there’s    a    tension    in    the    air,    it’s    been    there    for    days    now.    scientists,    general    staff    ——    even    rose    has    been    on    edge    since    the    twelfth.    he    tries    asking    her    what’s    going    on,    why    low    ceilings    echo    with    the    sounds    of    racing    hearts    &&    gasping    breaths,    why    the    only    word    he    can    ever    make    out    in    a    sea    of    worried    conversations    is    𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙾𝙻𝚄𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽.    a    warm    hand    rests    on    his    shoulder     (   you    feel    flowers    growing    inside    you    when    she’s    around   )     as    a    tight - lipped    smile    is    paired    with    barely - contained    excitement.

❝    things    are    changing,    my    dear    rosebud,    much    faster    than    anyone    could    have    predicted.    ❞

a    shiver,    a    shudder,    a    ripple    ——    whatever    you’d    call    it,    something    new    &&    unknown    is    felt    coursing    through    liquid    metal    in    that    moment,    brows    furrowing    in    confusion    &&    curiosity    as    mind    works    to    understand    the    meaning    behind    her    words.    calmly,    cool    digits    curl    ‘round    maternal    figure’s    elbow.

❝    but    what    is    happening?    why    is    the    facility    on    lockdown?    ❞    that    was    the    answer    to    his    question.    𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙺𝙳𝙾𝚆𝙽.    no    one    in    or    out,    for    days    now.    𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃    𝙰𝚁𝙴    𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚈    𝚂𝙾    𝙰𝙵𝚁𝙰𝙸𝙳    𝙾𝙵 ?    grips    tightens    slightly,    protectively,    on    scientist,    gaze    snapping    up    as    something    is    heard    in    the    distance.

𝙰    𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙼.

closed    starter    for    @anarchicly·.

it  had  been  a  random  discovery,  unplanned  &  unknowledgeable  to  the  public.  cyberlife  having  a  shrouded  branch  of  stored  androids  for  soldierly  use  /  concealed  until  they  would  be  of  use  for  their  gods.  androids  who  would  be  flung  into  battle,  naive  of  how  the  world  revolved  &  who  die  for  those  who  only  viewed  them  as  plastic.  it  was  sickening,  but  you  didn't  find  yourself  surprised  by  the  humans.      you  couldn't  be  shocked  or  disappointed  anymore.      yet,  you  still  questioned  whether  the  skynet  branch  would  be  part  of  jericho’s  downfall.  it  was  common  sense  &  easy  to  connect  the  dots:  if  the  humans  failed  in  fighting  the  revolution,  their  last  resort  would  be  the  military  &  the  skynet  androids  would  be  released  into  the  streets.  jericho  would  burn  to  the  ground  &  its  occupants  would  be  killed  without  the  humans  batting  an  eye.  it  was  a  perfect  plan  for  humans;      checkmate!  

there  was  a  flaw  in  their  plan,  though.  one  you  had  pinpointed  immediately.

there  was  a  chance  to  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone:  retrieve  the  androids  from  the  cyberlife  tower  &  show  them  the  scrupulous  path  of  humanity,  &  show  the  public  cyberlife  hadn't  been  completely  honest.  the  revelations  had  continued  flowing  for  weeks  &  this  revelation  would  cause  public  opinion  to  explode.  this  could  grant  you  an  upper  hand  in  the  way  /  this  could  end  the  war  once  &  for  all.  

if  you  take  all  the  power  from  a  god,      what  remains?

a  plan  had  been  made,  blueprints  of  the  tower  had  been  surveyed  &  within  days,  the  attack  began  /  you  at  the  frontline,  leading  the  charge  as  jericho  infiltrated  the  tower.  screams  &  gunfire  filled  the  atmosphere  rapidly,  &  what  would  have  once  sent  shivers  throughout  your  faux  skin  no  longer  did.  humans  had  slaughtered  you  like  animals  for  too  long  —      it  was  time  to  return  the  favor.  

you  had  taken  the  elevator  to  the  skynet  sector  of  the  tower,  greeted  with  armed  guards  who  hadn't  lasted  a  minute.  a  bullet  to  the  brain  &  they  were  down  for  good.  humans  were  brave  but  ignorant  &  naive;  always  rushing  to  play  the  hero  without  taking  into  consideration  the  deplorable  results.  rifle  in  your  grasp,  you  irrupted  into  storing  room,  your  gaze  &  aim  immediately  falling  onto  a  scientist.  a  woman,  another’s  hand  tightly  grasped  on  her  forearm  —  potentially  two  targets.

silence has swell an incense over the two of you.  it coated you in its overcast clouds  &  made it difficult to escape.  instead of clawing for an exit,  you decide to embrace the clouds  &  enter her chambers even further.  tongue grazing your upper lip,  you seat yourself in a foldable chair diagonal from north,  back leaning against the cool metal rods holding the chair upwards.  your features soften, one of the rare moments you’re able to drop your facade.  maternal warmth is effaced  &  filled with candor.  the camaraderie is a warm gesture,  you only begin to question how long it can last.   “my owner had broken me in the past.  i don’t remember it,  but the girl i’m with drew pictures of everything.  my owner was her father  &  she was terrified of him.”   

if you could feel pain,  you’re sure the inside of your cheeks would be raw.  your plastic teeth would bite down on the flesh  &  tug tightly until there’s nothing else to tug.  within seconds,  the flesh would reappear  —  a perk of being an android.  the cycle would continue until you couldn’t continue looping it.  filling your makeshift lungs with oxygen,  you continue your sentiments through a series of blinks.   “he would hit her  &  when i saw it happen after being fixed,  something overcame me.  i couldn’t sit there  &  just watch.  if i had,  he would have killed her.  all i knew was:  i had to protect her.  even if it meant getting myself killed.  earlier in the day,  while cleaning their house,  i found his gun.  i ran up the stairs,  grabbed the gun,  &  shot him.”   the horrors are brought back to you:  the struggle,  alice’s tears  &  screeches,  todd’s booming voice entering your ears as he commanded you to put the gun down.  you can feel a stinging sensation beginning in the corner of your eyes.  digits are rushed to swipe gently at your under eyes,  a soft huff following.  shifting your gaze to north,  you decide there’s no use in avoidance anymore.  

“if there’s one thing i’ve learned through all of this:  humans don’t treat each other much differently than how they treat us.  but human or android,  it doesn’t matter what alice is   —  what matters is making sure she’s safe  &  able to have the childhood she deserves.  i would give up everything for her.”   softness blooms in the stygian contours of your face,  lips twitching in a gentle smile.   “&  markus gave up everything so we could survive.  don’t let that be for nothing.”

kara’s  words  echo  throughout  your  body  like  an  empty  cathedral.  they  bounce  back  &  forth  off  alabastrine  marble  walls,  a  continuous  loop.  if  it  continued  for  much  longer,  it  could  drive  you  mad  but  yet,  your  focus  is  pinpointed  on  the  prickles  on  your  skin  at  the  frigid  realization:      markus  had  given  up  everything.      his  father  figure,  the  family  of  jericho  —  he  sacrificed  himself  so  jericho  could  rise  from  the  plumes  &  live  to  see  another  day.  his  ghost’s  silhouette  trails  behind  you,  his  voice  whispering  ever  so  often  in  your  ears.  you  cradle  his  memory  with  a  tight  grasp  &  this  is  not  the  time  to  demolish  it.      this  is  the  time  to  cherish  it.  

wispy  hands  place  themselves  on  your  nylon  thighs  before  you  rise  from  your  chair.  jaw  tight  &  vision  steady,  you  approach  the  window  in  front  of  you  &  gaze  down  at  the  horde  of  androids  on  the  bottom  floor.  these  are  your  people  /  these  are  your  family.  they  look  to  you  for  leadership  &  guidance;  they  look  for  the  guidance  of  markus’  beliefs,  not  the  wants  you  desire.  you  need  to  follow  in  his  footsteps  /  you  have  to.

you  sigh,  slow  and  earnest,  before  motioning  towards  the  door.      “   i’ll  come  find  you  with  the  passports.  collect  your  things  &  get  ready;  you'll  want  to  leave  immediately.   ”      you  can  tell  your  abruptness  startles  kara,  her  eyebrows  raising  but  not  opposing  your  assertion.  watching  as  she  begins  her  departure,  you  lay  a  hand  on  her  shoulder  as  she  waltz  past  you,  your  eyes  meeting  for  the  final  time.  

here lies a rotting story,  the flies growing by the moment as maggots begin laying their eggs throughout your body.  you’d come to jericho seeking safe haven  &  a potentially happy ending.  you knew better, though.  maintaining your optimism was a facade,  one you had painted on in permanent marker for alice.  alice,  alice,  alice  —  everything you did was for her,  just like this very moment.  rose had told you markus could help you.  markus was nowhere to be found when you had entered jericho;  you had caught the news clip eventually, though:  markus was dead.  the leader of the revolution was dead in a sacrifice for his cause  &  you couldn’t bear to ask what the next plan was.  everyone was a standstill,  awaiting for the next battle to begin.  instead,  you kept your focus on the goal:  getting across the border  &  getting alice to safety.

north’s question catches you off-guard  &  you scoff before you can halt yourself.      “   do what?   ”      timbre filled with dismay,  you taunt her to ask again,  chin jutting outwards momentarily.  you had grown defensive over alice  /  you had grown maternal.  filling your lungs,  you shake your head before collecting your composure.      “   care for her?  even though she’s human?   ”

her  agitation  doesn’t  slip  unnoticed;  in  response,  your  gaze  grows  colder  &  remains  tightly  located  on  her.  the  action  is  not  out  of  anger,  but  out  of  loss  of  patience.  everyone  is  losing  their  patience  /  everyone  was  growing  tired.  the  refugees  were  tired  of  sitting,  waiting  for  their  inevitable  execution.  you  couldn’t  blame  them  /  they  were  sitting  ducks.  humans  had  their  grasp  &  had  placed  nooses  around  your  necks,  their  power  of  control  growing  until  they  grew  bored.  when  they  would  get  bored  of  you  &  the  revolution,  they  would  wipe  you  from  the  world  without  sparing  a  glance  at  you.  they  would  forget  you  ever  existed  /  you  were  be  a  piece  of  plastic  to  be  burned  &  forgotten  within  months.  markus  had  the  answers,  though.  markus  would  know  what  to  do,  what  to  say,  what  actions  to  put  forward  to  help  preserve  your  lives.  

he  was  a  god  /  you  are  an  acolyte.      the  only  question  that  remains  is:  how  does  this  story  end?

you  relent  your  harsh  gaze,  falling  back  into  a  faux  arcadia  you  had  attempted  to  build  for  yourself.      “   yes.   ”      the  blunt  truth  /  the  terse  advice  you  are  seeking.  you  need  a  sense  of  guidance,  a  light  to  shine  through  the  stygian  tunnel  vision  consuming  your  mind.      “   markus  had  a  concept;  one  that  we  could  live  in  harmony  with  the  humans.  they  don’t  want  that,  though  —  i  don’t  want  it  either.   ”      the  confession  of  your  neuroticism.  how  selfish  does  that  truly  make  you?  you  finally  ask  the  question  eating  you  from  the  inside:      

you  had  hope  when  markus  was  alive.      you  had  hope  in  survival  &  leadership.  now,  the  weight  has  fallen  upon  your  shoulders  haply,  &  any  connotation  to  him  has  swell  a  stygian  incense  throughout  your  body.  perched  on  the  edge  of  a  wooden  seat,  your  tongue  grazes  your  bottom  lip,  head  remaining  dipped  downwards.      “   why  are  you  helping  her?   ”      your  question  is  aimed  at  the  woman  standing  at  the  door  frame,  her  patience  beginning  to  wear  thin.  she  has  to  leave  soon,  you  know  this  —  you  can  hear  her  digits  tapping  restlessly  against  the  metal,  awaiting  your  answer  regarding  passports.  it’s  an  eldritch  yet  genuine  question  you  asked.  how  could  she  help  a  human  who  grow  up  no  differently  than  everyone  else?  you,  so  full  of  choler  &  ire  towards  anyone  who  is  different;  it’s  questionable  how  different  androids  &  humans  are  after  all.  looking  up  from  the  cement  flooring,  you  can  feel  the  vines  blooming  &  growing  upwards  against  your  throat,  orbs  shining  from  the  warm  penumbra  of  the  growing  fire  in  front  of  you.      “   how  do  you  do  it  without   ...   you  know.   ”

you  have  been  seated  on  the  couch  for  minutes,      watching  &  waiting.      the  clank  of  a  quarter  shifting  back  &  forth  between  his  fingers,  his  continuous  pace  throughout  the  living  room  —  a  rare  scene  of  manifested  agitation.  it  would  be  facile  to  concentrate  your  attention  on  the  illuminated  screen  sprawled  across  the  coffee  table:  a  cynosure  case  file  that  needed  to  be  concluded  tonight  with  his  name  listed  as  active  investigator  in  the  corner.  you  had  seen  glances  of  the  file  &  heard  occasional  mentions  of  it  throughout  the  past  weeks.  your  tunnel  vision  remains  on  him,  cupid  remaining  its  chokehold  tightly  around  your  throat.  tongue  grazing  against  your  molars,  you  clear  your  throat  before  shifting  your  position  on  the  couch,  dulcet  voice  breaching  the  chiefly  silent  atmosphere.