Too Broke For Afterlife

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The sun is setting and for the first time in weeks, a soft rain is falling, drumming against the closed window.

God, this whole body change actually knocked me out and now I don't know where I am. What did this robot do?

Isabella is sitting on a big bed, reading a book. The little lamp on the nightstand is turned on and throws a soft glow, barely enough to see what is written. I try to make out the words on the pages. Is it a novel? A biography?

Isabella sighs. "I can feel your presence, Parker. I didn't think you would be back so soon after completely draining your energy."

I try to move inside her body and when that doesn't work, I focus on her hands. It takes me a lot of concentration but in the end I manage to control her left index finger. It twitches.

"Alright, stop this nonsense. I will let you talk for a minute. Hold up."

Her eyes shut and back is the mechanical voice.

"01000001 01100011 01110100 01101001 01110110 01100001 01110100 01100101 00100000 01110011 01110000 01100101 01100101 01100011 01101000"

Then she opens her eyes again. "Okay, go ahead."

'Hello?' Oh my god, it worked. I heard my own voice but her mouth didn't open.

What is this? Telepathy?

My heart starts beating faster.

'Okay, what the f*ck is going on? Why can't I control you and since when do bodies have a consciousness?'

Isabella chuckles but there is no warmth in her voice. "Normal bodies don't. You just had some bad luck."

'So this is a glitch? Or a bug? Are you a defect?'

She slowly puts the book away. Then she gets up.

"This is not a bug. Let's say...a cache didn't get emptied properly." She laughs.

"Parker, do you know how Afterlife creates bodies?"

'Uh, I guess they have a design team and like 3D model them or some shit?'

"That is what they normally do. But I guess I was a…special order. Have you ever heard of Isabella Green?"

I furrow my imaginary eyebrows. What is this woman on about?

'No but I assume that's you?'

She walks over to the small coffee table and picks up her MePhone 12 Pro. Damn, it does look fancy with it's big display and futuristic design.

One Goggle search later and she opens up a news article, published about three months ago.

'Body Disappears From Hospital, Staff Without Explanation

Last Monday night 38 year old Isabella Green was emitted to the hospital. According to specialists she had to be put into an artificial coma after being strangled by an unknown attacker.

This morning hospital staff were in shock when they found her bed to be empty. Checking security cameras left them with no further information and so far no one can tell how the woman was able to leave the hospital or where she went.'

There is a picture on the bottom, showing the face of Isabella Green and I can't deny it, the similarity is uncanny. This is the same woman as the one who is showing me the article right now.

"Do you understand?"

'N-no.'

Isabella sighs. "Of course you don't, it's too messed up anyway. But I'm too busy to explain it, I have to get ready now."

'Wait! Are you not going to help me? Could you please inform the help center so they can get me out of...you?'

Isabella walks over to the mirror and looks at herself in the black negligee. Where did that come from?

She shrugs her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Parker but this is my body, you know? Not yours. If I report this to the Help Center, they will take me out of the running, I can't let that happen. So I'm afraid you'll have to stay in there until I'm done."

She closes her eyes, everything goes black.

"01000100 01100101 01100001 01100011 01110100 01101001 01110110 01100001 01110100 01100101 00100000 01110011 01110000 01100101 01100101 01100011 01101000"

'Done with what,' is what I want to ask but I can't make a sound. I'm back to silence.

"01010100 01100001 01101011 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101111 01110110 01100101 01110010 00101110"

I feel myself losing all my energy again.. Is she doing this on purpose? Can she control my consciousness? But before I can think about it, I pass out.