Prologue.

Alisa's eyelashes separated with a flutter. A powerful white light shined in front of her eyes as she tried to focus her sight, but her eyelids were too heavy to finish opening. The room darkened.

-The cerebral cortex is loaded-said a man whose deep voice had a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction.

-Can she hear us?-a woman asked.

-She can hear us, see us, understand us and identify more than four hundred objects-he said-. If we keep on introducing information into her brain, in two weeks she'll have the intelligence and physical abilities of a typical teenager-he paused-. Well, maybe a little bit smarter than usual. But she'll have fifteen years.

-Oh, Vladimir, I'm having the happiest moment of my life-the woman sobbed-. She's perfect!

-I know-he sobbed too-. Daddy's perfect girl.

One after another, they kissed Alisa's forehead. He smelled like chemical products; her, like fresh flowers. Together they gave an aroma of tenderness.

Alisa tried to open her eyes again. This time, she barely blinked.

-She blinked!-said the woman- She's trying to see us! Alisa, I'm Irina, I'm your mother, Can you see me?

-No, she can't-answered Vladimir.

Alisa's body tensed as she heard those words. How could anyone determinate what was she able to do? It maked no sense.

-Why not?-her mother asked.

-The battery it's low. She needs a recharge.

-Then recharge her!

''Yes! Recharge me! Recharge me!''

More than anything, Alisa wanted to see those four houndred objects. She wanted to examine her parent's faces while they were describing the objects with kind voices. She wanted to come to life and explore the world where she was born. But she couldn't move.

-I can't recharge her until the pieces got sticked-her father explained.

Irina started to cry. This time, her tears weren't for happiness.

-Relax, dear-Vladimir said-. A few more hours, and she will be fully stabilized.

-It's not for that-Irina said.

-Then, Why?

-She's so beautiful, with so much potential and...-she sobbed again- It breaks my heart that she'll have to live... you know... like that.

-And what's wrong with that?-Vladimir replied. But something in his voice betrayed that he knew the answer.

Irina giggled.

-You're kidding me, Right?

-Irina, things won't ever be like that-he said-. Times will change. You'll see.

-How? Who's going to change them?

-I don't know. Someone will do it... finally.

-Well, I hope that we'll be here to see it-she said with a sigh.

-We'll be-Vladimir said-. We, the Bosconovitch, often live many years.

Irina giggled softly.

Alisa wanted to know what was wrong with those ''times'', but asking the question was unthinkable, because her battery was very low. Slowly, Alisa sinked into darkness and she stopped hearing her parents.