The Artificial Girl

chapter 3

Memories

Under the fake layer of skin, lie thousands of tiny artificial nerves. They allow me to sense things. Like hot or cold. Or a hand or a surface. But am I really feeling? Or is it just the machine?

When I “died”, they cut my brain out, scanned it, and made an artificial replica. It contained all my thoughts, memories and knowledge. It was then planted into an E-Lite body. Someone chose the one that looked most like me. Apparently, you can get ones custom-made to look exactly like you – or to look like someone you would want to be. For me, it was an emergency. So they just picked one that looked similar.

Except it has green eyes and a perfect shaped nose - whereas I have brown eyes, and a bump on my nose.

My cold, dead body lies in a morgue somewhere.  It will be used for research, the doctor has told me.

And then when it’s been used enough, it will be burned. It’s just a body. This is what I try to make myself believe. But I can’t help feeling that some part of me has died with it.

I open the shoebox, my hands shaking as I undo the purple ribbon. I lift the lid.

On top, there is my pink watch. I take it out and strap it to my arm. The small LED buttons light up.

I press a button and my emails flick up, projected in front of me. There is emails  from a few of my friends.

I touch a button and the first email opens up.

Nina!

I hope you’re OK. I heard about the crash. Please don’t die, Nina. I’m so sorry.

Love you,

           Cherith.

I close my eyes, remembering Cherith. Her bouncy blonde curls. Her blue, sparkling eyes. I remember the last time I saw her. I had fallen out with her. Why? She had ditched me on Thursday night and gone out with her boyfriend instead.  So I had screamed at her and refused to take her home. So I drove the car home by myself.

And I had crashed. Shock shoots through me as I realise that Cherith would have been dead had we not have fallen out. Or at least seriously injured. By falling out with me, Cherith had unknowingly saved her own life.

I press a button on the watch and the projection faded. The next item in the cardboard box is a picture frame. It is gilded in gold swirls at the edge. The words Friends Forever are etched into the bottom left of the frame.

The photo is of my group of friends. Cherith, me, Hannah and Pearl.

Cherith and me are sitting back to back. So are Hannah and Pearl. We are sitting on a lawn, and in the background I can see the ocean. This is where we went on Easter break – Lake Brent. Cherith is wearing a pink strapless dress, which is completely covered in pink glitter and sequins. Her skin glows.

I am wearing a lilac coloured flowing dress. It falls to my ankles. The bodice is laced at the back – I can tell from the picture. It is embroidered with purple velvet swirls. The skirt is flowing and translucent. My hair is pinned back and falls down my back in a shower of ringlets. My eyes are bright and sparkling  and my smile is real. Even if I do say so myself, I look beautiful. I glance at my new self in the mirror. Although I’m more beautiful now, I would give anything to go back to who I was before.

Hannah’s auburn hair looks like fire in the sunlight. Her blue asymmetrical dress suits her to a T. Her heart-shaped sunglasses cover her eyes.  Pearl, the blonde haired one, is wearing a purple silk blouse and black trousers. Her straight hair comes below her hips. Her eyebrows are raised and her smile is exaggerated. Her left hand is outstretched in a peace gesture.

I smile at the photo and set it on my bedside table. Again, I reach into the cardboard box. There is a small wooden box and a red envelope. Inside the wooden box, is a silver necklace. It has a bird shaped pendant. The bird is a robin. Its chest is encrusted with tiny red rubies.

I fasten the necklace around my neck and admire it in the full length mirror on the wall. It glints off the sunlight that comes in through the mirror.

I rip open the envelope. There is a note inside. It is crumpled and torn at the edges. Curiously, I unfold it and start to read.

Nina.

Here are just a few memories. I hope they will help you to see that you’re still the same person. I hope to see you soon.

Love, Pearl.

I smile. Of course Pearl would do something like this.

My parents wouldn’t have had the imagination. And they don’t care about me anyway. Not anymore

I press a button on the wall and the window slides up. I press another button, and the window goes black, blocking out the sun. Leaving me in darkness.