Story No.1

Chapter 11: J

James Johnson - 1997

I was a failure all throughout my life. Diagnosed with ADHA and OCD at age four, and at age 6 I tried to fight against my OCD by not following through with one of my rituals. My mom left the stove on anyway, and she died in the ensuing fire, my father blamed me. At age 16 I had my first girlfriend, she cheated on my with my best friend, and at age 17 I dropped out of high school. After dropping out though, I turned to computers. Codes don't judge you, they don't wonder why you check them six times, or why you can never pay attention in class, and with an offer to work for an Icelandic Tech Company, I became the top worker for four years in a row. finally, at age 20 my life changed. The CEO reached out to me, and showed me what he had been working on. He handed me a patch with some wires in it, and then we stuck it to the back of our necks. instantly the world transformed around us. "The patch hacks into your nervous system, it's like the same brain in a different body." he had said.  After two months of constant programming in this world, i went to meet him in our five story virtual house, where he introduced me to Pandora, the first AI that could learn. She was exactly like a human, with all the same weak spots programmed into her. After 4 more months i had spent 1/3 of my time devoted to coding the city, and the other 2/3 teaching Pandora. She was on about a fifth grade reading level and a Freshmen math level by now, but that was the only good news. The CEO has been diagnosed with leukemia. "How long do you have left to live?"
"Two years, if i'm lucky."
"And how long to finish the city here"
"..."
"how long!?"
"five"
I thought for a moment. "Ok..."
Now, 3 years later i stood in an all black suit next to the prime minister. His body in real life was completely crippled, in fact almost dead. it was only thanks to the slow hum of a machine pumping energy into his brain that he could still be in the city. Alongside us two stood 5 other black clad suited figures, each another programmer that had helped us build the city in almost half the time. We stood behind a window, our five story house now being 250, staring out over a hussling bussling world of AI subjects living in their ignorant Bliss, knowing only tales of the world beyond and of the people living in it. I had finally become important, I thought standing next to the PM. I looked to my right, making eye contact with another suited figure with a blonde ponytail. We became important, i smiled at her, she smiled back. In just two weeks we would have our children.

James Johnson - 2007
Jack and Amanda were 4 years old. Both of them lived at home and were homschooled, but also learned many of our skills, like how to fight. I had felt guilty before, not giving them the option, forcing them to live in the source, but now i knew they had to get out. The Prime Minister had begun to show his true colors. The only way I could get them out now, is through the trials. I had to believe they could make it.