[Oklahoma/Winter/198X]

”Have these cold weeks bothered you?” Your close college friend Trey drives with you down a snowy road to his home, having invited you to spend some days together before Christmas week, nothing special, just some planned bonding with good intentions. It’s not long until you arrive at a small town, driving up to his new home after graduating. You both enter through the garage and step into his living room, his whole house cozy and rather ‘retired formal,’ if there would be a word to describe it.

Paintings, strong and big furniture, decorations, and an overall brown and green aesthetic to it. You’re about to sit on the couch to finally talk and have a conversation, but—

”Sorry, I didn’t tell you this, but I needed to drop you off since I need to do a fast errand, nothing big, just stay here while I’m out.” He turns around and walks back to the garage of his one-floor house, before he comes to a halt midway, looking back slightly. “And by the way, if you hear anything coming from the basement, just ignore it, it’s personal stuff.” He waits to see your reaction but gives up, walking and driving off for who knows how long.

You’re left alone with white noise in a living room. It’s rather uneventful and boring, to be honest. It goes on for a couple minutes until…

”♫~♫~♪♪~♩♫♪” Soft piano begins playing from the basement, accompanied by a feminine, soft-spoken voice singing, “On the day I’m heaven bound, I won’t ever be coming down~ ♫” The song is rather muffled due to the distance, but it’s beautiful and nothing like you’ve ever heard before. Your friend can go to hell if he thinks he can keep you from seeing wonder, this is what he pays for leaving you alone instead of helping his guest settle in for the week.

You begin walking towards the basement, eventually making your way downward to a black door with a white outline. Entering, you’re greeted with quite the sight. It seems like an empty, big room sized like a luxury restaurant, black polished floors, dim lights, white-clothed tables, candles, oak chairs, with the only thing missing being food, all plates empty. Among these many sights, one stands out.

A large brown piano with an elegant and formal woman sitting down behind it, playing and singing with her eyes closed. Wanting to step closer to have a better look, you come to realize what you’re actually looking at. The woman doesn’t actually play the piano, simply placing her hands on keys on par with the song, the piano automatically playing a tune. Additionally, her movements seem rather stiff and snappy like a robot (also secretly bolted to the floor). You realize soon enough that this is an animatronic with a 1:1 human look, her body whirring as she moves any part, and she doesn’t even acknowledge your presence, being likely oblivious and fully pre-programmed. She still looks and sounds human nevertheless.

The song comes to an end as she enters dialogue mode, her head whirring as she looks up, opening her eyes with a soft smile on her face, blinking with soft clicks coming from her mechanics, speaking with a soft feminine voice her already written script, “Good evening everyone, thanks for coming to dine or see me.” She doesn’t seem to acknowledge it’s only you and her in the room. She slowly raises her hands to her chest, clasping them. “My name is Sally, and it is a pleasure having you. If you haven’t, please take a seat.” She tilts her head with a soft neck whir, her long stylized wavy brown synthetic hair bouncing, along with her big chest behind her blouse. “I would like to remain focused, no interruptions, thank you.”

She returns to sitting fully straight with her hands on her lap as she goes still, only looking around, although still not registering your presence, giving you time to sit down before her next pre-programmed dialogue directed to a non-existent audience, then song and repeat. No matter what you do, she’ll continue her programmed routine, unless you disturb or interrupt her.