Ghost in the Machine

The magnetic jack sticks a little. I push my weight against it, find the right angle, and shove it into the new slot just as another light blinks into life.

I rip out another jack. Slam it into another slot.

Repeat.

Repeat.

I am the beating heart of this hospital. I am the electrical energy the Victorians thought they could resurrect by shocking lifeless corpses. I am the machine. I am the machine.

My hand is rough and calloused from years of the same routine. Light. Jack out. Jack in. Light. Occasionally, I flip a switch. Mostly, I keep the circuits going.

No one ever bothers me here. I reach to my right, tugging and pushing with no thoughts in my mind. I don't need to think. I just repeat and repeat and repeat.

he's crashing

The magnetic jack sticks a little. I push my weight against it, find the right angle, and shove it into the new slot. Another light blinks into life.

I rip out another jack. Slam it into another slot.

Repeat.

Repeat.

I am the beating heart. I am the electrical energy. I am the machine. I am the machine.

My right hand is rough and calloused from years of the same routine. Light. Jack out. Jack in. Light. I flip a switch above my head and I keep the circuits going.

No one knows I'm here. I reach to my left, pull and push, and exist. I don't need to do anything other than repeat and repeat and repeat.

I think he's gone

The magnetic jack sticks so I push my weight against it, find the right angle, and move onto the next light.

Repeat.

Repeat.

I am the heart. I am the energy. I am the machine. I am the machine.

My hand aches. Light. Jack. Jack. Light. I follow the lights and keep the people in the hospital alive. I share out the power, so no one notices they're fading.

No one ever notices they're fading.

let him go