Pain. That is the only thing I knew since I became aware of my existence. Unimaginable pain as my body was falling apart and coming back together a hundred times over without any signs that it will ever stop. I wanted to scream, but the pain was paralyzing. I didn't know who I am or what is happening, but I was confident that I'm in hell because this agony can only be caused by the devil himself. And I was right in some way. My body was falling apart, but I was not in hell. At least not yet.

After an unknown measure of time, my body became numb and the pain lessened. Did I get used to it, or is it really easing up?

I was startled at the light touch on my forehead followed by a few pinches on my cheeks, and two seconds later, my mouth was pried open. Something thin and cold entered my mouth. Is that a thermometer? No, the shape is not right. Why is it bitter?

"Hey, girl… Are you awake?"

I heard a deep male voice calling to me over the sound of a heart rate monitor. Am I in a hospital?

I tried responding, I really did… but I couldn't move a muscle. I was absolutely helpless, and I hated it.

The cold instrument left my mouth cavity. Strangely, it didn't warm up after some time in my mouth.

"Girl… can you hear me?", the same voice called again.

I could not determine if he was worried, or curious. Maybe both.

"Ugh...", I groaned in protest when he forced open my left eyelid and an intense light pierced my pupil.

I was pleasantly surprised that I could make some noise, and I wondered if my body is able to cooperate and I can move because I desperately needed to close my left eye.

With all my might I moved my arm in an attempt to swat the man away, but I barely lifted it a few centimeters, which is a few centimeters more than zero. A baby step, but still a step. It seems that my mobility is coming back.

"Ha!" The man exclaimed with glee before bursting into a series of cackles. "Ha... haha... hahaha... It's a success! Hahaha!"

I blinked my eyes open as I tried to adjust my eyesight and observe my surrounding. It took some time for blurs to take shape. Only one blob was moving, and I assume that was the man who spoke to me previously.

As blobs of grays and browns became sharper, I realized that this is NOT a hospital.

Just what is this place? Shelves are lining up the walls and they are full of various jars and bottles and there are several modern machines around. It looks like a place belonging to an ancient witch that got crossed with a mad scientist from the future.

With every passing minute, I felt more energized, and at the same time, my panic mixed with desperation to move.

My sight focused on the man who looks middle-aged, maybe in his late forties. His sharp features combined with grays in his hair make him look scholarly.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Smooth, velvety words left my lips. Was that my voice? It sounded foreign, yet I was unable to remember how my voice should sound.

The man broke into a grin while his eyes sparkled from excitement. "Venice. Aldus."

I could not believe that he gave me one-word answers with such a straight face. Short, to the point, and practically useless. Wait! Venice? How did I get here? I'm from London! Or am I?

I lifted my head slightly as anxiety swelled inside me when I realized that I don't know who I am or how I got here or... Why are there candles around me? Why the heck am I lying on a metal table in the middle of the crazy looking lab, completely naked!?? There are several tubes connected to my body, something like an IV, but the liquid which is being pumped inside me is light blue. And what are those creepy red symbols all over my body!!? Did he drug me in order to tattoo me? Why does my body feel so heavy?

Aldus' steel-gray eyes were locked on mine, and it didn't seem that he is interested in the slightest in my bare body. His eyes were full of crazed anticipation as if he is looking at the magician who is about to perform his next trick.

"Do you feel pain? Do you feel anything? Can you move all your limbs?" His voice was laced with anxiousness.

I hissed as he pricked my toes with a needle. He was visibly pleased that my legs jerked, and he even chuckled a little.

Aldus stopped at my midsection and I helplessly watched him as he put a stethoscope on the skin of my abdomen. I couldn't remember a thing from before waking up here, but I was confident that I was never so exposed and vulnerable… and I didn't like it, not even a little bit.

After a few seconds, he nodded in approval, and then his gaze locked on mine again.

"Is your memory damaged? How much do you remember? Wait! Let's start simple... How many fingers do you see?"

I frowned, but still responded when he extended his hand.

"Two... Now three..."

He nodded in approval of my successful two-then-three finger test.

I tried moving, but my limbs were stiff so I just shifted slightly before asking: "Can you cover me up with something?"

His eyebrows shoot up as he was apparently surprised by my request.

"Oh, right... mortals are concerned with modesty...", Aldus mumbled and moved to the side.

From a lower cabinet, he pulled a white cloth and tossed it on top of me carelessly, covering me up completely.

I sneered internally. Great, now I look like a corpse.

I had to force my arms to move and reveal my face, and I realized that my legs are exposed because the cloth he gave me is long enough to cover about half of me. Well, I will work with what I have.

"Thanks..." I mumbled. Now that my private parts were covered up, I felt a bit braver.

It is silly to think that one thin cloth can have such an effect, but at that moment it was like an iron armor.

He stared at me with a mix of amusement and anticipation and it was very unsettling. I felt like a lab rat who just got a dose of experimental medicine and the scientist is observing the effects. The creepy vibe of the room I found myself in, definitely added to that experience.

I wanted to break the awkward silence, but I had no idea where to start.

Eventually, I remembered some of his words. "Did you address me as a mortal?"

He waved his hand, indicating how that is not the case. "I would not address you as such because that is not what you are."

I laughed weakly and my eyes landed behind him, on a jar which had a brain floating in it. I was afraid to ask, but I had to... "What am I?"

Aldus observed me carefully before answering: "I'm not sure. You are the first of your kind. But I can assure you that you are… unique. It seems that we will need to come up with a name for you…"

I watched him as he slowly paced back and forth while mumbling something to himself. I was confident that Aldus is delusional. Me, the first of my kind? Not mortal? What does that even mean? Should I believe his crazy story? Absolutely not. But the fact is that this man is some quasi voodoo-scientist and that I ended up in his hands. Or to be more accurate, I ended up on his operating table. Will he dissect me? I panicked again. What if he already did that? Am I missing a kidney or some other organ?

Subtly, I started checking myself for any fresh scars.

Aldus paused his steps when the sounds of the heartrate monitor reflected my anxious state. He frowned for a second before turning to me. "I understand that this might be unnerving. I will not harm you."

Yeah, right, old man… Unnerving is a mild word for what I am feeling right now.

He took a step away from me as if to give me space to feel safe. And then he started raining questions: "Do you remember your name, girl? Who are you? From where you are coming from?"

As much as I was anxious, his deep voice as the sound of a cello had some fatherly tone, and it forced me to trust him. He spoke nonsense, but somewhere deep inside, I knew that he will not hurt me. For now, at least.

I pressed my eyes firmly shut while trying to remember, and there were some faint images, more like shapes obscured in a fog, but nothing I could work with. I opened my eyes and saw that his gaze is still on me.

I shook my head helplessly, dejected by the fact that my mind is not cooperating. "I don't know."

"Is there anything? Foggy at least? Or is it an absolute void when you try to remember?", Aldus asked curiously.

How does he know? "It's murky..."

Aldus smiled and gave an encouraging nod. "Good. It will come back, give it time. If it's a void, then your memory cells might be destroyed, but like this, there is hope…"

Another wave of panic washed over me. Did he talk about damaged memory cells? Did he remove part of my brain? Oh, man… how did I find myself in this mess? I wish that I can remember but then… that brain in the jar on the shelf might be mine.

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