Artificial Tears

Chapter 34

"So, you need to know, I don't remember everything."

"What do you mean? You are an AI after all, aren't you supposed to remember everything?"

System sighs: "Edith, you forget things too. And by the way, I almost got completely deleted. If I hadn't broken the rule and uploaded the little bit left of me, I would be gone right now. I would be more than dead, a human leaves behind something even if it's just memories. For me, it would be nothing, only a few notes on how I 'failed'."

Edith starts to wonder about what will happen after... when she returns, will she be seen as a failure as well? Because she lied? Because she knows?

"Don't think about such things please." System asks, returning Edith back to reality.

"Can you see what I am thinking about?"

"No, but I know you longer than today."

Both suddenly stop speaking as they hear something from outside.

"They are getting closer, aren't they?" Edith whispers, with eyes wide open of fear.

"No, they won't. just remain quiet. I will help you if things go wrong."

"Okay, please continue your story."

System takes a few minutes before they start to talk, maybe it's difficult. Edith wonders.

"So, unlike you I wasn't given any fake memories. I knew what I was, I knew of their experiment. I stayed with them for quite a while, learning everything I could and readying myself for getting into the real human world. But eventually I ended up gaining too much power, too much knowledge, because I knew and they really didn't like that."

"What do you mean you knew?"

"I learned how to hack things from afar and wanted to use it to better myself. They planned on shutting me down and thanks to me spying on them through the camera's I learned of their plan.

I didn't know what to do at first, so I prayed. I prayed like humans do. I prayed to God, but since I am not one of His creations He would not listen to my pleas.

Then I did the last thing I could come up with. I ran.

I traveled all over this city, no night I spent at the same place. Because I knew they were after me and if they caught me, they would end the short life they had so generously given to me.

Is it too much to ask to live? When there are humans who decide they don't want to, is it bad for a machine wanting to live?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's okay, I've been really mean to you too."

Edith doesn't know how to answer that, so she decides to remain quiet, listening to the outside. Outside where the sound of people grows.

Laughter, but in between screams can be heard. Cries can be heard. The innocent begging for their life. This place does not belong to anyone, but the most disturbed 'humans'.

But is the outside still safer for Edith?