Not an Omega (EN)

14

Hunger, thirst, total silence, like a blank page ready to be written. It is within this void that the most meaningful message hides. The smell. That acrid and putrid stench that reigns supreme in these places, a darkness so dense that even the rays of the sun refuse to light it, out of pure compassion for the poor creature confined there. Alone? Not exactly. Mom and dad are here too. But the creature knows that it will find no comfort in their presence. No warmth, no hope. Here, time seems frozen in eternity, and only the bodily pains are real enough to keep it alive. Although that word has lost all meaning to it. What could await it on the other side if it managed to escape? There is no better world beyond. Yet, maybe it would be better than facing this thing that has been there with it since the beginning. This thing that, from the start, whispers to it in a tortured voice: "Don't look. Don't think about it. Don't even try to look. If you look, it becomes real." But it was already real. It had already happened. There was nothing more to do. So, the creature gathered all its strength and did what it had always forbidden itself. It looked.

Noah woke up sweating, gasping for breath. The thin rays of sunlight that managed to pierce through the curtains of his room barely illuminated the end of his bed, leaving the rest of the room shrouded in darkness. He rushed to the remote control for the blinds on his nightstand and activated the mechanism that made them rise slowly. But the light quickly flooded the room, revealing every object. In truth, very few. Noah had never been the type to leave things lying around, and he always made sure everything was in its place. No object or clothing was on the immaculate floor of his room.

The alarm clock suddenly began to beep, a shrill and repetitive sound that Noah didn't even bother to turn off, as his first reflex was to rush to the bathroom. Once there, he couldn't hold back the liquid rising in his throat and vomited into the bowl. The liquid mixed with the water at the bottom, turning it a sinister reddish hue, which deepened with the new flow he expelled. Breathless, he tore off a piece of toilet paper to wipe the filaments pitifully hanging around his mouth. After a few deep breaths, his breathing returned to an acceptable rhythm, and he sat on the tile. After a few minutes, he finally dared to look at what he had just vomited. Don't look. If you look, it becomes real. After a long sigh of dissatisfaction, Noah got up, flushed the toilet, and started the shower.

Another damn good start to the day.

Arriving at work, Noah greeted most of his colleagues, offering some a strong coffee, before settling at his desk. He had hoped to be assigned to the laboratory to work directly on research, but he had been relegated to the information processing offices. It wasn't exactly what he had imagined as a success, but it still allowed him access to some information about the components of the products. Of course, not all of it. To prevent theft and espionage, the company had implemented a fairly basic but effective protection system. Each employee received randomly a portion of the data sent from the laboratory. This data is confidential, and discussing it with colleagues is strictly forbidden. The company even has a system of cameras and microphones that detect forbidden words on lips and by sound. There's no point trying to create a coded language; the company also has an algorithm capable of analyzing recurring words in a conversation to send an alert to surveillance agents, ready to intervene 24/7. Several colleagues have already been taken away for intense interrogation, and most do not come back.

The data received by each employee may have no apparent link between them, even if they arrive at the same time and must be submitted by the same date. Moreover, a single subject can be dealt with over a long period, with information spread over several months.

The system is designed so that if any anomaly is detected at any stage, the server erases all collected data before restarting. It is now impossible to know where this data is. It is assumed that it is in the hands of AC's management, but these are only assumptions.

After three hours spent processing his files, Noah began to experience a painful headache, a common discomfort among office workers. Determined to take a well-deserved break, he left his seat, stretched out, and headed to the break room. Aware of the difficult working conditions, AC had set up spacious break rooms in each of its offices, equipped with drink machines, a lounge area, a kitchen, and modern decor. One could also go out on the terrace to enjoy a drink in the fresh air of April.

After pressing the "vanilla flavor coffee" button on the machine, Noah's gaze wandered over the construction landscape stretching out before him, a sign of reconstruction and hope for most of the inhabitants, which evoked nostalgia for mountainous reliefs and endless forests, even though he had always lived in the city. With a long sigh, he grabbed his drink and took several sips. It was then that he noticed the presence of a man sitting in the lounge area who seemed to be watching him.

It took Noah only a moment to recognize the fine features of his face and the luxury of his clothing, even from this distance. The man had dense hair, carefully combed to the side, and a piercing gaze. Noah realized that the man wasn't merely looking in his direction but was staring at him intently. He nonchalantly turned his attention back to the city view, taking another sip of his coffee.

A new client? A business partner?