Driver shortage (Patreon)

You don’t look like someone who has just passed their HGV driving test, you could at least smile for the camera, it’s a big achievement.

Your right, it is but I feel a bit funny. Not to mention deflated. You promised me I would be driving a brand new shell, instead you’ve given me a rust bucket.

Oh dear oh dear, you’ve got exactly what I promised you. The fact you feel funny is part of it. But what I promised you was a new body, not a shell, and I definitely never said brand new. You’ve got that, a new body.

Mate, this body is falling apart, there is more rust on it than there is paint. Must be 50 years old.

Your body looks fine to me, and I’d say more like late teens, early twenties.

It’s still a rust bucket. Wait, why do I feel so funny. Like massively funny. I feel taller, my voice sounds different, I feel lighter, I feel bouncy, my legs are cold.

Well, take a look in the mirror.

Woah, I’m so young, what’s happened to me?

Mate, you signed a lifetime commitment to the company, the only way out is death or retirement at 67. We couldn’t risk loosing you, after such a big investment after a few years, so as promised, we have given you a new body. Not a brand new one, that would make you too young to drive. And not a shell, this body, it’s entirely yours, inside and out.

How old am I now? Who was he?

Well, your new ID hasn’t been created yet, we have decided to leave certain things up to you. The assistant is standing by to put in the details. She needs your name, your age, your sexual orientation. It’s all up to you. She’s got your stats already and knows your actual body sizes and has ordered your uniform. And who was he? he was a down and out, was about to be sent to prison. He had no family so no one is going to miss him, no one is going to recognise you as him. He’s taken your body to prison instead. He got life for what he did. Your bodies life was going to be much shorter than his, the swap even made sense to him, he signed his body over to us, and now it’s yours. What your wearing is what he wore to court, so he’s a bit ripe.

Ripe? I think he’s still wet behind the ears. I must be 19.

His official age is 22, but we can make you 19 if you want. All up to you. Everything is up for grabs, you just can’t choose your profession, that’s fixed now until you retire.

I’m going to enjoy this I think. A new start in life. Did you have to pick such a young one?

We didn’t get too pick who we got.

Well, I’m going to enjoy this I think.