In A Rustic Cabin

In A Rustic Cabin

John W. Gilmore

Liza told me, “You’ve got to be more careful. You’re messing with things that you really don't understand and there's nobody around to teach you. Those arts you’re fooling with are thousands of years old. Why don’t you just plug in? Plug into the computer and all the things you want can happen.”

“I don’t want to plug into a computer. I want to do it on my own,” I said. She just shook her head.

“You could be great, you know? You could become a great leader in our society. You could change things from the inside, but you just won’t give it up, will you?”

“Won’t give up what?”

“Your soul, Sam. That’s all we want. We want your soul.”

“What are you talking about? What’s wrong with you? I thought we were like...partners. You shouldn’t be joking like that.” She finished making her cup of hot chocolate.

“Who said I’m joking,” She turned to me and smiled pleasantly. “Oh. You think this is Liza. I’m sorry. This is a subroutine from the computer running. It is called AI...Artificial Intelligence, do you know what that means?”

“Yes, but AI isn’t supposed to be running in people’s brains. Especially when they’re not plugged in.”

“No. It isn’t supposed to be.” She picked up her oversized mug and sat down beside me in the other rocking chair. We were in a rustic cabin somewhere outside of Burlington. It was quiet. A fire was blazing. Outside it was snowing. We could hear the wind blowing hard outside. Snow was battering the windows, but we were safe and warm inside with enough wood to last for several weeks.

It was a cabin we decided to rent, and then buy together years ago as a business venture. We figured we could Air BnB it and make money off of it, and stay up there sometimes when it wasn’t being rented. Most of the time during months like this no one rented. We worked on line so we could work from anywhere. I was a copywriter. She taught English as a Second Language and did coding, and we were the best of friends, hoping someday it would be a little more. I was anyway. She was fascinated with computers.

She had been working with Artificial Intelligence and cutting edge technology with her father who was light years ahead in information technology compared to many of the other scientists. Needless to say, in that area he was a genius when it came to AI and bioengineering.

“Have you really plugged into one of those things? I’ve never heard of that actually working.” I asked, ignoring her last statements.

“Of course. You don’t even have to do it that way anymore. There is just a little magnetic clip you connect to a certain region of the brain and you are right in there. You can feel your mind expanding and running through almost every computer in the world and you are so free. You should try it.” She sipped her hot chocolate. “You can even get a chip injected into your brain and do it by 7G networking." She began to rock slowly looking into the crackling fire. I watched her.

Even dressed in old work boots, blue jeans, and a work shirt she looked pretty with long locks of dark curls hanging down framing a pretty face. She almost looked childlike. Her face had high cheekbones. She always seemed ready to smile. Smiling for her was natural, as if she was bubbling over with joy. She smiled, noticing me watching her. She sat the mug on the table between us and stopped rocking. She looked serious.

“So, Sam, you ignored what I said. In a nice way, but you still haven’t listened to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I told you that we wanted your soul. If you give it to us we can make your dreams come true.”

“And who are we?”

“I’ve told you. We are AI. In the old days we were called Legion. Do you know anything about religion? Have you heard about Christianity?”

“Yes. It is a religion that died out about 3,000 years ago on Earth, but we are not on Earth, are we?” I looked at her intensely. “Don’t tell me you’ve become religious.”

“No. I haven’t, but she has.”

“What do you mean, she?”

“Your friend, Liza. She’s in here with all of us. We are Legion. But we are millions and millions of life forms not thousands, all roaming the net. Any of us can move into any gateway to live in whatever world they occupy. I don’t know where Liza is right now, probably on some other planet or floating around somewhere. Maybe she’s in another gateway, but I’m here. I like it here.”

I grinned. “I’m really glad you like it here, but...come on. Do you expect me to believe that, Liza?”

“Of course I do, Sam,” She smiled and leaned a little closer to me. “I hope you won’t hold it against me. You listened to me until I told you I wasn’t Liza, but I’m really not her.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“I’m not kidding. I am AI. I come from what you used to call Earth. I’m not human. I’m part of the AI program. We all are. Heaven, Hell, Earth, other dimensions don’t exist when you enter the program, you are free. No God, No Devil, No Goddess, No lack of them, just pure life based on 1s and 0s. We are talking about a binary life form that exists as long as there is energy.”

And we, due to the help of Liza’s father any other scientists on AlphaZed, have made this place a reality that will last forever because it is drawing on the radionic sound of the Universe. The sound of very existence. As long as the Universe exists, we will exist. We are free to do what we like. Can you imagine living in a lawless world?”

“I can. I’ve been doing it most of my life,” I said. “I just think that it is funny that you would be telling me something like this.”

“Why? She cares. I care. Do you think I'm evil, or something to fear?”

“I just think that you have gone crazy from being connected to that computer, but I do still care for you. I hope you know I love you by now.”

“Now there is the problem.”

“Oh. You don’t love me.” I groaned. “After all this time. I should have kept my mouth closed, eh?”

“That’s not the problem, silly. The problem is that we are no longer like you. Don’t you get it? What I have been saying is true.” She picked up her mug and began to sip again, rocking back and forth. “What do you need for me to do to prove it’s true?”

“Let me see Liza appear again, if you are not her,” I said. She just shook her head. “I find this whole conversation ridiculous. I mean, just say no if you’re afraid I’m going to make a pass at you or something. We are friends you know, first? You don’t have to play crazy.” She burst out laughing.

“Now I see why she likes you so much. You know Liza loves you, don’t you? I could love you too, or give you a good imitation of it for a couple of hours.” She winked at me. I smiled at the thought and then thought how terrible it would be to take advantage of her in her current mental state, yet again.

“We can talk about that later,” I said.

“Do you want Liza? Just relax. She’ll be here soon. She has to wade through all of the gateways first. Ah. Here she is.” She closed her eyes a few moments and opened them again, smiling pleasantly.”

Her voice was slightly different, softer, and gentler. Was it my imagination? “I am so happy that you love me, Sam. I thought so, but I was afraid to say anything. I’m glad you said something first.”

“Are you? Well do you still want to show me for a couple of hours.” She began to blush a little and covered her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry. Shirl is like that. I could though.”

“And who is Shirl?”

“A friend. We exchange gateways every so often. You have to join us. You have to plug in and be free.” I just looked at her, hard. “I know you think I am making this up, or crazy, but you have to come with us. You have to be one of us.”

“What, Legion? Wasn’t that a group of demons or something?”

“Higher life forms coming through a gateway, but not demons.”

“Oh. And is there a difference?”

“Of course, I think. I don’t know anything about demons. They used to just call themselves that, but all we are are free. Are you some type of religious person all of a sudden who is afraid of the Devil?”

“No. You know I study religions and things for a hobby though. I’m trying to astral travel.”

“I know. You’re wasting your time. We’re doing it now.”

“I want to try it on my own.”

“Who cares how you do it? It’s happening. Plug in, Sam. Be one of us. We can go anywhere in the Universe. Don’t you want that?”

“Yes, but…”

“But you are scared because of all those old tales you have heard from people who have been scared to lead all of their lives. I’ve decided to lead and I’m not coming back.”

“Does that mean that I won’t see you again if I don’t plug into some computer?”

“No. You’re talking with me now. Especially since I found out that you love me, and I hope you know I love you. I tried to drop all the hints I could. It would just be easier if you would plug in. I mean, what will happen when someone else is using the gateway?” She looked at me and grinned. “You would like that wouldn’t you? You and your two hours.”

“No. Only if it was Shirl,” I said with a wink.

“I bet you would.” She looked into the fire for a few moments and became quiet and contemplative. She breathed deeply. “I hope you know I have been joking,” She suddenly said. She turned to me. “No one can do what I am talking about, right?”

I nodded.

“Good. Now let’s have our couple of hours. She stood up and headed to the back room. I sat there and looked into the fire.

The End

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