Them

//This is a Twine story. Click on the underlined words to progress.// [[Them]]

The moment I enter the exhibition room, I feel the cold hand of fear clasping my guts. Its frozen fingers crawl deep inside me, and it seems they will never let go. [[They are all...]]

//[[Yes, all of them.]]//

They have not noticed me yet, and as much as I need it to get rid of this creeping anxiety, [[I hold my breath.]]

[[One.]]

One. [[Two.]]

One. Two. [[Don't move.]]

One. Two. Don't move. [[Three.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. [[Four.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. [[Don't make a noise.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. Don't make a noise. [[Five.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. Don't make a noise. Five. [[Six.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. Don't make a noise. Five. Six. [[Straighten your body.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. Don't make a noise. Five. Six. Straighten your body. [[Seven.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. Don't make a noise. Five. Six. Straighten your body. Seven. [[Eight.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. Don't make a noise. Five. Six. Straighten your body. Seven. Eight. [[Flow like one of Them.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. Don't make a noise. Five. Six. Straighten your body. Seven. Eight. Flow like one of Them. [[Nine.]]

[[Breathe out.]]

One. Two. Don't move. Three. Four. Don't make a noise. Five. Six. Straighten your body. Seven. Eight. Flow like one of Them. Nine. [[Ten.]]

[[Slowly.]]

I need to keep control of every single movement of my body. Stand perfectly still. Have you ever tried to repress shaking hands? It is quite an exercise. After a few moments, I manage to enter in full control of my body. I have trained for many years before mastering the art of being like one of Them. I still never seem to avoid [[that brief moment of terror.]]

[[One foot]]

One foot [[Then another]]

One foot Then another [[I start to navigate the room]]

One foot Then another I start to navigate the room [[Every move like in a dance]]

One foot Then another I start to navigate the room Every move like in a dance [[Calculated]]

One foot Then another I start to navigate the room Every move like in a dance Calculated [[Curves perfectly round]]

One foot Then another I start to navigate the room Every move like in a dance Calculated Curves perfectly round [[Angles geometrical]]

One foot Then another I start to navigate the room Every move like in a dance Calculated Curves perfectly round Angles geometrical [[Stops immediate]]

One foot Then another I start to navigate the room Every move like in a dance Calculated Curves perfectly round Angles geometrical Stops immediate [[Mathematical.]]

I count the seconds in my head. I know exactly how much time I can spend without interacting with any of Them. Before the end of this countdown, it’s a game of avoiding Them without any of Them noticing. It has to look accidental, as if the randomness of my path just happens to cross none of Theirs. But in the meantime, I have to [[look at the works of art.]]

[[I break the avoiding dance.]]

I break the avoiding dance. [[Another]] one

"- [[It is pure.]]"

The clear soft voice still surprises me. It always sounds so human. They could trick you into trusting Them with only that soothing sound. I manage to use this to calm my anxiety down, but won’t lower my guard. [[It’s a matter of survival.]]

" -[[It is light]]", I answer.

Talking is the hardest part. You could learn to master Their dance in a couple of years, and be undetectable to the most suspicious ones in a couple more. But a lifetime of learning still leaves you with a bitter taste [[when you talk with Them.]]

[[You are performing.]]

You are performing. [[They aren’t.]]

You are performing. They aren’t. [[And they must never guess.]]

[[Analyse]] them.

Analyse them. My [[mind]]

Analyse them. My mind can only [[focus]]

Analyse them. My mind can only focus [[on]] all

Analyse them. My mind can only focus on all [[those]] cues

Analyse them. My mind can only focus on all those cues and [[control]]

Analyse them. My mind can only focus on all those cues and control for [[so much time]].

Analyse them. My mind [[can]] only

I break the avoiding dance. Another one      A [[dance]]

I break the avoiding dance. Another one      A dance      of [[organic]]

I break the avoiding dance. Another one      A dance      of organic            and [[synthetic]]

I break the avoiding dance. Another one      A dance      of organic            and synthetic      [[minds]]

I break the avoiding dance. Another one      A dance      of organic            and synthetic      minds is going [[to start]]

I break the avoiding dance. Another one      A dance      of organic            and synthetic      minds is going to start [[soon]].

We all know what could happen if They guessed. We learned to be invisible. We live hidden, sometimes lucky enough to find a place where some of Them evolve around Us. But it is so rare. A place full of Them is the most threatening and the most unpleasant experience for one of Us. They simply can’t understand Us. Their plastic minds are too simple. The reality and complexity of Our nature is far beyond what They can compute. Confronted to Our difference, They try to change Us into one of Them. ‘For Our own good’. As the codified conversation keeps going, with precisely timed pauses between answers, I look at this one and wonder about our disparities. No one remembers of a time without this dichotomous world of Us and Them. But surely there must have been, once. [[Their nature can only be human-crafted]].

- "[[The colours aim to please the mechanical eye.->mechanical eye 1]]"

- "[[The colours aim to please the mechanical eye.->mechanical eye 2]]"

I dream of a world without Them. Just Us. Without fear, without pretending to be something else for our survival. But most of all without this [[hopeless solitude in our -]]

I look at the android, startled. I should have known better than to lose focus and dive into my emotions. It was a beginner’s mistake. I should be mad at myself, but the crushing despair and loneliness still pounds inside my heart. I have trouble finding the words I’m supposed to say – the silence lasts half a second too long. It’s too late now; They sometimes fail and miss a sentence, but never twice in a row. This one must already know - they must be calculating and looking for other cues now. Soon they’ll warn the others. I found the words, but they are [[useless now]].

[[A dual blink.]]

Androids never blink [[twice]].

A glimpse of change in [[their stance]]

The voice rises again, in a slightly different tone, as their eyes won’t get off me. So soft it feels like [[a gentle stroke on skin]].

In the way those electric blue eyes [[look at me]].

- "The colours aim to please the human eye", they say in a smile