Gods or gods

With an increasingly escalating pessimism, Almira wondered if people still belonged in this world.

Once upon a time mankind had considered itself to be created in a divine image. These days that would be the beginning of a joke. A sarcastic one. Homo Sapiens was quickly becoming extinct. New creatures had taken its place. No longer content to call themselves Homo, they had dubbed themselves Deo Sapiens instead. Christened themselves divine.

Almira was a slave woman. She did not consider herself to be particularly smart, nor did she think the creatures calling themselves Gods were wise either. She was, however, wise enough to keep these opinions to herself. Not that anyone listened to her….

As a child, Almira had been taught about the industrial revolution. How mankind had fought against the coming of the machines but had lost. Their lives had become easier but there had been a severe cost as well. The digital revolution had had a similar effect. Smarter machines and sophisticated robots had been heralded like victorious emperors yet the coming of Homo Robo had been the beginning of the end.

There was no longer any need for humans. Like all needless beings, they would soon be gone forever. Still, they had felt the need to put up a fight. Almira had answered this call to arms for decades. She had not always been a slave. Almira had been born free. She had still enjoyed an education and later, when the struggle began, had received guerilla training. To no avail…

The first Homo Roboes had been pioneers. They’d taken the risk of combining digital thought with their own. Of welding flesh and metal together, connecting wires and blood. These pioneers had children and these children were arrogant, boastful. They were better; they were a new species… Their parents’ sacrifice and courage caused them to demand the right to rule. Rule they did with their fists of iron….

Almira had been many things in her life. A soldier, a mother, a wife. She was no longer any of these things. As a slave, she was good for only one thing… and one thing only.

No, not sex. Nor domestic servitude. Sex with a human was despicable to her rulers. Domestic chores were covered by robotic machines far more efficient than any Homo Sapiens ever had been.

No, her purpose was educational. Some might even say inspirational… Almira knew it was really ridicule. Their hateful laughter kept her alive. She still served a purpose, although she did not know how long it would last. How long she could last.

“Time for the show…” Her master calls her. He rattles her cage. “Let’s show the children what you look like!”

Almira walks unto the floor, stark naked. She hasn’t worn clothes in years. If she performs well, she’ll get a treat: a crunchy piece of meat. As she enters the arena, a chimpanzee leaves the stage, eating a banana. The presenter bellows whom she represents: the Homo Sapiens.

The kids point at her and laugh. Look how much she resembles that last animal on display! She is a fine specimen, that’s for sure… One of the very last ones alive.

If they were gods, they weren’t the benevolent kind…