Echo-1 The Whale

6: Reality

Opening my eyes, the darkness fell away and fuzzy cream colored glow gradually focused into a stark white perfectly square metal room. I began to realize my vision was extraordinary, which is why it had seemed blurry at first. I could differentiate individual dust particles on the floor. 

I raised my hand and my skin was a deep caramel color with a slight metallic iridescence. I had no fingernails but had ridged gecko-like setae on my fingertips. I wondered if I could climb up the walls with them? I stepped forward, then squatted down low and jumped over a meter straight up into the air and landed like a cat. My legs were fine, better than fine, they were incredibly strong and agile. Looking over my body, I was wearing a dark black shirt, jacket, and pants with matching boots made of thin and comfortable material. It was soft, yet felt physically strong and durable, cut in a simple form-fitting fashion. I ran my hand through my hair which was longer and lush and black. 

Looking at the wall to my left, I knew there was a computer behind it. I could see a readout floating in front of it, a kind of digital holographic writing that made no sense. I reached out was able to move the data around with a swipe of my hand. I walked over to the wall, opened it, and looked at my reflection in a blank monitor screen. 

My eyes had three pupils. They were like human eyes, but with a yellow radiant iris and three black pupils forming a kind of triangular formation. They seemed to spin when I focused. My nose was flat and my teeth, though animal looking, were square and perfect. I bit down and felt the powerfulness of my jaw. I didn't have any ears. 

"Is this real?" 

My voice sounded like hearing a recording of yourself sent through a digital filter. This was unlike any dream I had ever had. At least I could hear.

I sat down on the floor and pulled off one of my boots. I had a perfectly formed foot with no toes. I was starting to have a panic attack. This, this was no dream. It was real. 

"I'm like some kind of doll." 

I covered my mouth as the sound of my new voice freaked me out even more. I started taking deep breaths. I was breathing. There was air. 

Before I could have a complete nervous breakdown, the wall in front of me slid open to reveal a hall outside and two small identical robots rolled up in front of me. They were made of the same white metal as the walls and floor, a meter tall, with mechanical arms and a single large blue digital eye. They scanned me with a green light. 

I sat there on the floor with one hand over my mouth and the other holding my foot with no shoe on. 

With a beep and click, they simultaneously spun around and said in stereo modular voices, "Welcome, please follow us." 

I pulled on my boot, stood up fast, and walked out into the hall. I looked back as the door closed behind me. I'd been standing in a kind of alcove surrounded by various medical looking devices. In the hall, that was ridiculously long, I realized I was in some kind of factory or manufacturing building. We walked for a short while down the steel-walled corridor, went through a red ringed door, and entered a massive garage full of various types of vehicles. 

A flat kind of car chassis came out to meet us. It had 4 seats and two platforms in the front and back. No apparent engine or wheels mind you. The twins rolled to the front and I took the first seat. The moment I sat down we were off. 

We glided to the back of the garage and as the main door opened started to build up speed. We merged onto a ten lane covered highway accelerating at unimaginable velocity. Our speed increased until the walls, ceiling, and floor became a blur. The lights overhead became a single unending line. There was no wind.