“And the nervous system transfer is the first of its kind; we’re unsure of the recovery time as of now. This patient is predicted to wake up in a few weeks. Their nervous system has almost fully integrated with the body and bloodstream,” Dr. Petrov announced in a thick Eastern European accent to a cluster of eager medical students, hanging on every word. He continued, “This patient, previously named… no, currently named Frederick, was involved in a horrific oil fire on one of our offshore rigs. The crew that recovered him couldn’t distinguish where his body started and where it ended—a pile of charred flesh.” Removing his glasses, he rubbed his temples. “Tragic, indeed, but that’s precisely why you’re here—to learn to perform miracles like this.”
Unbeknownst to the doctor, Frederick’s recovery was progressing far quicker than anticipated. Though he lacked any memory of the events described, Frederick absorbed every word. If what the doctor said was accurate, he was now someone else entirely—a thought both terrifying and fascinating. “Frederick? Some guy named Frederick is now in THAT body?” a student asked, a mix of curiosity and disbelief in his voice. Should he feel insulted? Yes, his name was Frederick, but what of it? “Yes, the gender of the individual is irrelevant in such cases. This person was fortunate to find any suitable body. Being a woman should be the least of his concerns when he awakens,” Dr. Petrov responded clinically. If Frederick could have opened his eyes, they would have widened in shock. Did the doctor just call him a woman?
The heart monitor beside the bed began to beep rapidly as Frederick twitched a finger, then another. The room fell silent, all eyes on the supposedly lifeless body showing signs of consciousness. “None of the previous patients have shown any signs of conscious life to date. This is… this is remarkable!” Dr. Petrov exclaimed, his usual composure slipping. Nurses rushed over as Frederick’s vitals spiked. What was he to feel? He realized he wasn’t just frail from lying in a hospital bed; he had to be much smaller now that he was a woman. The long hair creeping down his neck was so obvious now. The shock was indescribable.
Struggling against the paralysis that still gripped him, Frederick mustered every ounce of strength to pry his eyes open. The light that greeted him was blindingly harsh, but he managed a slight, blurry view. He heard the nurses gasp in astonishment. He was alive.
