Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
Sunday. It took till Sunday for her to recover from the encounter. The communication device that had belonged to her host and now to her had been making noises most of the time, but Nora-Ceph had ignored it.
Now, she picked it up and checked the messages. Five were from the suitor. Ten from … Nora’s mother. One from an unknown number. Nora-Ceph touched the surface of the device and a hologram lit up, playing the message of the unknown number.
”I’m confirming your appointment for a psychological exam on Monday, 9 am. Please be on time.”
The hologram vanished again. How rude, they hadn’t even bothered to send her a personalized message. Nora-Ceph sighed, stopped walking around the room like a caged animal and sat down on the bed.
What now? She knew she couldn’t spend another whole day in this room, alone, doing nothing. But calling back her host’s … her mom? Or even the suitor ? No, that was out of the question. She couldn’t handle that kind of emotions at this moment.
But she needed to get out.
The decision started burning in her head, strong enough to force her to move. First to the shower, then to the wardrobe. Clothes, humans needed clothes. Such a weird concept, needing to maintain a constant body temperature but losing all protective fur during evolution …
Cephalopods didn’t have that problem, they were coldblooded and could adapt to even the coldest waters. Why develop clothes?
She chose some dark pants and a, hopefully matching, shirt. Black and red, her host’s memories helpfully informed her. Nora-Ceph didn’t have much of a concept of color, as Cephs were technically colorblind. They could differentiate between them, in most cases, but they were missing crucial visual pigments in their eyes. @suesa
After she finished dressing herself, she grabbed her keys, a coat, and her wallet and left the apartment. Her heart was beating quickly, too quickly, when she stepped out into the dim sunlight.
People were strolling along the streets, looking happy, chatting with each other. Open, friendly faces. Nora-Ceph stopped at a street corner to watch them pass by. Never had she been able to read so many emotions on a human’s face!
It had been a problem during the first experiments, they had not anticipated how complex a human’s brain really was - and how much several parts would be needed to not be revealed as a fraud. The amygdala was one such a part.
Facial recognition and the reading of emotions was incredibly different in humans and Cephs and in humans, a tiny portion of the brain was responsible to do that. The Cephs had been forced to carefully cut that portion out and fuse it with the newly implemented neurons, to guarantee a smooth adaption.
There had been several failures before they had finally perfected the method.
”Mam? Are you alright? You look a bit dazed.” A young woman had stopped next to Nora-Ceph, worry in her eyes.
”I’m … ”, Nora-Ceph cleared her throat, ”I’m fine. Just have been … a little sick the past few days. Now a little bit dizzy from going out again.”
”Oh, I see. I know that feeling.” The woman smiled. ”Can you manage or do you need any help?”
”I think I will manage, thank you.”
The woman left Nora-Ceph alone. Alone with her uncertainty of how to continue.
”I have a mission”, she whispered to herself. ”Adapt. Infiltrate. Overpower. Adapt. Infiltrate. Overpower. For the future generations.”
But to adapt, you need to know the territory you’re adapting to. All the little quirks and tripwires. The traps of social interactions. The men that suddenly pop up at your home uninvited …
Nora-Ceph didn’t want to repeat the Michael incident, but her host’s memories were not as reliably available as she had hoped. She couldn’t just try to open all memories at once, she needed to go through them bit by bit.
So she walked through the neighborhood, hoping to see something familiar.
”Morning Nora”, a man selling coffee out of a window called out in her direction. No, not just “a man”, Francis.
”Morning Francis!”, Nora-Ceph greeted back. ”How are … the kids? Did … Erica … win the dance competition?” The pauses were tiny, just enough to allow the memories to flood back. Francis and Nora had been something like friends. Erica was his daughter …
”She placed second and is very proud, you should come over next week, she’s eager to tell you all about it. Why are you here though? Don’t you usually go back to your family on the weekends?”
”Oh, I had some things to do on Luna 3 so I decided to stay this time.”
”Work stuff?”
”Work stuff.”
Francis shook his head.
”You’re working too much, Nora. They’re not paying you enough for this. Here, have a coffee on the house, you look like you need it.”
”Wow, Francis, what a compliment.”
Francis just laughed and handed her the hot drink. Nora-Ceph thanked him and kept on walking. One more memory. One more human relationship.
One step closer to taking over her host’s life.
Sources:
Octopus Cold Adaptation Surprises Scientists
Introduction to: Cephalopod Vision
The role of the amygdala in face perception and evaluation
Picture taken from pixabay.com
What narration! Brilliant. It's seriously is brilliantly portrayed. One's loneliness,sad state of affairs to get grip on human emotions like this needs a lot of character. The potrayal of adverse grief and pain is so immaculate. It's such an demanding phase in life when you go through nightmares every now & then. I like that part when she stopped for a while and started to have a look at Street full of running people, feeling that energy,those emotions on different faces of people. Its so true when you are down and out, we all actually tend to this A happy smiling face makes your day sometimes, and you get that hope. Damn I can be happy too, I can smile too :)
She's an octopus who replaced a human's brain.
Read you earlier parts too :)
Amazing fiction
It's jus that line got so connected with the real emotions too
Oh okay ^^ As you might see, most comments on here didn't even read this post.
This was my first read of your posts. I than had a look that It has got few earlier parts too
When you think they are actually leaving a comment but in fact they're just a spammer
Ok, You got me interested. I'm gonna have to bookmark this and go back to read the entire series. But I love what I am reading thus far, just feel a bit lost because I'm starting from here. LOL. Thank you for sharing your talent! :D
Long time @suesa
You might not remember me though. We had a little chat on your "random" account.
This story is very captivating. I could imagine it clearly. Have you ever thought about making it a movie?
Hey :)
"Making something a movie" always sounds easier than it is ^^ But to be honest, if I could turn something into a movie it would be my "Lost-AIOA-Mars-Numb-Awake-Dystopia" series, as it's by far the one I put the most work in.
I should also find a better name for it.
That would be nice
Took you long enough to give us a part 5.
The way you fuse scientific facts of present time cephalopods with future time cephs to create a good narrative is just amazing.
Nora-Ceph is blending in, slow as it look. Am waiting for her first shave with being discovered. Also i can't wait till she starts her infiltrating mission. Would make for good clandenstine read :)
As always, it was an interesting read.
It was a very busy week, first the CERN meetup, then I had to finish writing a lab report... I need to be in a specific state of mind to write fiction ^^'
Had to google that up. Scientific research, hope it was worth your time. I should think you met great people, like minds ;) . Welcome back :D
This i can totally relate to, i have had the block for days :(
wah .. long time waits for the continuation of this series. Dear madam @suesa, what exactly happened to the real Nora or in this story the nora's host?
Does she became experimental material?
i am sorry for asking this, but i am curious
Technically, the real Nora is dead now.
I am sorry to hear that ..
Up to this point it goes well, but I would like to make an observation if you allow me, I don't know if you already did it in the following chapters but you should vary the scenarios, so far everything revolves around Nora-ceph, but things should be happening in other places, things that you could introduce to give more dynamism to the story, well is just a suggestion, maybe I'm not so good at this. I move on to the next one
Switching point of view works well in books, it's tricky with a blog-based story. You read all parts after another, but people were waiting days to weeks for a new part, which gives a different reader experience. But I see your point!
Adapt. Infiltrate. Overpower. Adapt. Infiltrate. Overpower.
What kind of dancing Erica does?
Was thinking of ballet
Glued because ...
One step closer to taking over her host’s life.
This is damn riveting :)
Excellent writing. I am totally hooked on this series. Can't wait the next installment.
SUESA, I like your stories very much. I really appreciate your talent in fiction. I can not share my writings with you because my English is bad. I'd like to. Let's continue reading for now :)
respects. See you
The stories are great and interesting.
there is an excellent case analysis besides a simple event fiction. it is really beautiful
life is good.
Great writing dear. But why bother wearing colourful clothes or having those if you are colour blind. Like there is a history of Francis and Nora Ceph. Anyways keep posting. Thanks @suesa
Wow... I found this to be so fascinating and mind blowing...
You have my upvote
Nice fiction, share more #story like these, thanks for sharing previous series too. 😊😊😊
having the skills in writing is not owned by many people, i can not write like you and i just saw this post and i want to write an experience about experiman and i need a teacher to be like you, do not want to keep waiting because this is not good for me , thanks for @suesa I will learn from your writing
beautiful writeup
Wow.....nice and interesting story...you made my
Day....next please
This is really interesting..
But I don't understand it completely, as I haven't read the parts before.
I will have to read them when I have time..
Anyways brilliant creativity
Hata ati na yiwan kehin samajh aeme chu lekhmut khabar kya.... Agar is ko content related comment nahi karoge ye flag karegi, is liye is ko sambhaal k comments Kiya Karo mere bhai
found more awesome ways to love life with best and well prepared methods. thanks mate @suesa for your nice guides about life, helath and living styles.
Now on this part u chosse life with help of technology what a combination. as a writer i admire your creative skills. thanks again with your efforts.
What are you talking about?
Best fetish on steem by far.
What? "Fetish"?
The fusion of tentacle and mind-control. It's like the sweet fusion of jazz and jungle.
I did't have read earlier part but i am sure they are also great contet like this post having good narration and flow.
Thanks for sharinh
Your posts are top in dexterity, coordination and organization as well as the importance of the article and I am very happy to be present on all your posts and I hope to accept this thank you
Believe me I read each and everything of your post and I guess the wording used in the post is somewhat difficult to understand may be its not difficult for the people of Germany or the people who have English as their native language, but for we Indian people it is really hard to understand, so it is better to not comment on the content as It is possible my words might make a wrong sense,,,,,,,, I have read your previous posts but the words in those posts were little easy to understand than this one......
@suesa, great work. Jah bless you. Looking forward to see more suesa stories. 🙋🙋🙋🙋
@suesa, you got me interested in your story. 🔰🔰🔰
Hai @suesa Iam @aryatituti from aceh Indonesia
This is my first reading of your post. I am more than seeing that it has represented some parts of the previous story and I really like your imagination
Thanks for sharing experience..
I love it
Nice post baby, I enjoyed your story. always be happy at ever opportunity. Continue post your post in steemit.
Please don't call me "baby", that's super disrespectful
Ups, I'm Sorry. Best regard my friend
Hello @suesa, I tried to understand but I think I should read it from 1st part. I shall check it out later surely. seems interesting!
I always get bored going through stories, but think this is nice...my first story reading. Maybe will go and start from the first series, but not today, but might be today...
Nice work 👏👏
@suesa
i am inspire about him from your post.
thank you for your post.
Great writing & also thanks for sharing....
You read 1000 words in 2 minutes? Under 2 minutes? Impressive.
Hahahahaha I can't stop laughing. Get rich quick minded dudes.
Love is risk, so, all other elations, but w take all our chances. :-) thats life.
How does this relate to my post (also: congrats on reading 1000 words in 2 minutes!)
Hahahahaha, totally out of point comment
All the time. People read the title and think they know what the post is about. And then expose themselves as dumbass.
It's passes a wrong notion about them, while you are about making comment and trying to get noticed, it's appropriate you read the content and make a comment related to what was being posted. Can't be jumping bandwagon and leaving senseless comments on post.
Ahaha... lol. The guy probably just came straight to the comment section. Lol
One doesn't think about the consequences of love, it just happens, its in no ones control.
nice, I like it, keep the ggood work
most beautiful love 😀
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