Queeneth's vision blurred.
It wasn't like logging into a profile or opening an app. It was deeper—like stepping into someone else's soul.
She found herself standing in a memory that wasn't hers.
Rain fell in slow-motion droplets, each one reflecting snippets of a life lived online. The sky was dark with trending topics, hashtags flashing like storm clouds. And at the center of it all stood a woman with sharp eyes and a voice full of quiet fire.
Lina Voss.
"You brought me here," Lina said, not turning around. "Why?"
Queeneth stepped forward carefully. "You're stuck. I want to help you come back."
Lina laughed bitterly. "Back where? My old life is gone. My followers moved on. My brand collapsed while I was trapped inside your feed."
"This isn't about your brand," Queeneth said softly. "It's about *you*."
Lina finally turned to face her. "And what if I don't know who that is anymore?"
Queeneth hesitated.
Then she reached out her hand.
"I'll help you remember."
---
### *Fragment Retrieval – Lina Voss*
The world around them shifted.
They were no longer in the stormy digital skyline but inside a memory—a small apartment filled with glowing screens, blinking lights, and the hum of drones capturing every angle of Lina's life.
She sat alone at a desk, typing furiously.
> **[Live Stream Offline]**
> **Current Viewers: 0**
She stared at the camera for a long moment before whispering to herself:
"I'm losing myself."
Queeneth watched as Lina deleted a post—an honest, vulnerable message about burnout and identity loss.
Instead, she uploaded something else.
A filtered selfie.
A catchy caption.
More likes.
More comments.
But no truth.
Queeneth felt a pang in her chest.
This was familiar.
Too familiar.
"She did this too," Mira's voice whispered through the system. "Just like you."
Queeneth swallowed hard. "I didn't know."
"You weren't supposed to," Lina said from beside her. "That's the whole point."
Queeneth looked at her. "You wanted to be real. But you were afraid people wouldn't watch if you were."
Lina nodded. "So I built a version of me they'd love. And then I got lost in it."
Queeneth closed her eyes. "I understand now."
"Do you?" Lina asked. "Because I think you finally do."
Queeneth opened her eyes—and the memory began to dissolve.
Lina looked at her one last time.
"Take me home."
---
Queeneth gasped as she jolted upright in her chair.
Ned was beside her instantly.
"Are you okay?" he asked, gripping her hand.
She nodded, breathless. "I saw her. I saw *us*. We weren't so different."
He kissed her forehead gently. "You're bringing them back."
She shook her head. "No. They're bringing *me* back."
A soft chime came from the terminal.
**[Memory Bridge Complete – User Lina Voss Stabilized]**
**Status: Conscious | Identity Reintegration Successful**
Queeneth smiled.
Then she looked at the list again.
There were still 46 more echoes waiting.
She took a deep breath.
And selected the next name.