Mosaic

Chapter 4

Chapter 4You think it’s dark, and suddenly you know what dark is.

You’re surrounded by warmth, and you know you’re floating.

There’s a low buzz (voices) you can’t quite make out, and your ears twitch as you try to listen harder.

Your fingers flex, and you remember them.

You decide you should be breathing, and your eyes fly open in shock when it doesn’t hurt, but you shut them just as fast, flinching from the harsh light.

Still, there’s a weird sensation in your (?) new (!?) body (!?!)—like you’re trembling, but it’s right down to your component atoms, so full of energy and potential that it’s pouring out of you.

“Oh!” One of the voices says. “Hey, you’re awake. Can you hear me?”

You try to say yes but it’s a buzzing, mushy sound. Like your throat doesn’t know what to do with the input.

“Okay. Little bit of an issue there but I think you’re getting it. Try again?”

“C’n…heah…guu.”

There’s a sound of hands coming together in a clap, or maybe a high five.

“Yes! Better! One more time!”

You focus on that voice and gather your will, pushing it into each syllable.

“I. Hear. You.”

“You bet you do! Welcome back!” The voice coughs, and you’re pretty sure they’re blushing when they speak again. “Or, welcome, I guess, since technically you haven’t been here before.”

You manage an oddly wet, rusty sounding chuckle, and try to open your eyes.

“Whoa, slow down. Not quite yet.” There’s a gentle hand on your shoulder and you’d swear it’s familiar. “Gotta do some tests first.”

Right. Of course. Tests. The trial.

You. You’re the trial. You did it! They did it!

Whatever—it worked!

They start with some of the same questions you remember from your psych interview. Your name. Where you grew up. Favorite food, childhood best friend.

Everything seems sharper now, though. Clearer. You can recall everything perfectly. With your eyes closed it almost feels like you’re there in that moment, reliving each one.

“Okay, we’re looking good!” The voice pauses, and you’d swear they’re blushing again. “I’m Dave, by the way. Sorry for not introducing myself. I’ll be your tech for this phase of the trial.”

“Hi, Dave.”

“I turned down the lights a little. Ready to open your eyes?”

You do your best to nod.

It’s all a bit of a blur until your eyes adjust and focus on the ceiling tiles above you.

“Good job!”

You turn your head toward the sound of the voice and it takes your breath away because even that simple movement is so smooth.

“It…doesn’t hurt.”

Dave smiles at you, and he’s really cute. A bit mousy, with light brown hair and eyes hidden behind glasses, but adorably so.

“That’s the idea! So—audio processing is good, speech center is working, vision…how many fingers am I holding up?”

“Three.”

“Looking good there, too.”

You let your head roll back and you realize there’s a sheet covering you from the neck down.

“Can…can I see?”

“Almost there,” Dave promises. “Snap your fingers for me?”

That takes a little concentration, but not much, and the second time is a lot easier.

“Motor control!” He slides off his chair and walks to the foot of the bed. You realize he’s got something shaped like a pen or a stylus in his hand.

“Last big one—can you feel this?”

The sheet rustles as his hand disappears under it, and you can’t stop yourself from laughing and kicking as he starts tickling the bottom of your foot.

“T-ha-tick-haha-ticklish! f**k you!”

“Sorry! But now we know your sensory nerves are good!”

You find yourself needing to catch your breath as you nod. That’s kinda weird. You’re a robot now. Why are you breathing?

“Sympathetic nerves,” Dave answers. You must have said that part out loud. “Your brain translates remembered actions and functions to what your new body is doing.”

His hands grasp the sheet. “Speaking of, you ready to take a walk?”

“Oh. Oh, yes.”

There’s a click and a humming sound. He must have pressed a switch at the foot of the bed, because it’s gently raising you to a standing position, the sheet sliding off as Dave collects it in his hands.

“No peeking—there’s a mirror in the next room.”

You roll your eyes, but don’t look down.

“Try taking a few steps.”

It’s shockingly easy, even with the challenge of not looking at yourself as you do it. Your legs almost bounce like they’ve got springs in them, and it makes you laugh as you make a circuit of the room.

“Hey, hey! Walk, don’t run!”

You blink as you turn to look at Dave’s grinning face.

“Oh. Was I running?”

“Juuust a little.”

“Sorry.” You’re not sure if you can blush, but it feels like you should be. “Guess I forgot what that was like.”

Dave takes your hand with a little squeeze. “No harm done. Follow me?”

You nod, letting him lead you into the hall and across the way. It’s basically an empty room, but you see what’s probably an observation window on one side, and what must be a standing mirror under a sheet.

“Stand there, and I’ll take the cover off.”

Your stomach is full of butterflies as you face the mirror, and you can’t stop yourself from closing your eyes again as the cover is pulled away.

“Here you are…”