Chapter 6: The Birth of Robo-Aubree
The days after the attack passed in a haze of pain and despair for Miguel. Lying in the sterile hospital bed, his body healing but his heart shattered, he could think of nothing but Aubree. The vibrant, loving woman he had known was now lying in a coma, her life hanging by a thread. The doctors had done all they could, but they couldn’t promise that she would ever wake up or if she did, whether she would be the same Aubree he had loved so deeply.
Miguel stared at the ceiling, replaying the events of that night over and over in his mind. The image of Aubree falling to the ground, blood pouring from her wound, haunted him relentlessly. He barely ate, barely slept. Guilt gnawed at him, a constant reminder that he had failed her when she needed him most.
On the third day, Isaac arrived. Miguel’s older brother, a genius in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence, rushed to the island as soon as he heard what had happened. Isaac had always been the one to fix things, the one who could solve any problem, no matter how complex. But as he walked into Miguel’s hospital room and saw the broken man lying in the bed, even Isaac felt a deep sense of helplessness.
"Miguel," Isaac said softly as he approached the bed, his voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination.
"I’m here, brother."
Miguel turned his head slowly, his eyes bloodshot and hollow.
"Isaac," he whispered, his voice raw from days of crying.
"She’s… she’s in a coma. They say she might never wake up."
Isaac’s heart clenched at the sight of his brother’s pain. He pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed, taking Miguel’s hand in his. "I’m so sorry, Miguel. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through right now. But I promise you, we’ll find a way to help her."
Miguel shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes.
"There’s no way to help her, Isaac. Even if she wakes up… the doctors say she might not be the same. She could lose her memories, her personality… she might not even remember me."
Isaac tightened his grip on Miguel’s hand.
"I know, Miguel, but there might be something we can do something unconventional."
Miguel frowned, a flicker of curiosity piercing through his grief.
"What do you mean?"
Isaac hesitated, knowing how radical his idea was, but he also knew it might be the only way to give Miguel even a glimmer of hope. "Miguel, you know about my work in AI and robotics. I’ve been developing something… extraordinary. It’s an advanced humanoid robot capable of learning, adapting, even emulating human behavior with incredible precision."
Miguel stared at his brother, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.
"Isaac, what are you talking about?"
Isaac took a deep breath, bracing himself for the reaction he knew was coming. "I’m talking about transferring Aubree’s memories what’s left of them into a robotic body. We could preserve a part of her, Miguel. Her thoughts, her personality… she could live on in a way, while we wait for her to wake up."
Miguel recoiled, shaking his head. "That’s… that’s insane, Isaac. You can’t just put her into a machine. She’s not… she’s not dead! She’s still here, still alive!"
"I know how it sounds," Isaac said quickly, trying to calm his brother.
"And believe me, I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t think it could work. Her body may be in a coma, Miguel, but her mind her memories, her emotions those are still there. We can’t wake her up, but we can preserve who she was, at least until we find a way to help her recover."
Miguel’s head spun with the implications of what Isaac was proposing. The thought of Aubree as a machine, a robotic version of the woman he loved, was horrifying and unnatural. But the idea of losing her entirely, of living in a world where the person who woke up might not remember him or their life together… that was unbearable.
"What… what would it even be like?" Miguel asked, his voice trembling.
"Would she… would she be Aubree?"
Isaac’s face softened as he explained. "She wouldn’t be exactly the same, Miguel. The robot would have Aubree’s memories, her personality, her way of thinking. But it would still be a machine. It would learn and grow, just like Aubree did, but… it wouldn’t be her, not completely. But it would be a part of her. Something to hold onto while we wait for her to wake up."
Miguel closed his eyes, his mind swirling with emotions grief, fear, hope, and a deep, aching love for the woman he had nearly lost. The thought of seeing Aubree again, even in this twisted form, was both terrifying and comforting. Could he really do this? Could he live with the knowledge that the woman he loved was in a coma, while her robotic replica stood in her place?
"I… I don’t know, Isaac," Miguel whispered, his voice breaking.
"I don’t know if I can do it."
Isaac leaned forward, his eyes filled with empathy and resolve.
"Miguel, I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with. But think about it this could be a way to keep her with you. A way to keep fighting, to hold onto what she meant to you. And maybe… maybe it could help you find the strength to keep going."
Miguel sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, his heart torn between the desire to preserve the woman he loved and the fear of what this might mean for both of them. Finally, he looked up at Isaac, his eyes wet with tears.
"Okay," Miguel said, his voice barely a whisper. "Do it. But… promise me, if it doesn’t work, if she’s not… if she’s not Aubree, you’ll shut it down. I can’t… I can’t go through losing her like this."
Isaac nodded, his expression solemn.
"I promise, Miguel. I’ll make sure of it."
---
The following days were a whirlwind of preparation as Isaac set up his equipment in the remote hospital where Aubree was being treated. The hospital staff, though skeptical, agreed to give Isaac access to the facilities after he explained the situation and his qualifications. There was a sense of urgency in the air every passing hour felt like a race against time, a battle to save what remained of Aubree’s mind.
Miguel watched in a daze as Isaac worked tirelessly, connecting wires and calibrating machines, his focus unyielding. The robot, a sleek, humanoid figure, lay on a metal table in the center of the room. Its features were eerily smooth, like a blank canvas waiting to be painted with the essence of a human soul.
Isaac looked up from his work, his face etched with concentration.
"Miguel, we’re ready to begin. This is the last chance to back out."
Miguel stared at the lifeless robot, his heart pounding in his chest. The decision weighed heavily on him, but there was no turning back now.
"Do it," he said, his voice steadier than he felt.
Isaac nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he initiated the process. A series of beeps and whirs filled the room as the machinery came to life. Miguel held his breath, his eyes fixed on the robot’s face, waiting for something anything to happen.
The room was tense with anticipation as Isaac monitored the transfer, his gaze flickering between the monitors and the robot. The process was delicate, requiring absolute precision. If even one memory fragment was corrupted or lost, the entire transfer could fail.
Minutes passed like hours, each one stretching Miguel’s nerves to their breaking point. And then, finally, the robot’s eyes flickered open. They were a deep, vibrant green, just like Aubree’s had been.
Miguel’s breath caught in his throat as the robot blinked, its gaze slowly focusing. For a moment, it just lay there, unmoving, and then it slowly sat up, its movements smooth and eerily human. It turned its head, scanning the room, before its eyes settled on Miguel.
"Miguel?" the robot said, its voice soft and tentative exactly like Aubree’s. "Where am I?"
Miguel’s heart stopped. The voice, the way it said his name it was her. It was Aubree. He took a step forward, tears filling his eyes. "Aubree?" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
The robot tilted its head, its expression a perfect replica of the confused, gentle smile Aubree had often worn.
"Miguel, what’s going on? Why do I feel so… strange?"
Miguel couldn’t hold back any longer. He rushed forward, pulling the robot into his arms. The metal was cool against his skin, but the way it moved, the way it hugged him back it was as if Aubree was truly there, alive and whole.
"I’m so sorry," Miguel sobbed, clutching the robot tighter. "I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you. I couldn’t save you…"
The robot gently stroked his back, just like Aubree used to do when comforting him.
"It’s okay, Miguel," it said softly.
"I’m here now. We’re together. That’s all that matters."