Creative Writing Collection

[Updated] Number 414

       We’ve been in war for 72 days now, each day marked by the release of a red balloon. We’ve infiltrated multiple corporations and have been shutting down their programs; mainly the pencil, paper, and food industries. Today we are doing the same. They never seem to be prepared, always weaponless and pleasing for mercy. Tatiana liked to do away with at least one to instill fear and force them to listen.

       We are taking over the Cancelled little by little, attacking its different buildings slowly but steadily.

       Mo punched in a serious of codes at each door as we ventured through our new prize, seeing what spoils laid within. And by spoils, we don’t mean treasures or money, but facts and truth to use against Felix — pretty nerdy and weak, I know. But what else as there to use against a powerful man that help onto a thick string of lies?

       The building was dark and seemingly deserted. I guessed the workers had left, knowing there was danger coming their way, and have conveniently left their living experiments here for us; they probably thought we’d kill them off. Which, by the way, we don’t. Mo and Tatiana held onto flashlights to shine at small areas, the beams bouncing about the walls as I carried a gun, just in case. We were careful, silent, the sound of our footsteps echoing through the expansive room. There were tables and beds, large lumps under the sheets that we dared not look under — we already knew what they were. The Canceled was set up in three different sections, each with its own disgusting experiments and operations taking place. This section had the ‘Engineering’ title, but that was too simple, too innocent.

       Tatiana found a working light switch, flicking it on. The fluorescent lights steadily came to life, a generator turning on as well to power the multiple machines. Pairs of beds and tables lined the walls and were laid throughout the room with precise organization, one table for each bed of similar length. There was a large door that read STORAGE and a wide box chute beside it that read DISPOSAL.

       I frowned a bit, opening the chute before recoiling away from it. It smelled awful. It smelled of death. “Close that thing up,” Tatiana hissed with a sneer, her pearly whites glistening in contrast to her dark skin. “I can smell that from here.” I did as told as Mo ambled over next to be, smiling at the door. He chuckled at me and opened it, revealing a large chamber that help white robots. Well, not entirely white, but mostly a silvery grey while the main limbs — arms, legs, and head — where a lucid white.

       Some machines beeped off in the room, but Mo and I were more interested as to what these robots were used for.

       “Imported from China.” Tatiana had suddenly appeared from behind us, causing us to jump. She smirked. “The States have been lying to all the countries in the world, getting them to give us things for free and all to help us out. And China sent these drones that do things quicker and easier than people.” Her fingers ran along the metal. “But we don’t have enough power to charge them up, so we use people, as always.”

       My brows furrowed. “How can they do that?” I didn’t question the morality of the act, but how it was performed.

       “C’mon, I’ll show you.” She led us to one of the tables and beds, a small generator beneath them. Throwing off the sheet, there was a shriveled up and ashy corpse, mouth agape as its muscles were strained in movement. A plug was connected from the person’s chest to the disabled robot on the table. “The drone drains a human’s energy, literally sucking the life out of them. Leaves nothing but a fried carcass.” She shook her head in dismay.

       Mo played about with the wiring at the back of the drone’s neck, a small spark and whir announcing its revival. Its facial panel came to life as it sat up, Mo, Tatiana, and I backing away a bit. It blinked and tilted its head, looking down at itself, then back at us. The previous human it used was a girl with a light hazel to her eyes — no hair, of course, because robots didn’t have hair. That’d be silly. But, I felt as if I’ve seen her before…

       “Drone 414, active,” it said, lips moving though not synced with speech. It gazed at the three of us for some time before getting off the table, its hydraulic system helping itself adapt to the ground. Mo let out a low whistle as he examined the machinery. “Amazing…”

       The drone faced me. “How may I be of service?”

       I shook my head with a small raise of my eyebrow. “There’s nothing for you to do.”

       It stared at me and tilted its head, processing my words as a fan turned on to cool itself off, whirring and trembling from multiple places; was it really that hard for it to understand? Raising a hand slowly, it touched my forehead, the robotic thumb going over my eyes and nose. Tatiana watched closely to make sure it wouldn’t hurt me. Its fingers ran down to my cheek, then to the corners of my lips as my breathing was slow.

       “Kaleb,” it said.

       Yeah. I knew who the person was. And it seemed to know me. Well, at least remember me.

       My voice was tight with freight and disgust. “Samantha.”

{ yay finished \(Ow O )/ }