There was a bright light. It took my eyes a second to adjust and focus.

“There’s two of you,” I marveled blinking.

The man and woman glanced at one another. The woman spoke first.

“Do you know where you are?”

I looked around. Everything in the room was a pastel white including their clothes.

“Am I in heaven?” I asked.

“You’re in a hospital.” The man answered. “I’m doctor Franken… This is doctor Stein,” he said gesturing to the woman.

“The Princeton Hospital?” I mumbled, exhaling disappointment. He nodded and asked for my name.

“Albert… professor… professor Albert Einstein,” I said stumbling my words. They smiled. I waited for them to ask but they didn’t. There was silence. A full awkward minute passed and still no one spoke. They waited a bit longer hoping I would say something but I said nothing. Now was not the time to delve into theories.

“Do you know the year professor? Doctor Franken asked.

“I’m sorry, I don’t.” I replied. “I can only assume sometime in the future,” I added.

“And what makes you say this?” Doctor Stein’s eyes widened.

“Your clothes,” I answered.

“The year is 2039,” she replied approvingly. Both were now grinning like wild hyenas.

“I’ve been asleep for 84 years?” I asked.

“Well… not exactly,” Doctor Franken said.

“I need some water. Could I have some please?” I interrupted fearing what the doctor was hesitant to say. Doctor Stein took out a clear, gelatin ball out of her pocket and placed it in my hand.

“You can swallow it whole or you can bite into it and suck the water out,” she said.

I gave it a gentle squeeze and quickly let go letting the ball drop to the floor. There was a pop and a splash.

“What have you done?” The hand with which I squeezed the ball was not my own and yet somehow it was. “What have you done?” I demanded to know but they just stood, staring back morbidly silent.

“We’ve given you a second life,” Doctor Franken spoke up.

“Life? A second life? What happened to my first?” I yelled unable to control the magnitude of my emotions. A feeling of having been violated fueling my anger.

“Your body… it died… you died,” Doctor Stein said uncomfortably.

“My body?” I asked. Trembling I reached and flung the white sheet hiding the body underneath. I gasped and burrowed my face in what were now my hands. It only took a moment to realize.

“My face! Whose face is this?” I screamed out. The machine next to the bed began going off like an air siren.

“It’s your face now,” calmly replied doctor Franken as he reached out and silenced the machine with a touch of a button.

“What have you done to me? You’ve made a monster out of me!” I screamed louder.

“On the contrary professor. We’ve given you the gift of a youthful life,” said doctor Stein forcing a grin, her expression that of a mad scientist accomplishing the impossible with complete disregard for human and natural law.

“What happened to my face?” I asked.

Doctor Franken hesitated before answering. “We could only save your mind…your family had your body cremated.”

I sighed. “What do I do now?” I asked.

“You live professor,” said doctor Franken.

“You live,” parroted doctor Stein.

I nodded. This was my second chance to finish what I started.

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