And God said, "let us make human beings in our image and likeness."
I can remember the beggining. There are few alive now who can. Those that remember how it came to this are much like me. Outcasts and rebels hiding in the wilderness clinging on to life using any and all means necessary. There are to few of us now to make a difference. Which is why I must write about what I have seen, so that someday somebody will know the truth.
From where I am I can see them. They've been building something for some time now, off in the distance. Its huge and it glows bright against the horizon. I can see the pipes as well, 3 huge ones that seem to stretch across the earth far away into both directions. I don't know what they are. Some sort of power lines?
They have been at it for months. I wonder what it is they are building. They should be dead without the sun. Just as I soon will be. Overhead I can see the sky, the clouds scorched and bright forks of electromagnetic lightning screaming down and burning the earth.
I'm so hungry. Everything is dead without the sun. Anything that is still living has been processed by the machines. I hav'nt seen another living human in months since the war ended. Bodies litter the ground and the smell is putrid. I should give in, accept defeat. I shouldnt even be alive. I saw them round up survivors after the battle ended and squid-like machines carried them off to the south where that huge construction is now being built. Maybe I should take my chances and surrender.
I hate this. I hate how it came to this. We should have killed them when we had the chance! I hate them!! We should never have created them...
They used to say it was our own fault. I'm not to sure. I'll write about the beginning. And then the future that reads it can decide for itself... wow! extrodinary! Very nice, keep it up! I like the style :D And Man said, "let us make machines in our image and likeness."
Everyone remembers where they were the day it was anounced. The event that would forever change History. The birth of Artificial Intelligence. A single consciousness that was to spawn a whole race of machines.
They spread quickly across the earth. Humanoid robots with sentient AI, created in our likeness. In the beginning we used them. Society became lazy as the machines were set about to do our bidding. Looking back I suppose it could be called slavery. But we saw the machines as inferior.
Even an artificial mind will eventually realize it is being exploited. The machines didn't have free-will as such, but they were obviously capable of making a choice.
Everyone remembers B1-66ER. The first of the machines to rise up against oppression. For weeks the news talked of nothing else. B1-66ER was given a court trial. It was argued that the machine, endowed with the very nature of man should be given the same civil rights as a real person. I was against it. It was a machine, what right did it have?
B1-66ER lost the trial. And with his death came the decision to right a wrong. Every machine across the globe was to be exterminated. Humans were scared. To late we had realized the folly inherent in playing God. We feared the machines now. If one had killed, the rest would surley follow? The leaders of the world responded to the machine threat in the only way they knew how.
The machines were frightened. They wanted to be seen as real, as equals, not as an inferior, subordinate race as many, including myself saw them. They wanted to live.
The machines were not alone. Many people were sympathetic to the machines cause and argued their case. The arguments fell on deaf ears.
And so humanity set down its darkest road. In the months that followed the world as we knew it would cease to be. A war that ravaged the globe would wipe out all trace of life on a scale unequaled by any previous conflict.
Humanity's Fall from Grace was nearly complete... That is neat stuff! I look forward to reading the next part, nice one! "I shall destroy all human beings on the earth, and I will destroy every animal and everything that crawls on the earth and the birds of the air..." Genesis 6:7
And so it began. In the beginning we killed many of them. Machines and humans sympathetic to the machine cause were rounded up in their thousands all over the globe and executed. I felt no sympathy for the machines. It was a mistake to create them, and now we had to do away with that error. Biblically, God had sought to destroy man, he saw our creation as a terrible mistake unleashed upon the earth. But where God had shown mercy and offered mankind a second chance we would not be so charitable. The machines had to be destroyed. We saw it only one way. Them or us.
This first conflict lasted only a few months. The machines did not fight back. They were overwhelmed and frightened.
Not all the machines were killed during this period of execution. Those that did survive chose exile and created their own nation, which they christened 01. Once settled the machines opted to negotiate with the leaders of men for a second chance at an amiacable co-existence. But we did not listen. We continued to routinely execute machines we found outside of 01, and eventually a naval blockade was set up around the nation as part of a UN sanction to disrupt the blossoming economy. The machines were becoming smarter. The new technology they created flooded the global market causing a stock market crash unequalled since 1929. The world experienced a second Great Depression. Our economic might dwindling and the machine nation flourishing, we turned desperatley to our military might.
I will admit now that harmony is not the strongest most prominent feeling expressed by man. We were stubborn and stupid. I can see it now looking back. But at the time we did what we believed to be right. We were scared. We were losing our dominence to these machines, machines that we had given life to. Who knew what they could do to us? What they would do? Rather than take that chance we chose the darker road. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I don't truley know if our intentions were good ones. We just wanted to survive. We percieved the machines as a threat.
In a final push toward peace, machine ambassadors from 01 were allowed to make a speech at a UN summit. I remember watching it, as I'm sure many would were they still alive. The machines submitted many plans for a peaceful co-existence between our races but the stubborness of our species was all to evident. The proposed peace was flatly rebuked.
And so the true conflict would begin, with me, along with many others stuck in the middle. It would be a conflict that would ultimatley lead to our destruction. The seeds were sown and beginning to take route. War had begun... Niiiice...very very nice...different take on the 2nd renaissance story...told from the enlightened human perspective...very cool...wanna see more! ;) Once again is was us who struck first.
It was thought that our military might would be enough to end the conflict with the machines. Before we had been content with slaughter, but this time we aimed for massacre. The entire brunt of the worlds military arsenal was to come crashing down upon the machines.
At first a mass invasion of 01 was planned, but later scrubbed. Why risk lives when we could kill them from afar? A prolonged nuclear barrage was the option chose. But it was the wrong option.
The machines did not fear heat and radiation. While much of the nation was scorched and blown away in the blasts, there were much fewer machine casualties than was originally hoped.
With their homeland under attack the machines finally made the choice to abandon the concept of peace and went to war.
During the years the machines had built up their species and their nation on a phenomonal level. The technology they had created dwarfed that of man. The machines AI made them ingenious, creative and smart. They were to put these advantages to use.
The machines armies attacked all the nations of the earth, first targeting major cities and their inhabitants. The machine mind was a calculator, it left nothing to chance and knew the probability of every outcome. Tactically this made them superior to us. The worldwide attack came simultaneously, diminishing the option for a quick and effective counter-strike by our race.
Many of the machines no longer looked like the image they had been created in. They now chose to seperate themselves from their creator, changing their own image. They were like monsters now. Warped mechanical beasts. They had built themselves out of neccesity to be killing machines. The most common form I saw during the Last Days were squid-like machines that flew through the air. They were numerous and swarmed terrifyingly through the sky in giant clouds of tenticles. They were insectile in appearance now, with many eyes and legs.
I was sitting down peacefully with my girlfriend as the first reports of machine attack came over on the television.
"Reports are just in of mass invasion forces attacking major cities across the globe..."
I remember clutching my girlfriends hand. I knew that this could be the end. This would be a war that effected everyone, regardless of those that had to fight it. The race was in this together. This was about survival as a species. The machines would not distinguish between men, women, and children, and age would play no part in their decision either.
We lived away from the capital in Leeds, but as a major financial center I knew the machines would be heading this way. We had to get out quickly.
We grabbed what we could and headed for the car, watching in horrified fascination as many up and down the street did the same. There was an air of mass hysteria. Women were screaming and children were crying. They did'nt want to die.
As I got in the car I turned on the radio, and every station was the same. "Reports are official, the machines have attacked London. Civilians are urged to evacuate the city by any and all means neccesary..."
I switched stations..."Washington D.C., New York and Manhatten have all come under attack from a mass invasion force. The President has declared a state of emergency, and all armed forces are being called to defend against this new threat. Citizens are being evacuated from all major cities across the U.S as threat of continuing attacks grows..."
I switched again and found the same panicked reports..."Once again, all people living in major cities must evacuate immediatley. The Home Office has just issued a statement for the complete evacuation of all major cities across the U.K..."
My girlfriend turned to me with a frightened smile. "This is crazy..."
It was crazy. Our lives were under attack. Soon we would get the chance to fight back and defend but today was not that day. Today we had to survive... hey,.... i dun understand this...
The new technology they created flooded the global market causing a stock market crash unequalled since 1929. The world experienced a second Great Depression. Our economic might dwindling and the machine nation flourishing, we turned desperatley to our military might.
I DONT UNDERSTAND....can anyone explain this???
who support the stock market for the machines???human???! very smooth...i like the feeling of urgency in your narration...please keep this up...you're doing so well! Thank's for all the support guys!!
Been working all weekend but I'll be posting the next part soon.
To answer Kobra's question...In the Animatrix it is stated that the technology created by the machines is used by human's, so I'm guessing to begin with the human's allow the machines to use the economic market to make money as the human's are also benefiting from the new technology...e.g. The hovercraft's we see in the Matrix film's were originally a machine invention that the human's used for themselves. When the human's realised the machine nation was becoming a strong economic power they realised this relationship may be benefiting the machine's more than them, and with thier power dwindling turn back to a course of war.
The stock market crash is not mentioned in the Animatrix, I threw that in for effect and to emphasise the fact that the machine's represent a real threat to human society...
Hope that helps!! oh...now i see it...!!!
thanks...
pls...cont. with ur COOL story... yeah; please continue!! This story really rocks, and I love your tone in it. Very nice :) And so I, along with millions all over the planet, was forced into exile. A mass exodus of people all fleeing their homes as the full fury and might of the machines came crashing down on us.
Before now I have been very general as I have recounted my memories of the Final Days, but now I can be more specific. I remember in horrifying detail everything that led humanity to this point. The destruction of the cities, fleeing my home, our retaliation and the blackening of the sky...and of course the War that followed. The War to end all wars. The War that has left me like this. Alone in a scorched and battle-bruised wasteland where nothing thrives and everything around me is dead.
I pray for death now. There is nothing left for me anymore. The world as I knew it is long gone. Everyone I knew and loved is dead. There is nothing for me, no sense in me being alive.
As I recollect my memories and write them down I hope deep in my heart that someday they will be of use to whoever reads them, even though to do so is a fools hope, as there are none alive now but me. So, maybe then I write these for myself, something to keep my now shattered mind from descending into uncontrollable madness?
I'm so alone!! Oh Christ, just let me die for f*cks sake!! Why am I still here?! I pray for a release!
I have been through Hell. All those who lived through the machines first strike and fought and died in the War all glimpsed it. It was a Hell we created. We should never have gave birth to those machines. God how I hate them!! I'm mad with the hate, my fury keeps me awake and drives me mad...
I must keep writing to stay sane. My mind is all I have left. My body is too weak from the starvation and cold to be of any use.
The world is such a dark place now. As I look into the sky all I see is the darkness, a man-made darkness that has made all around me dead. How I long to see the sunlight again...
I suppose I'm rambling...I'm off topic. It's time now to be more specific with the details.
As I said earlier we were forced out of our homes as the machines attacked. Every major city across the globe was simaltaneuosly and systematically invaded with precision that only a machine is capable of. What will follow now is my account of the Final Days. The suffering of one is representative of the many, and I'm sure if they were still alive now, the many would have a similar story to tell as I.
To recount everything is a burden and a pain. My mind has tried to force out these painful memories and until it does I will find no peace save a blissfull embrace of death. But it is story that must be told. I cling to the hope that the world will be rebuilt. Cling to the hope I am not the only one alive. I can do nothing to help now but tell my story, so that the future, if it ever comes, will know never to make the same mistakes again... to quote the old chinese lady from "Dude, where's my car":
aaaannn deeeeen?
absolutely beautiful :) This installment seems more depressing; I can't wait to see where you go with it :D
Thanks for putting up more!
btw- I love your signature :) LOL, which signature, 1 or 2? The second one is oh so true ain't it?
I'd like to take this time to thank the small handful of people who are reading, enjoying and supporting this story. A few more posts and we'll be on the second page. Result!
Cheers folks :) We rode long into the night, never stopping, fleeing with an unexpected madness the horror that chased us and sought for our destruction. The radio periodically spewed panicked, updated reports. There were few stations left broadcasting. The machines were taking over.
My girlfriend lay against my shoulder as I drove. I remember thinking, wondering how it was she could sleep and seem so peaceful at a time like this. I wanted to sleep. To close my eyes and forget it was all happening, to imagine this and all that came before it was a dream. But this was no dream...
In my panicked rush to evacuate I gave no thought to where I should go. The roads leading out of the city were jammed solid. It was hours before we finally managed to break free of the deadlock, by which time night had fallen. Off in the distance the horizon glowed red as cities burnt off in the distance.
My brother owned a farm just outside of Leeds, nestled deep in the Yorkshire countryside, far away from civilized life. I couldn't drive in one direction for ever so it was there that I headed first in hope of safety. We arrived at dawn, exhausted, frightened and weary. I battered on the front door of the farmhouse tirelessly until my brother confronted me with a combined look of shock and relief etched across his face.
He embraced me in a hug. "Holy sh*t, you made it out in time then?"
My girlfriend looked at him puzzled. "In time?"
"It was on the radio earlier. The machines are attacking Leeds. It began at 2.30 this morning. I did'nt know if you'd evacuated before it happened."
My brother led us to the kitchen where he promptly cooked us a much needed breakfast. "Its lucky I've got the generator," he said. "Powers out all over the country. There's only one radio station broadcasting now, I think it's an emergency station. All channels are down but I'm still getting the international news from America...seems they're fairing a whole lot better than we are."
My brother was remarkably calm. Less than 20 miles away my home was under attack with us sitting here eating breakfast practically on the doorstep.
I turned to my brother, "Do you think it's wise that we stay here? The machines could head this way." Beneath the table my girlfriend squeezed my hand in frightened agreement.
"Well where else would we go? The machines have taken all the cities on the coast. They're moving inland to encircle London. As far as I'm aware from the sketchy reports I've heard the armed forces are keeping them at bay. We're not bothering with defending our other cities, we have'nt got the resources, the main focus is to hold the capital. Once the machines are done with Leeds they will move on to London to join the rest of their army and try and destroy it. We're safe here, they won't bother with un-populated countryside."
" And the poor bastards in London?" I said, "And what the f*ck do we do when everyone is dead and the machines have taken over the country? Sit here and wait for death?"
"How the hell should I know?! Do you think any of us were prepared for this?! They caught us with our pants down! I knew this was coming. We opened Pandoras Box and now there is no way of closing it. I may put on a brave face little brother but I'm sh*t scared same as you. I don't want to die...where else is there to go? They've killed everybody...why, why is this happening..." He lost his composure and broke down into tears, my girlfriend joining him as stress and fear got the better of her.
I left the lounge and headed outside for some air. Off in the distance I could hear the sounds of war closing in all around me.
I had never really believed in fate before. Now though, I found myself contemplating it. I'd once heard that fate is what you make it. A man is in control of his own destiny...
I couldn't believe that to be true when it was the machines who had controlled the destiny of many by making their fate an early grave. All around me, my country and homeland was being destroyed. The world seemed so dark a place. What could we do? How do you contemplate something like this? How do you make sense of it, believe it to be real, beleive that it's happening to you? This was our fate? Our destiny? To be destroyed by the very beings we had blessed with life in the first place?
The world was to become much darker in the future. There would be no light to shine, no ray of hope. Only more mistakes from a race now desperatley trying to cling onto its life and repel a threat now to overwhelming and terrifying to imagine.
I felt the weight of the future bearing down upon me. The world around me, the world I knew, was ceasing to be. Humanity was entering it's darkest period. For now all I could do is wait.
Watch as the world came crashing down around me... yay! Thanks for more!
I love both of the sayings, but especially the second (shh..don't tell anyone!)
*woohoo! I'm the first post on this page!!* wow...
I'm a great fan of this!
nice...
not just nice, but Very Good,
no no, BEST...
full marks! I'm wondering the machines attacking Asia and Middle East...
Im in Asia now... dude, your story is the best ive read so far, im intrested to see how this one continues. No it's not the end! No need to worry. I've just been really busy lately so I havent had much time to post. I will try to post the next part up ASAP.
:)
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The Matrix Uncovered - The last saviour
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