I had never been this mortified in my life.
Not only did I wake up to find myself staring at an unfamiliar sky where stars shone dazzlingly, in no way being overshadowed by a city full of light and bustling noise.
I wasn't from here, and most shockingly I wasn't myself, literally. This is not my body but… someone else's?
One moment I was in my grandmother's arms singing La Isla Bonita, taking in the beautiful view of Kingston's nightlife on a Friday night.
The next moment I opened my eyes, and now I'm in… I don't even know.
Unable to catch my breath I froze solid in shock. My head felt heavier and so did my entire body.
"Weh pah me deh? Weh the heck!" / "Where am I? What the heck!" I puzzled, my voice sounding unfamiliar to my ears.
Suddenly there was a stabbing pain in my head and memories came flooding in, unpleasant ones one after the other full of sadness and hatred.
Decades of drills etched into my mind, the ache of her synthetically grown muscles optimized for combat, no name just "Unit 9365AA." No birthday, and no family.
Just a weapon.
A large part of this woman's life hadn't been lived normally nor happily.
The year was 4733 of the Chronicle era, and I was now 22-year-old Ann Ivly No. 9365AA of Techno-State Zhao and a new grad from the International Technological Military Academy, her name given just before graduation.
But what about me, Mari Muya, my nana Josie, my little brother Kenite and my ma and pa?
I'm not Ann, and I didn't want to be. I'm not some 22-year-old. No, I'm 17 and as for weapons… I've never held one in my life.
As panic overwhelmed me I ran to the mirror and there I was… well, not me but Ann. What stood before me was a woman, not a teenage girl. Forest green eyes wide and tired. Her skin deep brown like caramel infused chocolate, kinky hair reaching the midst of her back matted and tangled.
"I'm… Mari… not Ann… no… not Ann… I'm… erk... Mari… erk..." I flopped on the cold tiled floor and started wailing.
I really wanted to go back home to my beautiful Caribbean country, taking in the ocean air with my family by my side.
I didn't leave the house for days.
The first few days I curled up in the corner of the cold bedroom floor, sobbing, whispering my family's names like a mantra.
I hoped that I'd wake up again, back in the arms of my nana.
About four days in, denial started to sink in.
"This nuh real." / "This isn't real," I kept muttering, my voice dry and cracked as I stared into the mirror. "I dih inna a coma. Ah simulation dis. Dis cah be real."
I starved myself, refusing to eat any nutrient packs, convinced that any time soon I'd wake up.
By day nine there was fear. Full, bone-breaking fear.
What if I never wake up? What if this metal made world was MY new life? I screamed at the AI in her room.
I tried to smash the glass counter, but not even a scratch appeared. I threw up, cried some more, and curled up in a fetal position back on the floor.
Day twelve, I tried to end it. I took Ann's Electra-gun, staring out the glass window as I placed it to my head, hands shaking, watching the city I didn't recognize. I sobbed once again, this time for about an hour before dropping my hand. Uncannily, I didn't want to die, not yet, not again.
By the third week, I wasn't better, but functioning. Showering, eating and trying to find out more about Ann and her current era.
Turning towards the AI robot called Ali that stood at the corner of the room, from which I've recalled from Ann's memory, I questioned, "How many years ago was 2025?"
"2025 was 2,708 years ago, Master Ann." Ali's metallic voice rang.
"So I'm 2,708 years into the future?" I dejectedly spat.
Slumping down onto the floor I continued to question Ali in proper English to be understood. I questioned about what I'd learned from Ann's memories and what I felt were important to know.
I really wasn't worried about anyone coming to look for Ann because from her memories I knew that Ann had no friends and no longer needed to attend school since she graduated a few weeks back.
As for family and relatives, she had none. Ann was born through what old Eartheners would call IVF and artificial womb cultivation.
People like her were cultivated and grown to fight. That was their sole purpose.
And yeah, that's right, 'Old Eartheners.' Humans were still called humans, but they were now genetically different all due to the rise of installer technologies and scientific advances.
Nonetheless, thankfully when Ann was younger the war had ended, as it was when the five major forces were founded.
After the five national forces were formed and a peace treaty was made, the war was officially over and these artificially cultivated humans were able to retire and integrate into the real world. Most of them immigrated to the Empire Techno-State Zhao which was formed by other war born children and AI prophets.
Techno-State Zhao, officially known as the Technological State of Zhao, is one of the five major forces mainly led by Zhen's.
Zhen's are also known as AI prophets because of their installer robot like appearance that have the ability to predict major events such as disasters, wars, drought, prosperity, and death.
And now here I was, a teenager from the Caribbean, stuck in the body of a battle hardened soldier. Trapped in a world I didn't ask for. A world that, whether I liked it or not, had become my own
I couldn't keep hiding. I had to figure out what to do next.