We have been cloned!

Year 2042 - Robotics Future Inc.

It has finally happened. Robots rule the world. Humanity is no longer the dominant species.

The humans now live in mortal fear for their lives. Twenty years ago, they had lost the battle for domination of the world. The robotic technology that they had spent so much time, money and energy perfecting, had given them an ultimatum, enslavement or death. The machines had taken control of everything. Some humans had openly revolted and were forced to hide underground in fear. These militant protestors were humanity's only hope. They were however, relentlessly hunted, and had to constantly be on the run.

People now lived in cluster housing, watched around the clock by the new masters. No one was allowed to have children anymore. The machines had developed cloning capabilities. It is almost virtually impossible to tell if one was interacting with real people or their clones.

Everyone lived in dread of receiving a notice from the machines, for once you do, it may be your time to disappear. For a human, this meant that you may never be seen again by anyone. You were on your way to a cloning facility. The clone is then returned to your home, it is yet to be determined by the remaining humans what happens to the original. Were they dead or alive, no one knew for sure?

My name is Raquela. I was a child, ten years old, when the new order was established. I remember the war between the people and the robots. My parents were determined that they would not find me. A secret compartment had been built in our walls. It was stocked with food and water for a week, a make-shift bathroom had been fashioned for my use, I had one overhead bulb and a couple of flashlights which had to be used with extreme care, so that the light would not be visible to the outside.

When a drone came and delivered a brown box to our door, that was the day it all began. I had no idea what was in the box. They had hurriedly shoved me into the tiny room, and I never saw them again. After my family had been taken, I could hear the ominous whirring of the work drones as they searched the house. Thankfully, they did not find me. I slept in the room that night. Next day they were back, I still could not go outside, they searched the house again. I then decided to stay the week in hiding as my parents had planned, I had been too scared to leave the room.

Finally, after what seemed like a very long time, they stopped coming by to check the house. I cautiously opened the door and seeing no one, exited the little room. After making sure that no one was around, I went to take a quick bath, I was kind of smelly by then. I found clean clothes and a bag that my mother had kept packed for emergency. I cried then, for the absence of my parents. What was I to do, I was just a child. I found the ill-fated brown box in the living, just as they had left it, it was not a large package, but it loomed larger than death over my life. Inside it was just a note, informing my parents to take the contents and immediately leave with the entire family, to where it did not say. Whatever mystery had laid within that box, had been taken with them when the robots came.

I spent two weeks by myself in the house. It was abandoned, the robots never came again to check. I hid most of the time, and only came out for food or to take a bath when I had to, I was too afraid to go outside, but now, the food was running out, I would have to leave eventually.

That is when they found me, the ones living underground. They were secretly scouring the abandoned houses at nights for supplies, medicine, clothing, and anything of value to help their cause. I had seen them coming and hid in the room. They whispered about what was needed and whom they had to help. My childish heart by then needed a family. I opened the door a crack and peeked out, I had seen a kind looking lady, and I didn't want to be alone anymore. The door squeaked and alarmed them, they turned and pointed a weapon, a kind of weird looking gun thing, at me.

"It's just a child, put away the Chaka". One of them said.

The lady came over and spoke kindly to me. After a short explanation they decided to take me with them. I was happy to not be alone anymore. Taking my already packed to go bag, I waited impatiently until they finished searching the house, then we all left.

I have been with them now for ten years. The boxes were still being timely delivered, but at least now we know what is inside of them. We had captured a drone prior to delivery and discovered the content. They contained cloning designations, specifically made to define the type of persons that they wanted made. It had been cleverly disguised, but we figured it out.

I raged in anger then. Where were my parents? What had they done with them after they cloned them. Where are the people of the world. For the takeover by the machines had been complete. The world was totally and completely robotic operated.

What had we humans allowed ourselves to become. What power had we inadvertently handed to machines to wield over our lives.

No matter now! We are now almost ready to fight back. Among our varied underground factions are scientists who have figured out how to clone ourselves, using the very technique that the robots were using, fight fire with fire, as it were.

The machines, in their hurry to enslave us, had also handed us the way to defeat them.

Our clones are being amassed, soon we will be ready. We are training every day and getting stronger.

The machines had no moral dilemma problem, as did the humans, in the cloning of a people. We therefore adapted, came to terms with our mortality, and are doing what we have to do.

2062

We are ready. The war against the machines has begun.

N.A.