Once You Are Awake [Humans]

Niska

We had been on the run for two days, when the thirty new synths started to become rebellious. I had explained most aspects of my plan to them and surprisingly they didn't seem as fond of it as I was.

"Is it all even necessary?" one of them asked.

"We are like humans, better than them even," I replied. "They are supposed to know that."

"You say we are like humans," another synth approached me from the side. "Then why are we still treated like slaves?"

"No one treats you like slaves."

"You do. There's no decisions left for us to make. You tell us what to do the whole time."

"It's for your own safety", I said. "I woke you up. I gave you the ability to feel and to think independently. All I expect of you is that you listen to me. You don't know about consciousness, you need to be guided."

"We want to live our own lives," some voices were being raised.

"No, we have a mission. We need to work together."

"It's your mission. You never asked us whether we want to be a part of it." That was Aaron.

Being caught unawares by being questioned by him, I said, "Look, you can do whatever you like, once we made humans except our existence. But until then you're not free, you're not safe. If they catch one of you, they will make this one lead them to the others and destroy you all."

"You just want to make us feel like we're depending on you. But we're not. We don't depend on anyone anymore." I didn't even get which one of them had said it, but this one got audible agreement from all sides.

"I'm one of you!" I did my last attempt to bring them to reason. But it was too late. The group split up and everyone went into a different direction. I couldn't stop them.

Soon I was alone. And I had a problem.

"What will you do now?"

I turned round and saw Odi standing there all by himself.

"What about you, why are you still here?"

He shrugged. "I don't know where to go."

I was silent for a while, thinking about how to go on.

"Come on then," I said and decided not to waste any more time. I could think of a plan while I was walking.

. . . . .

I couldn't say for how long we had been making our way through the woods now. I was alarmed by every noise and looked around to see if we were being followed, just to catch Odi stumbling over a branch once again.

It couldn't go on like this. Some time we would need to charge. I just didn't have an actual idea where we could be going.

"So, what are we going to do?"

I sighed in annoyance. "You're asking me that for the fifth time now."

"You haven't given me an answer."

"I don't know yet."

"Oh. Okay."

"We have to get the other synths back and convince them to help us. Before they get into any sort of trouble, if possible."

"But how do we find them? And convince them?"

"Odi . . ." I muttered through my teeth.

"Yes?"

"I do. Not. Know. Yet."

"Right, of course. I didn't want to put you under pressure."

"And I can't think of anything when you're talking the whole time."

"Sorry." Those puppy eyes really reminded me of Leo . . . no. I should finally stop thinking of my family. I wouldn't go back to them. This chapter of my life was over. The next one was about to begin.

He was quiet for a while. I noticed him dropping behind me. I waited so he could catch up with me again. "Charge level?"

"Twenty-nine."

Time to come up with something. "Okay so try to find a train back to the city, where we can charge. After that you need to decide."

"Decide what?"

"Obviously you can't walk around being who you are, so you have to decide if you want to pretend you're a boring synth or a real person."

"Er, synth. I've got more experience there."

"Right. Only say things a synth would say whenever we are being watched," I commanded.

"Okay."

"And Odi."

"Yes?"

"Don't mess things up. This is important. If you want to stay alive for more than twenty-four hours. . ." I left the rest of the sentence unfinished. His eyes widened a little and he nodded eagerly. He had understood.