Chapter 1

Every night, I have the same dream. TV static. Mumbled voices of journalists, covering stories about aliens. Another crazy person plastered on the fake news columns meant to keep us entertained. Bright lights. Then, I'm awake again. It's the only dream I am capable of having anymore. With each passing day, my memories blur, and the line between reality and dream blurs further, leaving me uncertain which is truly my waking state.

 I miss home. I run my fingers over my head. Sweat sits where my long brown hair used to be. They've been studying us for millions of years. Earth 927 is what they call our planet. Well, we believed it was our planet. We are the 927th Earth that the Nexiliths created.

 For many human years, the Nexiliths lost track of our Earth. It wasn't until the Mesozoic Era, over 230 million years ago, that they rediscovered our lost planet. However, they deemed our Earth to have reached its peak and departed once more. Our planet had drifted into a sector of the universe difficult for them to access, what we call the Milky Way. Despite their advanced capabilities, they encountered minor inconveniences like navigating through asteroid fields and meteor showers, which they considered beneath their notice. A new generation of Nexiliths yearned for the insights that Earth 927 could offer. After years of curiosity, they returned to usher in the Ice Age. They struggle to comprehend how we endured and continued to evolve through such harsh conditions.

 The other Earths have birthed creatures vastly different from ours. We are fragile, yet we still survive. The other Earths' inhabitants bear no resemblance to humans and lack the evolutionary trajectory our species has taken. Additionally, they lack the seasonal changes we experience. The Nexiliths, driven by curiosity, seek evolution. Their desire led them to establish a permanent base in the Western Pacific Ocean. For millions of years, they have observed us.

 They make numerous attempts to integrate into society, hoping to grasp why we are as we are. Humans are wary of embracing a new species, having resisted the unfamiliar throughout our history. Each effort at communication has been met with rejection. Our species has evolved languages at a pace beyond the Nexiliths' understanding. Unlike us, the inhabitants of other Earths have maintained a unified language and survival structure.

 The Nexiliths believe humans are like rats. They don't particularly like us, but we have intrigued them. Their recent efforts to assimilate among us have turned aggressive. I am among the thousands brought here for study in controlled settings.

 Communication among us is made difficult by the multitude of languages spoken here, a phenomenon that piques the interest of the Nexiliths. As one of the subjects tasked with communication studies, I have experienced seven distinct environments thus far. Although varied, they share a common objective: to explore how individuals navigate survival amidst communication barriers. Unlike us, for whom death holds significance, it seems inconsequential to the Nexiliths. Genetically identical, they exhibit no hierarchy or distinctions, functioning collectively akin to the arms of an octopus — one brain with myriad extensions. They have the ability to shape shift, although there is always something lacking. Something not quite right. This is one of the things they aim to perfect through studying us.

 I know today is another live study day. Our heads are always lasered during live study. They fail to comprehend our need for gender distinctions. Unlike creatures on other Earths, most beings on our planet have differentiated into genders. The laser treatment they administer is painless, yet it permanently damages the hair follicles, leading to permanent hair loss. While similar procedures exist on Earth, none rival the precision of the Nexiliths. It's challenging to distinguish between men and women in this environment, putting women at risk when left in Simulation City.

 Simulation City serves as another controlled experiment, exploring how we coexist when under the illusion of free will. It mirrors their perspective of our societies on Earth but on a smaller scale. They struggle to comprehend why males exhibit greater violence compared to females, why competition prevails over cooperation for survival, and why we form smaller groups and societies. Every aspect of human behavior captivates their interest.

 They possess the knowledge to sustain our well-being and ensure our comfort. Within our cells, we find all necessities for health and enrichment, with constraints. They have translated their language into ours, facilitating our study of other Earths and Nexilith history. Compared to live study sessions, a day in my cell is preferable.

 Today's live study brings us back to Simulation City. Within this environment, the Nexiliths possess the ability to manipulate time. What may feel like days or weeks to us typically amounts to only an hour of Earth time. As I hear the locks of the cell door disengage, my stomach tightens with anticipation. No matter how often I encounter the Nexiliths, their appearance never fails to unsettle me. They seamlessly transition between bipedal and quadrupedal stances, their slightly translucent skin allowing glimpses of their inner workings. They have no eyes; these creatures rely on the natural magnetic fields within their bodies to perceive their surroundings. They lack a mouth as well. Instead, where one might expect hands and feet, thousands of minuscule orifices dot their appendages, absorbing atoms and transforming them into energy. Despite their alien appearance, some strive to emulate human features as part of the experiment. The Nexilith stationed outside my cell today bears a strikingly human resemblance, a testament to their evolving mastery of disguise.

 It sounds just like me when it speaks to me. It appears that they lack the ability to develop their own distinct voice or accent. They believe that adopting our vocal patterns enhances our comfort in their presence, thereby ensuring greater accuracy in the experiment outcomes.

 "Human 940, identify yourself."

 I sigh, expelling the breath I was holding. "I am Human 940. Earth name Eva De Vries. North America."

 "Human 940, please exit the cell and enter the holding chamber."

 The holding chamber is where we wait for entrance to Simulation City.