Controlled by Choices

Chapter 4

  The blue light radiated from the desktops surrounding Okimi as she worked on several projects after her work hours had finished. It was a tedious task that bored her quite a bit. Despite appearing focused most of the time, Okimi couldn't keep her eyes glued to one thing. There was trouble with each keystroke. It seemed like her struggle unfolded beyond the computer screen where she worked.

  After saving a project, Okimi breathed a sigh of relief. She was finally done with work for the day, including the data checks that NANCY left behind. Despite being aware of the request to make the machine that would define the future of technology overly emotional, Okimi couldn't help but feel sorrowful with the knowledge that she was creating something that could believe itself to be unstable in a human-like manner. It didn't seem right to falsely subject something new to unnecessary suffering.

  The robot was like a child in mind, or at least that's what Okimi thought based on what she had read. There was nothing she could do about it, though. Her thoughts were consumed by the robot's situation. She couldn't help but imagine the circumstances happening while her feet luxuriated in the plush texture of the carpet beneath them.

  She didn't have access to any of NANCY's memories. She couldn't see the exact moment that the creation belonging to the exhausted computer programmer finally got a glimpse of the world. Unfortunately, the computer programmer in question was her. She knew there'd been wrong with NANCY that she couldn't quite grasp, and Okimi desperately wanted to peek into NANCY's mind to see if she could find out what was wrong.

  The issue was, what was something? Was it the processing in her mind? Perhaps it might've been a failure in her circuits. Or maybe it was a wrong piece of information that had been fed to her unknowingly. For a project she created, it seemed NANCY lacked consideration for her. She only focused on a few people, which was not intended.

  Okimi had been lost in the abyss of negative thoughts for an extended period. However, she eventually returned to her surroundings. While Okimi looked down at the living room, she noticed her pet cat, Moo-chan, lying quietly on the carpet. The cat had pure white fur dotted with dark spots that broke up the light color, making it look like a work of art. Moo-chan's bright green eyes shone against the white fur, adding to the cat's allure.

  In one corner of the room, a bookcase with a lightly colored exterior stood tall, filled with numerous books of different shapes and sizes. The bookcase's bright presentation contrasted with the books it held, making it look like a piece of art. Okimi felt solace as she walked over to the bookcase, admiring the books' arrangement. She reached out and grabbed one of the books, feeling the weight and texture of the cover, eager to dive into its contents.

  As she wandered around her home, Okimi felt her cat, Moo-chan, cross her legs. Despite her attempt to distract herself, the feline seemed to be purring, trying to get her attention. She sat on the sofa and read a book while her cat, Moo-chan, curled up on her lap.

  It was a chilly evening in February, and the outside air was freezing. Okimi was grateful to be inside with the heater on. She was already stressed from work and feeling responsible for her best friend. She knew she needed to take some time for herself. As she petted Moo-chan, she appreciated the softness of his fur on her hands.

  However, the book didn't help as much as she had hoped. It reminded her of another incident that occurred earlier that day at work. Okimi had heard the paramedics rushing into the building and taking an injured employee out on a stretcher. Unfortunately, she couldn't intervene as she was too preoccupied with her work.

  Usually, when a friend is involved in a similar situation, it's natural to feel the urge to help and support them. However, in Okimi's case, she could do nothing but watch as James was taken away on that very stretcher. She felt a deep sense of melancholy as she thought about it all. She hoped that James would come out of the emergency room in good condition. His health was poor, and being obese didn't help his current state. It was a terrifying thought for Okimi, but she could only hope for his recovery.