Apocalypse: The World We've Made

[3/3]

I looked around, watching every remaining human passed by the hallway where I was currently sitting. I uncrossed my legs and pressed it a little closer against my chest, hugging it eventually. I couldn't help but let out a lifeless sigh, my eyes dropping at the metallic floor painted in white.

I still exist, yet no one payed attention to me.

I could feel the rumbling vibrations against the floor that's possibly coming from the mechanical part of this prison-like ship. After they had congratulated me for winning this simulation, the robots carried me to where their leader resides. Yes, they carried me. They made me sit on a chair made of pure metal. I wasn't sure if I was too heavy for them, but they didn't whine about it. Maybe because they're robots and that they can't actually feel anything?

My eyes slowly fluttering close while I rest my chin against my knees. I could feel and hear the sound of my heart beating loudly. The way my mind stirred from the information I gathered from them is making me anxious.

'How the hell am I in 2030 when I recently visited my parents, about three weeks ago? Why is the director saying that the remaining humans on Earth are all boarding this prison of a ship? How the hell is this possible? Robots? Year 2030? Damn! This is absurd!'

I could feel my heart increasing its pace, my breathing becoming ragged and once again, I feel lost. My mind kept on arguing and arguing with the voices in my head. Trying to find any plausible reason about this futuristic reality. In what ways are all of these real?

I remembered the way their leader, the director of this ship, congratulated me. It seemed plain and scripted and his face looked familiar. Like it wasn't his first time congratulating anyone and that wasn't the first time I'm meeting him. Then it struck me, as soon as I got out of his office and the robots guided me to my new room, I saw the other people who won the simulation. They're still human, no doubt, but the way they move, speak and look at one another looks unusual. Like someone's controlling them behind their every move.

My heart almost dropped and I was cut off with my reverie when a cold-metallic hand tapped my shoulder. I kept my eyes tightly shut for a couple of seconds while I calm myself down. These kinds of things really ruin my self control and makes me go into panic mode. My parents brought me to a shrink doctor once to...

"Human 017022." The small robotic voice caught my full attention, his small metallic hand tapping my shoulder repeatedly.

I frowned as I faced him, my frown deepening but eventually smiling softly as I saw how small the robot was. He's like, about the size of my leg. I tilted my head a little as I grab his hand and held it, trying to make a connection with him. I mean, if that's possible. His eyes that seemed like they were made of camera lens glowed blue then it blinked a couple of times before changing into a different color, green, maybe a robot thing to happen?

"Human 017022," the small robot repeated then his other hand pointed at the west side of the building, where a room with a pink door is located.

I threw a glance at it and saw the director coming out of that room. It didn't look suspicious, but the way the director looked around before heading towards his office made it look weird.

"Human 017022," the robot's voice was starting to sounding off as he repeated the same name he was using to call me.

The way his small head tilt and the light on his eyes blink made him look like he was malfunctioning. Before any other things happened, the small robot handed me a small piece of paper with a number-like figure written on it. I took it from him without hesitation then he dashed towards the other side of where we are, no human even minding him.

It was weird, yes, definitely weird. A small robot ruining my dramatic moment only to hand another mystery for my mind to solve, sounds annoying, right? The robot guards approached me, and I immediately slipped my hand inside my pocket to hide the paper I was holding. I looked at them, confusion written in my eyes, as if they'll be able to read it.

"The Director wants to see you after your meal," they said in unison.

I only nodded my head, acknowledging their relayed news. They glanced at one another then back at me before completely leaving me alone. I squeezed the paper that I'm still holding as I walk towards the west part, where the small robot was pointing earlier. Now, to see what's inside that room.

I wasn't personally curious, but the inner desire of knowing the truth rose from the deepest part of my soul. I need to know what's exactly happening and find out what happened to everyone.

Magenta-shaded lights covered the inside of the room. There were smokes covering the outer side of it, not letting me see through the glass window pane of the door. I couldn't open it because it was locked and the only way to access it is a keycard. I tried pressing my face closer against the window, eyes squinting as I try to see what's behind those smokes. But to no avail, I could only see the colored lights and smoke.

A soft grunt erupted from my lips, my body trembling as a sudden jolt of electricity shocked my whole senses. Once again, my body felt heavy, like rocks were filling my whole being, dragging me down the cold and hard floor. My eyes were still opened, my eyelids unable to move as well and there I saw familiar figures carrying me to somewhere.

[ flashback ]

"So, I heard there was a new company launching their newly created game," I heard a stranger said.

I held the video game disc that I saw before glancing at them. The information about a newly created game somehow grabbed my attention. I didn't know them but I'm interested finding out about this new company and game.

I moved a little closer to them, pretending that I'm checking the rack for Super Mario discs that's beside them. My eyes wandered around the mini shelves, but my ears and mind focused on their conversation. Maybe it's rude, but that's one way to get answers.

"You're late again. Where have you been?" My mother asked, her voice sounded annoyed and upset.

Why? She didn't care that much before, why is she caring now?

I only walked past her and head back to my room. We weren't rich yet my parents had most of their time and attentions to their jobs. While I suffer in our house with my grandmother and little brother.

My mom called me, shouting my name as she marches her way to my room, following me. I knew she'd do that which is why I walked faster so I can hide in my room. She's always like this, going home alone and nagging at me as if I'm 8. While my little brother enjoys his time with my grandma inside his room.

I plopped down the bed after removing my uniform. School wasn't far from home, but I wanted to ease my mind, the reason why I went to that same game shop I always visit.

We aren't rich but we don't starve at all. We have enough money to buy ourselves material stuffs that we won't actually need.

Despite that, I still continued stealing from anyone.

I quickly opened my laptop and browsed at the internet, typing that same information I fished from those nerdy kids.

"Specialized Videotape Technologies," I read, my voice soft.

I hummed softly then clicked on the website that appeared. The website looked scary yet the game sounded fireworks.

I checked every information I needed to know before typing an email for their website. The offer was great that I couldn't wait but be part of it.

It only took less than an hour before the company responded. What made me even happier was the fact that I got accepted as a beta tester.

That sounded great, I know. But at some point, I wished that I didn't really bothered joining or registering for it.

The day of the said evaluation came and I excitedly prepared myself, carrying a huge knapsack and bringing enough set of clothes to last me until a week. The evaluation went good, only the speech of the director made it creepy. The director video called us and gave words of wisdom for everyone.

And a question that might bug me for the rest of my life.

"What are we, really?"

The staffs prepared us for the simulation game they call, Fearless. One of the staff explained that Fearless will let us visualize our inner fears and will let us battle with it using a VR helmet. Like a virtual reality game gone real. It was fun at first, but eventually scarred me.

[ end of flashback. ]

The electric burn that's washing over my body slowly faded. I'm still numb from the current that flowed inside of me that I could only move one finger and my eyeballs. I know I'm awake but because of the shock that flowed within me, I felt weak and disoriented.

The room where these familiar humans brought was familiar. I know I saw it somewhere. I was still trying to recall a certain information when a familiar voice spoke in a rather solemn yet challenging tone.

"When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a professor. I had this inner desire to teach others of what I believe in life, being honest and forgiving to one another," he started.

I could see from my peripheral vision that he was looking outside his office window. I tried moving my hands, my fingers and even my toes, trying to gain control over my body again. But the feeling of something electrifying and cold was stuck against the skin of my neck was making my senses numb and stinging.

"But an accident changed everything. My family got robbed because of our generosity. My mother died when a thief attacked us on the way home then we met a poorly structured ending, leaving me on this annoying wheelchair," he continued and that's the only time I noticed how unique his chair was designed.

His chair slowly moved, now facing me. I gulped, biting my inner lip as I try to suppress any sound that might come out of my lips. I was successfully moving my fingers little by little, but I have to focus more so I can move my whole body again.

He didn't seem like he's noticing what I was doing, so I discreetly kept going.

"It felt like my purpose in life got revoked, like I was robbed by my own destiny. I tried going back on my foot, one after the other. Trying to seek any inherent value and meaning of my life, but I failed. The uselessness of my legs failed me to walk towards the dream I was dying to be part of. Until one night, I watched about something that explains and let anyone visualize a world that we all can live together. A world where we can be whoever we want to be and however we want it. And that's when I started to dream again," a small smile formed on his lips, he was now slowly approaching me. "I know you won't exactly understand why I'm saying this, Deus. But I also know that you understand what I feel. To be feel absurd, non-existent and meaningless to others. I know at the very point of your life, you felt that. So why won't you join me?"

He snapped his fingers and two pair of hands grabbed both of my arms, letting me sit upright, facing him. He looked persuasive and sure of what he wanted to do. And yet here I am, starting to waver. Unsure of what I should do. I still felt lost, lost of what I should do. If I should help him because he's making sense or if I should seek for the truth and a way to escape this rotten future of his.

"The others rejected my offer and run away from here. Now they're stuck somewhere out there, bewildered and confused to what they should do. But they didn't know that the answer's right here. The answer is me!" He exclaimed, clearly proclaiming himself as saviour.

I know from this point on, I won't be able to save myself nor anyone who needs me. But I can't give up, or should I? What's the real purpose of me being here? Am I even in the right universe?

"Now!" I heard loud noises coming from outside and what seems to be gunshots.

The director panicked at the sudden commotion that he quickly contacted his main security and tasked them to bring someone that can save him from all of these.

The door was forcefully opened but I couldn't turn around to see whoever opened it. A familiar small robotic voice resonated inside the room and the next thing I knew is a 7 foot tall half human and half robot's carrying me like a sack of rice.

I couldn't protest nor move away because that I let him take me. I noticed three other half human followed him, shooting at the other robots.

We managed to escape with the help of a secret door lying under the first floor passage. And it stunned me when I saw how the outside world looked. Dead trees, dried soil, building ruins and the deadly heat of the sun.

We managed to escape and hide back in their cave-like home, but how am I supposed to help them or anything? What's the exact reason that I'm here? Are we still inside the virtual world the director speaks of? Or are we in the real world where humanity has forsaken our very own home?

What have we become...

END.