Chapter 11 - Desperation

I finish packing what seems to be a sufficient amount of resources, and stand back up, satisfied. Ell1s seems to notice and quickly floats back over. “Oh! Have you gotten everything you need?” He says, strangely more anxious now. He was offputting before, but it’s definitely noticeable now as I start to walk back towards the storage room’s entrance. “Yeah. I, um, didn’t really expect this place to be so desolate, yknow? I was hoping to find another human… But at least this should last me a good while.”

“Aha… Yeah. It gets pretty lonely down here. I didn’t even think an AI like me could get lonely.” He floats along next to me as he guides me back to the exit before stopping suddenly, and I look back at him, confused.

“You know, I was built to assist humans. It’s… really tough being unable to do your only job. I’ve spent so long here… alone…” His expression changes, and I swear the lights flickered for a second along with it. I guess I kind of feel bad for him..? We are in similar situations, and I do empathize with him a little, but… he’s just an AI. Nothing but lines of code and binary with only one designated purpose. I should move on and get out of here while I can.

I put on a fake smile and give him the best sympathetic look I can. “That’s, uh, pretty rough. I’m sorry you have to go through that. I guess we’re both struggling. Or something.” His face glitches profusely before returning to his typical anxious smile, and he goes back to cheerfully floating along. “I suppose so! It’s quite interesting how we have similarities despite our forms being so different.”

We’re now back in the hallway I came from, a faint light from the exit visible from the ladder I carefully climbed down. I sling my bag along my shoulder and prepare to leave, until he speaks up again. “Hey, are you… really going to leave? You could, um… stay for the night! At least… Wouldn’t it be nice to shelter here for a little while..?” His voice turns desperate, and I awkwardly take a step closer towards the exit. “Sorry… I think I’ll be alright. Thanks for the offer, though.” In response he runs towards me, unable to contain his fear. I nearly stumble backwards as I struggle to balance the weight of my bag and distance myself from his sudden movements. He can barely keep himself together without glitching into an incomprehensible mess of green shapes.

“But– Y- you could live here! You could stay here, protected from the dangers of the wasteland… with me! Aren’t you tired? Tired of struggling to survive every day? Tired of… everything?” He pauses and the lights flicker again. “Please. I’ve seen the injuries and scars all over your frail body. Considering the amount of radiation that’s hit you… You probably don’t have much longer. I don’t think you want to die out there, and… I don’t want you to either.” I stand there, unsure. As much as I’m tired of struggling… I can’t just waste the rest of my life in a practically empty facility like this. There has to still be people out there, right..? I can find help, I can find someone, I just need a little more time…

He approaches me, and floats back onto the ground in front of me. “Please. I can’t bear to be alone anymore. I’ve been stuck in this quiet, isolated facility for so long, hoping that someone would find it, I… I mean… You’re the first human I’ve seen in forever! I promise I’ll do everything I can to help you feel right at home, and I can provide you with whatever you need to survive!”

“So please.”

“Stay here with me.”

He holds out his hand, even though I can’t even physically shake it. I stand there, struggling to make a decision. I just need to go a little farther. I just need more time. I just need to keep going. I just need to…

My hands start to shake and my head overflows with conflicting thoughts. Ell1s tilts his head, anxiously waiting for my answer.

I…

I have to get out of here.

I make a sudden run for the exit, sprinting as fast as I can, begging my legs to keep moving just a little longer. “N- NO!!! DON’T LEAVE!! PLEASE!!!” His voice rings out, desperate and louder than ever, as he turns into a blurry, rapidly flickering green light. The lights flash on and off in quick motions as I stumble my way through the dark. I’m so close to freedom until the door shuts right in my face. With no time to react, I run into the sudden locked door and fall onto the ground, my bag falling along with me, resources I’ve gathered scattering all over the floor. Ell1s slowly floats over, grinning ear to ear.

“Did you really think I would let you leave?”