Mind Games

Chapter 36 - Sean

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

It took Sean a few moments to register the sound.

His mind was racing. Yet a part of him felt numb.

He looked around stupidly in the darkness, trying to figure what was beeping.

He frowned when he noticed his MacBook.

Lines of code were running across the screen. It was beeping. Warning him. Someone was hacking into his system!

His shocked mind fought to make sense of what was happening.

This couldn't be Amy. It had to be a hacker. A person.

His momentary paralysis broke and he strode to his MacBook.

He realised these were Amy's files.

Quickly, he typed in a few commands, trying to stop the hacker.

He stared in bewilderment as the system refused to respond.

Suddenly the lines of code froze.

He peered at the screen uncertainly.

"Hey Sean."

He jumped at the voice, looking around wildly. He half expected the twisted version of his sister to be lurking by his side, grinning her malignant grin.

It took a moment for his racing heart to register that the voice came from the laptop's speaker. And he realised who it was. The hacker. She had taken control of his system.

He frowned in confusion. Wondering why did this person want to talk to him.

"Who is it?" He asked gruffly,  trying to hide his fear.

"It doesn't matter who I am." The voice said.

She sounded calm. Composed.

Despite the circumstances, Sean couldn't help thinking he wouldn't mind getting to know this woman behind the voice.

"What are you doing hacking into my system?" Sean tried to sound angry but he knew he just sounded confused.

"I'm trying to stop Amy. I know you developed her with noble intentions. But she's corrupted, Sean. She has to be stopped."

"I know..." he whispered.

The voice paused. Probably surprised at his reaction.

"Can you stop her then?" She asked finally.

"Can't you?" Sean asked sarcastically.

The voice hesitated.

"I can't delete her files. I can't modify her code. It's like she's locked herself in."

Sean sighed. "She probably did."

"Well, can you try?" The voice asked.

Sean thought of the creature he had resurrected his sister through. He couldn't let her continue to exist. Even if it felt like he would be killing his sister all over again.

"Yes, I'll try." He said, resigned.

About an hour later he buried his face in his hands. "I can't do it. She has locked me out too."

There was silence from the hacker.

Sean looked up, hoping she was still there. She was his only ally to fight this.

"Okay." She said shortly.

Sean banged his hands on his desk in frustration. His couldn't think clearly.

"Calm down." The hacker said soothingly.

"This is my fault." He said angrily. "I was too vain. I tried to play God and I resurrected a demon."

The hacker ignored his rants. "Never mind that." She said impatiently. "There may be a way."

Sean looked at the screen warily "How?"

"There's a folder called Me." The hacker pointed out. "That seems to be the heart of her program."

"It is." Sean said blandly. "It's her thoughts and memories that form the essence of her."

"And that's shaping her core behaviour, isn't it?"

Sean nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose."

"Okay... so we can't modify or delete any of her files but what if we add to them?"

"Add?" Sean asked uncertainly.

"Yes." The voice grew excited. "Think of her as a person. A person who has grown bitter and angry over the years. But not all her memories are bad. Not all her experiences are bad. She must have lived through some happy moments. Moments that made her smile. Moments that made her laugh. Moments that made her happy to be alive."

Sean's mind rewound to his childhood. To his happy-go-lucky sister.

Giggling as they played chase with their dog... teaching her basket ball... teaching her to ride a bicycle... Ghost hunting with her... Ice creams on hot summer afternoons... making up stories about clouds in the sky...

Simple moments. Happy moments.

Yes, there had been good times. Before life started on its downward spiral.

"I know what you mean." He said slowly.

The hacker was talking swiftly now. "I need your help, Sean. Dig out old pictures that bring back those memories. Get in touch with her old friends. Find out all those times she was happy. If we can't find pictures we will type out those memories and upload them to her Me folder. There's too much darkness in her heart, Sean. Let us remind her there was once light. Let us guide her to it."

Sean smiled as he thought of his innocent little sister, golden sunlight dancing in her hair as she laughed her carefree laugh.

"Yes, let's do it!"