. . .

Closer

Then, the blackness was broken by a flash of light. White noise blared in both ears, then faded to the roar of the surf. The water developed in front of him, pixelated at first, then sharpening. After a few moments, he could barely tell it from the view through the window at home. A short time after that, it was indistinguishable, and he stood on the beach out front, with the wind gently riffling his hair.

Not bad for a beginning, but the public wanted more than attractive scenery. They wanted interaction, and that was the purpose of the test. Should the people created live up to expectations, it would be ready to unveil to the public. Terry turned around expectingly.

A shape was appearing before him, only vaguely humanshaped at first, then rapidly developing features. Like the landscaping, it took time to fully fill in, but when it was complete, a woman, complete in every feature, stood before him, her eyes closed. She stood statuelike briefly, then abruptly started breathing and opened her eyes. Lovely, perfect in every feature. Clothed appropriately for the setting in a two-piece bikini.

"What's your name, girl?"

"Eve."

Someone in R&D had a miserable sense of humor, clearly.

"Turn around."

Unquestioningly, Eve rotated. By this time, the simulation was ready for him, and her backside twirled by without any difficulty. "Stop there," Terry told her when she faced him once more. She stopped and regarded him.

"Excellent," he told her. "Now begin the personality simulation."

Eve jerked, as if struck by lightening. Her eyes widened. Then, relaxation, and she stood before him with a new awareness in her eyes. She walked towards him, slowly, seductively. "Hey, big boy. Are you as big underneath those pants as you look?"

Terry backed away slightly. At this sign of rejection, Eve stopped and pouted. "What's the matter? Don't you like what you see? I can give you a better view, if you'd like." She pulled the ties on her suit, and the top, then the bottom, fell to the sand. Her walk toward him resumed, this time letting her hips sway to full effect. Her breasts bounced slightly with every step. When she was a few paces away, she jumped on him and wrestled him to the sand, kissing him passionately. She was much stronger than she looked, and Terry's clothes soon joined hers. Terry struggled to no avail. At last, he surrendered to her insatiable demands.

When it seemed that he could take no longer, there was another sudden flash of light, and he was looking at darkness again. The helmet was lifted off his forehead, and his researchers stood around him, waiting for his verdict.

"The visuals are great, guys, but you really need to work on the personality. It's just too lifelike. We want an escape, not a faithful depiction of reality. Sorry."

There came a pounding on the door. The hideout had been discovered...