Clockwork Apocalypse

History was a controversial class. Despite that, it was a tool to keep you aware of what humans can do to each other. A small glimpse into our corrupt history that leads you down a curious path of discovery. However, it’s only helpful when “correctly” documented in a way that allows both sides to see the light. There should be no hiding the atrocities or trying to water down the obvious villain in the story. It needs to be regulated so it can’t be manipulated. The “winners” should not be able to write what they please without evidence to back up what will become historical documentation.

The documents of history should not be wooed in their favor. They kill off the ones who experienced and survived the tragedies. They lived through genocide and bodily restrictions as they fought to love who they wanted to love consensually. An example of history changing would be how this nightmare happened. It appeared suddenly and without warning, but that would be a lie that they wrote down.

Either because they were living under a rock and ignored the signs or because they wanted to cover their asses because they ignored the signs we screamed. We screamed and showed them the underlying problem, but just like in the past, they don’t want to hear us if it doesn’t earn them money. They’re deaf unless you’re speaking through a megaphone molded from twenty-four-karat gold.

This all started four years ago, in the year 2664. When the sky was a Cerulean blue powered in aquamarine blue to reflect the crystal clear waters we finally achieved on our beaches, we assumed we had removed the people holding us back in the 21st century and have worked to get here since.

Over six decades later, we only see progress in saving our planet. Everything appeared perfect for once, ending our streak of bad luck for the past six hundred years. Each year, a new cursed game of Jumanji distracts us from achieving a harmonious sanctuary for humans and animals. That movie’s name was thrown around so much in the past that it became a common saying for having a bad year.

Like in the past, history is known to repeat itself because of our stubborn ignorance. Humans need to learn from their mistakes. Time and time again, we can’t seem to chase our tails, continuously forgetting that they’re always attached to us. But yeah, it was sudden in the eyes of the rich living on their privileged high horses.

If their android ever acted up or did anything wrong, then they could trash it and buy a new one. They would wipe its hard drive anytime it spoke of anything unfavorable toward its stacked owner. After two years of us showing them what was happening, it was brushed under the rug as a sudden attack because it didn’t affect them as it did with us. Then the catalyst occurred. It happened after the new generation of trust fund idiots came to buy their way into power as they continued to ignore us.

A new generation of the same old selfish cycle. Mankind has taken its first step out of digital AI, which used to be limited to your phone, TV, and computer screen. Something greater than Google Home nests and Alexa smart gadgets. It started with A roboticist with a computer science and coding doctorate. He was named Elijah Smith. He had come into the limelight with the help of his partner, who remained anonymous to the public. Many speculated what celebrity or politician it could be, but no one ever came forward or was doxxed.

They both presented to the public a new, innovative helping hand that would replace the hard tasks of daily life. Their “highly” tested robotic creations were set to be sold to the public at a suspiciously affordable price since a certain amount was made for the testing launch. They also accomplished this feat after winning a grand prize in a coding contest. After a short deliberation when asked, he and his partner named the robots the acronym G.E.A.R.S. Androids. This stood for General Engine for Augmented Reality System, but most people called them Gears. Three types of robots were created for this startup, and they hoped to expand into AI pets and exotic wildlife in their next product batch.

They explained that it was an animal-friendly way to try and recreate the animals we lost to extinction, poaching, or the inability to breed them faster than they were dying. Each of these androids comes with a varying level of human likeness. From looking like the mere essence of a creature to itching at your paranoia as you fight the uncanny valley of these half-ton doppelgangers, Over the next year, we observed the newest AI creations become a trend to own and show off.

Like past AI augmentations such as the reality viewer that allowed you to turn your classes into your phone with special lenses made with semi-transparent computer screen LEDs and an implanted neuro-link Bluetoothed to the glasses, The latest click-grab for videos and movies that people grew too comfortable with.

All the while, ignorant of the danger they possessed when that neuro-link was overused and fried sections of your cerebellum — also called the “little brain” because it looks like a small version of the cerebrum — is responsible for balance, movement, and coordination. Many lawsuits were filed after that by people now partially or fully paralyzed by the now-recalled item.

Most people would think we would have the patience to wait and discover the long-term effects of human greed and abuse on these robots first before rushing to buy them. To take note of their bugs and downsides as they crossed into an uncanny valley. Humans, like birds, are attracted to new and shiny things. Seeing these unique creations push the boundaries of humanity’s advancements had them in awe. They were waiting in lines for days to be the first to buy the soon-to-be-released product.

The lowest-level and cheapest of the Androids were the Skelldroids. They sported a simplified appearance. It consisted of an endoskeleton with a size-customizable Flexible Loc-Line Poseable Doll Armature set up with a gel covering to protect the skeletal frame of the silicone gel-cast robot. It sees out of an echo sensor in its chest area, so it is mostly blind until it can map out an area like a rumba, remembering the layout of your house. This was to prevent the Android from wandering; it shouldn’t be outside your home. It was used as a simple servant to assist around the house with housework and child-rearing.

They were cheaper to make because of their simple design. Their skeleton is formed from interlocking pieces of aluminum. It’s cushioned by a similar but more flexible body-safe silicone used in making human dummies. The simple design of the expressionless and faceless creation creeped customers out so much that they had to create skins you could put over the gelly skin to make it more appealing. This calmed down the fuss and hatred of vlogs. That was until a kid was left alone to be babysat by the skelldroid. The mother was gone for four hours in blissful ignorance as her child was strangled to death by the android, and his lifeless body was riddled with bullets.

In the police report records, it was stated that neighbors claimed they heard a child screaming in distress as soon as the mother left the house in a hurry. The repetition of screaming and crying for his mother continued for a few hours as the neighbors tried to call the cops, who were busy with an oddly strong rise in domestic disputes. Then the noise stopped. The screaming that had filled the silence was gone within a fraction of a second.

There were no changes in pitch to show he had gotten hurt. Nor were their quiet sniffles as he self-soothed himself when his mother didn’t return. It was an abrupt silence that had your neck hair on edge. A chill runs down your spine when a crying child suddenly goes quiet without a resolution. It was as if someone was watching a video of a screaming child, and they muted the audio. They had commonly reported ringing in their ears from the high-pitched scream that disappeared just as abruptly as it started.

They were worried about the duration of the screaming, but their hearts fell when it cut out abruptly. They had caught sight of his mother leaving earlier and assumed she had left her child home alone, and he was hurt. The neighbors, who had grown used to the mother’s negligence, panicked even more. Their reports hinted that they were aware of the mother’s negligence towards her children. Yet only a handful have ever contacted child services to alert them.

Many people sat around complaining of her neglect while hearing the young boy screaming for her to come home and how sorry he was for whatever he did that day. He was a child, begging his mother for forgiveness. He begged her until his throat was raw. After being scolded for being a child and existing in a family that didn’t want him but couldn’t give him up, she found the cheapest option that would keep the child cared for and fed like a pet while she partied. I was not expecting the constant screaming, fear, and confusion that the Android’s programming would have. Especially once put fully in charge of an inconsolable child for days on end.

The neighbors reported that they finally decided to check on the child’s health, and a few began dialing CPS. Before the police arrived, the neighbors rushed next door, and the men worked on kicking the door down. Heavy boots slammed into the door frame. The loud banging and whispers of worry were what filled the air. With their combined efforts, they began splintering the wood of the door. When the wooden door collapsed on the fake resin-polished floors, they gasped. Their hearts fall to their chests, and sweat drips from their brows when they see the horrendous sight before them.

The Skelldroid, with a Spider-Man suit over his gelatinous skin, limply sat on its haunches while hunching over something draped over its lap. A red light lit over its blobby, faceless head as it cradled what it discovered was a limp body in its arms. It was about the size of the Android as if customized to be a companion for the neglected child. Upon further examination, they could get a more detailed look at the horrifying sight they stumbled into. The body of the young seven-year-old was a mangled mess from the collarbone up.

The young boy’s shirt was stretched to the point of tears appearing around the seams of the clothing. It revealed bruises around his collarbone leading up to his mangled neck. Under the swelling and discoloration of his neck, you could see that it was twisted at an odd angle while being one-twenty degrees. It hung limply over the deceased boy’s left shoulder, as his young body could hardly fit in the lap of the similar-sized Skelldroid. It was like the bodies of two kids the same age, but one was an emotionless piece of metal following codes until they produced a successful outcome. The young human boy’s small face stared towards the neighbors grouping around the door.

The lifeless blue eyes of the boy seemed to be bulging out of his tiny skull. The whites of his eyes are covered in bursting veins as the red takes over most of his sclera. Artists would describe the scene as a red and white splotched watercolor painting of deadly beauty. The young boy’s mouth is twisted into his final, eternal scream. Blood dripped from his ears, mouth, and nose. The scarlet color stained the carpet below as it began creating a small puddle that had the room stinking with the smell of rusting metal. The wide gazes of the neighbors start to shake as their disturbed gazes pan from the deceased child toward the android that killed him.

None of them knew that the mother had invested her child support into the Skelldroid assistant. Only to entrust the mindless machine with her child and snap the neck of her small child. No one could tell what set the Android off to kill when it couldn’t calm the screaming kindergartener. The room stood still as shock nailed them in place.

When the officers arrived, their disbelief and heartache were captured on their bodycams. They had arrived after what seemed like hours but were merely ten minutes away from the stunned neighbors who hadn’t moved from their spots as the officers nudged past their frozen bodies. Inside the house was described heavily in the officer’s call for backup. They were on edge as the silicone gel and metal Android slouched over the young boy’s body. The Skelldroid was holding his twisted neck to its chest as it beeped in a downward-fading tune that was slow and sorrowful.

Its masked face slowly turned to the officers, who panicked when the Skelldroid acknowledged them. The android was gunned down without warning when it reached out a shaky hand toward the officers. Its gooey body, covered in Spider-Man-print skin, was soon riddled with bullets. Some, unfortunately, hit the deceased child as well in their frantic frenzy to down the android that suddenly moved to look at them.

This caused the onlookers to scream in horror. The women were pleading with the officers from outside the doorway. They were pleading for them to stop shooting the mostly blind machine that couldn’t hurt full-grown adults from where it sat cradling the boy’s body. The men were the ones to jump in and grab any shoulder they could reach of the officers. Panic ensued sending the rest of the bullets astray as both bodies slumped limp in a pile of unneeded and traumatic bloodshed.

A puddle began to form around the two bodies of the unfortunately already deceased child, the terminated glowing ooze of the android mixing in a toxic mess of swirls that left many nauseous at the other kill caused by the cops. The green ooze that made up the gelatinous outer skin of the Skelldroid gushed from the bullet holes piercing through its costume. Like thick oil, the android’s fluids didn’t mix with the watery blood of the now-mutilated child.

A malfunction they perceived as an emotional reaction after it killed the young boy. They wanted to recall this version of Android, but too many people humanized its reactions when a video surfaced from one of the neighbors. It was split between those who wanted the Androids gone and those complaining that the Android was given too much responsibility for creation, only meant to help with manual labor. It was not meant to mother your children. So you only had to return it if you wanted to since it appeared to be a freak accident. A label was added to newer or replaced models, reminding parents not to leave the android with children or pets.

Then come the Battledroids and their behemoth build. They had more of the robot appearance you would find in movies. Their sleeker appearance of charcoal-colored metal and sharp design choices make it appear more intimidating. Its visor had customizable options, and it was most fashionable for celebrities or influencers to have one by their side. They are often customized with their owner’s logo or brand to show off their wealth.

Even more so when it was revealed that these robots were designed to be more than mere bodyguards, it was only disclosed after a Battledroid was caught shooting someone on camera. The unarmed civilian was deemed a threat due to a malfunction in its coding caused by its owner. The owner was a popular influencer who made videos on modifying the coding of their Android and bypassing its security feature implemented for human safety. The Battledroid was recalled for Military use unless you had a license. They had become the threat level of a military weapon after a small cybersecurity mistake. This had people paranoid as more videos of the dangerous robot emerged as people illegally purchased the Android or were messing around with the military-level equipment on duty.

Then the last on the list were the creepiest of them all—the H-droids. If you had the money to detail them, then you could make them look like whoever you wanted. Before laws had to be put into place, the person being mimicked had to give consent. Too many pervs and weirdos were turning the humanoids into sex dolls of their favorite celebrities, or even worse, the ones confiscated were of child stars. The laws couldn’t keep up with how efficient people had become at redesigning the humanoids without the help of customization stations. You would almost feel bad for them if they could comprehend what they were being used for.

Then, just like the other two, an incident occurred. One of the child H-droids had pushed its elder owner into traffic. The sides were again divided because of their eerie human appearance and similarity to a child’s personality. If not for the sound of a fan coming from its chest instead of a heartbeat, then people would’ve assumed a human child did this.

Investigations went on to discover the cause of the android acting out, but the android had gaps in its memory core. It was as if someone had forcefully deleted it, but just before each cut of the camera, the owner would appear with a perverse grin on his face. His wrinkly and skeletal hands seemed to have been teeming with arthritis as he shakily began to caress the android’s face and arms before it was cut black. It often turns back on when the victim appears back on camera, fixing up his pants with staggering fingers and his graying hair falling out to give the appearance of Fryer John. He fiddled and combed it back as if he got into a struggle with the childlike android. There wasn’t any true proof of it happening, but many suspected the man was customizing the android to look like one of the neighborhood’s children.

To take advantage of the Android child instead so he wouldn’t get caught in his perverse acts. Regardless, the humanoids were recalled because of how badly people were treating the human-appearing robots since they weren’t technically assaulting a real person. Peace resumed for the next year as fewer and fewer people owned the GEARS androids. We assumed this dangerous fad was another lesson of the past, but then we wouldn’t be in such a mess. Someone had stashed away an unlicensed BattleDroid.

On a sunny day in March, the first wave attacked. Out of the blue, fire rained from the sky. It surprised us. Many were injured but most humans survived if they took cover. The government told us that they were attempting to shut down their main programming grid. We believed that they would be swift.

That was until the next attack in August of 2666. Our communication with outside countries was cut off as an even larger attack was launched. Over 13,500 people were killed in a shower of bullets before the enemy disappeared once more. This lit a flame of anger in the people as they were promised that this issue would be taken care of permanently. That small flame grew into a wildfire as we were kept in the dark about the status of the Androids. Unaware that they had lost access to the factories that created the Androids and uploaded their respective coding.

The third wave spilled the most blood. We fearfully hid in our homes for months. It was an epidemic of disastrous outcomes. They were tortured by both the monsters that started this and their fellow humans corrupted by fear.

As soon as any other android caught sight of its bright red eye, they would sinc up with an audible high-pitched beep. It was similar to a fire alarm with a dying battery. When their eyes would turn full red, they would begin attacking. The violence on humans escalated to homes and businesses being destroyed a year later as they hunted more viciously to find any remaining humans hiding. If you fought the Androids too long, then you were dragged to the VAULT with others captured at varying times. The people inside only see sunlight when a new victim is added. Once the space capacity is met, the vault is not opened again for six months. Inside the VAULT is where they would be subjugated to pitch blackness that swallowed the light of any phones snuck in. Any sound they attempted to create was muted in that banned psychological torture chamber.

As they were slowly consumed by madness, they would start attacking their fellow kidnapees. A brutal bloodbath would ensue as the fight would be silent and unseen. It ends with only one winner who will soon die of blood loss, dehydration, or infection from their wounds. This was a more brutal death than being killed with a shot to the head or your neck snapped. As winter approached, food grew scarce as farming stalled and store deliveries were killed. The need for food helped drive out humans desperate for food and water. As humans dwindled to the hundreds, it became easier for them to hide.

The air outside is almost unbreathable. It collects in your throat like rotten corn syrup if you travel through dense fog. The best action is to keep a gas mask on you when you go outside. The smell alone had people hesitant to venture out in search of supplies. The scattered remains of their community members littered the streets in various stages of decay and mutilation. Maggots littered the rotting flesh. Those wiggling created slid down the oozing flesh. They consumed enough fermenting flesh to fill their bellies with a hearty meal. These disgusting decomposers repeated the process of turning into a fly to lay more eggs on the dead bodies around. Leaving a foul odor of death in the air as puddles of bodily fluids flowed toward the storm drains. The sheer amount of decaying bodies left large puddles of bodily decay.

The putrid air filled your lungs like thick oil. Not like the buttery feeling of vegetable oil sliding down your throat but the nasty and gritty oil at the bottom of a fryer. A black tar that coats and pools in your lungs like wet concrete. In the devastated areas, the thick smog made breathing increasingly difficult. It’s unbearably nauseating without a gas mask no lower than a P2 filter. The muddy orange-tinted haze consumed the skies of San Jose, California with a vicious grasp. Those unable to find masks couldn’t hold out against the stench. In the cities, every breath left your lungs blackened. There’s nothing you can do to get rid of the lingering stench of death, even if you stuffed saturated air fresheners in your masks.

Suppose your lungs are strong enough to get past the lung issues. Then your next worry is shelter and food. What’s left of the surrounding buildings was mostly burned to the point of barely being a shelter to the whole lot being blown away. The wildlife were the only living creatures allowed to freely roam what was left alone in the homeland war against machines. Major convenience stores were ransacked during the fighting so the streets are littered with broken glass and destroyed merchandise scattered in the parking lots.

These deserted streets echoed the faint cries of the deceased as their death rattles synced up like a depressing symphony. The cries of those murdered in cold blood to those who were forced to watch their loved ones die. Each decaying body is now either being ravaged by nature or rotting in a torture chamber. That’s how the war slowed to a snail’s crawl as it grew harder to find and exterminate the remaining humans.

It was predicted that over ninety-two percent of humans had been deemed dead, MIA, or taken to the VAULT. That was the last information we received before the internet was taken out. It was as if our mechanical enemies wanted to taunt us with their ability to cut out our best form of communication as they pleased.