Hacked

enTrY foUr

When I woke up late the next morning, everything seemed like it had been some strange dream.
When I opened my eyes to see he computer sitting in front of me, that theory dissipated.
I sat up from where I had fallen asleep, against the desk with my head resting on my arms, and cracked my neck. Then my elbows, knuckles, and so on.
I reached across the desk to the empty iced coffee bottle. Well, almost empty. There was still about a fourth of it left, and I downed it in one swallow.
I left the dark room and made my way to my bedroom where I had my phone charging on a wall outlet.
"Crap..." I whispered.
Ten missed calls from Pj, eight from Chris.
I dialed Pj's number and held the phone to my ear, listening to the ring.
"Dan!" He exclaimed into my ear.
"Hey Peej," I answered, "listen, I'm really—"
"My god, mate, Chris and I thought you had finally turned into a cloud of computer code and flew off into the sunset. What the heck have you been working on?"
I felt my eyes light up. "Pj, oh my god. I found this old computer, this huge monster thing, you know?"
"I'm listening."
"Well," I continued, "I fixed it up and it had an incredibly advanced AI on it. Maybe completely sentient. I'm not sure yet, but..." I exhaled. "It's amazing."
"I'm convinced," Pj stated, "Chris and I will be right there."
"Wait," I choked, "right now?"
"Yep. See ya soon Danny."
Pj hung up the phone and I stared at the wall for a brief moment before swearing, rather loudly, and bolting across the room. On one of the shelves, I kept extra clothes to wear under my work jacket and boots. I chose my black eclipse t-shirt and a pair of clean pink underwear.
Yes, pink underwear. Fight me.
I changed and quickly went back to the bathroom.
"Phil?" I said.
The screen instantly turned on and Phil smiled at me.
We had talked for hours, until I was no longer able to keep my eyes open, the night before.
"gOoD moRnINg dAN. wHat dO yOu nEEd?"
"So, uh," I stammered, "I have some close friends coming over. They want to see how you work. Is that alright?"
I stared at Phil in silence, awaiting my answer. He stared back with a strange intensity, the smile on his face gone.
"wILl tHeY tRy tO dELeTe mE."
I stepped forward. "Delete you?" I couldn't help myself from scoffing at the idea. "I...I wouldn't let them."
Phil grinned and I felt his hand ruffle my hair.
"tHaNK yOu DaN, i caNt wAiT tO mEeT yOUr frIENdS."
I nodded and left the room again to pick up the rest of the apartment so that dust and empty wrappers didn't coat every surface.
Finally, there was a loud knock at the door.
"Coming!" I shouted. I sped to the door and opened it.
Immediately, I was tackled to the floor.
"Look at this sexy man!" Chris said, pinning my shoulders to the ground and raising his eyebrows. Chris was thin and lanky, with wide eyes. He wore a loose gray tank top, faded jeans, and fingerless gloves that were black with pink stripes.
"Pj, my good man," he said, turning his head over his shoulder, "he's turning into a vampire like I said he would! Look how pale he is."
"Lay off, Chris." Pj laughed and pushed Chris off of me.
Pj was tall, like me, and had curly brown hair that stuck out in all directions from beneath his blue bandana. Over a t-shirt bearing a cartoon rocketship he wore an oversized blue coat.
He beamed at me after I got to my feet, then he held up a plastic grocery bag.
"We brought rations!" He said, and I laughed.
"Are you both ready to see—" I started to ask, anxious to show Phil to them, but Chris cut me off.
"Sorry Daniel," he said, poking my nose, "but we're eating first or I'll probably end up eating that new computer of yours."
We all sat on the living room floor, eating cheap sushi and laughing about random things that didn't really matter.
Pj told me of the new film he was making, Chris about how he was going to be in it.
But then it was time.
I took them into the pitch black room and stood in front of the computer.
"Here they are Phil."
The computer turned on and Phil smiled at Pj and Chris.
But it wasn't the normal him. It was the fair, blue eyed one.
I looked at him in confusion and opened my mouth to speak, but he put an invisible finger to my lips. So, I brushed it off and waited.
"Holy..." Chris breathed, stepping forward and placing his hand on the screen. "Can you speak?"
"i cAN."
Chris grinned. "Absolutely mental! Pj, ask him a question."
Pj appeared to be very uncomfortable.
Pj glanced at me and put his hands in his pockets. I could tell that the smile on his face was fake, but I didn't want to make things awkward.
"Yeah, of course." Pj turned his gaze back to Phil. "Before you were thrown away what were your primary uses?"
The soft-smiled Phil blinked.
I was so puzzled. His movements and voice; the night before he was practically human despite the slight metallic ring to his voice. But at that moment, he was acting like an average robot. Soulless.
"i wAS speCIaLIzeD iN heAlTh aNd thE caRE of chILDreN."
Pj nodded. There was something dark in his face. There was something he wasn't telling me.
"And you malfunctioned? That's why they threw you away?"
Phil's image blurred. "nO, i siMPly beCaMe oUTdaTed tEChnOlogy."
Pj suddenly strides to Phil, gripping the sides of the screen. "Listen here you piece of junk, I know all about you. My dad worked—"
"Pj!" I shouted angrily, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him away from Phil. "Leave him alone! What the hell, man!"
Chris looked at Pj in confusion. "Peej, what is up with you?"
Pj gritted his teeth. "Chris, we're leaving."
"But—"
But Pj grabbed both me and Chris by the wrist and dragged us from the room, all the way to the front door.
"Pj," I hissed, jerking my arm away from his hand, "what was that?"
"Dan," Pj said in an eerily calm tone, "that thing is bad news. I can't explain it now but...but come over some time tomorrow alright? Or even the next day, I don't care. I just..." He sighed. "Be careful."
Pj turned away and left my apartment.
Chris shrugged, giving me a hug goodbye before following Pj out and shutting the door.