April Dawn: Life Lives

By P.D. Cain

Normal price $4.95
A young girl awakens to find she has memories from two different pasts, fifty years apart, and both ended tragically when eight years old. She feels different. She is different. She is alive!
She (April) is warned by 'Travis', the 'Test Robot with Autonomously Verified Intergrational Systems' to trust no-one, not even the Professor, her 'Pa'. April is also under the strict guardianship of Li-Ming, her 'educator'.
When transported across America in a specially adapted RV (the CatV), they meet Jack, who teaches her new things. April discovers more of herself, and of other people. Shadowing her are government agents. Also following are the Chinese, who want to abduct her, but are constantly thwarted by mishaps and circumstance, until they get their chance on Lake Erie. The U.S. military, however, wants her killed. Why?
On arriving at the destination in Maryland she has to use the skills and abilities gained if she is to survive.

The technology is almost here. How are we going to treat it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: P.D. Cain
• Release date: Jul 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310414336

P.D. Cain

I spent all my childhood years living in a small village called Buxworth which is situated in the hills of the Peak District in North Derbyshire. Known as 'Captain Peter' I now live on the Algarve, Portugal. The nickname comes from my regular 'Seawatch' feature on Sunday mornings on Kiss Fm Portugal. Also did the daily news and weather for them for 3 or 4 years. I am author of a number of books - Interactive Traveller series, including 'Tour all Clubs in the English Football Leagues'. There are also other fictional and non-fictional books. I enjoy creating and writing whatever comes to mind. Most of the ideas come to me whilst I am fast asleep and I write them down as soon as I awake, before they disappear into the ether. Then develop the stories from there. Also create my own covers and videos. Love it, even if they aren't exactly George Lucas quality. Check out my web page:- http://www.captainpeter.net

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Contained within loose black clothing, was a short, skinny-looking twelve-year-old girl. Her pallor, sickly pale and placed tidily upon her head she wore a grey beanie hat with ‘Mean Machine’ embroidered in white on the front. This partially hid the fact that beneath the hat, she was completely bald. Her powder-blue eyes were scanning speedily through the pages of a file which she had found in the room of a building in which her father worked. She was aware of the movement of a security guard slowly approaching, checking each room of the building to make sure the doors were locked before switching off their lights. The girl had no time to read, but fortunately her photographic memory would allow her to ‘process’ it all later. The pages in the file were each numbered. The first seven pages were missing, and she paused briefly at page fifty where another three pages had been removed. Aware that the security guard was getting closer, she flicked through the pages of the file even faster until finishing on the last page which was numbered seventy-six. When she closed the file, she stared down at it. It had her name on the front, with a full stop behind each letter – A.P.R.I.L.

She searched her mind, thinking back into her past. All the memories she had before a terrible tragedy at the age of eight – were they all a lie? She would never have realised that something was amiss had it not been a chance encounter with her best friend from school, who failed to recognise her, and was quite insistent that the person April was claiming to be was definitely dead!

April heard the guard trying the door of the next room. She quickly replaced the file into the drawer of a green filing cabinet and hid behind it. She realised that she had left the keys on the desk, but fortunately the guard ignored them when he peered through the door’s small pane of glass when finding it locked. Not seeing anything untoward, he switched off the light and continued his meander along the corridor, doing his checks. As he left the building, he switched off the corridor lights, leaving the building in darkness. April looked through the window and at the bright full moon, which reminded her of the time just before becoming conscious.

1. LIFE LIVES

April first became 'aware' while floating in a void of blackness, likening it to being suspended in the vacuum of space in which there were no stars, moons, planets, nothing – just a distant tiny pinprick of light in the pitch darkness! How did she come to be there? Where did she come from? What was her name?

She attempted to scream out, but no noise came out of her mouth. Feeling nothing of her body she was unable to move. Stuck in the middle of nothingness, she began to panic. What was she going to do?

She watched the pinprick of light move and positioned itself above her. It then expanded into a bright circular light, shining like a full moon on a clear night. She stared at it for a few seconds and then the light became bigger and more intense until she was consumed by whiteness. April experienced her first memory. She was surrounded by snow, joyfully helping to build a snowman with a young pretty blonde haired woman. As they each placed a pebble for an eye in the head of the snowman, there sounded a deep rumbling noise. April looked down to see the snow on the ground vibrating, just before being suddenly swept away by a torrent of snow. It all went dark, and she again floated in the blackness.

After a few moments, tiny flecks of light appeared and they seemed to be darting along on the very edge of infinity. She watched them, intrigued. They all momentarily stopped and collected into groups before rapidly speeding towards her. As they passed, it was like looking at dozens of television screens all at the same time as if they were on an express train with each carriage window containing different segments of memory. There was one that seemed to briefly hang in front of her. It was of the pretty blonde haired woman in her late twenties having outstretched arms and calling out, Come to mummy darling, before it continued speeding along. There was a colour TV that whizzed by and it was showing 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' and sitting watching it was a red haired girl. She took her eyes off the television and looked directly at April.

Another image seemed to slow down and enlarge. It was the bare torso and head of a grey skinned bald headed man, who said to her in a rich deep voice as he passed by, Who are you? In fact, he appeared a second time a few moments later and asked, What is your name? before speeding off with everything else.

April desperately tried to see what else she could capture, but the succession of pictures all moved too fast – and then they were gone! April was left perplexed, wanting to know more, remember more, but she could only recollect was the vision of a pony whose name she was sure she knew, another being in a small aircraft in a storm. Then there was a bearded man arguing with the young blonde haired woman, and finally the little red haired girl appeared again, but this time she was waving enthusiastically to her from the gates of an elementary school.

A grey mist appeared in front of her, from which emerged the translucent image of a young thin Korean woman. She bent down and with outstretched arms spoke with a foreign accent, Come to Mama, she said encouragingly. Come to me, my little gwihan.

As the Korean woman inched closer, she repeated the words, Come to Mama. Come to me, my little gwihan.

April became fearful of her. Who was she? Wasn't the blonde haired woman, her mother?

The image of the Korean woman quickly faded and April realized that she was surrounded by other clouds of grey mist, each containing some fragment of a past, some more distinctive than others. Like, she was being held by a man in US army uniform when barely two years old, while he kissed the Korean woman. Another was of her sitting at a piano beside a man with his right arm missing, and she is using her own right hand to play a tune with him. Running through a field of yellow flowers with a dark haired four year old girl who had a slightly oriental appearance, and then pushing the same girl along on a bike, but she was older. Finally, the clouds of mist enveloped her and she was in a hospital bed. She felt a most awful headache. In the corner of the room was an old black and white TV, and showing on it was the motorcade carrying President John F Kennedy through Dallas, Texas. Someone was standing beside her. It was the little dark haired girl, and on her forehead above her left eye, was a sticking plaster. She was looking sadly down at something on the bed. April looked in the direction to where the little girl's eyes were being drawn. To her horror, she had no arms. The headache stopped as the grey mist faded, leaving her alone again in the darkness.

It was only a couple of seconds before the moon-like white light re-appeared. It came towards her and surrounded her, but this time quickly dissipated. She found herself lying in a bed in the middle of a small room with plain grey walls and no windows. She quickly realized that this was no memory. She was conscious. She was alive!

Beside her was an elderly thickset man wearing a brown overall. He had straggly greying hair and beard, thick eyebrows and a bulbous nose. He was tending to a machine next to her bed, and on his hand, she noticed, on his right 3rd finger, he wore a silver ornate signet ring on which was embossed the letter 'W'.

The machine made regular bleeping noises and two screen monitors displayed the various data being produced from a number of sensors positioned around her body. There were also three coloured buttons along the bottom, yellow, white and red, with the red button having black sticky tape over it in the shape of an 'X'. Obviously a button that was not to be pressed, she thought, while noting everything she saw, which even included the handwritten label, 'Dept. 'A', taped above the embossed wording on the machine, 'Waterstone Neurosystems'.

April felt something was clipped up inside her nose and followed the thin tube emerging from it to a bag containing a clear liquid, suspended from a portable frame.

She watched the man fumble in his pockets from which he produced four data cassettes, each labelled with scrawled handwriting. He began to insert one of the data cassettes into the machine, and became aware that April had her eyes open and was watching him. April attempted to say, Hello, but it came out as a grunt. The man quickly replaced the cassettes back in his pocket and swiftly left the room only to return a few moments later with a tall skinny man in his late twenties with blonde hair that stuck awkwardly up in the air, which made him look a bit wacky. He was wearing thick black framed glasses with a plaster wrapped around the hinge. Clipped to the breast pocket of his clean pressed white coat there was a name badge which had Waterstone Neurosystems and beneath it was printed his name, 'Dr. J. Brown'.

The man in the brown overalls was quite enthusiastic. Look, look, she is conscious. I must have accidentally done something while I was around the machine and she woke up, he explained.

Right, said Doctor Brown, I will call the Professor, who then leaned towards the elderly man and whispered in his ear, And you had better disappear. You don’t want to be found in here, do you?

No, sir, the man replied to agree and he immediately left the room.

Doctor Brown focused his attention on April. He looked intently into her eyes and April again attempted to say, Hello, which this time sounded better.

Can you hear me? he asked.

April grunted a noise of acknowledgement.

My God, he exclaimed, before becoming apologetic. Sorry, I have to do this, but hopefully it won't be for long.

Doctor Brown leant over to the machine and pressed the yellow button. April immediately fell asleep and found herself back in the darkness, but this time it was only brief. As she awoke she heard a voice say quietly, Now, treat this one like you would with a normal person.

A bright light shone in her eyes, which frightened her, and it was quickly switched off. She turned her eyes to see a white coated man looking at her over the framed half-eye spectacles which were perched right on the end of his nose. He was in his early fifties with greying hair that was beginning to recede and had an equally grey moustache and a goatee beard. Standing beside him was Doctor Brown and with him was an oriental looking woman who was of medium build and in her early thirties. Her name badge read 'Dr. Li-Ming'. Although she was pretty, she had a demeanour about her which suggested that she was a very serious person.

What do you reckon, Professor? asked an excited Doctor Brown.

The Professor did not answer and sat down on the bed beside April. He looked at her quizzically and smiled.

Hello, my April. Can you understand what I am saying? he said in the same quiet voice she'd heard as she awoke.

From his question, April learned her name and managed to murmur, Yes.

Do you recognise me? he asked, before looking at the machine to check it's readings.

April looked at him intently as she searched through the images she had previously seen. She felt that she recognised him from a picture in her memory of the bearded man arguing.

Is this my father? she thought.

Pa? she mumbled.

The man stopped looking at the readings on the machine and stared thoughtfully at April.

Yes, he replied before he nodded an acknowledgement and said in a pious sort of way. I am your father!

Doctor Brown and Li-Ming appeared mildly baffled by his answer, but said nothing. April was desperately trying to remember anything she could. She remembered making a snowman with the pretty blonde haired woman.

Ma – Wursh Ma? she slurred as she struggled to speak.

The Professor looked at her, slightly puzzled, but remained dispassionate and said, Sorry, my April. You have no mother, and as an afterthought, he continued, but you do have me!

He looked over at the readings shown on the machine and on the keyboard, in front of it, pressed a couple of the keys.

Do you know where you are, my April? he asked, without taking his eyes from the machine.

April's eyes glanced around the room and realised the doctors were standing nearby.

Hoshpital? she asked with a little more clarity in her voice. Am I in hoshpital?

Hmm... Sort of, he replied.

April was puzzled and asked, What ish wrong wid me?

Nothing is wrong with you, my April, replied the Professor, nothing at all!

But I cannot move, she mumbled with some distress as she tried to do something.

Ah, just a moment, said the Professor and he unfastened the straps that were restricting her movements.

Now my April, can you move your arm? he asked.

April was greatly surprised when she managed to raise one of her arms and was briefly puzzled to see an arm brace fitted to it. The brace was unusual in its design and appeared almost mechanical in its structure with a special tiny lock at the elbow. There was also another lock at the wrist for the brace that fitted over her hand and in-between her fingers.

Now move your other arm, requested the Professor, which April did with ease and found that her other arm was also fitted with the same type of braces. April, in wonderment, began moving both arms up and down. Li-Ming looked on, studiously writing notes on an A5 sized notepad.

Now, said the Professor, let’s see if the legs work.

The Professor rose from the bed and was about to peel back the bed sheet with Doctor Brown assisting, but April could not contain her excitement and rapidly lifted one of her legs, which hit Doctor Brown in the face, knocking him back against the wall, and he collapsed to the floor.

Oopsh! exclaimed April, as she peered over to see the doctor lying there unconscious. Li-Ming dashed to Doctor Brown's aid.

Oops indeed, remarked the Professor.

A weak groaning sound came from Doctor Brown and the Professor turned to April and said, I think we need something for your legs!

He gently pressed her back into the bed. Now, sleep, he said and she watched him touch the yellow button on the machine, and she immediately fell asleep.

The rounded shape and colour of the yellow button caused April to remember her running through a field of Black Eyed Susan flowers. This time, she was able to recall more. She was looking for someone, shouting, Alana, Alana!

She felt someone touch her on the shoulder, and when she turned around, it was the small dark haired oriental looking girl who handed to April a bunch of the bright yellow flowers.

I picked these for you, she said.

The memory immediately dissipated when she was awoken by the Professor who was sitting beside her on the bed. Hello, my April. How are you now? he asked.

I am okay, I fink, replied April who continued to struggle speaking properly.

April saw that Doctor Brown was in the room. He wore a surgical collar and sported a black eye, along with a plaster holding together the bridge of his spectacles in addition to the plaster he already had around the hinge. Beside him was Li-Ming, studiously taking notes.

More tests, my April, the Professor informed her. Shall we try again with the leg movements? and then emphasised, But do not try anything yet!

The Professor asked Doctor Brown to help him. The doctor was cautious and slightly fearful of what might happen as he moved to the other side of the bed. He and the Professor peeled back the bed sheet to reveal April's legs, which were fitted with callipers. Their design was similar to the arm braces with locks at the knees. Now, my April, slowly move one leg at a time, requested the Professor. Doctor Brown slightly leaned away in fear of being kicked again. April was able to lift her leg slowly.

Now the other one, said the Professor.

Doctor Brown slightly leaned back again as April slowly lifted the other leg.

Excellent, my April, remarked the Professor. Excellent!

Li-Ming watched closely and continued making notes. April waited for her next instruction and then noticed Doctor Brown pressing gently on his black eye.

Dush it hurt? she asked.

A little, he replied.

Without warning, the lights in the room went off and the machinery ceased working, plunging them into darkness as a result of a power outage. April, frightened, began to whimper. She didn't like the dark. The Professor remained calm.

Don't be afraid, my April, he said, just before the lights flickered back on and the power returned to the machinery.

It must be raining, remarked Doctor Brown.

When are we going to have these faulty electrics fixed, Professor? asked Li-Ming.

There’s not much point, replied the Professor, We shall be moving to a new site soon! He looked up at the lights as if to make sure that they were going to remain on and then redirected his attention to April.

Now, let us test your fingers and toes, shall we?

April was able to move her fingers and toes, but struggled to move them independently. The braces did not help and she showed her disappointment.

Not to worry, my April, said the Professor, it is early days.

The Professor checked the instruments, and once satisfied with what he saw, said, Now just one more test. Try squeezing Doctor Brown's finger.

What! exclaimed the doctor fearfully. MY finger?

Yes, affirmed the Professor. It is just a little test.

Doctor Brown took hold of April's hand and very cautiously placed a finger into the palm.

Now squeeze gently, my April, said the Professor.

April slowly squeezed her hand over Doctor Brown's finger, and kept squeezing, causing her to inadvertently apply excessive pressure. The doctor felt her hand crushing his finger and just as he began to give a yelp of pain, there was the sound of a crack. April immediately released her grip.

Oopsh! she exclaimed. Did dat 'urt? she asked innocently.

Doctor Brown was in too much pain to answer as he danced around the room shaking his hand and putting it under his arm to try and gain some comfort. Li-Ming stopped what she was doing to go to his aid. She took his hand and examined his damaged finger.

I think it is broken, she remarked dispassionately.

The Professor looked at April and shook his head, Oops, he said.

Li-Ming squeezed Doctor Brown's finger just to be sure of her diagnosis and Doctor Brown gave a loud yelp of pain.

Yes, it is definitely broken, she confirmed.

Take him to the medical room and bandage it up for him, Li-Ming, said the Professor in a way that sounded like it was Doctor Brown's fault.

Li-Ming was not happy. Why me? she questioned.

Because I told you to, retorted the Professor before blasting at her angrily. I know you are relatively new here Doctor Li-Ming, but do not question me. Am I understood?

Li-Ming instinctively stood to attention. Yes, sir, she replied and was about to make a salute as if she was in the army. The Professor gave her an odd look, and she quickly corrected herself and said, ...er, yes, Professor.

Oh my April, the Professor remarked, you really must be more careful.

I did not mean to 'urt 'im, she said sorrily.

No matter, remarked the Professor. You obviously need exercises to improve your movements. We also need to sort out your slurred speech. Now, lie back, please, he instructed, covering her with the bed sheet. He pressed the yellow button and April fell asleep.

2. TRAVIS

April found herself sitting behind a school desk in an empty classroom. She wore a black university gown and saw that there were no callipers or braces on her arms and legs. She looked at her arm and twiddled her fingers and then peered down at her feet and twiddled her toes.

Her attention was drawn to the front of the class where, beside a blackboard, was a table and positioned on its surface was the top half of a human looking body, which she recognised from the rush of memories she’d had before gaining consciousness. He had a perfect smooth looking head and face, although he was a pale grey in colour and he was wearing a black mortarboard hat. The half bodied form was very realistic, right down to the eyes and mouth, although the eyes were closed and the thing remained motionless with the arms by its side. The elbows were the perfect length to rest on the desk with his forearms outstretched in front of him and his hands lying flat on the surface, just like the The Great Sphinx of Giza.

Hello? she asked to gain attention, but the figure remained motionless. April began to look around the classroom and saw all the empty desks and wondered why she was on her own. The thought crossed her mind that she must be dreaming.

Who are you? asked a grumpy voice with an English accent.

April turned and looked at the figure, whose eyes were now wide open and he was intently staring at her.

My name is April... I think! she replied.

You think? he queried. You mean you don’t know?

April decided that it must be her name and declared, Yes, it is April! and asked, What is your name?

My name is Travis. I am a ‘Test Robot with Autonomously Verified Intergrational Systems’ and in future..., April, if you want to speak to me, you have to use the password.

April was puzzled. I do not know the password, she replied.

Travis was indignant about having to tell her. Here beginneth this moment, is the password!

April thoughtfully scratched her cheek and asked, Why should I need a password when you can hear me anyway?

Because, I normally require a password to awaken me, unless I receive instructions to teach you, he said.

Instructions from whom? she queried.

I do not know, do I? he replied huffily. I am trapped in this area of your brain, and I just do as I am instructed!

April asked quizzically, So, what have you been ‘instructed’ to do?

I understand you are having trouble with your speech?

April thought a moment and realised she was talking perfectly to Travis. Well, I did sound as if I had a large sweet stuck in my teeth, but I seem to be okay now.

There could be a reason for that, he inferred. Now imagine you are talking to someone other than me.

April imagined talking to the Professor.

Now repeat these words, instructed Travis, Pronounce words Properly and Practice makes Perfect with Pronunciation.

April repeated what Travis had told her to say. Pronounsh wordsh Proply and Practish mayksh Purrfect wiv pronushiashun.

April was astonished. Why did that happen? I was speaking to you perfectly before, she remarked.

It is a glitch in your mind, assured Travis. You have a communication disorder in the Neuro-linguistic area of your head.

The what? asked April.

Never mind, replied Travis dismissively. I am sure we can correct the problem. Just keep saying the sentence.

April repeated it, and there was slight improvement. Travis made her say it over and over again until she had it right. He instructed her to say other test sentences until he was happy with the results.

Very good little one, he said. Now open the desk in front of you.

April opened the desk and a bright light shone onto her face. Within it seemed to appear what she has just learned. The light faded and April closed the desk drawer.

Now, you are to tell no-one about your lessons with me, understand?

Why? she asked.

Because, you must trust no-one, he stated. Please promise me.

I promise, she assured him.

Travis, seemingly satisfied with her answer, said, Very well, that is all for now. Here endeth this moment! and he closed his eyes.

April sat waiting for something to happen, but nothing did, so she decided to try the password.

Here beginneth this moment, she said loudly. Travis opened his eyes and she was quite pleased with herself.

What do you want? he asked curtly.

I just wanted to see if the password worked.

Well, it does, he snapped and said again, Here endeth this moment! and Travis promptly closed his eyes.

April was a little annoyed that Travis had so suddenly cut off communication with her.

Here beginneth this moment, she again said determinedly, and Travis opened his eyes.

What now? he asked impatiently.

I want to talk to you!

Well, I don’t want to talk to you. Here endeth this moment, he said again, but this time with irritation in his voice and he closed his eyes.

Here beginneth this moment, said April crossly.

Travis opened his eyes and for the first time April saw a furrowed brow appear across his forehead. He was not pleased.

If you keep persisting in using the password, then I am going to change it! he said huffily.

I just wanted to ask, what do I do now?

Travis was curt in his reply. You wait! Is that all what you wanted to ask me?

Yes, I suppose so, replied April reluctantly.

Good. Here endeth this moment! and Travis closed his eyes and became motionless again.

April placed her elbows on the desk, rested her chin in her hands and sighed. She was wondering what to do when she was whisked through darkness before awakening from her ‘dream’.

The Professor was sitting beside her with Li-Ming standing to one side with a pen in one hand and the notepad in the other – waiting to make notes.

Hello, my April. Did you sleep well? he asked.

Yes, I think so, replied April who was happy to find that she no longer had a speech impediment and to make sure that she was indeed speaking clearly she said purposefully in perfect English, Yes, I definitely think that I am perfectly okay!

April looked at Li-Ming making notes and noticed Doctor Brown was not with them and enquired, Where is the other doctor?

Doctor Brown will be here shortly, replied the Professor.

How is he?

Oh, I expect he will live, commented the Professor. Now, I just want to do one or two tests again.

The Professor raised his forefinger and instructed her to follow the movement of it with her eyes. Once he was satisfied that both eyes were okay, he went on to test her speech.

Now say Pronounce words Properly and Practice makes Perfect with Pronunciation, said the Professor.

That was in my dream, April remarked with surprise.

Say it, please, the Professor insisted without showing interest in what April was telling him.

Pronounce words Properly and Practice makes Perfect with Pronunciation, she repeated in perfectly formed words.

Very good, said the Professor.

How Now Brown Cow, he instructed.

How Now Brown Cow, April repeated confidently.

The Professor then instructed her to say, The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog, she repeated, and watched Li-Ming with some bemusement, writing down notes ferociously.

Doctor Brown entered the room. To add to his other injuries, he now had a thick bandage around the finger she had broken.

Ah, just in time, Doctor Brown, said the Professor. I was just about to do tests on my April’s motor skills.

Doctor Brown gulped in trepidation. Motor skills?

Yes. Motor skills, reaffirmed the Professor. Now get on the other side of the bed please, Doctor Brown.

Doctor Brown reluctantly did as he was told and went to the other side of the bed. Li-Ming watched him and shook her head unsympathetically.

Now, my April, said the Professor, I want you to slowly raise your arm and shake Doctor Brown’s hand ... er... gently, he advised.

April slowly raised her arm and held out her hand to Doctor Brown, who was reluctant to extend his hand.

Doctor Brown! said the Professor impatiently.

Doctor Brown tentatively placed his good hand into April’s and she began to close her hand, Doctor Brown winced as if he was going to feel pain. April gently shook his hand and he sighed with relief when he realised he was not going to be subject to any pain.

Now hold Doctor Brown’s finger my April and gently squeeze, instructed the Professor.

Whaaat! exclaimed Doctor Brown.

The professor snapped, Don’t be such a wimp, man!

April attempted to reassure the doctor. I will try not to hurt you, Doctor Brown.

Doctor Brown cautiously placed his finger into April’s hand and as she began to close her hand over his finger, he again began to wince as if to expect pain. She squeezed his finger very gently and then released the slight pressure that she had applied, much to the delight of Doctor Brown.

Oh. Thank you, he said to her gratefully.

The same tests were done with April’s other hand and all went well. April’s callipered legs were examined and she lifted both without any unpleasant consequences, leaving Doctor Brown very happy as he had come out of this particular session unscathed.

Right – We need to move onto the next step, said the Professor. My April needs to be taught various skills. This is your area of expertise Li-Ming. You know what you have to do.

Yes, Professor, as you wish, she acknowledged. The Professor turned to April.

My April, he informed her, Doctor Li-Ming here is going to be your educator.

April smiled, but became apprehensive when Li-Ming gazed back at her sternly.

The Professor added, And Doctor Brown, you can continue your work on the neural processors.

Yes, Professor, agreed Doctor Brown, apparently knowing what he meant.

The Professor removed the item that was on April’s head and held it up in front of her. It was a flat black rubber cap with several silver hexagon shaped segments on it.

You see this my April. This is the Transcendent Holographic Inter er..., he faltered in finishing the explanation. Oh, it’s called a ‘thinQing’ cap. It will help you with various memory functions and processing. It is connected to this machine which will also help you to sleep. We call it the DREAM machine.

Doctor Brown explained eagerly Its full name is Data Responder Effecting Apperceptive Memory!

The Professor remarked despairingly, Okay, Doctor Brown!

Sorry, Professor, he said apologetically.

The Professor placed the cap back onto April’s head and leaned over to the machine. He muttered under his breath, Welcome to our world! as he pressed the yellow button.

April fell asleep and recollected being back in the old hospital room. The girl, who she knew as Alana, wore a plaster over her eye, and she was watching the small black and white TV. It was showing a ‘breaking news’ report of President John F. Kennedy being shot in Dallas.

Mummy, the President has been shot! shouted Alana in a loud voice.

A petite, dark haired Korean woman, in her late twenties was fiddling with a dome shaped, old fashioned looking gadget that had interweaving metal strips.

What a shame, commented the Korean woman who had other more important things on her mind as she placed the gadget over April’s head. Now switch off the television please, we have to concentrate on your sister.

From the gadget, wires trailed to a machine that contained four large reels of magnetic data storage tapes. Standing beside it was a thirty year old American man with a beard similar to the Professor’s, and he appeared to be twiddling with the controls on it. He glanced over to the Korean woman.

Nearly ready, Chin-Sun, he informed her.

Alana had ignored Chin-Sun’s request to switch off the TV.

Monroe. Speak to her please, demanded Chin-Sun in a raised voice.

Switch that television off now, please, Alana, commanded Monroe. Alana sighed loudly and reluctantly switched off the TV.

Chin-Sun made some adjustments to the gadget that was now fitting perfectly on April’s head. This is the ‘Transcendent Holographic Imager with Neural Quantum Interactivity and a Networks Generator’, she explained in a quiet, sympathetic tone, who, on seeing that April was a little baffled continued, It is designed to map your brain patterns and record everything in your head, my little gwihan.

Will it hurt? asked April.

No, not at all. Hopefully it will enable you to live, said Chin-Sun. Keep strong my child. Keep strong! and she nodded to the man Okay, Monroe. Do it!

Monroe began to play with the control knobs on the machine. April felt herself sliding into unconsciousness, and everything went dark.

3. FIRST STEPS

April awoke to find Li-Ming standing over her with the ‘thinQing’ cap in her hand.

Hello, said April.

Li-Ming looked very serious and didn’t say a word as she threw back the bed covers, disconnected the sensors and removed the saline drip clipped to April’s nose.

Get up, she commanded. I am going to teach you to walk, so chop-chop!

Li-Ming only offered slight assistance to April as she sat up on the side of the bed. She looked down at the braces on her arms and thought back to the moment when she was in the hospital.

Now stand, said Li-Ming sternly.

April cautiously stood. Her legs felt stiff and restricted because of the callipers and her sense of balance was not good. Li-Ming helped to steady her until April stood more solidly on the floor.

Now walk! she ordered.

April struggled to place one foot in front of the other and fell flat onto the floor.

Li-Ming quietly gasped in horror, but quickly realised that April was alright and her concerns quickly changed to her authoritarian ways.

Get up! Li-Ming demanded.

April struggled. I cannot get up! she said, frustrated.

You can! insisted Li-Ming.

April tried again to stand, but gave up. This is impossible! she spurted out.

It is possible, insisted Li-Ming and threatened April. You try, or you will get punished!

April again tried, but remained on the floor.

I cannot do it! insisted April. How can I do anything with these things on my legs? and pointed to the callipers.

Li-Ming produced what appeared to be a pen from her pocket and clicked it on.

You will try! snapped Li-Ming before she placed the tip of the ‘pen’ onto one of April’s hands. April immediately felt a very unpleasant electric shock pulsing through her entire body. She screamed out in pain until Li-Ming removed the pen. This is my ‘Punishment pen’. You will try, or you will be punished!

April looked hatefully at Li-Ming. Then, with all the strength and willpower she could muster, she lifted herself off the floor and stood upright.

See, I told you, said Li-Ming before saying, Old Chinese proverb. Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get up!

April wanted to sit on the bed, but did not dare and determinedly, she placed one foot unsteadily in front of the other while Li-Ming provided occasional assistance whenever it looked like she was going to fall. After a number of attempts, April managed a few small steps.

See! stated Li-Ming. You can walk!

April’s session lasted one hour, by which time she was able to slowly hobble a few steps without assistance from Li-Ming who spoke only to issue instructions. She helped April back into her bed and fitted the sensors and saline drip.

As Li-Ming placed the ‘thinQing’ cap back onto April’s head, she provided April with another quote. Another Chinese proverb, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Li-Ming then pressed the yellow button on the DREAM machine and April fell asleep.

The following sessions, which each lasted one hour exactly, involved not just walking, but exercises for general manoeuvrability including how to best use her arms and making her fingers work independently. If Li-Ming thought April was showing any lack of effort, she would produce the ‘punishment pen’. At the end of each session, April was ‘hooked up’ to the DREAM machine, had the ‘thinQing’ cap placed on her head and put to sleep, during which time, she replayed and processed everything that had happened during that period, in chronological order, from start to finish.

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

Memories from her past occasionally surfaced. The first particularly vivid one was in a laboratory. She was five years old and was holding an ice cream cone on which sat a large swirl of chocolate ice cream which she lovingly licked. The blonde haired woman, wearing a white lab coat, was standing at a bench studiously looking at a file. Resting on the laboratory work surface in front of her was the completely grey top half of a human looking body with a perfectly smooth skinned head and face. It looked like Travis, and resting on his head was a slightly different version of the ‘thinQing’ cap to the one she had. This one was slightly bulkier with a blue rubbery base. Beside him was an electronic box similar to the DREAM machine, along with a keyboard in front of it.

Damn! said the woman and turned to April, Stay there a moment, darling. I have to get something from my office, and firmly instructed, Do not touch anything!

She placed the file on the bench and hurriedly left the laboratory, bumping into someone in the corridor.

Ah, Eleanor! called a male voice that sounded like the Professor. I need to speak to you!

Not now, I don’t have time! she snapped.

Well, you have to make time! he insisted as he followed her down the corridor. Your father has placed me in charge of this facility and its finances, and your HALO project, Eleanor, is way over budget!

Eleanor fumed, The HALO project is entirely down to me, so keep your nose out of it!

The quarrelling voices of Eleanor and the man trailed off as they disappeared into an office at the far end of the building, leaving April alone in the laboratory. She became inquisitive and wanted to have a closer look to see what was on the bench. As she licked at her chocolate ice cream, she eyed the file Eleanor was reading. It was headed ‘HALO – Humanoid Assistant that Learns and Organises’ and she was about to pick it up with her sticky chocolaty fingers.

Do not touch anything, said a voice that sounded like Travis.

April looked up at the half bodied man, who appeared motionless. She decided to