Who do you answer to?
We all serve someone, whether at the
Behest of a gun pointed at our chest
Or the collapsing sky and shifting
Sands beneath our tired feet
My scream was muffled by the millions
Of hands placed over my disgusting mouth
My words have no meaning anymore
I’ve taken a detour on
Information destruction highways
Where so much data is stored in
My false brain that I no longer
Know if I’m sane or part of the
Mega-corporation whole
Here’s a piece of sci fi/cyberpunk flash fiction about the metaverse and online criminals. It’s about 570 words and has an estimated reading time of 2 and a half minutes. Let me know what you think!
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In the previous installment, Azibo has another unexpected outburst of rage – except this time, the consequences are fatal. He kills Horace, his Collective contact, after the man ridicules his deeply held beliefs. Azibo shoots a message to Unity, who he hasn’t spoken to a while, and cries out for help.
How will Azibo get out of this jam? Is there any hope left for him? Let’s jump to Part 15 to find out.
Continue readingIn the previous (short) installment, Azibo gets his first dose of life without Unity. He also gets a surprise note from Horace, their Collective contact, who wants to meet him one-on-one. Why does Horace want to meet so urgently? What does this mean for Azibo’s potential suicide mission?
Let’s jump into Part 13, as the series starts to wind down, and Azibo tries to find solace for his worries by talking to a priest after Catholic mass.
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In the previous installment, we learned more about Azibo’s traumatic upbringing and how both of his parents died. We also learned how Azibo met Unity and became a “member” of the Collective.
Let’s jump into Part 10, where we get a glimpse into Azibo’s work life and exceedingly erratic behavior.
Continue readingIn the previous installment, Azibo and Unity’s Collective contact offers them a life-changing assignment: suicide bombing. Azibo jumps at the opportunity, but Unity pleads with him to think about it. For Azibo, the chance to be a martyr gives him meaning to his unfulfilling life.
Let’s jump into Part 9, where we learn a bit about Azibo’s traumatic childhood and how he ended up in the Collective.
Continue readingIn the previous installment, we get background about Sebastian Fuller, the televangelist cult hero that inspired the creation of The Collective. Fuller is serving a life-in-prison sentence for his role in bombing the federal building that houses Portia, and he continues to inspire religious zealots like Azibo.
Let’s jump to Part 8, where Azibo and Unity will meet with their Collective contact and talk about a new mission that will change both of their lives forever.
Continue readingIn the previous installment, Azibo and Unity get into an argument, as Azibo continues to scold her for reading about Portia. Behind his self-righteousness, he fears that Unity will turn and become a Portia worshipper. We also see more of Azibo’s complexity – a young man with fervent religious devotion, but also hidden vices.
Let’s jump into Part 7, where we’ll learn more about Sebastian Fuller, the zealot-televangelist who inspired the formation of the Collective and main opposition to Portia and the new government.
Continue readingIn the previous installment, Azibo and Unity attend a church service to gather intel on the tactics of the Church of Machina. Unity tells Azibo to blend in, but he loses his temper and blows their cover. After a night of wild sex, Unity falls asleep and Azibo stays up reading about Portia. He begins to question his fundamentalist beliefs.
Let’s jump into Part 5!
Continue readingIn the previous installment, we get some background about how Portia developed and how the Collective started. A televangelist by the name of Sebastian Fuller became the inspiration for the rebel group, leading a bombing of the Utah facility that housed the AI. Soon after, Fuller was imprisoned for life and an underground movement started.
Let’s jump into Part 4!
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