The Mainframe:

"Good morning, John Doe," the mechanical voice chimed. "What interests you today?"

"More sleep," he muttered.

"I'm sorry, John Doe, but your request cannot be granted. Time of arousal in the Mainframe is 7 o'clock, a.m."

He sat up, grumbling.

"Yes, time of arousal in the mainframe..." he muttered, standing and starting toward the bathroom. He wanted a shower, but he could hear the water was already running, and when he opened the door, steam struck him in the face.

"John, is that you, Hon?" A female voice.

"Yep," he replied. "How long you think you'll be, Andrea?"

"Just a few minutes longer," she replied.

"Alright," he returned, closing the door again and wandering back to the bed. He lay down and pulled the blankets over him, closing his eyes.

"John Doe, it appears as if you intend to return to sleep." The mechanical voice informed him.

"Nope, just resting my eyes," he replied.

"Resting...that makes little sense, John Doe," it replied.

He threw the blankets away and stood to his full height.

"Okay, I'm up. Are you happy?" He said to no one at all. He was greatly irritated.

"John Doe, I am a program designed to ensure--"

"Yes, I know!" He broke in. "You can't be happy or sad, or any of that..."

Silence for a few moments.

"I'm awake," he said. "I'm just waiting for the shower to be..."

Just then, the bathroom door opened and Andrea came walking out, her short blonde hair dripping with water, steam following her in a cloud.

She looked at him for a moment, then smiled.

"Arguing with Tina again?" She asked. It always made her laugh.

He said nothing.

"Yes," the mechanical voice replied, sounding irritated itself, though it wasn't capable of becoming so.

He looked the girl over. She was nineteen, looking every bit her age, not older or younger. She was slim, her complexion pale and clear. Her blue eyes often lit up like those of a child when she smiled. He body was not like that of many of the women, as they tended to choose bodies that John felt were too perfect. Many women looked like models here. It got to be so he wanted to see uglier and heavier women, just to be certain they still existed. Andrea's breasts were the smallest B-cup possible, and her hips just slightly wider than her waist, unusual, considering most women bore the classic hourglass.

Andrea, a "friend" of sorts. Whether she was "real" or not he wasn't sure, as he guessed, were she real, she might wonder the same about him. Often, people were "borne" into the Mainframe, created within the system, totally feeling and alive, but entirely dependant on it for survival, having no physical self outside of it. He wasn't sure of the technicals of it, in fact, it would have seemed impossible to him were he not in the know of the existence of these "people."

She smiled, noticing him eye her, then asked, "What are you thinking?"

He smiled back. "I'm thinking, when I get in the shower, you should come in with me..."