Algorithms

"WAKE UP."

My eyes blinked open. I looked over my small chamber - the cracked grey ceiling, the grey floor, the grey walls. The slot for my food and water - they were empty, so I turned to the familiar red light blinking in the wall.

"WAKE UP," the computerized voice blared again.

"I'm up, I'm up," I said, rising to my feet.

"PROCEED TO CAMERA CHAMBER 2 FOR TODAY'S PERFORMANCE."

I jogged out the door, down the long corridor. I ran my hand along the wall, dust and pieces of the wall flaking off. No one else was there. Like always. I walked through the only door into another grey chamber, where a low table sat before another blinking red light. I took my seat.

"STATE WHEN READY."

I looked beneath the red light. There was a slot in the wall, where today's tools would emerge. Hopefully nothing. I've just been asked to sing the past few days, and the children seem happy. If not...I glanced at my calloused hands.

"I'm ready."

"GOOD. GENERATING TODAY'S ENTERTAINMENT..."

Crunching behind the wall. It slid open. Before I saw anything emerge, the stench of blood and sweat hit me. Oh God. There they were - the puppets. A blue woman, a red man crisscrossed with black, a blue-and-red man, the large green creature.

"PLACE PUPPETS ON FINGERS."

I struggled to place them on trembling fingers.

"THIRTY SECONDS TO PLACE PUPPETS ON FINGERS."

They won't fit, they won't fit in time, they-

"TWENTY SECONDS."

They slipped on, barely. I placed my hand in the camera's view.

"PROGRAM A. TEN HOURS."

Ten hours. I rose my cracked voice, and began to sing.

"Daddy finger, daddy finger, where are you..."

___________________________________________________________________

It's been twenty years, I think. When I came here, I was a child. There used to be others. Not for five years. Sai had been the last. He refused to perform one day. I didn't see what happened to him. I just heard a scream from the next chamber over, and a grinding for hours. Could never use that chamber again. Since then it's been only me, every single day.

I laid down to sleep, trying my best to ignore my swollen fingers and sore throat. The red light blinked steadily in the darkness. I asked it the question I always ask.

"Computer, did...did anyone watch what I did?"

"Ten million views from the children."

"Where are they?"

"AVAB."

Avab. Before I slept every night, I wondered what it was like there. I guess if some rich children are entertained, it's enough.

Not really. But maybe I'd join them someday.

___________________________________________________________________

"WAKE UP."

Grey, grey, grey. Almost looks like the crack is growing.

"PROCEED TO CAMERA CHAMBER 2 FOR TODAY'S PERFORMANCE."

Down the hallway. Into the chamber.

"I'm ready."

"GOOD. GENERATING TODAY'S ENTERTAINMENT..."

The slot stayed open. Thank God. It's a lullaby.

"SONG J."

I sang in a thankful, cracked voice.

"Johnny, Johnny, yes papa..."

___________________________________________________________________

Darkness. The blinking light.

"How many people saw it?"

"EIGHT MILLION VIEWS FROM THE CHILDREN."

"In Avab."

"FROM AVAB."

I drifted off, dreaming of Avab.

KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!

I jolted awake. The room was still dark, but I could see more red light on the wall. I glanced up, trying to figure out where.

There was a hole in the ceiling where the crack had been. Through it I could see another red light. I stood up to get a closer look, only to trip. I hit the ground painfully. I looked around my feet.

There was a rock. A giant slab of concrete fallen off the ceiling. I grabbed it, ran my hands over it. Its edges were sharp. I lifted it carefully. It was heavy.

"PLEASE RETURN TO SLEEP."

I set it down again.

"RETURN TO SLEEP."

No. I lifted the slab again. Maybe it was heavy enough. I ran into the hallway, to the cracked wall, and rose the slab up as high as I could. I slammed it down.

KLANG! The wall shook.

"RETURN TO SLEEP IN THIRTY SECONDS."

Again. KLANG! The cracks deepened.

"TWENTY SECONDS."

KLANG! Holes began to open. I panted for breath.

"TEN SECONDS."

KLANG! The holes deepened. Through it I could see light. Not the harsh light on during the day, not the ever-present red of the computers. Something...else.

Something I hadn't seen since I was small.

"FIVE SECONDS."

KLANG! Almost big enough to sneak through.

"TWO SECONDS."

KLANG! I dropped the slab and crept through the narrow opening, into the night.

___________________________________________________________________

I stumbled across desert sand, frantic to escape. When I thought I was far enough away, I kneeled. I picked up a handful of sand and let it run through my fingers. Above was the moon and stars. I barely remembered them.

I looked back. The building I escaped from was a few stories tall, short and grey. Nothing was chasing me. Looking ahead, I only saw desert.

I walked all night. After a few hours, I saw lights - many, tall lights. I walked towards them until the sun rose, revealing buildings. Skyscrapers - a city!

As I found some shade to rest in, I looked towards the gleaming city, dreaming. I knew what it was. Avab. It has to be. I was nearly there.

___________________________________________________________________

I walked across the desert towards the distant city. Would the children of Avab recognize me? Would they be happy? Are they still happy without me? Maybe there was someone on the floor above me. What do they do that they can enjoy themselves all day? It must be beautiful, and soon, I'd see it myself.

The outskirts of Avab were...not what I expected. I saw shacks falling apart, piles of junk, with shadows on the walls that never left. I made my way further in, towards the skyscrapers. I only saw more junk. This couldn't be Avab after all, but maybe there were people at the center of home.

I saw lights at night in the largest tower. The next day, I reached it. I took a moment to collect my breath before going inside. There had to be someone here. Maybe they'd know where Avab is.

I opened the door to a dusty, open room. A low hum echoed through the halls. I followed it through the lobby, over a counter and into a dark room. It was cold, and all I could see on the table was a large machine - something with blinking red lights.

Oh God.

I walked closer. The machine was coated in dust. I brushed off the dust and saw letters.

AUTOMATED

VIEW

ADDITION

BOT

I fell on my knees and cried.

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