Introduction

Marion diligently pens the chronicles of her unparalleled existence, crafting a series of journal entries that unravel the intricacies of a life spanning an astonishing 10,000 years. Stranded on an asteroid, isolated in the cosmic void with no beacon of rescue, she finds solace in documenting her journey, a testament to the indomitable human spirit.

A paradox of age and appearance defines Marion; her body, resembling an eighty-year-old woman in the present era, belies the fact that she has weathered the eons for millennia. In an epoch where the average female lifespan extends to a mere 400 years, Marion, with her ageless visage, considers herself middle-aged, a living testament to the deceptive nature of time’s passage.

Marion’s red hair, braided in locks of about half an inch in diameter, cascades down to medium length, a reflection of the current style in the cosmos. Standing at 178 centimeters (5 foot 10 inches) and weighing 61 kilograms (135 pounds), she maintains a physique defying the rigors of an eternity. Her measurements, 92-61-92 (36-24-36), with a modest 34 C bra, are a testament to a timeless allure, albeit one with minimal emphasis on certain anatomical features.

Remarkably, Marion’s body bears no scars, an extraordinary outcome of her unique condition that has allowed her to endure for ten millennia. Injuries, broken bones, and even severed limbs have healed without leaving a trace, prompting Marion to ponder the limits of her invulnerability. The question lingers: what could possibly extinguish her eternal flame? Speculations range from decapitation to being severed in half, yet she hesitates to test these hypotheses.

Marion’s extraordinary existence is traced back to a fateful lab accident during a thunderstorm. Working late into the night, she inadvertently stumbled onto a lab table, setting off a chain reaction akin to falling dominos. The chemical mix on the table and the storm’s lightning triggered an awe-inspiring spectacle, illuminating the lab like a Fourth of July fireworks display.

Marion awoke amidst the aftermath, the remnants of her laboratory engulfed in flames. Most of her attire lay in tatters or was consumed by the fire, yet her body bore not a single scratch. As firefighters battled the blaze, Marion’s realization of her newfound invulnerability dawned, sparking a profound transformation in her perspective.

The implications of her unique condition led Marion to undergo a series of tests, each confirming the astounding truth—she was impervious to harm. Contemplating the far-reaching consequences, she embarked on a reinvention journey, changing her identity and leaving her former life behind.

The cosmic odyssey that brought Marion to the asteroid she now calls home is shrouded in a tale of celestial slingshots, a mishap that left her ship without its outer hull and engines. Maneuvering her way through the vastness of space, she relied on maneuver jets to land on the nearest celestial object—this solitary asteroid marking the unexpected pause in her cosmic voyage.

Now tethered to this cosmic outpost, Marion reflects on her past and present and the untold stories of her immortal life. As she unveils the chapters of her unparalleled journey, she grapples with the vastness of space, the echoes of time, and the profound solitude that defines her existence on this celestial island.

Prelude »