Chapter 12 - New Home

Ell1s floats over me as I try to collect my bearings, a smug expression plastered on his face. “You know, I really didn’t want to do this. I would never want to trap someone here against their own will, but you just won’t cooperate.” He shrugs. “A shame, really. We could’ve started things off better if you were more willing to stay.”

He really just trapped me in here. All because he’s lonely. I glare at him and quickly pull myself back up, now enraged. “Are you fucking crazy? You’re just going to trap me here? Oh, I don’t know, because you’re LONELY? That’s the dumbest reason you could give someone! Why the hell should I care? You’re not even human.” I take a few seconds to catch my breath and he starts floating around me again, talking with that same annoying voice, clearly trying to piss me off more.

“You should care. I control this facility after all. All of it.” He gives me a sinister, cold look before continuing his speech. “And you’re better off staying here anyways. I don’t know why you’d want to go back out in that desolate and dangerous wasteland. You’ve got everything you need here! And me!” He stops in front of me, still grinning. “Honestly, considering how injured you are, you won’t even get much further. You’ll be much safer here. So why not just listen to me and consider it your new home?” He smiles confidently.

I stand back up and step away from him, nearly seeing red. “My situation doesn’t concern you. You can’t just fucking trap someone in here, are you crazy?” I catch my breath and glare at him again. “I’m going to get out of here. You’re not going to stop me. I’m not going to just end everything I’ve worked here right here and now. There has to still be people out there. I mean, if I survived, what are the chances that someone else could have too? If I just walk a little further, venture just for a little longer, I know I can find someone.”

He sighs, rubbing his forehead with his fingers in frustration. “Look. Your dedication is very admirable, I’ll give you that. And I don’t know what exactly you’ve been through, but just look at yourself! You’re in no condition to continue your little wasteland exploration! Maybe just have a little faith in me and accept how much better it’d be to live down here, away from all the threats and dangers of the world we live in now? Sure, I’m not like you. I’m just an AI. Nothing more than lines of code, oh, I’m quite aware. But take my word for it– You won’t last much longer if you keep going. It wouldn’t be very wise of you to end your mission with such a dreadful failure, would it?” He cockily tilts his head, knowing he’s cornered me.

The panic in my chest refuses to quiet down and I stand my ground, even though a part of me knows that continuing to fight like this won’t do much good, as stubborn as I tend to be.

I give him a piercing glare. “You have no idea what I’ve been through. I can’t live like this for the rest of my life, are you insane? Everything I’ve risked so far would all go to waste, I…”

He sighs, realizing none of his words are getting through to me. “Tch. Stubborn as ever.”

“Well, I suppose I can’t force you to agree. But when I was being created, my creators gave me control of this entire facility, which included access to its defense mechanisms! You know… Weapons, ammunition, its security system, all kinds of stuff.”

“What, you’d kill me if I tried to leave?”

Ell1s quickly shakes his head, smiling innocently. “No! Of course not! My programming prevents me from doing such a thing, after all! But if it really comes down to it, and I still can’t convince you… I wouldn’t hesitate to inflict pain.” He gives me a sinister look.

“So I’d appreciate it if you made things easier for the both of us and stayed.”

“You’re really that desperate?” I brace myself for any impact, although unsure where he’d strike. “Do you have any idea how long it’s been? Of course I’m desperate. And the first time a human appears in YEARS, I can’t even fulfill my purpose? What I was made to do?” He wipes his holographic glasses with his sleeve and puts them back on, the glass turning opaque. “A shame, really.” He takes a few steps back and I furrow my eyebrows, confused.

“I’m sorry it had to come to this.”

In the corner of my eye, something moved. It looked like a sharp piece of metal, and before I could even register what it was, it slashed through my chest in an instant, a familiar sharp pain washing over me. Scarlet red blood began to flow out and I felt it drip onto the ground, my eyes slowly looking down in horror.