As Ida traced the familiar path to her impending appointment, the weight of decades pressed on her, making each step a quiet testament to years of toil.
“What would it mean to never feel this ache again?” she mused, her gaze lifting to a butterfly weaving patterns in the air.
“Is this what awaits me? A metamorphosis of my own?”
Silent electric cars whispered by, a stark contrast to the once-vibrant, sound-filled streets of her youth. Ever since the breakthrough allowing human consciousness to live on in virtual realms, the tangible world felt increasingly abandoned.
She watched as the butterfly, in its delicate ballet, found a partner. “You’re fortunate, tiny dancer. Your resurgence is a testament to our migration into the digital realm.”
Dread and hope tangled within Ida as she approached Dr. Shelton’s clinic. He was famed for guiding souls like her, those wrestling with the idea of a digital afterlife. Despite having a life filled with love and adventures, Ida struggled with the thought of joy in a realm devoid of anything real.