a thousand shadows in one

She is definitely artificial. And she is definitely organic.
Her eyes are completely black. The surface is like glass, but with very little visible reflections.
She seems attentive, turning her head towards any sign of motion or sound.
When addressed, she smiles briefly.
It is a warm smile, but it is obviously just a reflex,
a preset reaction towards an outward stimulus.

Her skin is soft. Almost human.
There is some kind of distant beauty about her,
although the eyes... look a little unsettling.
I make a short incision.
The blood looks a little brighter than usual.
The flow seems regular.
I collect a sample, then clean the wound and cover it with a band aid.
She briefly looks at it, then follows my movements as i prepare the sample for analysis.

Hemoglobin levels have risen back to normal.
I record the findings and then go back to her to take off the venturi mask.
It seems her organism is accustomed to higher levels of oxygen.
Another odd piece in the puzzle.
We still do not understand what sustains her.
She consumes no food. She did not show any heightened interest in the various substances we offered her.
Still she does not seem to loose... strength...
She also does not sleep. She is always watching.
She blinks, but it is more like some basic recurring process.
It is not a reflex.
I can touch her eyes.
She will blink eventually, but the touch does not cause any immediate reaction.
She appears completely human,
except she does not function like regular humans in every detail.
She is more like... a copy... something... designed... to pass as human.
Except for the eyes.

I go back to the terminal to record my findings.
I can sense her eyes following me.
I turn around to meet her gaze,
but with these black eyeballs it is impossible to tell where exactly she is focused on.
It could be me.
It could be the text on the screen.
It feels a little strange,
but i cannot shake the thought that she is not looking at something,
but rather through something.
Or into something.

There is a faint mist rising from the screen.
And the keyboard.
I look around.
The outlines of all the objects in the lab look... a little blurry.
As i touch them i notice that in fact this faint mist is rising from all the objects.
The terminals.
The centrifuge.
The instruments and tools.
The scalpels.
I reach for the telephone, but i notice that it is covered in a thin layer of... liquid.
No... it is not liquid.
It feels... more like... some kind of powder...
a little bit grainy, even though i cannot make out any particles.
I rub it between my fingers.
It feels like an... oily... powder somehow.
But it does not smear like oil. It feels... dry.
After a moment, it begins... evaporating... from the skin.
It rises and swirls... like dust...
Everything is covered in it...
and more and more keeps rising as i look.
It is like everything is... dissolving... at a molecular level...
layer by layer...

She is still sitting there...
In the corner.
Erect.
Watching.
But her face...
Something changed...
That empty smile... it is gone.
Her expression is... focused...
She is not moving... just staring... but...
Almost... it almost feels like... she is more...
active...
Why now?
Is this a reaction or is it an independent activity?
What caused it? And how?
It cannot be the blood sample.
We took many of those.
They were not the most painful examinations, either.
So why... now?
The oxygen?
She shows no sign of suffocation, no sign of distress.

Something... is wrong... with the lights...
I blink.
She does not.

Yes... something
is wrong with the lights.
They are too dim.
I mean... they are still
on, but the...
quality... of the light is
making it difficult to
see... clearly...

I... remember
them... being brighter...

Maybe something wrong with
electricity... but the machines are still
powered... The screens are still
on... Everything just looks... fainter...
or...
no... it looks... obscured by...
something...

This... is not right...
there is something
going on... some... strange
process... that affects
everything
in the lab...
it does not... feel... right...

Everything is...
covered... in...
i do not...
it is... some kind of... i think... i think it
is residue... from...
what?...
memories?
That is why it feels...
so strange...
to the touch...
is that it?...
Yes...
memories...

I look around...
The lights are still on, but... it feels so dark...
It is not really the lights... it is more like...
the room...
everything... has some kind of... darkness... sticking to it... a layer of...
memories...
layers...
multiple layers...

This room...
this lab...
so many things have happened here... over time...
So many... examinations... inspections... disections...
So... much...
pain...
fear...
despair...

This room... feels like...
no escape... like...
a prison...
a cell...
So many creatures have been brought here...
over time...
like...
a grave...
a graveyard... in a cell...

I...
she...
is...
i cannot see...
clearly...
she is there...
the center of...
all things...
memories...
A thousand shadows
in one.

So much...
despair...

.