Chapter 1:
Pick a Brain & Fall in Love
[All systems are now online.]
A strange robotic voice wakes me up, just like an alarm clock. That was so strange. It sounded like it was coming from inside my brain somehow.
"Mmm, what time is it?" I murmur to myself, still feeling sleepy.
As I try to gather my thoughts, I've noticed that my body feels heavy now. Very, very heavy! What is going on?
A weird sensation is now spreading all over my arms and legs, and it's really starting to worry me. What on earth is happening right now? My muscles and nerves are now nonexistent. Have they taken a vacation without me?
I feel scared, but I have to keep it together! There has to be some logical explanation behind this bizarre situation, right? Right? Maybe I feel this way because I just had surgery. Yes, that's it! I think the anesthesia might still be affecting me.
To help clear my head, I took a few deep breaths. I focused on filling my lungs and then letting the air out slowly. I waited a bit, hoping my body would catch up with my mind somehow. It's like my brain and body aren't fully connected right now.
[A new software update is available. Please wait...]
It's that voice again! For a brief moment, I wondered if I was just hearing things. But no, it's definitely real! It's like the robotic voice is speaking directly from my brain somehow... Oh! Wait a minute... Did it just say there's a new software update? Could that mean...? Oh my goodness, is this for real? Did it actually work?
After a few seconds, I could feel my heart beating faster. Warmth started to spread from my hands, reaching my fingertips as it traveled down to my legs. This sensation made me feel alive and in complete control of my own body again. My thoughts raced as the realization set in.
[Update complete]
[Welcome back to Planet Earth, Model H444]
And as if my body had a mind of its own, I began to slowly open my eyes. I give my vision a few seconds to get used to the light. As the reality of my situation starts to sink in, it has now appeared that I am standing in a transparent... container. What the...? Where am I?
Oh my goodness! Am I actually in some kind of... enclosure? No, it can't be! It's definitely not an enclosure; it's more like a... capsule! Yes, that's it! It's a clear, yet slightly foggy, capsule. And it's so tiny! There's barely enough room for me to stand.
As the reality sets in, I gaze at my body and see it's transformed into steel and iron. It's unbelievable! I inspect my arms, legs, and hands in amazement. It seems I've become all metal. WOW! This is incredible!
But at the same time, it feels strange, like I've cheated death. But I'm not complaining because I've got a second shot at living after all. The sensation is indeed bizarre, like I've done something that's not quite right, like bribing fate and getting away with it.
People thought I was crazy for considering cryopreservation. They saw me as some kind of spoiled rich woman living in La-La Land or something. So what if my family was filthy rich? That didn't mean I was spoiled.
Okay, I admit! I acted a little bit spoiled when I asked my parents to buy me my own cosmetic brand. However, there was a very good reason behind my request: the company discontinued my favorite shade of lipstick, so I had to do something about it!
Still, I don't think the idea of freezing my brain is all that strange! It's like taking a really, really, really long nap. Who doesn't hope of waking up to a better world one day? Or, at the very least, a place where they've figured out how to make my favorite shade of lipstick again.
However, this time I was not throwing my family's cash around on whims or chasing pipe dreams here. This was a serious decision about my future. And I didn't want to leave anything to chance. So, despite the raised eyebrows and whispers of "crazy," I went ahead with it. Because if there's a way to extend my time on this planet, I will take it!
It's not my fault. I got dealt a bad hand with this annoying terminal illness. It came out of nowhere, and it latched onto me like a stage-five clingy ex that can't take a hint. So for the sake of my family and me, I figured, why not come up with a backup plan? A Plan B, just in case technology decides to throw me a synthetic bone in the future. And it did!
"Alright, so what's next?" I whisper to myself. Can I even get out of here? It's surprising I can still breathe. I mean, if I were a regular human, I'd probably be dead from asphyxiation by now.
Looking at my reflection on the shiny door, I can tell my face looks normal, and it actually has flesh! I can feel the soft skin with my hand; it's so smooth and so familiar! Unlike the rest of my body, which is more metal than woman! But hey, at least my hair is long again, and it's the exact shade of red that I once had! Whoever did this to me, thank you!
Now that I think about it, I might have some sort of advantage here. Maybe my new metallic body has some hidden features that I'm not aware of yet. I need to explore my new form and see what I can do with it. Perhaps there's something I can use to my advantage in this small space.
As I look over to the right side of the capsule, I begin to notice a handwritten note there.
"Please wait for authorized personnel to come and open the capsule!"
That's comforting. Under that, however, there's another note:
"DO NOT FORCE THE DOOR OPEN! THESE THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE! THANK YOU!"
I chuckle as I think about the number of people, or should I say robots like me, who have cracked open one of these things before the people in charge decided to slap these disclaimers all over it. I bet there were a lot!
Speaking of people, where is everyone?
Out of nowhere, I start to hear the sound of heels clacking. It seems to be heading towards my direction. Someone is coming! After a few seconds, the footsteps suddenly stop. I'm now sure that someone is now standing right in front of my capsule! The figure seems to be quite tall. Who or what exactly is behind the door?
With a gentle click, the foggy, clear door slides open. Standing right before me is now a tall woman. She is wearing a very long, white lab coat. Could she be a doctor? A nurse maybe? I have no idea. But she has the most beautiful blonde hair that I've ever seen in my life! It is so long and rich! And I really want to know what shampoo she is using!
The blonde woman is now glaring at me with eyes that are the color of the deep sea. Oh, no! Was I too impolite? Did I stare at her too much? Even though she is incredibly pretty, there is something about her that makes me feel a little cautious.
"Hi there!" The blonde woman spoke, and some of my anxious thoughts began to fade away somehow. There was something about her accent. It was hard to explain—her voice had a futuristic edge to it, like the cool languages you'd hear in those sci-fi movies or TV shows.
"Welcome to 2325!" She said, her voice sounding full of excitement.
No way! Has my brain been frozen for three hundred years? The whole situation feels so surreal! It was like she was welcoming me into a new chapter in my life. And I can't help but feel like I am the heroine of some kind of web novel!
But enough babbling! Let my story begin!
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