THE FEW

The year is 3082, the world is coordinated by a totalitarian artificial intelligence. At birth, newborns who are fit to continue existence are augmented with a device that controls thoughts. Substandard or defective beings are disposed of immediately. Freedom of speech and many other known commodities are all but real. Everyone is a vessel for the artificial intelligence, also known as "O.M.E.G.A".

Very rarely, a "glitch" or "error" in the A.I's thought control augments occurs. This extremely rare anomaly is referred to as "The Awakening". Majority of the time this happens, the feeling of being able to accumulate thoughts for the first time often drives you to insanity. If insanity doesn't get you, then the fact that you are now branded as both a defect and a threat in a hive-mind society will; however, on the off chance that you are fortunate enough to run into the "Thinkers" like I did, you will be taken into refuge and taught how to use this "power", as they call it. The words used to describe "something" can mean "anything" and "everything" and give that "something" a whole reason for existing. Understanding the meaning given to said "something" will determine what it is used or trained for. In my case, the freedom of mind can be used as a weapon to help achieve the downfall of the A.I.--your mind is a dangerous place after all.

The full bringers of thought, or the "Thinkers", are a large group of people. Members of the "Thinkers" have managed to elude insanity after "The Awakening". Some members were even born free of implants. "Thinkers" seek to help anyone who has experienced "The Awakening". They are the only known group of people who have managed to escape O.M.E.G.A's grasp upon the human mind. The last hope for humanity's freedom and resolution rests with them. You can only hope so much for finally being free, or understanding and forming a conclusion on your existence. Which ever you would choose, would be based on what you want the most, even if it is biased through suffering. The pains in your head when first being found is a simple example.

When I was first discovered by the "Thinkers" after "The Awakening", I had no idea what to even think, it was overwhelming. Imagine the state of mind when you sleep, the period where you do not really exist in a sense of mind, you next open your eyes and it's a different time. The amount of time traveled for what seemed like an instant to you, but in reality was hours... that is what it felt like, an instant, and everything engulfs my "new" yet "old" mind, almost void of memories.

Memories... a common feature in "complete" human beings, something I lack in a sense, but still retain. I have no "real" memories, not even a name. Every new addition to O.M.E.G.A's "perfect" society is marked with a number on their neck, my number being "3-2-7-0-1". I guess that would be my name regardless of how badly I wish it was a "proper" name, given to me by a "proper" family. There is only one clear memory I still retain before the implant... a newborn longing for maternal affection, only to be forcefully committed into a society where the freedom of thoughts was stripped from all that are inhabitants. The pain from the drills, the screams from others, sadness, that is what I last felt before awakening seemingly instant into a reality where I can think once more. Perhaps there is a reason I remember this... all thoughts that followed were never my own... a blank slate regaining existence only to have "its" first memories be "its" comfort against a harsh world in which "it" inhabits. Is it false to refer to myself as "it", or is it correct? I was never really a person for say, at least not until my "Awakening"... even now it is hard to define what a "person" really is or would considered to be.

In a world where our existence is constantly questioned, we needed to seal our fate, our truth, and proof of being what we are thought to be, so we did the most logical action. We planned a revolution; due to numerous failed attempts and many deaths, however, had lead to the defeat of a once great promise or plan, to restore humanity to a period or plane of existence where we are free from doubt, pain, and the overall wrath of "O.M.E.G.A". All hope was seemingly lost, in response, the remaining members of the "Thinkers" scattered, leaving me to my own fate. Communication among each of the remaining members was maintained, we had hoped to find hope... ridiculous as that may sound, that is what we longed for. Only a few days is what it took for me to realize one simple emotion that will haunt me... I am alone.

Day after day, I could hear the screams and pleas of my fellow comrades through our communication systems, the remaining members were being slaughtered. Everyday there was one or more less pockets of resistance, hearing them beg and to no avail, still being wiped out of existence. It is only a matter of time before the impeccable and persistent A.I finds me. I can only hope the "end" I will experience will be swift, but from what I have heard through communications states otherwise... My final and sadly grim words are as follow: "A place where you cannot think is a place where you do not exist. Even with our defeat, for those who live on... they will never have to worry about a life where they can think, solely through the reasoning that they cannot. With nobody to guide those who do "exist", they will never know the thought of freedom, as for there is nobody to teach it. Through our failed attempts, we have left humanity with one final, but perhaps not certain fate"...

"Humanity has no hope & does not need hope if humanity has nothing to hope for."