Across the years (Another angle) (Patreon)

Now with history

Edit: I had to make some changes to the story, hope this solves some questions on the last part of the story.

2019

Sophia was like any other 19 year old girl. Idealistic, hopeful, optimistic for the future. She was balancing her studies with working evenings as a waitress, and didn’t have time for much else. Even so, she was trying to be politically active, trying to make the world a better place, for everyone. More than anything else, Sophia wanted to make a difference.

2020

Everything went sideways this year. For everyone, but Sophia more than most. After everything had been locked down for months, she was among those who volunteered to test a vaccine being developed. It was the least she could do, she thought. Among the test subjects, there were few serious side effects, but Sophia soon began noticing a strange numbness in her groin and in her feet. She couldn’t feel the soles of her feet, and she couldn’t pee. It didn’t take long before her numbness spread further, making walking a challenge.

2021

At some point during the winter, Sophia could no longer walk at all. The numbness rose, past her hips, to her waistline. She was involved in a legal dispute with the vaccine developer - and it looked like she was winning. At least she would be financially secure, but from what she understood, not even all the money in the world would give her back her legs. And it wasn’t just her legs. She couldn’t feel her private area, could neither feel nor control when she needed to go to the bathroom. Worst of all, the numbness was still moving up, slowly but surely.

2022

Sophia had finally won the case. It had been the nation’s highest-profile court case in several years. She received a truly remarkable one-time sum, in addition to annual payments that would be more than enough to keep her secure for life. But what life? The numbness had risen to her armpits, making her paralyzed from the chest down. Her nipples had already been numb for months, her fingers, hands and wrists for some time. Now, she was beginning to lose the connection with her triceps. At this pace, she was afraid the vaccine developer wouldn’t have to make the annual payments for much longer. But in the meantime, she was beginning to get herself involved in politics. She needed something to do, and the court case had given her a lot of publicity and goodwill.

2023

The numbness spread past her armpits, past her shoulders, to her neck. And then, no further, stabilizing at the C4 level. Sophia now lives in her newly built house, fully adapted for her. This fall, she’s second on the socialist left party in the local elections, and she’s a part of the upswing they’re seeing in the polls. She misses her old body, every day, but she’s also grateful and at peace with how things turned out. Maybe it was all a blessing in disguise? Sophia has come so far in the last few years. She’s making a difference.