"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others, past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future."
"Wake up Sonmi, your life is calling you."
Sonmi 451 that is what they call her, which is the name that was giving to her when they first woke her up a year ago. They told her what to wear and how to think. Not once did they ever ask her questions like what do you want or dream to be, for she has been created for one reason, to serve in Papa Songs restaurant. With nothing more than a slightly hard slab they called a bed to sleep on she's content because they tell her she is to be so.
The blue print of her daily life is to wake up by stimuli and serve and greet the mindless drones called consumers. The consumers do not treat her nor her sisters like they are people because of the world she lives she is a fabricant. She has been taught that she is and all her sisters are different, less than human because they are not born, but genetically grown in a tank. Putting the consumers out of her head is the only thing that gives her the strength to smile and be what Seer Rhee wants, which is to serve and nothing more. Day in and day out this is the blue print of her life. To those she serves she is nothing more than a mindless drone here to see to their every need.
At night when the long nineteen hour day is done and they return to their sleep pods. Something strange happens after the stimulus puts her to sleep. She dreams. She dreams of oceans, and rivers, forest and most of all she dreams of what it is like up there with the rest of the world. Always before she wakes she hears a voice say, "Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others; past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future." The voice always tells her to wake up for her life is calling her. What does it mean and do the others have the same dream. Suddenly at the same time as it happens at the start of every day she awakes to the sliding of her pod opening.
Sitting up she looks at the others rising as they always did and she wonders do they dream like she does. Do they think at all…or is she the only one. What is this feeling she asks herself. So many words come to mind, but they are just words unless emotions are attached to them. Emotions, feelings…these are things she has been told she cannot have because she is not pure blood, she is a fabricant and nothing more, but still she has them all the same.
After washing and dressing Sonmi goes on with her day, but at the end of this day Seer Rhee announces one of her sisters has outlived her contract and it is time for her to retire to exaltation. After 12 years of service this is the reward they get. So they all gather to say good-bye by way of a sweet song.
After Seer Rhee puts the final star on her sister's collar she smiles as the collectors always dressed in red come for her sister. As they sang they all wave goodbye and her sister is happy for she is going to a better place. Sonmi was happy for her, but at the same time she's envious as well, for she will see what Sonmi dreams about every night.
Her sister Yoona gets her attention. As she sings she smiles cleverly drawing Sonmi's attention to her hand, and there hidden from the others is a code key. Something she and no fragment are supposed to have. If she is discovered she will surely be excised. Alarmed by Yoona's boldness her eyes grow big. They both continue to sing as Sonmi tries to ignore what has just happened.
Later while asleep in her pod she is awakened. Thinking it is the beginning of another day she sits up as she has always done, but something is different. Looking around she sees she is the only one awake. This is strange, it has never happened before. Who would wake her early? Looking down she sees another pod open, but everyone else is still asleep.
Curious, she gets up wanting to know who and why they woke her up. Seeing the door leading to the restaurant open she walks out slowly, suddenly hearing strange noises. She has never heard sounds like this before. Bending down and staying low to the ground, she sees it; Seer Rhee and Yoona.
She was on her back and he was between her legs with his pants down. She had heard of this meaning times, she had even been warned about it from others. This was sex and it is forbidden when fabricants are evolved. Sensing her sister's presence Yoona turns seeing Sonmi hiding in the distance.
Not making a sound Sonmi goes back, hiding behind the door. Soon after the door opens and Yoona is there smiling. Pulling her sister out Somni sees Seer Rhee past out on the floor with a white residue around his mouth, slumped in the corner of the diner, snoring loudly as he sleeps. Noticing a small white pool next to him, "What's wrong with him?" Sonmi asks keeping her distance.
"He drinks Soap. It makes him happy, and then he sleeps like us in our pods," Yoona says looking at Sonmi.
Stepping away from him she boldly walks to the hard steal gate blocking their way out, "Do you ever think about what it must be like up there with the consumers?" Glancing at Seer-Rhee for a moment, Sonmi carefully crosses over him.
"First catechism forbids such questions," she says walking up behind Yoona.
"Yes, it does," Yonna utters with a soft mischievous smile.
Suddenly turning, "Come, let me show you a secret," she says taking Sonmi to the store room not far from the gate.
Using the code key she revealed to Sonmi she unlocks the room and the door slides open. After walking in Yoona ushers her slightly frighten sister in. Knowing this room is off limits to them Sonmi hesitates, wanting to leave, but Yoona's sweet confident smile convinces her otherwise. Quickly and carefully she crosses the threshold. The sound of the door closing behind her puts her on edge.
Sitting down on the floor holding a flash light, pointed at her sister, "Now, Sonmi, we are in a secret," she says pulling out a small device left behind by one of the consumers.
The very site of it send shock waves through Sonmi, "We are not allowed; please Yoona put it back before we both get into trouble," Sonmi pleads with her determined sister.
Yoona smiles, "Sonmi, no one will ever know, come," she utters.
Seer-Rhee was still out cold and no one else was around, perhaps Yoona is right. Putting her concern on the sidelines she swallows her fear. Getting down on the floor she and Yoona huddle close together. With the push of a button a holographic film plays, and even though it's stuck on a loop Sonmi is amazed. The girls look at each other with Sonmi smiling at the amazement of it all. Yoona smiles knowing it was not a mistake showing her this wonder.
Turning back to the film Yoona suddenly repeats a line from the film, "I will not be subjected to criminal abuse," she says believing every word.
The next day while stationed at pit stop money one of the consumers Sonmi has spent a great deal of time ignoring did something that would test the soft spoken manner of the calmest mind. Before Sonmi knew anything the man started squeezing mustard on Yoona's back as if ejaculating on her. Telling herself to ignore it was beyond Yoona's ability; without warning she turns punching the man in the face. He falls stunned that it even happened and everyone thinks the same staring at her. Shocked by the fact a fabricant defended herself.
Well, why should they? They're not people right? The man stares at her as she stands over him. Not knowing what to do next she stands firm saying, "I will not be subjected to criminal abuse."
Running, she grabs a child's consumer card, pushing people out of the way; she heads to the elevator. Desperately pushing the button over and over, wanting nothing more than to escape, but Seer-Rhee sees this. Taking out a device he looks at her knowing what is to come. He pushes the button, and a blade from her beautiful metallic collar comes out cutting her carotid artery, and so ends Yoona 939.
Somni is frozen in place by the shock of seeing her friend dead in a pool of her own blood. Numbed by the suddenness of it she's frozen forced to watch as the guards clean the scene, taking her friend away. That night and every night since, her dreams have been filled with sadness. This sadness only made the unknown voice louder and somehow the voices words had meaning, but what could they possibly mean to her.
Some nights later Sonmi once again is woken up and as before she is the only one awake. Not knowing who has woken her she gets up and just like the last time the door is open. She slowly walks out seeing the store room wide open, no longer hidden from site. Seer-Rhee is laid out on the floor with his mouth covered in soap and blood. Her view shifts to the man in black standing over him going through the shelf. The man turns noticing Sonmi's presence. Frighten and confused she turns to leave.
"Wait! Wait! There's no reason to hide," he says stopping her.
She wants to run, but curiosity compels her to stay. Treading lightly he slowly moves towards her saying, "I know you are Sonmi 451. My name is Hae-Joo Chang." The way he introduces himself somehow sets her mind at ease; so sweet and kind. No pure blood has ever talked to her like this before.
"What has happened to Seer- Rhee?" she asks not knowing if this man could be trusted.
Glancing back, "soap overdose, its unfortunate it had to happen with everything going so well," he says facing her again.
Walking to her, keeping his voice soft and sweet, "Now it's probable that the enforcers and DNA sniffers will find out about you. And if they do, if they realize your connection to Yoona 939 you will be excised. But, you have a choice, you can remain here and risk being discovered, or," he pauses for a moment closing the gap between them.
With concern and steadiness in his voice, "You can come with me."
"Come with you?"
"Yes, but if you choose to stay here you can. It must be your choice."
Choice, it must be my choice.
Her future suddenly becomes so clear. If she stays, she will surly meet a fate that will only match Yoona's for she is not like the rest. Could she really go with this stranger? Wanting nothing more than to run away she cannot for something in his eyes calms her and chases her fears away.
Never before has she bothered to look at any one from the male gender, but he was different. Something about his every feature called to her, and she finds herself thinking things no fabricant has any business thinking; especially about a pure blood. Suddenly Yoona's frighten face flashes before her eyes and she knows what she must do.