⟨⟨Thomas A. Andersson —Neo⟩⟩

Thomas, now known as Neo, was in the real world. He felt lost, even dizzy. Had his entire life been a simulation? Were his memories, family, experiences, and even his very being not real? He'd been told that this reality didn't truly know him, that no matter what he'd experienced in the simulation, because this reality didn't know him, it didn't define him. He curled up deeper in the bed, in the darkness, surrounded by metal. For now, he was trying to clear his mind, but a voice startled him. He'd never realized he was with someone else. "What are you doing here?" it said, looking at his face, its lips parted in fright. He could hear its heart pounding in his ears. He sat up timidly in bed, touching one of the strange protrusions left by the incubator. It disgusted him; he preferred to ignore it.