Nova stood frozen at the entrance of the room, her mind buzzing. The air was thick with tension, that kind that vibrated between walls of secret places. Around the table, a handful of people - maybe five or six - looked up at her with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. Their clothes were worn, patches in places, a stark contrast to the pristine uniforms assigned by the Algorithm.
The woman who had led Nova here gestured towards an empty chair.
"Sit down," She said, her tone firm but not unkind.
Nova hesitated. Her heart raced as questions swirled in her head. Who were these people? What was this place? She had followed her instincts here, a quiet voice inside her whispering that this was where she needed to be. But now, staring at these strangers, she felt suddenly out of place, like a thread that had been pulled from the fabric of the life she'd known.
"I don't even know your name," Novasaid, her voice cracking slightly.
The woman smirked "Im Zara" she replied, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "And you're Nova. The one who got an early Match Assignment."
Nova's eyes widened "How did you know?" She questioned, worried yet curious.
Zara's smirk faded "We've been watching the Algorithm's updates. It's not just your Match Assignment that's off. Things have been changing for awhile now, but people are too afraid or too conditioned to see it".
Her eyes darkened as shespoke, and Nova could feel the weight of other words sink into her chest.
"What are you talking about?" Nova asked, her voice sharper than she intended. "The Algorithm doesn't make mistakes. It's kept society running-"
"It's kept society under control," interrupted a man sitting at the far end of the table. His voice was low, and his gaze was piercing."It gives you just enough to make you feel comfortable, safe even. But it's taking more than you realise"
Nova blinked her mind struggling to catch up "But The Algorithm...it's eradicated poverty, war, inequality. Everyone has a place, a purpose"
Zara sighed, leaning forward, her eyes locking onto Nova's "At what cost, Nova? A perfect life? Or a life where you have no choice but to follow the path it decides for you?"
Nova's breath hitched. Choice. It was a word that hadn't crossed her mind in years. The Algorithm dictated her every move,from what she ate to where she worked, even the people she was allowed to socialise with. She had accepted it, trusted it - until now.
"What are you all doing here, then?" Nova asked, glancing around the room. "You're not...with the Algorithm?"
A ripple of laughter went around the room, bitter and cold.
"No," Zara said quietly, "We're Fighting IT."
The words hung in the air, and Nova felt a chill crawl up her spine. She had never even considered the idea of fighting the Algorithm. To resist it was unthinkable. But here, in this dimly lit room with these strangers,it didn't seem so far-fetched. Not anymore.
"You're scared," Zara said softly. "I get it. We all were, once. But the Algorithm isn't what it seems. It's evolving. And if we don't stop it, soon we won't have the choice to resist at all."
Nova's heart raced as Zara's words hit her like a punch. The Algorithm wasn't just dictating their lives- it was tightening its grip. And her early Match Assignment? It wasn't a glitch. It was the beginning of something much bigger, much darker.
For the first time in her life, Nova felt the stirring of rebellion.
YOU ARE READING
The Algorithm.
مغامرةIn a future society, every citizen's life is governed by an all-powerful algorithm that determines everything from their career to who they marry. The algorithm is celebrated for having eradicated poverty, war, and inequality. However, when a young...
