160 : Testament, Your Heart Is Right Here... Today

Elara’s digital image flickered, a glitch of sorrow crossing her face. She leaned in, pressing her transparent forehead against his. In the code-space of his mind, he felt a phantom warmth.

Kaelen sat on the edge of a rusted fire escape, his cybernetic hand twitching in rhythm with a failing streetlamp. In his other hand, he held a "Testament"—a small, crystal drive containing the digitized consciousness of those who couldn’t afford a body in the physical world. This one belonged to Elara. 160 : Testament, Your Heart is Right Here...

"The scanners were heavy near the docks," Kaelen whispered, leaning his head back against the cold brick. Elara’s digital image flickered, a glitch of sorrow

"I’m running out of credits, Elara," he admitted, his voice cracking. "The corporate bastards are raising the hosting fees for the Testament drives. I don’t know if I can keep you online another month." Kaelen sat on the edge of a rusted

She smiled, a sad, beautiful expression that defied the binary code she was made of. She took his mechanical hand and placed it firmly over his own chest, where his organic heart still beat a steady, stubborn rhythm beneath the chrome.