(:emptyroom:)Chapter
The following is a little idea that popped into my head one day, following in the footsteps of such works as Ghost In The Shell and Serial Experiments Lain. Comments and constructive criticism are ever-appreciated!
A lion, broad shouldered and tall, is sitting before a computer's pale screen. It casts a ghostly light over his countenance, washing his silvery-gray fur white. He seems relaxed, pensive, but his eyes are attentive, monitoring every little aspect of monitor. There's a window open; a spartan messaging program that seems almost primitive in its simplicity.
A message appears on the screen.
//NOBODY: I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. ONE THAT I'VE ASKED YOU BEFORE.
The observer remains still, but his eyes narrow. "Again? You've never struck me as a fan of reruns."
//NOBODY: IT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
"Shoot, then."
//NOBODY: ARE YOU REAL?
The lion tilts his head back, kneading silky manefur in perusing fingers. His eyes, like two sweet droplets of pale sky, are cloudy, distant, His mind distant, he seems to pause, or perhaps daydream, before speaking again.
"Yes, I remember that one. I know that when you first asked me, I didn't even think it possible that I might not be. The idea of reality being a mere construct was absurd to me then. This exposition is unnecessary for you, of course."
//NOBODY: THAT DOES NOT MATTER. I ENJOY YOUR VOICE WHEN YOU PONDER OR MONOLOGUE .
Darius cocks an inquiring eyebrow.
//NOBODY: IS THIS INFORMATION NEW TO YOU?
"Not particularly. It would make sense for you to enjoy that, considering."
He rested his chin on his paw for a moment.
"If you enjoy that, would it please you for me to tell you a story now? I haven't prepared anything, but perhaps the history between us?"
//NOBODY:YES
"You already know that, though."
//NOBODY: IT IS NOT THE JOURNEY THAT MATTERS, NOT THE DESTINATION. I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT.
"I seem to remember you quoting that frequently. Along with much of "The Art Of War."
//NOBODY: GET ON WITH THE STORY, WILL YOU?
Darius chuckles revealing pearly white canines in a grin of teeth.
"You're no fun."
//NOBODY: THAT IS YOUR OPINION.
"And opinions are arbitrary."
//NOBODY: YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ME TOO MUCH.
"It's my favorite pasttime."
//NOBODY: MORE NEEDLESS EXPOSITION.
"I'll get started, I'll get started, don't get your bytes in a jumble. Now, let me see..."
I believe that the day that everything began was the twenty-first of May. I woke up in the morning, rolled out of the bed, and began making my way to secondary school. It was on the way there, traveling inside one of the monorails, , that I first made some form of contact with you.
I'd been looking at my grades on my mobile computer. They were... less than stellar, so to speak, and I just couldn't stop worrying about what might happen if I failed. I'd heard stories about the students who were sent away, but you know what that's like: it isn't real until YOU get involved. I was worrying away about oh dear God don't let this happen under my breath all the way there. I didn't get many strange looks, so I was just about positive that nobody had heard me. That assumption continued all the way to school.
At school, life was different. Apparently students had caught wind that I was doing badly (via some talent that hacked the school's privacy measures) and ganged up on me without hesitation. People who I once called my friends became repelled from me as if I'd gained some horrible stench. No, it was worse than that. It was almost as if they'd never known me at all. In a matter of days, I became just another nameless individual to them. Those who hadn't been my friends were no more inclined to treat me well. I earned some nasty bruises that day. Most of the others just stood and watched. After the roughhousing was over, I was treated to detailed stories about what failed students were put through, all of which I'd heard before. The list went from some plausible-seeming ones, like military service or manual labor, to much more outlandish entries. Chemical testing was one of the ones that hovered on the border between the two sides. Even so, all of it seemed rather plausible after my fellow classmates had begun to swarm about me like Kea birds around a sheep.
Once I was finally home, I was sure that everything would become worse somehow. No doubt my parents would despise me for being their failure--FAILURE--of a son. Instead, I arrived to find the house empty, which lead to even worse assumptions in my mind. I reached the conclusion somehow that going to my room and staring at my GPA would improve things for me. That was the first time I received a message from you.
I remember being rather bewildered by it. There was a tag I'd never seen before, and the words were in all caps on a white background. It read 'I CAN HELP YOU'. The message had no time information on it either, nor was there any box for replies. Just black letters on a white background. I couldn't help but laugh out loud, and though it was from either confusion or stress, I didn't care in the slightest. That was when the second message came.
There was the tag again, the word 'nobody' in all caps. 'DO NOT LAUGH. THIS IS NOT A JOKE.' it said. Now I was paying attention. I'd heard about stuff like this happening before, but again, never to me. Especially never with an offer of help. But hackers were a thing a could understand, and more importantly, this hacker seemed very skilled. I just hadn't yet learned he was the best.
In some futile attempt to appear unshaken, I sat down in front of my computer, staring straight into the webcam that was surely sending him my image.
"How can you help me?" I asked.
//NOBODY: YOUR GRADES ARE TOO LOW; I CAN RAISE THEM. YOU NEED A FRIEND; I CAN LISTEN TO YOU. PEOPLE ARE THREATENING YOU; (Here was an image from one of the old Great World Wars).
I flinched. The image seemed like an overstatement, but if it was an honest... there were certain perks to be had with powerful allies.
"What do you want?"
//NOBODY: AH, A TRUE CAPITALIST, I SEE. WHAT I WANT IS SIMPLE. IT IS MERELY A FUNDAMENTAL NEED OF WHAT I AM.
"Meaning?"
//NOBODY: I AM A GOD; I REQUIRE WORSHIP.
I was confused by this. Very confused. Yet and still, if he wanted to make this a form of trade, I'd owe him nothing in return. It'd be an uncomplicated relationship.
"Why do you call yourself a god?"
//NOBODY: THERE HAS YET TO EXIST ON THIS WORLD A BEING ABLE TO STOP ME FROM DOING WHAT I WISH, MUCH LESS CONTROL ME. AND YOU WOULD DENY THAT I AM A GOD? WHEN I HAVE POWER LIKE THIS, I AM NOTHING LESS.
"So you're real then." //NOBODY: REAL? WHAT MIGHT YOU MEAN BY REAL? THE SLANG TERM FOR HONEST, UP FRONT? OR PERHAPS CORPOREAL, EXISTING IN THE WORLD THAT WE KNOW? ARE YOU REAL? "Yes." //NOBODY:AND WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?
"I-well, I can interact with the matter around me. I think, therefore I am. That sort of thing."
//NOBODY: SO YOU ASSUME THAT THE WORLD ABOUT YOU IS REAL. AND THOUGHTS? YOU HAVE NO WAY TO PROVE THAT YOU'VE EVER HAD A THOUGHT. PERHAPS YOUR BRAIN IS NO MORE THAN A GLORIFIED MOTHERBOARD, DOING NO MORE THAN ACTING ON INFORMATION GAINED BEFORE AND INSTINCT.
"This is a presumptuous topic to breach." //NOBODY: WHO ARE YOU TO DECIDE?
"Okay, this comes out of nowhere. I have no idea who you are. You start talking to me about things that have been absolute truths for my entire life. Listen, if you're talking about some sort of relationship, I can roll with that. I can work with that. But right now, I just need some sleep, so can we continue this tomorrow?"
//NOBODY: VERY WELL. I WILL SPEAK TO YOU THEN, DARIUS.
That had me a bit shaken. "How do you know my name?"
//NOBODY: I KNOW MUCH ABOUT YOU. THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPTS AT SECURITY ARE LAUGHABLE. SLEEP IN PEACE, LITTLE LION."
I sighed, turning off the unit. Time had come to hit the sack.
//NOBODY: YOU'RE GOING TO STOP THERE?
Darius sighs. "It's getting kinda late, isn't it?"
//NOBODY: WHAT DO YOU MEAN? IT'S ONLY 9:30
"Yes, and it's been nine-thirty for quite a while now. "
//NOBODY: *SIGHS AUDIBLY* YOU'RE GETTING BETTER AT THIS, I'LL GIVE YOU THAT.
Darius remains taciturn.
//NOBODY: OUT OF QUIPS?
"It would seem so. Anyways, I've got to get some sleep yet."
//NOBODY: SLEEP IN PEACE, LITTLE LION.