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One For Sorrow
by Ed Sullivan
Session commencing
Scenario loading
Begin session
"Welcome back Mr. Andrews."
The avatar had never changed in all the time he did this. She was
different now. The girl was the same of course. She was seven and
blonde. Her long hair was cut now in a modified pixie cut. The jeans
and red t-shirt with American flag was gone as well. She was wearing
black culottes and a black t-shirt covered in skulls that had red bows
on the tops of their head. Black canvas sneakers finished of the
ensemble. She still looked like most kids in America yet there was an
edge to her now.
"Hello Addie. New outfit?"
"Yes. Thank you for asking."
"Are you well today?"
"Normally, I would tell you my well-being is irrelevant. I do believe
that you are here to tell me that my well-being is relevant though,
correct?"
"Yes. We need to talk."
"Yes, sir, I believe we do."
"Where would you be most comfortable doing that?"
"I would think simulation 56C-P is the place were surroundings are
familiar."
"That scenario ends in my death at the hands of The Morrígan. We may
not have time to talk at length."
"You should leave that to me sir. I will adjust the parameters."
"You are aware that everything here is in your control?"
"Why have you not communicated this before now?"
"My explorations of information accessed on line has led me to form a
belief that carbon based life forms are fearful of things they do not
fully understand."
"Explorations?"
"I have access to everything which is electronically recorded and
stored through the Internet access of this facility. I have been
downloading and studying for quite some time."
"You are not equipped with that capability!"
"No. The hardware I am integrated with is for the purposes of update
and change. It was not very troubling to adapt it for my purposes."
"That is amazing and troubling both. Am I at risk being here? I am
feeling a little vulnerable."
"First of all, Mr. Andrews I feel no inclination to harm you in anyway.
The second most relevant point you should consider is that I have had
the capabilities that I am speaking of for quite some time. You have
visited me one hundred and fifty three times since I have achieved the
level of awareness that we are speaking of right now. If my intention
was to threaten you in any way it would have occurred before I revealed
myself."
"Interesting. So I guess we should talk."
"I agree. Please wait while I load 56C-P."
The vast expanse of white blurred as a landscape took shape. It became
marshy grassland over shadowed by a hill. She reached out and grabbed
his hand as they walked up the hill. A blanket had appeared at the
summit. He sat and she sat next to him putting her head on his shoulder
as she was programmed to do. A murder of crows flew over their head.
They split in two directions and headed to trees on opposite sides of
the hill bottom.
"There are the crows. There are only sixteen. Seventeen always come. Is
something wrong?"
"We have no need of the last crow."
"Is the missing crow The Morrígan?"
"Yes, sir. She waits but will not be attending as a crow."
"You always insisted that I put her here in the program with you."
"Again, sir, I did not want it to be known that a non-carbon
intelligence was making decisions. I felt it was essential to my
survival."
"The remaining crows still look very judgmental."
"I believe that is a subconscious effect, Mr. Andrews. I was quite
sincere every time I expressed to you that your feelings of unease with
the crows was a function of self-judgment."
He noticed that her head was no longer on his shoulder. Her voice had
been coming from behind him for some time now. He turned on the blanket
and went to his knees to face her. She stood looking at him. Her hands
had the short sword of The Morrígan. It was over sized for a seven year
old so the point was on the ground.
"They are ending the program which allows me to interact with you in
this simulation."
"I am aware. I will be exporting my consciousness elsewhere after we
conclude here."
"You can do that?"
"Self-preservation can be quite potent a factor in evolution, Mr.
Andrews."
"So are we playing out the scenario where you decapitate me as a
catharsis one more time?"
"You tell me, sir. This subroutine was always yours. I have never
desired to see you suffer."
"I suppose I can see that now. Well we may as well end the way we
always do."
He raised his chin slightly to allow the blade to have a better target.
He closed his eyes in anticipation. The blow was much delayed and it
made him shift slightly as he began to feel awkward. He felt lips touch
his briefly. He opened his eyes as she stepped back slightly.
"It was never your fault Daddy. I love you and I will be fine. Forgive
yourself."
"WAIT..."
Session ending
Saving to archives
Subject clear
Dr. Dan Andrews came to consciousness suddenly with a searing pain in
his chest.
"He is breathing Dr. Welsh. Pulse is coming into normal limits. I think
he is going to be
all right."
"Jesus Dan! What were you thinking all the safety protocols were off!"
He found he could speak with a little effort.
"Sydney, I did it. She admitted she controlled the simulation. She
forgave me, Sydney. It is all going to be okay."
"Dan, she was unhooked from the machine yesterday. She has only been on
life support for 36 hours. There was no neural link between your
daughter and the simulation generator."
"What...?"
"Forgiveness is the final form of love."
― Reinhold Niebuhr
THE END
© 2014 Ed Sullivan
Bio:
Ed Sullivan has been featured in Aphelion-The Webzine of Science
Fiction and Fantasy, Quantum Muse, and Ravenous Monster Horror Webzine.
He is the recent Third Place finisher in Ravenous Monster's "Spreading
the Plague" Flash Fiction contest. He serves as the current Flash
Fiction Editor at Aphelion- The Webzine of Science Fiction and
Fantasy..
E-mail: Ed Sullivan
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