your story is a true gothic tale that recognizes horror arises from within. And I might add, it is also well written.
In a strange case of synchronicity, last night I was musing, of all things, on the nature of hell and concluded it was isolation.
I realized there are an infinite number of planets in the universe--enough for every one of us to be marooned on one for eternity. This all began from studying a photo of the Martian landscape and realizing how truly desolate it was.
After reading your story, I'm sorry to say I'm sure your mind works the same way. Such is the writing life...
Ha ha, indeed it does. It was born out of the crossing of my contemplation of the nothing that I believe awaits us after life, and my fascination with the thought of uploading a mind to a computer.
I found that when I started contemplating on a universal level all sorts of existential crises became everyday fare.
You may be reassured if you consider that an upload would only be a copy, not the original