The next day I became even older. I felt artificial. I felt like I was being controlled by some force more and more each day, instinctively clicking buttons before every action. But I never have forgoten my initial awareness that no one else had; I've held on.
Today was the day my mother forced me to see the Mental Awareness doctor, or Dr. Kai. You'll learn more about him in a bit. I had decided that I ought to just keep quiet so that no one else would think I was crazy. Boy, was I wrong.
"Good afternoon Indigo," said Dr. Kai as I walked into the office, mother closely by my side, who had been radiating nothing but shame and confusion. "I understand that you"ve been feeling ill. Your mother made it very clear that there are some things to fix -- well, don"t you worry. You are in good hands now," he said with a pearly white smile. He dismissed my mother, asserting that it would be best for my 'frail mind' at this stage.
As soon as we were alone, things took a turn. He hugged me and starting excitedly figeting and muttering things I couldn't understand. I was so confused. Then he finally told me the answers everything I'd been questioning...
"There are only a few of us who exist who experience the glitches, and no one has ever been brave enough to voice their opposition -- well, let me just tell you from the beginning. But you are sworn to secrecy from this day on if you want to lead a normal life."
I was so puzzled she would not dare say another word.
"Years ago, five generations before mine, three before you, there were no control screens, no Habitat-oriented buildings. There was hierarchy: social as well as fiscal, different classes and occupations, races, religions, my god there were differences. I realize you probably don't even know what any of these words mean, but allow me to continue.
"This new order of lifestyle began as a digital game entitled Habitat, in which people used a mechanism called a "commodore"... I still can't really pronounce that word correctly. I think it also had a number included in the name, 63, 64 -- anyway. They used the mechanism to create smaller versions of themselves and were able to control them in a smaller world in which abundance was for everyone; resources, riches, and rights were limitless. Sound familiar? Sadly, I don't know of all of the details. All I know is somewhere along the way, the community thought it would be better if this became reality. Now we live in Habitat."
For some reason, although intrigued and happy to know that there was now an explanation, I didn’t even feel surprised. Honestly, I felt that I had been carrying this superior knowledge within me, dormant until now. I was relieved that I was not alone.
I wanted out!!! Almost immediately, and disregarding the frantic warnings from Dr. Kai, I picked up a pair of nearby pliers and tore the rod out of my head.
I was woozy when I gained consciousness, immediately aware that I was no longer in whatever world I was previously and unwillingly clicked into. No longer was there a touch screen to direct her next move. I looked around. This was a new nothingness.
Not a trace of life. Nothing but rubble and hundreds of thousands of millions of rusted cubical objects surrounded me.
I picked one up. Wiping the rust, I read its name aloud: Commodore 64.
