He had found it on an obscure, text-only forum. The thread was simply titled “For those who feel the clock ticking.” The anonymous poster claimed that the file contained a highly advanced, experimental neural algorithm capable of archiving a person's consciousness and simulating a "perfected" version of their reality.

At 99%, the progress bar froze. Arthur leaned in, his heart beating a little faster against his ribs.

A progress bar appeared, crawling slowly across the screen. 10%... 35%... 67%. With every percent, the hum of his computer tower grew louder, echoing in the quiet suburban house. The room seemed to grow colder.