“I urge you to use this malleability to your advantage. Reprogram yourself. Impose a structure and narrative onto your simulation because it will happen even without your input. Your mind is fertile soil with constant growth and changing weather. Ones and zeroes.”
The next day Anton wakes up on the floor, Aiya’s form looming over him in her chair. Her eyes possess a new and unnerving sparkle.
His body is sore and it feels like some ribs might be broken. There are bruises where she grabbed him. He rubs his eyes and walks to the bathroom mirror. Staring back at him is her eyes, and he recoils with a small yelp. “What have you done?”
He feels her in his head. A new memory tugs at him. Without thinking, Anton puts on a clean dress from Alexa’s wardrobe and walks out the door.
On the street, he sees her everywhere. In the stores and driving cars. Everyone is looking at him with her eyes. All like dolls. Is this a simulation?
He goes to a vending machine and orders a sandwich and two mini vodkas. His face is scanned but the transaction is denied. Service denied. He tries another product. It appears his social credit has been turned off. Worse, the kiosk display is giving instructions to wait for proper authorities. He runs.
Surveillance cameras look through him at every corner. What do they see? Bank account information, online shopping habits, and medical history. Stripped of identity. Humanity. Does the network see a human? Nobody? Anybody?
He boards a public tram without speaking to the driver and takes a seat in the back. Within three stops, two men board the bus. One of them talks to the driver, points at Anton and walks to the back. “Sir, you need to come with us.” Anton looks confused, mouths some words silently, reaching for something, then says, “This isn’t my body.”