Mechanical Humanity

A stranger recently died like a moldy apple. The state and the police had finished their investigation. All that was left was to clear out his musty apartment. The manager had assigned it to me, because keeping things in order was my job. I did not want to be responsible for removing this strange man’s remains. I did not want to be the person who erased this stranger from our apartments. Then again, who else would be willing to do such a thing?

I used the key that the manager provided to unlock the door. As the door creaked itself open, I felt like a common burglar. The apartment was dark and already looked cluttered. I felt along the wall until I found the light switch. Turning the light on only confirmed my fears. Open boxes full of strange parts were stacked into large piles filling the narrow hallway. The kitchen was littered with old food and moldy plates.

Going further into the apartment, I found metal parts and wires all over the place. Shaking my head, I was surprised to witness a clear plastic table uncluttered by debris. It only contained a single box wrapped in brown paper. The most ordinary of things had become the most puzzling object in this apartment. Shrugging, I decided that it was better to begin working. I was too afraid to look into the bedroom just yet.

Cleaning out the kitchen was the most disgusting part of the job. I had to take breaks just to get past the smells. I was fortunate that moldy food was the worst thing I’d encountered here. As I began running out of room in the dumpster, I just began leaving the boxes full of odd parts nearby. There didn’t seem much reason to look through them. What could I possibly hope to rummage from all this garbage? The bedroom didn’t even contain a bed. This stranger had been using it for nothing except extra storage. I couldn’t help but wonder what this man had been working on.

After several hours of work, I’d managed to make a considerable dent out of this clutter. The pizza I’d ordered arrived just in time for a lunch break. As I ate sitting on a closed box, I couldn’t help but think about that mysteriously wrapped box. I began to imagine the random parts that were inside it. Then again, to have gone through all the trouble of wrapping it, must’ve made it important. Was it something the stranger wanted to hide? Was it something special? Did the stranger intend to have this package shipped off?

Finishing my last intended bite, I stood up and walked toward the package. There wasn’t any label, or markings, on it. I touched the box’s side and felt a zap. I shook my hand in surprise. I pushed against it, and it felt weightless. Shaking my head, I decided it might be worth settling my curiosity to inspect one box. I set to work rapidly unwrapping the package from the brown paper. The stranger had not bothered to seal the closed box.

I felt a painful swallow flow down my throat. I warily opened the box flaps. A dark purple light emanated from inside. Looking further inside revealed an infinite hallway. The right and left panels reflected each other, just as the top and bottom panels reflected each other. The two side panels looked like a long stretch of walls. In the center of the side panels, a line of red laid on top of a line of blue in the center. On the top panel the center line started red on the left side and transformed into blue on the right side. The colors of red and blue were opposite on the bottom panel, creating a kind of ‘x’ illusion. The lights appeared to be never ending.

Slowly, and with apprehension, I put my hand inside. I was amazed that my hand could reach through these lights. I didn’t know if it was the illusion, but my hand appeared to shrink the further it went. I pulled my hand back out, and it was undamaged. Curiosity pulled at me, I lowered my head into the box. I soon found my shoulders following me into the box. I moved my arm inside next to me, and I was able to place it firmly on the bottom panel of this illusion. My other arm followed. Using my arm strength, I pulled the rest of my body into the illusion of lights.

I gradually stood my body upright. The lights remained in the same positions, but the illusion finally turned into a walkable hallway. I began meandering down the hall. No matter how it appeared, there must’ve been an end. After a long time passed, panic began filling my thoughts. I started running, but this motion only made the hall feel even more infinite. I’d gone far enough to have lost sight of my mysterious entrance.

I paused hearing a melodic ringing. A pearly white box appeared from the ceiling. It was large enough to carry a small group of people. It stopped once it reached the floor, and the front of it opened. A woman, with her blonde hair tied behind her, stood inside. She was dressed in a white coat and black pants. She stepped out of the box and walked towards me.

“You seem a little lost,” she spoke in a monotone voice. “Did you forget where you’re going?” I shrugged in response. “Follow me,” she said and made her way past me. Uncertain what to do, I decided to follow. “I’ve heard of people getting glitches,” she added, “but this is the first time I’ve seen it. I was beginning to think it was a tall tale. How long have you been standing out here?” “Not very long,” I lied.

She stepped towards the wall and held her wrist towards the red light. A scanner light appeared for a second, and then the same melodic chime sounded. Another white box swiftly appeared behind us and its door opened. She stepped inside and I was inclined to continue following her. She lifted her wrist, so that I could see a purple barcode. She rubbed the spot of the purple barcode. “Don’t mind me. I need to have it replaced.”

The large door opened. I followed her into a large open space. The distant wall was nothing but giant glass windows. It allowed me to view the dull colors of a hectic city below. The floor was a pale blue color, and the ceiling was pure black. The white box moved itself back into the ceiling. “You can scan yourself out,” she muttered pointing to the far right wall. “I have some appointments. I would have that glitch checked out before you get too lost.” “I don’t… I can’t scan myself out. I don’t have… whatever that barcode is.” “You don’t?” She walked past me towards the right wall. She paused to stare into my eyes before scanning her barcode. She held her wrist out until another white box appeared. “This elevator will take you outside. Get out, please.” I could hear the panic in her request.

I nodded and stepped inside the elevator. It was kind of eerie that I couldn’t feel it moving. The door opened to reveal the outside. I rushed onto the busy walking street. No-one bothered to pay me any attention at first. I was unable to move. Looking into the sky, I could see so many neon lights advertising different businesses. Cars were rapidly flying overhead, between the lights.

Someone started nudging me. “Sir, sir,” the man spoke in a similar monotone voice. His voice pulled me out of my reveries. “Is your barcode broken? Faulty programming?” He asked, grabbing my wrist. He gently rubbed his thumb along the skin of my wrist. The man began rubbing the skin harder causing it to turn a bright red. I pulled my wrist away from him. He looked back up at me stunned. I could feel him staring intently into my eyes. It made advert my gaze. “You’re human. You’re entirely human,” he said bewildered.