Chapter Three: Linger

Unknown place and time

In the same bed as before, Shel was awoken.

"Wake up Shel!"

"Oh hi Dad!"

Shel jumped off the bed excited and filled with energy.

"Morning sweetie, ready for the experiment?"

"Mm, yeah but, I'm kinda nervous, I might screw this up.."

Shel looked down, fiddling with her fingers.

"You'll do fine Shel, I'm sure of it."

"You really think so?"

"I know so, I made sure you do. Come this way."

Thomas grabbed her hand and proceeded walking, they walked through the hallways as before, this time it's very populated, lit with bright lights.

Thomas grabbed her hand and proceeded walking, they walked through the hallways as before, this time it's very populated, lit with bright lights

"Morning Sir Thomas, Morning Miss Shel" Said the several people in lab coats almost simultaneously.

As they walked, several eyes stared at them. They arrived at a door, inside is an empty white room. Shel walked in.

"Goodluck sweetie."

Shel looked around the white room for several seconds, then a sonic boom emitted from the room and she felt numb. The last thing she heard was the word "START".

Present Time

"Oh look a movie theater! Seriously though, what does this place not have?

"Yeah..." Shel says reluctantly.

The two walk towards the entrance and was greeted by a man at the reception.

"My name's Jack and oh, you're in luck sir! We're celebrating the 100th anniversary of the theater, everything today is free, No ticket acquired! We have great movies on the line such as: Blade Runner, Memento, The Prestige, Fight Club, and The Be...

 Alex lifts an eyebrow

"Um, if everything is free, where is everyone?"

"It--was just announced today my boy! Everyone is still rushing to get here! Eh-heh"

Shel displays a displeased expression at Jack.

"Alright, come on Shel, let's watch some Blade Runner!"

"What is it about?"

"It's about a robot hunter that hints A.I defects gone rogue!"

"You've already seen it?"

"Yeah and I looooove it."

They grab some popcorn and enter the cinema showing Blade Runner

They grab some popcorn and enter the cinema showing Blade Runner. They watched through the entire film without a single word said. Feeling very immersed, they never notice that no one arrived, they were alone the entire time. The two held hands at climactic parts of the film and Alex didn't even notice. They exit the cinema with bits of popcorn on their clothes.

"That was fun, what do you think of the film?"

"Hm, let's see, the film is mostly focused on the atmosphere, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Overall, a great film, has a strong message and a distinct appeal."

Alex is silent for a moment.

"I honestly thought you'd hate it."

"Why?" Shel asks.

"Because---never mind."

"This reminds me.." Shel quietly says..

"I overheard your mother, she said you were supposed to sell me a while ago, is that true?"

Alex raises his eyebrows and lowers them a second after.

"Yeah but I'm--I wasn't going to--I'm never going to... I'm not letting you go. You're honestly the best thing that has happened to me a-a-and, I'll be d-damned if someone takes you away from me."

Her eyes are wide open

Her eyes are wide open. She acts like as if she's desperately trying to prevent herself from blushing. Alex squints his eyes and walks faster, grabbing Shel's hand.

"Come on, let's find a place that's quiet, I need a place to think."

As they search around for doors that might lead to somewhere quiet, they found a library door. They enter, sit down facing each-other.

Few seconds later, Shel directly looks at Alex.

"You know, back home, I thought you were pretty annoying when you kept on asking a lot of questions, but now you're starting to grow on me."

"Uh yeah, sorry about that, I was just curious, is all. Besides, I have no one to really talk to..."

They stare at each-other once more, but unlike back at the restaurant, this time they seem less nervous, barely any eye movements and fidgeting. Suddenly..

"Hm."

Alex leans in for a kiss. Shel is redder than a ripe tomato.

Shel is redder than a ripe tomato

"God, you're beautiful."

"Y-you really think so?"

He nods. Shel looks away.

"Hmph, I thought androids are incapable of blu--"

Shel interrupts.

"I need to tell you something."

"W-what is it?"

"I'm... not an A.I Android."

Alex is speechless.

"A-Are you serious?"

Shel looks around with a worried look and sighs. She points at hidden cameras and moves her arm through a simulated book cases.

"We are inside a simulation, that's why this "apartment" is all just a barren wasteland of a convinient set-up

"We are inside a simulation, that's why this "apartment" is all just a barren wasteland of a convinient set-up. We're being monitored as we speak. Look, there are hidden cameras all over the place, " Shel whispers, but loudly.

"Wha--"

"I was assigned to accompany you, to observe you personally, they.. told you me you have very serious psychological problems.. But I think they're wrong, you're actually a decent person, g-great in fact. A-and also.."

"What?"

"It's the year 2040, you died years ago, they inserted your mind into a replica of your old body, which basically means you've been revived. That's why they simulated your entire apartment as accurate as they can."

"What happened to my parents? My sister? Was all of that just a simulation? Are they the A.I?"

"I'm sorry Alex."

"..."

"Uhm, sorry about the, uhm, kiss. I thought.. I thought you weren't real."

"It's alright."

They look down at the table, avoiding eye contact. After 5 seconds of complete silence, Shel looks at Alex.

"You know what?"

Shel kisses Alex lightly on the lips.

"It's great."

The entire library starts losing all of its color, and eventually turning to an empty white room

The entire library starts losing all of its color, and eventually turning to an empty white room. Men in lab coats, hazmat suits and three piece suits walk toward them.

"My God Sir Thomas, it worked!" Edward yells.

"Oh sweetie, are you alright?" Thomas says to Shel with a warm smile.

"I'm fine, Dad, sorry about--"

"Shh, you did great."

"Hello Alex, welcome to the year 2040."

"Where am I? What's going on here?"

"Well Alex, I'm both honored and sorry to be the one explaining all this but.. due to a tragic accident, you and your family suffered fatal injuries. We preserved your brain, but the others, theirs couldn't make it. I'm sorry."

Alex looks down at the floor, still with the intent of listening.

"We're working on a project for essentially reviving lost ones, and we're unsure if the replica of your body would be stable enough for your mind, but it turns out it was. We assigned Shel to personally monitor you and keep you company, we had to check to see if your body would affect your mind in a way, but turns out you were just mistreated in the past causing your anti-social behavior. We had to get around this, since you would only talk to inanimate objects and animals, we told Shel to act like an A.I, and it worked. Sorry If this is too much for you, I--"

"I haven't told her about this but, you're actually not the first one to be revived under these circumstances. Shel was."

"What!?" Shel yells.

"I'll be blunt here, if that's alright with you. You died by a morphine overdose. Your parents were cruel and greedy, they wanted all their fortunes by themselves and would never share it with anyone, not even their own daughter. Here."

Thomas hands them old newspaper articles showing both the tragedies in which their deaths takes place.

"We looked into your papers, you were an orphan, who was mistreated very heavily. No wonder you two get along so fast. Sorry if there was any misunderstanding Alex, I-"

"I get it. I understand. But, what now? Where do I go? Where do revived people go?"

"Since the experiment was a huge success in both cases, we are obliged to offer you a place to stay, here, you can pick which one you like the most"

Thomas hands Alex a wide array of flats. While Alex scrolls through multiple places, he stops and turns his head to Shel then to Thomas.

"What about her? where does she live?

"Oh, Shel? She lives alone in her own flat, it's right around the corner, why?"

"Can I stay at her place? t-to you know, keep her company?"

Shel looks at Alex with a slight smile. Thomas smiles and looks at the two.

"Sure kid."

Their eyes open wide, they look at eachother for a second and hugged. They stare into each-other's eyes once more, and share a kiss.