I didn't sleep that night...not that I ever do but the habit still stays with me...I spent those hours of darkness pacing around my cabin...my mind wandering with all these questions and fears....As the digital sun slowly sun crept in I made a deal with myself...I just couldn't sit here while more people disappeared...I had to do something..To find the truth...I stepped outside, the perfect grass cool beneath my bare feet...Everything looked the same as it always did...perfect, glorious and yet artificial... I walked to the spot where Zarea's house had been...Now there was nothing but an empty spot. It was if she had never existed...
Milo: Looking for something?
The sudden voice speaking to me startled me...I turned to see Milo my other neighbor watching me with intent eyes
Renee: Zarea...She's gone...
He nodded slowly and spoke cautiously
Milo: Not just her..Did you hear about the Thompsons?...The whole family just vanished...Just like that
He snapped and a chill ran down my whole body, despite the artificial sun beaming as usual
Renee: How the hell is that possible?? We're supposed to be safe and...immortal...right??
He glanced around nervously before coming closer
Milo: Meet me at the edge of the forest in an hour...There's something I think you'll be interested in
Before I could say anything he vanished...It wasn't a creepy vanishing...he just teleported using the feature here...But it still made me feel uneasy...An hour later there I was right where he told me to meet him at...The forest dark and haunting...I had never found it threatening before but being here alone changed all that...Milo appeared..his usual happy face had a grim expression stuck to it...
Milo: Follow me
We walked in utter silence for what felt like hours..Moving deeper into the forest than I'd ever gone...Finally we came to a small clearing...In the center stood a massive rock...It at least stretching to cover that small opening
Milo: Watch closely
He placed his hand on the rock and to my amazement his hand passed through it like it was a hologram of some sort...He stepped forward disappearing into the rock entirely...I hesitated before stepping closer...What would I see?...I followed after him passing through the rock and inside was a dimly lit cavern covered in glowing screens...Each of them flashing unreadable data
Renee: What is all of this?
Milo: Welcome to 2246. This is a backdoor into the system that creates your paradise
My eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lights...I saw others there...Maybe a dozen or more...all of the focused on the unreadable screens in front of them
Milo: We are the resistance. Hackers you might even say...We've been investigating the disappearances for a while now
One of the figures turned towards us...It was Zarea
Renee: Zarea!...You're alive!...but how??
She smiled sadly and gathered her words
Zarea: I had to fake my own disappearance...So I could join thr resistance full time...I'm sorry I couldn't tell you...I didn't want to risk your safety too
Renee: What the hell is really going on?? You faked your disappearence..This place...Your version of a rebel group??
Milo grabbed my shoulder and guided me to one of the screens
Milo: I know this alot to take in at once but...We've uncovered something very disturbing to say the least...The Admins aren't just watching over us...they're editing it and us...
He pulled up a file and I saw all the lines of code that seemed to represent a person...With a growing fear I realized it was my own data...Zarea cleared her throat and we looked up at her
Zarea: They're rewriting people...Altering any memories...Changing personalities...The ones that disappear are those who resist the changes...
Milo: Or they've been changed so much they're unrecognizable
I felt dizzy...All of this was so overwhelming...I didn't think this was how our perfect utopia came to be...
Renee: Why are they doing all of this? I..I don't understand...
A deep voice echoed behind us making my whole body jump
Dr. Woo: Simply put control...I'm Doctor Woo...I was apart of the original developing team that created this technology
He sighed as he shook my hand before continuing
Dr. Woo: We thought we were creating a uoptia...A digital paradise free from all...But the Administration...They only saw it as an opportunity to create their version of a perfect society
Renee: So the disappearances?...
Just thinking about it made my stomach turn
Dr. Woo: Some are like Zarea..Going into hiding to resist...Others are being "reprogrammed" to fit the Administrations vision and other are just being...being deleted
Hearing all this made me want to puke...Our immortality...our paradise...this utopia...It was all built on a lie and evil
Renee: What can we do??
I surprised my own self...never have I felt this determined to do something...Milo gave me a grim smile and spoke
Milo: That's exactly why I brought you here. We're planning something really big...A way to finally expose the truth to everyone
Zarea: But we can't do it alone...We need help..If we get caught everything will be in ruins...
Milo: We need your help Renee...With all of our minds together we can put a stop to Admins plans. They'll never see it coming
Renee: I'm in
I said with no hesitation..The fear in me was still there like a lion in a cage...but that was overshadowed by the need for finding answers and putting a stop to what the Admins had been doing...As the others grouped together to talk more about their plan...I realized that our "paradise" was about to become a battlefield...All those carefree day of bliss were about to be over. Now we are about to fight for our very own existence...In the psychical world our ancestors fought to overthrow the corrupt government...now thousands of years later they fell into the corruption they fought so hard to get rid off...As I looked at everyone...Each of them risking everything for the truth...I felt a mix of hope and fear...If they could do it so could I...Our digital utopia world may be built on a never ending space of codes and cryptics...In this moment though I've never felt more human...Our revolution...would be here in this digital fantasy
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