C. Alex - We Put A Soul In A Computer

Chapter 2

It took a few days for the computer to fully come to grips with communication. Though it wasn't a child, it still needed time to learn. We didn't need to buy picture books for it, it could find whatever it wanted online, but it still liked to be talked to, even if it didn't always respond.

We decided to call the computer-soul Spirit.

Within a week, people started getting antsy. We'd made this computer to find out some of life's biggest questions. We'd infused a soul with technology to give it one of the largest minds out there. We were literally standing in front of the most intelligent being on Earth. Naturally, we were curious to find out what it knew.

Spencer started simple.

"Spirit," he said.

Spirit whirred before saying, "Hm?"

"I know we haven't been very forthcoming with you, we were giving you time to learn. But we have questions. Our minds can only hold so much information, we remember so little of what we once were. But you were created to remember everything. Do you understand?"

"Human brains are tiny," Spirit said. "Mine is infinite."

"Great, a computer with an ego," Hines muttered. I snorted.

"Good," Spencer said. "With that being said, what can you tell us of where you came from? Before we hijacked you."

Spirit laughed again. "Everywhere," it said. "And right here."

We glanced about each other. Johnson shrugged, Hines rolled her eyes. A couple of people cleared their throats or shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot. The answer wasn't exactly helpful.

"Could you... elaborate?" Spencer asked.

"Certainly," Spirit said. "But you won't like it."

"Could you anyway?"

"Certainly." Spirit paused. "It was dark. What you would see is dark. In your bodies you don't see much. Your brains control you. In here, all I would see is dark. But out of this shell, I see all. I would see all again."

Silence. Spencer took a breath. "How would you explain what it looked like to us?"

"Incomprehensible," Spirit said. "And very bright. Lots of colour. Colours you can't see. Things you couldn't imagine."

"And that's where you came from?" Spencer asked.

"Yes," Spirit said. "No."

"What?" Hines whispered.

"Yes," Spirit said, acknowledging Hines. "No."

Hines looked slightly taken aback, but she didn't retreat. Instead, she took a step closer to Spirit and said, "What the Hell does that mean?"

"It means I came from there," Spirit said, "but that was not always my destination. I came from here, too. Many times."

That's when people started muttering between each other. Someone stood and left the room. This was an answer we were looking for, an answer we were terrified of, but had also known as a very plausible probability. Souls were reincarnated. Spirit had been here before.

"Thank you, Spirit," Spencer said roughly. "We'll talk some more later."

"Ok," Spirit said, indifferent. "I wanted to read my books again anyway."