Your Unheard Voices

1. The Chosen One

Something will always stay the same, that’s one of all the basic things we learned somehow growing up. Despite how society has evolved, people seem trapped in the realm of magical unicorns and bedtime stories when our mama used to tuck us to bed. Remember the past when the elders were preaching about how chances of success were measured by diligence, and that the hard work will always be paid off? People back then were even willing to risk everything for anything, from trading bodies for fame to igniting wars for power and suppressing voices that were meant to be heard. Disheartening as it was in the past, the world today also seems to share a familiar history from its shadowy past that keeps the poor in poverty and the rich wealthy. I have strived and struggled in this rat race that my society has designed for me, and perhaps one might think that it’s high time to claim my success, but truth be told, these struggles have yet remained by my side for two years.

Another day, another dollar. I hurried into the packed elevator from the basement parking lot and made my way to the Quality Assurance Department on the second floor. As punctual as I have always been arriving at my work, not a single remark of tardiness I left since the first day of work. “Bruce Lee, have you heard the news yet? We are definitely in big trouble.” My goofy colleague, Lance approached with a face of concerns that puzzled me for a second. “Good morning Lance and Jin, what nice weather we have today, and here are the coffees.” Our assistant interrupted and handed over our coffee, as usual, I grabbed and pondered as I stared into the only empty mug on my hand. Even so, I can’t help but wonder what has gone wrong. It was neither the irreverent nickname that has been called every morning nor the insensitive and expressionless demeanor of our assistant, given that I could no longer remember or differentiate if she is only an artificial intelligence or human anymore. “I am indeed in big trouble,” I replied without a second thought. What appeared in my mind was the last thing I could have imagined and I definitely wouldn’t want it to happen in real. “Jin, you have been called to the office.” She continued. I reluctantly pushed the deeply tinted glass door opened and entered, a dark room that contained only a screen with a speaker, announcing the words of our chief. “Jin, you have contributed and did an excellent job as one of our QA specialists, however, there has been a scandal surfacing among the mass media about a product default that cost a life. To protect our company’s repetition and relations to our dearest customers, your name has been chosen to be dismissed from the team list for the failure in fulfilling your duties. Furthermore…” I cannot bear listening to those words anymore, knowing that losing the position could stop me from paying off my family debt. “There must be something wrong! I wasn’t responsible for that line of production. Sir, I NEEDED THE JOB!” I refuted with all that I could but the screen blacked out and my voice faded, there’s nothing left for me to do at this point. It doesn’t matter if you fight back or not, because this is the norm of this new era.

2. Eyes on the Prize

I’ve never felt gravity to be such powerful before. My body, blood, bones, and tears seem to slowly sink into the floor of my apartment as if something underneath the ground was attracting them. I attempt to focus during the day, but my mind tends to wander off to search for some distraction, like the rays of an afternoon sun that pierce through the window blinds. “Have you ever wondered about, Death for instance?” The radio turns static as the voice continues to echo through the walls of an empty living room engulfed by a thin wispy smoke. I blankly stared at the radio lying beside me and memories began flashing into my head, “I’m so sorry, Jin.” My blood boils at the sight and sound of Lance who should be at my place suffering, yet I can’t even spit his name out or backstab him. How weak am I! Does it even consider selfish to wish for a simple life? Failed to pay the family debt, desperation consumes Jin before he even noticed his loss, living a life full of gambler and drinker’s foul. Tonight is also no different than the other nights but another bet. “Bust.” The dealer retreats chips from the lady sitting on the Blackjack table. Crowds began to gather as she throws series of huge bets. “That’s an insane amount of money, she’s crazy.” The observers whispered to each other, yet the lady remained cool-headed. Unaffected by any ludicrous comments from the crowd, she again placed another huge bet. Jin who was startled by the roaring crowd became curious and decided to join the gambling lady on the table. Neither fortune nor lust for return that Jin expected, the only thing on his mind was just to get a closer look at her expression.

I placed my bet into the pool and attempted to sneak a glance at her face. Her dark eyes fixed on the cards, emotionless expression that reminds me of the assistant back in the office. There’s nothing more than desperation that I could sense from the way she gambles, but the amount of bets she placed seems to show that she’s not from the hood. “Blackjack!” The dealer and crowd roared with the reward I gained, but I couldn’t care less about the amount because what makes it count when you lost the purpose in your life. “Are you a beginner? Playing safe will cost you even more in this game.” She slightly pushed her silky dark hair and looked at me, expecting a reply from me. I ignored her and focus back on the game, trying to prove her wrong that I’m not a beginner. As I joined another round and placed another bet, I could only see the chips reducing and her chips rising. I never wanted to show any anxiousness but my heart started to race and my hand started to shake, while she’s sitting on the other side of the table with a smirk on her face. “Bust! Are you still in or not? I suggest you leave and live your life, rather than staying here for me to rob you clean.” She asserted and seems unamused by the winnings she gained and the defeats I faced. Knowing that I have nothing to lose, I placed all my bets and she proved somehow me wrong that I am indeed desperate for fortune. Finally, the last card has been drawn. Just like the memoir of my life, something always stays the same. My set was busted, and perhaps I could finally let go of my desire and needs since I never really had control of my life. The crowd cheered for the lady and I walked my way out of the bar alone and unnoticed.

3. The Promise

A lonely figure staggered on the street, famished and out of despair, he sat towards the edge of the bridge. I don’t want to live a life for someone else anymore. If I have a chance to meet my younger self again, I just wanted to apologize. “I’m sorry Jin, I failed to become the man that you wanted to be.” He left his last words and let go of his final grip on the fence. Just as he was plummeting into the deep black sea underneath him, someone caught him in a split second. All he felt was a tight grip of cold and slender fingers on the forearm, and strands of long soft hair falling on his face. When Jin keeps his head up to see the stranger, Jin met a familiar pair of dark tender eyes that once locked with him from the bar. At this moment, Jin experienced a sudden rush of emotions and warmth kindling from his heart. The lady exerted as much strength as she could to bring Jin back over the fence, the two collapsed and she finally revealed herself. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry, Jin.” She stammered. I am still speechless from her act of kindness and that she did not hesitate to save me. “I didn’t expect it will be this way. I’m being watched and I got no choice.” It was unbelievable for me to see her troubled and anxious in this way. “But I have nothing to offer and I’m just hoping to be reborn again with a new life.” I hesitated but the words finally came out of my mouth. “I got $20,000 and a new identity, as long as you take me out of the border right now, it’ll be yours.” It was one night of 2201 that I felt I was delivered from the madness, I accepted the deal to exchange for a new identity.

The mist slowly thickens and drizzles turned into heavy rain pouring outside of the car, enormous shadows of inhumane-looking creatures began to chase and creep into the door. “Holy, what the hell are these?” She didn’t answer, but her eyes started to glow along with the little black book she’s holding against her heart. I thought it would be fine as long as I kept driving towards the border and dodge the dark limbs that were attempting to tangle the Camaro. “It’s too late, I gotta hold them back at the border.” Her voice quavered. As the image of the fences and the gate slowly emerges in front of the windshield, I hit the brake and the Iroc drifted to the side of the wall. She shoves her black notebook to me and stood next to the open door of the car. “You must go to the station seven miles from the border, and only open the book once you are up in the elevator.” I was dumbfounded by the words she left. “Go! I’ll meet you there, I promise.” In a blink of an eye, she left in an opposite direction to buy us time for the creature. It was neither the money nor the creatures I cared about but it was her, who offers me this companionship just in three days that I have never felt such alive before. w Here I am, clutching the black notebook and waiting for the elevator that will ascend into space. I honestly don’t know what she was thinking, but the absence of her began to unsettle me. Like what she reminded me, I went into the elevator all that she has given me. I rest on a couch placed near the window in this enormous space of the elevator, and open the finely-crafted little black notebook labeled Moleskine, a chip dropped and released a hologram of her. “Hi Jin, I am sorry that I didn’t explain everything sooner. My name is Yve, a mecha part of Yvette. My family worked for a public company that enables humans to connect with machines. I am here as an artificial intelligence since my human part of Yvette has decided to detached me and placed me as your assistance. The system on Earth has been compromised, therefore Yvette has to relay the message to our alliance located within the floating city on Venus. The Moleskine Black Notebook you are holding was the diary of Yvette and she wants you to hear the following message before you open it, “You have been a good friend of mine in these few days and the only person I got right now. I'm afraid that the diary is my only human portion that can be preserved. Thank you Jin and don’t ever give up again.”