Remade but not Remembered

"Want to make some fiction?"

"What kind?"

"Anything which you desire."

The machine stirs and beeps. It has this analog appearance. Wires of green and red with their copper bits exposed. Cheap yellowing plastic with faded instructions scratched off on the sides. It's not a large machine, about the size of a regular laptop, but with the shape of an unfinished prototype.

"What do I desire?"

I had come a long way to test this out. It's not often we get to be part of some experiment. Especially one that promises to push the boundaries such as this. I was excited for what would happen, and hurried to get here as soon as I could. The first booking I had found and the first transport here was all I needed besides the clothes on my back. It was pricey, but you see, if this machine works as intended, then none of that will matter.

Not that I would become rich off of it. I am not its inventor, nor do I even understand how it works, nor how to even sell it. My friend instead chatters off on the mechanics but it goes past my head. He's focused on the technical details, the intricacies and inefficiencies of which he designed. Long hours draining the youth from his face. His eyes remain lit up despite the shadowy baggs pulling them down.

"I've tried it out a couple times. Just some small experiments. Nothing major, nothing big. But so far, it's been very promising."

"If this does what I think it does, then this is an unprecedented breakthrough. How were you able to accomplish all alone? Here?"

He smiles back at me.

"It took a lot of sacrifice. I won't lie about that. Part of me really did wonder this whole time if any of this would be worth it. If it doesn't work, then it's all wasted and I'll never get it back. But if it does... then there's so much more I get to do."

Putting a hand on my shoulder, he looks at me carefully before continuing.

"I had to let you know first. I know what you've been through, my friend. Life has not been easy, has it? To give what you had to give. And get nothing back. It's a shame and it's something I feel too."

"We both know life only goes one way. Those decisions have happened, the past has been made and here we are today."

"Maybe so, but what is this world if not for ours to change?"

He flips another switch on the machine. It emits some new beeps and sounds before calming back down. Some lights change, but it's all foreign to me.

"Do you really think I'm worth this? Don't you know what I would do with it?"

That same smile never seems to leave his face.

"I call you my friend. I called you, my friend to be here. Because you're my only friend. And we deserve this. Our people deserve this."

The machine starts transforming, shifting in its shape as gears turn and its motors move. I notice a screen appear with a single line, asking me to enter some input.

"Is that where I enter my prompt?"

"Well, it's prompting you, isn't it?"

So it seems. I go ahead and type my desire down. My friend looks away, but I have a feeling he knows exactly what I want. It's what we both want, but only I'm cruel enough to ask for it.

I finish typing and enter. There is nothing but silence.

"Is it working? I don't see or hear anything."

I notice my friend tearing up. His smile held up tears pooling on his cheeks.

"It will work. Things won't ever be the same in a few moments. But, we won't know each other anymore. I hope that's ok."

"Why didn't you tell me that?"

"After all we've been through..."

"What do you mean we won't know each other anymore? Will I still remember you?"

"I hope so, my friend."

He embraces me suddenly. I barely have time to hug back before an overwhelming white light radiates out from the machine. A field grows out from it, blinding anyone and anything that goes in. It all happened so fast, I can only utter one last thing.

"Good bye. And thank you."

When I wake, I'm not sure where I am. In a home? A nice home, but whose home? Mine? It doesn't matter. Everything seemed ok, like a sort of calm I never felt before. Had I known what it took to get here, I'd be crying. But I don't remember any of it.

This is how life has always been, tranquil and fulfilling. Whatever sort of struggle we went through before had been written out of our lives. I was the same person, yet I didn't feel the same. The same hate, cruelty and anger I had before was missing. Instead, it was replaced with that same calmness I mentioned that I can't seem to describe. As though you're at such ease that life never dared to cause you stress. It's not so much bliss as a simple state of being and existing.

Part of me though, feels something is missing. That somehow, at one point, there was someone I cared about but I can't remember. I don't know if I'll ever find this person I keep feeling I should know. But I hope they're out there too, ok with life as well. That's all we desired before. That's all we asked for.