Weight of a Dream: Eternal Future

1.7 The Future you spoke of

Having memorialized the ship's layout Fran fastens their gaze towards where they came, to where the Dr. is. Fran broke into a breakneck pace, concentrating solely on getting back to Dr. Tylor. The crimson speck was leaving a small bloody imprint on Fran's shoulder, they couldn't ignore it any longer. Fran kept their pace and swatted at the "Weird bug"; it stayed still and Fran wiped the blood away, staining the perfect white floor. "Mall." Fran finally thinks "Do they have something to do with why I'm in this body?". As a consequence of that thought, Fran is jolted by sharp pain, almost causing them to trip. "I never asked to be put in this body!" Encouraged by their rage "I hate this, it hurts!". Fran gets closer and approaches the dimly lit rooms and enters the room.

Fran scans the room, the Dr not having moved an inch is sitting waiting for Fran. "Hey took you long enough" Fran shaken by their thoughts gets to the bench and sits with Dr. Tylor. Fran looks at him fondly. "All right let's start". As Dr. Tylor opens the book and begins reading the pain slowly resides within Fran. The Dr. reads page after page never breaking the story's flow Fran is fascinated with the story imagining the world, and living it! "Chapter 2 The Depth of your Eyes, Hey Fran want to read this next one?" Dr. Tylor glowing in excitement. Fran is snapped out of their immersion and looks to the Dr., and sheepishly nods their head. They read "iu-i w-ww-uu-us-s" Fran immediately pauses and looks at the floor "such a disgusting voice" Fran thinks, while their body is spiked with a soaring pain. "it's ok we can read it together remember" says Dr. Tylor, He says getting closer to Fran "I was" "eyy-eye wwah-wass" "good let's keep going". "I was still trying to find a home" "I-eye! w-wuu-ss st-st-i-ill ttt-t-reye-ng t-ouu ph-f-eye-n-nd a h-h-oo-m" Fran stuttering and slurring their words, Fran found themself in agony their worthlessness laid bare. "Hey" the Dr. said softly "no one else is here, and we have all the time in the universe to keep trying". Fran felt a change in their very core, but they were unable to comprehend its meaning at this moment. Fran was able to smile if only just a little. Dr. Tylor didn't notice.

There was something Fran needed to do.

Doctor Tylor continued reading, and Fran followed after him. That day Fran and the Dr. only got through chapter 2, but of course, they would meet every other day and read through each chapter together. With each new chapter Fran's speech improved and at the end of each chapter, the Dr. would leap with joy encouraging Fran.