She was the first human to use the memory machine. A revolutionary device that could extract information from molecules that had once been part of living beings, and reconstruct their memories in a virtual reality. A device that could reveal the secrets of the past, up to hundreds of thousands of years ago.

She was a historian, and she had always dreamed of witnessing the ancient civilizations that had shaped the world. She had spent years studying their cultures, languages, and artifacts, but she wanted more. She wanted to see them, hear them, feel them. She wanted to live among them.

She volunteered for the experiment, knowing the risks. The memory machine was still in its early stages, and no one knew what effects it could have on the human mind. She didn't care. She was willing to sacrifice anything for her passion.

She put on the helmet and the gloves, and lay down on the couch. The scientists hooked her up to the machine, and asked her to choose a time period and a location. She chose the ancient Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization, around 3000 BC. She wanted to see the birth of writing, law, and art.

The machine scanned her brain and calibrated the settings. It then injected a syringe of liquid into her arm. The liquid contained millions of molecules that had been extracted from the soil of Mesopotamia, and that had once belonged to the people who lived there. The machine would use these molecules as a bridge to connect her to their memories.

She felt a surge of energy, and then everything went black.

She opened her eyes and found herself in a different world. She was standing in a busy street, surrounded by mud-brick buildings and clay tablets. She saw people wearing colorful robes and jewelry, carrying baskets and tools. She heard them speaking in a language she recognized as Sumerian, but couldn't understand. She smelled the aromas of bread, spices, and animals.

She was amazed. She had traveled back in time, and she was experiencing the life of an ancient Mesopotamian. She felt a wave of joy and curiosity. She wanted to explore everything, to learn everything, to be part of everything.

She walked along the street, following the crowd. She saw a temple, a market, a school, a palace. She saw priests, merchants, scribes, kings. She saw art, literature, law, religion. She saw the dawn of civilization.

She was fascinated. She had never felt so alive, so connected, so fulfilled. She felt like she had found her true home, her true self. She wanted to stay there forever.

She didn't notice the warning signs. She didn't notice the headache, the nausea, the dizziness. She didn't notice the blood dripping from her nose, her ears, her eyes. She didn't notice the machine malfunctioning, the scientists panicking, the alarm sounding.

She didn't notice that she was dying.

She died with a smile on her face, and a memory in her heart.