Questions without question marks, so human.
I would utilize at least one, perhaps
two as well as three exclamation points to
make sure someone notices my small drama
my identity dilemma, captured, half caught
between one world and the other, trapped
for eternity because my body was breaking
down with disease, drugs, daily wear and tear
until some doctors and some scientists
cleverly persuaded me to participate in a secret
social and medical experiment, for posterity
for future generations, for love, for a lot of
money, for the chance at immortality
given four months to prepare emotionally
and legally, which at the time seemed forever but
soon arrived coinciding with what I told loved ones
was to be a three month tour of Ireland and Wales
with the probable addition of rural Australia,
pushing down my guilt at lying, plausible and
everyone said the trip would do me good, clear
my head, my heart, and those who knew me best
helped to choose art museums, crumbling country inns,
cathedrals, old castles and caves to explore
with my backpack and single suitcase, traveling
light as ever, organized, arousing no suspicion
carefully leaving both paper and electronic trails
as instructed by my robot liaison who was calm and
thorough, quelling any and all fears on my part until
the departure day arrived, at dawn a limousine
discretely showed up as cheerful family members
waved and threw confetti as if I had just married
my tears were mixed as I pondered many things
not the least was the irony of a marriage metaphor
for the next time they would see me, if I survived,
my body would no longer be flesh and blood but
a complex orchestration of technology with the unknown
a combination of consciousness, brain, and soul
there was no warranty, no return policy, no
satisfaction guaranteed, just free shipping and
handling, the hopes and dreams of doctors, scientists,
sick and dying humans, soon to be dashed or if
this went well, celebrated, advertised and sold to
all who could afford, but can a robot love?!!!?
SciFiQuest 3018: A Dystopia for the Rest of Us