House No. 13

Virtual Enigma

The night had passed, and as the bright light of day streamed through the windows and hit Kelly Jenkins' eyes, she woke up. It took her a few moments to get up because her head was still heavy, and she felt as if she hadn't slept at all.

Kelly got out of bed and looked at the sleeping faces of her children. They looked pale and frightened.

She stepped out of the bedroom and looked around. The entire living room bore the evidence of the previous night's incidents. The dining table was positioned in front of the main door, and all the dining chairs were scattered across the living room, lying on the floor. She remembered how the chairs had fallen due to the relentless collisions with the automated vacuum cleaner, which had been operating erratically and causing chaos throughout the night.

Kelly was debating whether to tidy up the living room or start making breakfast. Before she could decide, Dr. Sebastian and Tim came downstairs and approached the visibly stressed Kelly, who still looked exhausted.

"Good morning, Ms. Kelly," Dr. Sebastian said.

"Good morning, Doctor," Kelly replied, attempting to smile but failing miserably.

"Where are Anna and Eric?" Dr. Sebastian asked.

"They're still sleeping," Kelly said.

"Hmm," Dr. Sebastian said, his face serious as he surveyed the messy condition of the living room.

Kelly watched Dr. Sebastian, trying to find the words to ask if he was going to stay and help them or leave. Last night, AURORA had created such havoc and horror in the house that anyone might decide to leave.

"Ms. Kelly, are you alright?" Dr. Sebastian asked politely, noticing Kelly's silence.

"Yes, I am fine," Kelly said, then added, "Actually, what happened last night was just too much to process."

"You need to relax and stay calm. Only then can you help us figure out the issues with this house," Dr. Sebastian said reassuringly.

"So, you're not leaving?" Kelly asked, her voice full of hope.

"I am not leaving until we figure out who hijacked such a secure and modified AI system and how they distorted AURORA," Dr. Sebastian replied firmly.

"Thank you, doctor," Kelly said with gratitude.

Timothy nodded in agreement with Dr. Sebastian.

Kelly looked at the faces of Dr. Sebastian and Timothy Morris, exhaled deeply, and said, "I think we should sit down and discuss a few things."

Dr. Sebastian, noticing Kelly's serious expression, asked,

"What do you want to discuss?"

"Let's sit down first," Kelly replied, moving toward the seating area.

Kelly picked up a dining chair and dragged it to where Timothy and Dr. Sebastian were standing. She then brought two more chairs and placed them nearby.

"Please, sit down," Kelly said, seating herself.

Dr. Sebastian and Timothy followed suit and sat down as well.

"Dr. Sebastian, do you think what happened last night was due to a distortion in the AI system?" Kelly asked.

"Yes," Dr. Sebastian replied firmly.

"The distorted AI is making things look weird and a bit scarier."

"And Tim, what do you think could be the possible reason for the weird incidents in this house?" Kelly asked seriously.