE I DONE???

THE WARDEN

2 GUARDS

WILL ESCORT ME ONLY SO FAR

DOWN A HALL

THROUGH A FEW LOCKED GATED DOORS

DOWN SPIRALLING STEPS

MORE LOCKED DOORS

DOWN MORE AND MORE LEVELS

TO MEET THE MOST HENIOUS

EVIL DEMENTED PSYCHOTIC DEVIL

ISOLATED, LOCKED DOWN HERE

IT OCCURED TO ME

FOR MAYBE AN ETERNITY

THE WARDEN FINALLY SPOKE

HE WAS EERILY SPOOKED

I’M ASSUMING,

FOR WHEN WE GOT TO THIS BOTTOM FLOOR

OF THIS WICKED TOUR

YOU COULD HERE A PIN DROP

NO SOUND

BUT THE TICKING

OF THE WARDEN'S STOPWATCH

STAY TO THE RIGHT OF THE CELLS

YOU ARE IN A STATE OF HELL

SO DON'T GO NEAR HIM

LEST HE EVEN TOUCH YOU.........................

I LOOKED AT ALL THE CELLS LINING THE LEFT

DOWN A HALL THAT STRETCHED FOREVER

I LOOKED BACK SUDDENLY AT THE GATED DOOR

AS I HEARD IT SHUT

MAYBE I’M THE ONE WHOSE NUTS

I SUDDENLY HAD AN OVERWHELMING FEELING

TO BE HERE WAS WRONG

BUT BY THE TIME I HEARD THE SOUND

THE GATED DOOR SHUTTING

THEY WERE GONE

I WAS ALL ALONE WALKING SLOWLY

APPROACHING THE FIRST CELL

I DID BEGIN TO THINK

MAYBE I AM IN HELL

I MADE SURE TO STAY AS CLOSE TO THE WALL

TO THE RIGHT

AS FAS AS I COULD

I WAS MORE FRIGHTENED OF WHAT I MIGHT SEE

WHAT COULD IT BE?

SOME MANIAC THROWING FECES AT ME?

LAUGHING UNCONTROLLABY?

LUNGING OUT AT ME?

THE SUSPENCE WAS KILLING ME

I ALMOST WAS SPEECHLESS

STUNNED TO SEE

A MAN SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HUGE CELL

IN A CHAIR

LOOKING OUT AT ME

I HAD A WEIRD RELEASE

OF CALM N PEACE

HE WASN'T HARLDY WHAT I EXPECTED

HE WAS.................

A PRIEST...........................

ME: (CLEARING MY THROAT) I.....I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS......FOR YOU.

THE PRIEST JUST SITS THERE STARING AT ME.

ME: I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW...........WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT COVID-19. WHERE DID IT COME FROM........ORIGINALLY? DID IT COME FROM A WET MARKET OR A LAB?

HE FINALLY SPEAKS TO ME. HE SPEAKS CLEARLY WITHOUT WAVERING. AS IF THOUGH HE KNOWS ME.

PRIEST: THEY WANT YOU TO FIND ABOUT COVID-19? BUT YOU..........YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT MOTIVE FOR BEING HERE..........DON'T YOU?

ME: NO. I JUST WANT YOU TO...........

PRIEST: (INTERRUPTING ME) NO! (VERY FIRMLY) YOU (PAUSING) CAME HERE TO FIND OUT HOW TO SAVE AMERICA. AM I RIGHT?

I AM NERVOUS. SWEATING. BUT I AM HIGHLY INTRIGUED BY THIS MAN. I'D NEVER HEARD OF HIM UNTIL I WAS ORDERED TO QUESTION HIM. I AM SUPPOSED TO BE IN CONTROL..........SUPPOSEDLY.

ME: I HAVE A MISSION TO COMPLETE. QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO STAY WITH IN THOSE PARAMETERS.

PRIEST: DO YOU MASTERBATE...........RICHARD?

ME: (TAKEN ABACK) WHAT? ARE YOU INSINUATING?

PRIEST: (INTERRUPTING) DO YOU MASTERBATE?

ME: MY NAME ISN'T RICHARD.

PRIEST: (SMILING) YOU ARE AN ANIMAL. AS AN AGENT IN THE FIELD YOUR WORK IS ADMIRED BY THOSE HIGHER UPS. MOST.......WHO WANT YOU GONE. THEY THINK YOUR TOO MUCH OF A SCOUT, BOY. A GOODIE 2 SHOES. THEY 'D RATHER BANISH YOU TO MAYBERRY THAN HAVE YOU BECOME DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND BECOME A VERITABLE THORN IN THEIR SIDES. YOU’RE A BEAR OUT THERE. SO, IN HERE..........I WILL CALL YOU RICHARD. NOW RICHARD, FOR THE LAST TIME............DO YOU MASTERBATE?

ME: SOMETIMES.

PRIEST: AND WHO DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU DO IT.

ME: I THINK ABOUT..........MY GIRLFRIEND.

HE LEANS TOWARDS ME SLOWLY. CREEPILY. STARING WITH A HUGE GRIN NOW.

PRIEST: ARE YOU TELLING ME THE TRUTH?

I BEGIN TO FREEZE UP. NOT KNOWING WHETHER I SHOULD CHALLENGE HIM. I THINK TO MYSELF MICHELLE ANNE.

PRIEST: (SITTING BACK SLOWLY) IS MICHELLE YOUR GIRLFRIEND.

ME: (SUPRISED) WHAT?

PRIEST: IS MICHELLE YOUR GIRLFRIEND? YOU WERE JUST THINKING ABOUT HER. WHO IS SHE?

ME: (BEWILDERED) HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT? I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER. WHO TOLD YOU.......

PRIEST: (SUDDENLY INTERRUPTING ME) YOU IDIOT. I AM DOWN HERE BELOW. YOU ARE UP THERE. WHO DO YOU THINK WOULD WANT TO TALK TO ME? I GUESS........ONLY YOU. YOU’RE DOWN HERE NOW. NO ONE ELSE COMES TO VISIT ME. MY FOOD AND DRINK IS DROPPED DOWN A CHUTE. GUARDS ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO CHECK ON ME ONCE PER MONTH. THEY COME DOWN IN DOUBLE PAIRS. FULLY LOADED READY TO SHOOT. WITH THEIR ITCHING FINGERS AND THEIR FAITH WHOLLY IN THE WEAPONS THEY YEILD. IT IS AWFUL QUIET DOWN HERE. SO I CAN HEAR THE FAINTEST OF THINGS. YOU JUST THOUGHT OF HER NAME.......AND I HEARD YOU. SO..........WHO IS MICHELLE ANN?

ME: YOU CAN HEAR MY THOUGHTS?

PRIEST: YES.