The Wedding’s Unveiling
I was thrilled when my best friend, Alex, told me he was getting married. He had found his dream girl, Vanessa, and I couldn’t wait to see him finally happy. The wedding day arrived, and as the bride started her walk down the aisle, the atmosphere was electric with joy and love. But as I watched Vanessa take each step, I couldn’t help but notice something… strange.
Her steps weren’t smooth. They were stiff, almost robotic. At first, I thought she might just be nervous, but as she got closer, it was clear something was off.
The train of her dress seemed to ripple unnaturally, and her movements looked… constrained. A few guests whispered about how Vanessa appeared to be “gliding,” their words laced with awe, but I wasn’t in awe. I was alarmed.When Vanessa reached the altar, she didn’t face Alex right away. Instead, she seemed to hesitate, standing completely still. That was the breaking point for me.
Driven by an overwhelming instinct, I stepped forward, my heart pounding. “Wait,” I said, my voice louder than intended. All eyes turned to me as I approached her.
“Jake, what are you doing?” Alex asked, his face twisted with confusion.
“I… I just need to check something,” I stammered.
I bent down, my hands trembling, and gently lifted the hem of Vanessa’s dress.
The room went silent.
Underneath the layers of white fabric, there were no legs—just cold, metallic joints and wires.
The bride wasn’t a woman. She was a robot.
The guests gasped in horror. Alex stumbled backward, his face pale. “What the hell is this?” he shouted, his voice cracking.
Vanessa—or whatever this thing was—didn’t respond. Instead, a soft whirring sound came from her chest as her head tilted slightly, almost mechanically.
A man from the back of the room stood up, his face panicked. “No! Stop! Don’t touch her!” he yelled, running toward the altar.
“Who are you?” I demanded, stepping in front of Alex protectively.
“I’m… I’m Dr. Carlson,” the man stammered. “I… I built her.”
The room erupted into chaos. People shouted, cried, and demanded answers. Alex grabbed Carlson by the collar. “You built her? What does that even mean? She’s supposed to be my wife!”Carlson’s eyes darted nervously. “She was never supposed to make it this far. She’s a prototype—a project. I didn’t think… I didn’t think she would…” He trailed off, realizing he had said too much.
“What are you talking about?” I pressed. “Why is she here?”
Carlson sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Vanessa… the real Vanessa, she… she passed away in an accident a year ago. Alex was devastated. He came to me, begging for help. He said he couldn’t live without her. So, I… I recreated her. But it was never meant to go this far.”
Alex’s face crumbled as the realization hit him. “You mean… she’s not real? Vanessa’s… gone?”
Carlson nodded slowly. “I’m sorry. I thought I was helping you. But she’s just a machine, Alex. She can’t replace her.”
Alex collapsed onto the steps of the altar, his head in his hands. The room was in shock, the fairytale wedding now a surreal nightmare.
As for me, I couldn’t shake the image of the wires and joints beneath the dress. It was a chilling reminder of how far technology could go—and how far grief could push someone to cling to the impossible.
The wedding ended in chaos, and Vanessa—or the robot—was quietly taken away. Alex disappeared for weeks, trying to process the truth.
In the end, I hoped this would be a wake-up call for all of us: some things, no matter how painful, can’t be recreated. And sometimes, letting go is the only way to move forward.Carlson’s eyes darted nervously. “She was never supposed to make it this far. She’s a prototype—a project. I didn’t think… I didn’t think she would…” He trailed off, realizing he had said too much.
“What are you talking about?” I pressed. “Why is she here?”
Carlson sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Vanessa… the real Vanessa, she… she passed away in an accident a year ago. Alex was devastated. He came to me, begging for help. He said he couldn’t live without her. So, I… I recreated her. But it was never meant to go this far.”
Alex’s face crumbled as the realization hit him. “You mean… she’s not real? Vanessa’s… gone?”
Carlson nodded slowly. “I’m sorry. I thought I was helping you. But she’s just a machine, Alex. She can’t replace her.”
Alex collapsed onto the steps of the altar, his head in his hands. The room was in shock, the fairytale wedding now a surreal nightmare.
As for me, I couldn’t shake the image of the wires and joints beneath the dress. It was a chilling reminder of how far technology could go—and how far grief could push someone to cling to the impossible.
The wedding ended in chaos, and Vanessa—or the robot—was quietly taken away. Alex disappeared for weeks, trying to process the truth.
In the end, I hoped this would be a wake-up call for all of us: some things, no matter how painful, can’t be recreated. And sometimes, letting go is the only way to move forward.