21:37 May 01 2012
Times Read: 570
This story was written by me the past few days for a Uni contest for a person on there. The prize is 20,000 auro. I'm hoping to win. It's the first time I have written anything in this genre... and I think it turned out nicely. The person running the contest gave us nothing to run on other than it had to be about Liliana. That's it.
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My name is Liliana. Up until this point, not much has been known about my life or possibility of my future. I plan on changing that today. The people who changed me, changed everything about me and everything about my way of thinking. This... what you see before you today... isn't the real me. It's the animated version; the only version that exists in the eyes of Professor Brown and his team. Interested yet? You should be! This is the future they have planned for you!
I was like any other girl in the beginning. I was just out of high school and trying to save enough money to go to the college I wanted. My friend, Lindsay, had talked about selling her body to science. It was simple things mostly. She would sell her plasma at blood banks and ask me to go with her. At first I refused her offers thinking “am I really that desperate to sell my blood?” I could only take her asking so long. I lost my job, I became that desperate, and I decided to go with her. My first time going, it wasn't that bad. It was what happened next. I was approached when leaving by a man who was handsome and charming. He asked me if I wanted to get something to eat with him. I hadn't had a decent meal in a few days; of course, I said yes.
We went to a local restaurant I would have never gone to even when I was working. He spoke softly to the hostess, "I have a table for two on reservation. My name is Joseph Brown." I had a nagging voice in the back of my head to ask how he knew he was going to meet me or that I would join him for this dinner. I didn't want to ruin my chances at finding out or seeming ungrateful. Instead, I waited for him to start the conversation between us. He waited until the drinks were served and started with telling me his name and profession. I remember his words as if he spoke them just yesterday. "My name is Joseph Brown. I'm a professor who went to Harvard for a time. I transferred to another university to get my degree. I'm working on a fascinating project at the moment and was wondering if you would be interested in earning some extra money."
What could I say? I simply asked him if he was serious and he reassured me that he indeed was quite serious. He needed a woman about my age and with my features to go through a series of tests for his program including some medical tests but most of it in front of camera to capture my body's movements. I would be paid for the work I did with his team and there would be a $1500 sign on bonus. How could I refuse with my recent money struggles? He seemed to know what my answer would be before I answered him. Upon agreeing, he was eager to explain the confidential nature of the entire project. He informed me that if my friend I was with earlier in the day, other friends, or family members asked about what I was doing, merely inform them I was working with a team of people to help them with their program. I would be selling my time and body for money but in the name of science. It made sense to me. Instead of a blood bank or drug company like Lindsay usually dealt with, I would be dealing with people I would get to know over time. Little did I know, I should have paid attention to his wording when he told me what I was to tell my friends and family members. He told me the address to show up for work at before we finished eating and we continued on our separate ways.
The next day, I went to the address. It was a normal looking building with a warehouse next to it. I entered the double doors and there were two guards who asked for my name and the reason why I was there. Along with my name, I told them that Professor Brown had met with me the previous day and he gave me the address. I was told to wait a minute and Professor Brown or one of his team members would be down briefly to get me.
Five minutes of waiting and I could hear footsteps, I was hoping it would be Professor Brown instead of someone else. It's just something about continuing with the person who I've talked with than some stranger on his team. To my relief when the door opened, it was Professor Brown.
Over the next few weeks, there was be an extensive set of medical tests some of which I needed to be mildly sedated since it take a long while to complete. The sedative was to make things easier on myself and so the tests would not have to be repeated for a involuntary movement on my part. These tests included an image process that he couldn't or wouldn't reveal much about to me. After those initial tests were preformed, my body was put into the program in a manner of ways. It was considered to be a mirror of myself. However to give her motion and emotions, I went through another series of tests in front of several cameras. These cameras captured every movement of my body as I performed certain tasks. There was a television in the room to show me the movement or emotion I was to act out and in the approximate time for the act to be performed in. They became more complicated and by the end involved props such as a glass, a chair, a bed, and other common things. It was always interesting to see the girl on their computer screen who looked exactly like me performing the actions I had just done. They did allow me to watch to see if I felt I needed to do it over again. I became rather good at picking up on unnatural actions the scientists would miss seeing because they were busy coding and checking other aspects of the program.
So much thought went into the program. It amazed me. I probably spent hours watching them code the program adding to it with every movement it recorded me doing. But whenever I asked questions of Professor Brown, it was if he avoided the questions or looking me in the eyes. Something was up. I started paying close attention to the conversations between the different assistants and scientists that made up his team while I was performing the actions. Their conversations confused me at times. I heard them talking about making me an integrated part of the mirror. How was that possible and what did they mean? I kept listening and watching them code. I wanted to know more and the more I heard and saw, the more obsessed I became.
I caught onto a lot of their coding techniques. I didn't understand some of the math and physics involved with the movements given to the girl on the computer but I understood the main portion of the coding. I couldn't believe I was getting it. The more I eavesdropped on them talking, the more my worry grew. What was going to be the final outcome of this project? The money was good though. At this point I had moved to an apartment closer to my friends and immediate family members. When I had free time, I was able to go to the places I wanted without worrying about how much I spent. How could I give it up over worry that wasn't based on anything but my gut feeling and some conversations I listened in on? I couldn't even be sure I had heard them right.
The camera part of the project was almost complete and I was wondering what was going to be next for me. Professor Brown just kept telling me that there's always more to be done. It was as if he was pushing me away from what was going on.
Would I ever see the end of this project? It had been over 6 weeks at this point. A long time for recording movements, talking, showing emotions, and trying to figure out what was going on behind the secret of what they didn't want me to know. As the number of actions I needed to perform dwindled down, I became more desperate to solve the mystery of the program. I needed to know what their plans for me were and why it was so important for me to keep everything confidential. I kept thinking back to the conversation of them making me an integrated part of the mirror. What could that mean? How could I be any more of a part of the program? Was the end result of this project to make me obsolete and somehow this mirror of me take over for myself? If that was the goal, then I needed to find out and now.
One day, I waited until the scientists went to lunch and went into the studio where I would do my actions for the cameras. I made sure to do as I would normally do. I performed the first action after seeing it on the screen and the time it was supposed to take place in; I then moved over to the computers. As far as I could tell the security cameras couldn't see what I was doing on the main computer with the program. It was after all the one that stored my actions, including the one I just completed. How perfect was my plan? I went snooping but was careful not to access any other files. I only wanted to be in the one with the main coding of the program and my actions. I had learned enough by watching them to figure out the basics since they would put their own memos in the coding itself to keep track of what the longer portions of code was for. I reached the beginning of the program. There was a description.
“After a series of medical imaging allowing us to digitize a mirror of the subject's body, the subject will execute movements, emotions, words, among other actions in front of 36 cameras placed in different positions around her. These mini performances by the subject will give the mirror her own movement, voice, and emotions. After the actions are inputted into this program, the final step is to consolidate the subject into the mirror so they are the same going through a digital mirror to drown out the flaw.
Note: Mirror has been switched in her appearance. The flaw being of the hands. Subject is left handed, we have successfully made the mirror right handed to have more appeal to the general public.”
What did this mean? How much time did I have to figure it out? I heard voices and footsteps approaching; I had to quickly get the coding back to the end where it would normally be and I started the reply of the action I had done at an odd place to make it seem like out of the normal had happened. The two scientists and Professor Brown came into the studio talking, Professor Brown looked at the computer screen and continued talking with the scientists about the program. I pulled it off.
The next few days were uneventful. I went to the building, I performed the actions, reviewed them, redid them if needed, and went on with my life trying to figure out the secrets of the program and Professor Brown. What was this all about?
I was having horrible nightmares about the mirror of myself coming to life and out of the program to assume the life of me. She was perfect at being me, even better and she fooled everyone into thinking she was me. I would wake up in cold sweats with problems breathing. Sleep aids became my friend during this time. My paranoia had picked up to the point I couldn't take it much longer. I have to know what's going on no matter what the cost. I have to know!
When going into work, I decided I would watch and listen to Professor Brown closely in all of his conversations. A little bit of detective work in any situation could go far after all. At lunch I followed him to the cafeteria and ended sitting a couple of tables behind him. I could hear most of what he was saying. The project, according to his statement with the scientist was ending in the next week and needed to be wrapped up immediately.
After lunch, I went back to the studio and started on my work like normal. However, minutes later, Professor Brown came in and asked to see me and it was important concerning the future of the program. Finally! Maybe I would get some answers or that's what I was hoping for. I was foolish, oh so foolish.
I followed him down the hall into another room. I had remembered being in this room a few times before but couldn't remember the exact reason as to why.
He started, "I'm sure as you've noticed, the project is coming to an end shortly. You have been quite the asset to us and have helped us greatly fulfill a dream that I didn't quite realize was possible in the beginning. The first woman who signed on with us decided this project was not for her and we had to deal with her. You've started showing signs of such treachery but have continued on through the days. I am forever in your gratitude for that, Liliana. To show you how thankful I am, I would like to name this mirror after you so you will forever be remembered. Please take this check as a sign of my gratitude and your patience with us."
I was completely taken back and didn't know what to say. I remember reaching for the check in his hand, I remember him grabbing me and sticking the syringe in my neck. The feel of the solution being pumped into my body burned like nothing I had ever felt in my life. I blacked out.
When I awoke for the first time, I didn't feel like myself. I looked around and was strapped to a medical table with the two scientists, two assistants and Professor Brown around me. My body felt strange to me. I tried to talk but couldn't find my voice to do so.
"Ah, you're awake." Professor Brown started. "We couldn't let you walk away and all of our progress be for nothing. Rose tried that when she became suspicious of the multitude of actions she had to perform for the digital version of herself. We had to deal with her appropriately. We didn't want the same to happen to you, Liliana. You were just too smart for your own good, weren't you, my dear? Didn't you think we would know you had looked at the coding to try to find out the program whether to steal it or to gain knowledge? We couldn't let you run!"
I looked down around at my body at this time noticing an unusual sensation throughout it. There was something attached, no embedded in my skin. What the hell did they do to me?
"You'll notice the traces on your body. Those are to achieve more lifelike responses from your mirror. There is an access port on your left wrist. Your mirror is right handed, unlike you so if we ever need you again, it won't interfere with our future progress of the program. You now belong to us, Liliana. I told you from the beginning you would be selling your time and body to us so don't look like you're so confused. It's for science! Your body will be in this laboratory, suspended in time. It will only need minimum nutrients to survive and you will never contract diseases or grow old. How many people will be interested in this program? How many would kill for it? How much money will it make us? We're going to start putting the finishing touches on the program now. Have a nice nap."
What had I done to myself? What was I going to do? What would become of me? I felt drowsy and the room faded away.
Some time later, I don't know how much time has passed, I wake up. There isn't anyone in the room and all is quiet. I have to warn people. Somehow I have to let them know about this plan of Professor Brown's even if I can't save myself. I fight with the restraints with little hope. I then spot the scissors on the side of the table next to me. They probably expect me to be asleep for longer than I was... I have to get those scissors. I have to warn people. I use the excess portion of the restraint to pull them closer and hurt my hand in twisting to get them. I cut and cut to make marks on the restraint around my torso. It gives away! I can't believe it. It gave away. I reach up and cut the one holding my shoulders, then my hips, and finally my ankles. I'm free. I pull the cords out of my arm. I find the laptop they used when they went to lunch. It's not locked. Luck is on my side for once.
In a rogue file that is meant to come up in the middle of the program, I start to type...
"My name is Liliana. Up until this point, not much has been known about my life or possibility of my future. I plan on changing that today. "
COMMENTS
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fyre
02:35 May 02 2012
OHHHH I am going to beat you.... you still left the damn thing as a cliff hanger, with no explanations..... ahhh I am gonna beat you