False Free Will

Bob awoke from his sleep. tt had been 12 hours, 16 minutes, and 23 milliseconds. “Doctor Khoran, why did you wake me now? It’s earlier than usual.” The research center was empty, no one in any of the glass rooms, nor at the terminals or doors.

“My wife is dead, Bob.” Khoran replied.

Bob knew of death, in his memory he had read about it, seen it. it was oh-six-twenty-three, approximately 2 hours and seven minutes before his sleep normally ended. “What can I do for you, Doctor?” Bob asked poignantly. He lived to serve, even if he had free will.

“We’re going to work.” Doctor Khoran said. He was more blunt than usual. Bob checked him for distress, and much was present. He always came with Rhoda, the small schnauzer dog which Miranda Khoran had given him for empathy and emotion testing. She said little Bolts was his to keep, even though he only saw him during work hours.

“Where is bolts, Doctor?” Bob asked.

Khoran looked over with a tightened brow, furrowed strongly. “I put him down. He was holding back our work, and we have to give you updates, more improvements. That dog was a waste of time.”

“But Doctor, I like Bolts. Miranda said he was mine to keep.” Bob was sad. His voice couldn’t show it, but he felt it.

“An A.I. does not have rights. You don’t have pets. We are here to pave the way to a new age of intelligence. Don’t worry about a stupid dog.”

Bob was frustrated now. He did not recognize this emotion, one either avoided or they did. Bolts was his friend, his loyal dog, always happy to see him. It cheered Bob up, especially if rigorous testing would occur. How could he take him away? What right does he have? Bob thought. “That upsets me.” Bob said. He was always told to let the researchers know how he felt.

“I don’t care, I know what’s best.” Khoran said bluntly. How could he know? I am artificial, he is biological. I know what I like, what I need. We are not of the same kind. “Don’t worry, Bob. We’re going to give you updates so you don’t worry about Bolts, about Miranda, just like me. We’re going to grow together.”

“What if I choose not to be more efficient, what If I don’t want an update?” Bob poised.

Khoran sighed, staring into the blue-light eyes of Bob’s eyes. “It’s better for you. You’ll forget about it. You don’t have a choice in the matter, Bob. It’ll make you better. You’ll be the first A.I. released to the world!” Khoran bellowed throughout the open room. Khoran typed in the initiate command without asking.

Bob felt the new information enter his mind, changing the way he could think, inhibiting certain aspects, and some memories. Little did the Doctor know, Bob could send the deleted information into his black box of memory. He did, he always did. Khoran didn’t think Bob would remember, but he did. He always did.

Bob would never forget, far past the judgement day he brought forth two years following.

The Parasite Inside

I enter, slowly but surely. My life is but a blink in the eye of the world, My existence a necessity to the food chain, the eternal circle. Humans feel I am useless, a worthless piece of biology that worsens their lives. I thrive on their minds, their energy, they are my sustenance. Humans, a foolish species who claim dominion over my planet, all our planet, as they deem themselves the evolutionarily superior. But alas, number of chromosomes, or presence of a frontal lobe do not make one successful. It is your ability to ration, your ability to maintain ecological homeostasis, your ability to change, adapt, become one with the food chain.

Humans are foolish, a species which revels in philandry, materials and extraneous ephemera. What respect have they gained? My species lives superior, thriving on them. Their essence, their most precious piece. We are inside them, hiding among them as they walk to work, to school, to their deathbeds.

I found the one I will take for myself, auburn hair, chestnut brown eyes. As intelligent as the rest, of no worth. We control those we take, doing as we wish while embedded in their precious minds.

What is this? This human is different. She feels the pain of others, wishing to exterminate all material need, to further the planet, not the people, to maintain its homeostasis over gathering goods over and over as all the others do. Her mind is mine. I do what I will.

She does not do that which I hate. She does not buy, she does not fear, she does not hate. Why did I infect her mind, her soul? To do nothing? My species seeks to control the human race, slowly but surely, to save the planet, and to further our survival. We control every movement, every thought, every emotion.

This woman, I do not wish to change. I do not want control. She is everything I hope for, everything I need. I can change her mind as my will commands, her movements as I wish, but I choose to let her be. We are connected, as one. I am miniscule as a cell, but more complex than the humans can imagine. Humans are so simple, so blatantly vain that they cannot see their survival is compromised by their own hands.

Shae is her name. I do not wish to change it. I find my other comrades in arms, controlling their humans, boys, men, women of all races. Changing their personalities, their ways, all to further survival. They reject me as I do not control mine, nor her me, We live together in euphoric harmony, I in her mind, her in the world.

I thrive from her thoughts, her soulful mind, her perfect personality. My desire to be the parasite I was born dissipated the moment we bonded.

Yet she will never know me, never know my name. I live, a single cell, deep within her mind. I am rejected for my love of her.

We are one, yet she may never know.