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