Over the course of several years Elisa received an education back in the keystone city of Harmony. She learned quite a few things about the world via Wynona’s classes. She would sit in on them occasionally while she explored the world around her. To the naked eye it was plain to see the difference in architecture and design influences. The buildings were eye-catching and always had a certain sheen about them. Transportation was vastly different. From flying vehicles, to personalized tubes that could transport items and sometimes people around the city.

Plant life within the cities was almost entirely artificial. In fact almost all of what Elisa saw was modified in some way by the “NeoHuman” race. Plant-life, wild-life, and even their own bodies were experimented on and modified religiously. The NeoHuman’s bodies were littered with cybernetics that enhanced the basic processes of daily life. Their arms, eyes, legs, and even sometimes their skin were all enhanced by either prosthetics or nano machines. Elisa was truly in awe at the strides humanity had made in the past thousand or so years. However, the truth behind this progression was not quite as appealing.

A conversation several years prior with Wynona was still etched into Elisa’s mind. Elisa was on edge as they flew back to Harmony, “Why were you so skeptical of me? Are genetic modifications bad?”

Wynona paused for a moment and then spoke, “Not necessarily. Although it seems like they might be affecting your memory.”

Elisa’s next words pierced through Wynona, “Okay. What about the supernatural?”

Wynona grit her teeth, “You may have lost your memory. Yet, you still know what questions to ask. I suppose that’s a good sign.”

“What do you mean?”

“The supernatural is the only threat to our race, Elisa. Anything of the sort must be destroyed.”

“How did the old humans survive against the supernatural Wynona? Aren’t we stronger than them?”

Wynona laughed, “That we are. Unfortunately it was the old humans who nurtured the supernatural. They brought it to life.”

Elisa looked at her tattoo for a moment. She said nothing in response to Wynona.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“To answer your earlier question, your tattoo there is what made me skeptical. It’s often cited that the first supernatural incident was related to snakes in some way, although we don’t know how or why.”

“How did you know I was human then?”

Wynona laughed and pointed at her right eye, “With this, remember?”

Elisa looked confused, “So were you just testing me?”

Wynona shook her head, “Not necessarily. You have no cybernetic modifications and there are only a handful of genetically modified NeoHumans.”

“I missed a lot I guess…” Elisa shook her head and sighed.

Wynona smiled, “Your memory will come back soon. I wouldn’t worry too much.”

Elisa couldn’t help but laugh after remembering that final statement. “If only I had something to remember. I’d have been a lot better off.” Elisa reached into a backpack she had around her shoulders. The people walking through Harmony looked at her quizzically. The old storage item was something foreign to them. This was something Elisa had gotten used to; she brushed off the feeling of eyes scanning her shoulders.

Inside her bag she pulled out a gold, shield-like medallion. It shone brightly as she held it up to the sun to examine it.

Wynona’s words echoed in her head once again, “Once you finish your education again, if you want to learn more, head to the building shaped like that medallion. It’s In the center of Harmony.”

Elisa never asked what she meant by this. She never planned on staying here for that long, “...But I guess I have forever to explore, don’t I.” Elisa didn’t know what she wanted to do. She wasn’t sure if anything she did would matter.

No one would remember her.

No one would cry for her.

No one would miss her.

No one would mourn her.

For she would outlive them all.

The old humans.

Her old friends.

The NeoHumans.

Wynona.

Elisa let out a twisted laugh, “An immortal being can’t teach history, can they?” She put the medallion back in her bag. “How ironic, even my old self wasted her life I suppose.” She sat down on a floating bench. Made of a material she couldn’t bother to try to identify. It was cool, and dug into her back. It felt oddly familiar.

She closed her eyes and softly whispered, “But I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try, would it?”