News From Poughkeepsie – Day 151
Before we get to this week’s theme, I would like to point out that David Nial Wilson wrote his own prompt to last week’s theme of the complications of three wishes. Feel free to write your own, should you feel so inspired.
And what better inspiration than cybernetics? The very melding of man and machine! The idea of robotic prosthetics, of replacement parts that cannot only do what your original bit could do, but more. Stronger, or faster, or merely with little blinking lights. The possibilities are fascinating.
Cyborg Parts
Hana’s hands are made of steel
Her hamster’s small and furry
One day when Hana squeezed to hard
And made hamster curry!
That schoolyard taunt fallowed Hana like the smell of motor oil from her cybernetic hands. A piano prodigy, her parents spared no expense to get her to be able to play again after the car accident. Her hands whirred and clanked, but they had the dexterity to tackle Rachmaninoff. They were also capable of crushing a hamster, as Hana unwittingly found out in front of the entire 4th grade.
Hana would let her hands touch anything living after that. Not the new hamster her parents got to replace the old one, not even her parents. Only the cold ivory of the piano keys…
About the Author: 
Jessika | Jan 13, 2010 | Reply
(I’m @mrpunkjess on twitter)This is my first ever prompt from NFP. Didn’t really edit much, so it’s rough, but here it is!
“He’s waking up,” Wilhelm heard as he opened his eyes. He instinctively reached toward his head, and felt someone pull his hand away.
“Don’t touch it yet, Mr Ellis. We’ll be bringing you into the recovery room in just a moment where you’ll be shown how to work your new implant,” the young nurse smiled.
He certainly didn’t feel different, and didn’t feel any pain. This surgery was a much experience than having emergency appendix surgery when he was in college.
The door to his right opened and he heard the voice of his doctor call out.
“Send him in, we’re ready!”
Wilhelm stood and walked through the open door into the recovery room. His doctor was standing next to a chair, a long cable in her hand.
“Sit, Mr Ellis, and take this,” Dr Draper said, extending the cable towards him.
He looked at the connector at the end of the cable and felt his implant for the first time. His heart quickened as he began to realize just what he would have to do.
“Take it,” she said again, her voice growing impatient.
Wilhelm took the cable as he sat down and tried to connect the end to his implant. After a moment he felt the two click into place, and turned to look at his doctor.
“I’ll start the introduction program. It will teach you all you need to know,” she walked over to a computer and pressed a few buttons.
“Will I get to learn Kung Fu?” Wilhelm joked. “You know, like in The Matrix?”
She sighed. That same old joke never goes away. “Only if you survive.” She smiled as she pushed a button, sending the training program directly into his brain. His eyes widened with fear before they closed, a sight Dr Draper took amusement in seeing. Scaring new recruits never gets old.