Resonance

One

Sadness, silence, and a stiff atmosphere filled the makeshift meeting room in the old recording studio. Songs used to be sung here, instruments played, happy memories. Now it is merely just a room with those same people as strangers, one in particular missing. Each stranger sitting in their respective seats, one up and pacing as usual. Flushed cheeks, running his hands through his hair, fiddling with the buttons on the wrists of his shirt. Frankly, Ryan was a mess.

"Ryan, can you sit down? You are making this more uncomfortable than it already is." Lily scoffs in the direction of the disheveled man, making sure to look him directly in the eyes.

"Oh shove off Lily. We all react to stress in our own ways, nothing about this meeting is normal for any of us." Alex says with his eyes locked on the door, awaiting on their manager, and possibly the one member they believed to never be walking through that door again.

"Alex, Alex, perfect little drummer boy. The kindest soul of the band, what would we do without you to act like our parents?" Lily scoffs at the drummer.

"Going to write this part into your book? Make sure to include this." She gives him the middle finger with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Hey! Writing is how I am making a living now, I have a family to support. Unlike any of you guys, I have people counting on me!" An argument ensues just as the door creaks open.

"Talk about an entrance!" Sarah looks between each member.

"Long time no see." She smiles. Ready to get back into the highlight of career and relive the days where her bank account was more... sizeable, she begins the aforementioned meeting.

"Now I know you are all shocked and have seen the talk show I was on announcing the reunion last week, but you can see now why I didn't tell any of you beforehand. I knew you'd all be shaken with the return of our dear long lost Emily. I found it hard to see her again too." The mood in the room shifts from anger towards each other to their shared grief of Emily, she really was the glue of the band. Holding each one of them together, or apart in the instance of a pointless fight like the one present. She was always ready to step in and be the shoulder to cry on, get advice from, or even if you just needed a hug.

"You didn't even think to give us a heads up? I wouldn't have agreed to do this if I knew. I can't do this, I just can't." Ryan sighs out, his decade of sorrow and torment flooding back to him. If he hadn't been sober for so long there is no doubt in his mind he would be back on the addiction train tomorrow. Seeing your girlfriend brought back to life is not an easy event to think of, never mind an event you have to live out. What will their situation be like? This AI robot thing is not Emily. Will it pretend to remember him? Steal her bubbly personality? Her look? How can someone do this to him? Was this his karma? Having to live out this life with this thing taunting his life's wrongs.

"That is exactly why I didn't tell any of you! Nobody would have agreed and this is such an amazing opportunity. We can be a band again, a family." Sarah looks hopeful, glancing towards Ethan fishing for someone to step in and take her side but he stays silent. It isn't like it used to be. Dynamics shifted, people left. As far as Ethan was concerned the band died with Emily that night.

"Would you guys like to meet her?" Sarah asks them hopefully. Silence.

"We were able to give her Emily's memories. She learns daily, been in the works for a few months. You can barely tell the difference. She smells, feels, looks, sings just like the real Em."

"No. That thing is not Emily." Ryan quickly buts in.

Ethan looks as if he is going to burst into tears as he muffles out his response.