Perphektion Kode - chapter 2

I wake up stoned, or razzed, or whatever the hell druggies call it these days. I gotta be. Because there is no way in hell I’m looking at my real arm right now.

It’s heavy and metal. I kid you not. Metal. I can barely pick it up, much less do anything else with it. And the only thought running through my mind is, ‘Shit. I must be fucking plastered.’

‘Ok,’ I tell myself. ‘Don’t freak out. It must be a bad trip or something.’

I close my eyes and breathe deeply in and out. This works for about two seconds before I’m freaking out again.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Analise says as she comes in, sounding chipper. She starts checking the machines that I’m hooked up to.

“What did you give me yesterday?” I ask desperately.

She looks at me and raises an eyebrow. “Just a sleeping aid. Why?”

“I think I’m hallucinating,” I tell her, and lift up my arm. “Tell me I’m hallucinating.”

Analise looks away. The tone in her voice changes to a sadder one. “I’m sorry Roy.”

I think my brain stopped. Or maybe my heart stopped and lack of oxygen made my brain stop. Whatever it is, I suddenly can’t think straight. Analise sits on the edge of the bed and begins to talk, but I can’t make out what she is saying. Something about the design of the arm, and how it’s not the end of the world, I think. Then she moves the blanket off my right leg. It’s metal too.

“How-? I mean, what-?” I can’t finish my question without losing the words.

Analise understands though. “The reports said you lost them while fighting in the war. An explosion was too close.”

I don’t remember that. Not that I remember anything. Why is that?

We are both quiet. What else is there to say? I use the time to gather my thoughts. My right arm and leg are both gone. They’ve been replaced with metal replicas. I can’t fathom any kind of explosion that would only claim two parts of my body, so I imagine that there are various parts of my insides that have been replaced with fake pieces too. I don’t have the nerve to ask. There is only one question I can think to ask instead. “What now?”

“As I said yesterday, there is a mechanic coming this morning. He will get your new limbs set up. Then you’ll start physical therapy.”

She makes it sound like a routine job. Jesus, how many others like me are there here?