When Ryan was dying in the car he knew waking up wasn't going to be pleasant. He just didn't think it would be this unpleasant. He was sitting upright in a dark room though he couldn't move or talk. It didn't even seem like he was breathing. His head still hurt though in different places it had before. This time it was mostly the scalp and forehead that hurt. He moved his tongue around his mouth happy to find no missing teeth, though they seemed to be shaped differently and he no longer had fillings in certain teeth.
Ryan closed his eyes and blinked as the light was turned on giving him a better sense of his surroundings. He seemed to be in the corner of a large basement. Though there was a strong scent of blood in the air. Ryan heard footsteps on old wooden stairs before seeing an old man in a blood covered trench coat appear before him.
"Ah... good... you're awake." The man approached Ryan and towered over him. It was clear to Ryan that he was at desk height somehow. "I just need to make a few observations before we continue," the man said as he traced his finger across Ryan's forehead. "Cauterization seems to have worked and the skull cap has successfully been fused back on, minimal indent scar will remain." He then placed two hands on the side of Ryan's head and lifted him up and tilted him back. "Life support apparatus functioning within reasonable limits, though reattachment is critical within a few hours." He placed Ryan back down on the desk this time face up as he began to play around with the device attached to the base of his neck.
It didn't take long for Ryan to realize he was currently just a head, though with his teeth feeling different he wasn't sure if it was his head.
"Ah... good... you're awake." The man approached Ryan and towered over him. It was clear to Ryan that he was at desk height somehow. "I just need to make a few observations before we continue," the man said as he traced his finger across Ryan's forehead. "Cauterization seems to have worked and the skull cap has successfully been fused back on, minimal indent scar will remain." He then placed two hands on the side of Ryan's head and lifted him up and tilted him back. "Life support apparatus functioning within reasonable limits, though reattachment is critical within a few hours." He placed Ryan back down on the desk this time face up as he began to play around with the device attached to the base of his neck.
It didn't take long for Ryan to realize he was currently just a head, though with his teeth feeling different he wasn't sure if it was his head.
"Neck is ready for reattachment awaiting on the body now," the man sat Ryan up again. He grabbed the side of the desk and wheeled him out the area he was on. "While you wait for your body, how about I put you with some familiar company, your girlfriend and her sister must be worried sick."
Ryan was happy to hear that Ester was here, though he wasn't sure if she was with Tammy or Ruby. He was with Tammy at the time of the car crash but Ruby was still a person. Though when the man opened the door to see them, he was horrified to see Ester was just a brain in a jar and Ruby was a head like him, only she was resting on a pole as she had no neck.
"Now that I have all three of you together allow me to explain your situation," the man said, as he stood between all three. "Yesterday you were all in a serious car accident. Conventional medicine would not save you. Fortunately I was the one who found you, unfortunately some of your parts are beyond repair. Ruby I was unable to save your neck, or your torso but your limbs are fully functional. Which is good for Ryan here. Ryan's body was completely destroyed in the crash, leaving only his brain intact, again it's fortunate for him Tammy's remained mostly intact except for the limbs. Poor Tammy though, he brain was badly damaged to a point she can no longer operate a human body but with some rewiring she's able to give basic yes and no responses. So to save your life Ryan I took Tammy's bad brain out of her head and put yours in it, Ruby's limbs will replace Tammy's broken ones and then I'll reattach you, making you whole again. Naturally I would've preferred Ruby in this as I understand what this means for you, however without her neck attachment is impossible and needless brain surgery is too risky. I'm sorry I couldn't do more but at least one of you will be made whole again."
The brain in the jar, which Ryan now realized was Tammy, had a red light and green light attached to a console and the red light began to flash repeatedly.
Ryan was happy to hear that Ester was here, though he wasn't sure if she was with Tammy or Ruby. He was with Tammy at the time of the car crash but Ruby was still a person. Though when the man opened the door to see them, he was horrified to see Ester was just a brain in a jar and Ruby was a head like him, only she was resting on a pole as she had no neck.
"Now that I have all three of you together allow me to explain your situation," the man said, as he stood between all three. "Yesterday you were all in a serious car accident. Conventional medicine would not save you. Fortunately I was the one who found you, unfortunately some of your parts are beyond repair. Ruby I was unable to save your neck, or your torso but your limbs are fully functional. Which is good for Ryan here. Ryan's body was completely destroyed in the crash, leaving only his brain intact, again it's fortunate for him Tammy's remained mostly intact except for the limbs. Poor Tammy though, he brain was badly damaged to a point she can no longer operate a human body but with some rewiring she's able to give basic yes and no responses. So to save your life Ryan I took Tammy's bad brain out of her head and put yours in it, Ruby's limbs will replace Tammy's broken ones and then I'll reattach you, making you whole again. Naturally I would've preferred Ruby in this as I understand what this means for you, however without her neck attachment is impossible and needless brain surgery is too risky. I'm sorry I couldn't do more but at least one of you will be made whole again."
The brain in the jar, which Ryan now realized was Tammy, had a red light and green light attached to a console and the red light began to flash repeatedly.
"I'm sorry Tammy there's nothing more I can do for you. Ruby on the other hand, I have found a body I can attach you too but you will not be able to talk."
Ryan wanted to say something about this whole situation but without lungs he couldn't use his voice box and Ruby didn't even have one. The only one of them that could talk at the moment was Tammy and she could only respond with green and red. The man left to continue with his work, leaving the three of them in silence until he was read to carry out his procedures.
Ruby and Ryan had been waiting for what seemed like forever when Tammy's lights began to flash out of control for a solid two minutes and then there was nothing. The man came in a short while later and examined Tammy's brain. "I guess the damage was too severe, she's gone I'm afraid. The good news is, Ruby's body is ready." The man carted Ruby and Tammy out of the room, leaving Ryan alone.
Ruby and Ryan had been waiting for what seemed like forever when Tammy's lights began to flash out of control for a solid two minutes and then there was nothing. The man came in a short while later and examined Tammy's brain. "I guess the damage was too severe, she's gone I'm afraid. The good news is, Ruby's body is ready." The man carted Ruby and Tammy out of the room, leaving Ryan alone.
It was another long wait before the man returned, this time holding a leash instead of a cart. Ryan's eyes opened wide as the man dragged in Ruby, who now had a dog's body. Ruby was making growling noises as she tried to talk. "Not too fast, girl there's so many tests I need to conduct. The oxygen flow to your head is completely different and the veins are different shapes and your brain needs to adjust to this new body."
As if on queue, Ruby's canine body gave out as she struggled to take in breathes. Ryan watched Ruby die for the second time, only this was a lot more slow. "That was to be expected, but I needed to conduct animal trials before trying the real thing. At least we know inter species head transplants are possible, if only for a short while. You should fair much better," the man picked up Ryan. "I mean it's been several hours in someone else's head and your still responsive, I have hopes for you and your procedure."
Ryan was walked down to a lab, while Ruby was left in the room. He saw Tammy's brain in the trash can as the man walked him in and the lab was scattered with other human remains, namely theirs. Ryan saw his body cut open on the table, with his organs missing as well as his head, still missing the top of the skull. Ruby's body was ripped open like it had been when she was killed yesterday, only now it was missing its limbs. Standing upright at the back of the room was Tammy's naked body, mostly intact, just it now had Ruby's arms from the shoulder down and her legs from the thighs, all that was missing now was a neck and head. The body was waiting for Ryan.
As if on queue, Ruby's canine body gave out as she struggled to take in breathes. Ryan watched Ruby die for the second time, only this was a lot more slow. "That was to be expected, but I needed to conduct animal trials before trying the real thing. At least we know inter species head transplants are possible, if only for a short while. You should fair much better," the man picked up Ryan. "I mean it's been several hours in someone else's head and your still responsive, I have hopes for you and your procedure."
Ryan was walked down to a lab, while Ruby was left in the room. He saw Tammy's brain in the trash can as the man walked him in and the lab was scattered with other human remains, namely theirs. Ryan saw his body cut open on the table, with his organs missing as well as his head, still missing the top of the skull. Ruby's body was ripped open like it had been when she was killed yesterday, only now it was missing its limbs. Standing upright at the back of the room was Tammy's naked body, mostly intact, just it now had Ruby's arms from the shoulder down and her legs from the thighs, all that was missing now was a neck and head. The body was waiting for Ryan.
"This will only kill you a bit," the man said as he removed the apparatus from the base of Ryan's neck, causing him to black out. He woke again a little while later to the smell of burnt skin and the feeling of a rapidly beating heart.
"Good, you're awake. I was afraid you weren't going to make it for a second there. Now can you move your toes and fingers?" Ryan tried to do as he was instructed. "Excellent, it works, and the fact that these aren't even the body's original limbs is truly remarkable. Now Ryan, it is crucial you stay as still as you can. The never endings and blood vessels in the neck are very week at the moment the slightest move in that area can upset them."
"I under..." Ryan responded with a weak voice before he began grasping for breath.
"A slight move like talking...." The man said annoyed. "I'll make a mental not to tell the next person that goes through this not to talk." Ryan struggled for breath and tried to reach up to his neck. "A shame too, I was so close."
"Good, you're awake. I was afraid you weren't going to make it for a second there. Now can you move your toes and fingers?" Ryan tried to do as he was instructed. "Excellent, it works, and the fact that these aren't even the body's original limbs is truly remarkable. Now Ryan, it is crucial you stay as still as you can. The never endings and blood vessels in the neck are very week at the moment the slightest move in that area can upset them."
"I under..." Ryan responded with a weak voice before he began grasping for breath.
"A slight move like talking...." The man said annoyed. "I'll make a mental not to tell the next person that goes through this not to talk." Ryan struggled for breath and tried to reach up to his neck. "A shame too, I was so close."