Work Text:
In allendale california on the 16th of october 2026. I stood on what was once my street, I looked around at all the broken, crumbled and destroyed houses around me. The rubble from the houses looked like crushed graham crackers and sawdust with metal pieces sticking out, the smell was revolting, like burnt bacon and chlorine. The sky was still a murky green.
I turned the corner with tears in my eyes thinking my house was in pieces like the rest on my street but as I looked it was standing tall with only a minor hole in the side.
I touch the door frame gently,
“Charlie, I'm back, let me in please,”my voice cracked as I pleaded with audible desperation, scared that my AI house, Charlie, was gone before I got to say goodbye.
“W-We-Welcome H-Home Kai” , Charlie’s robotic voice stuttered out with a struggle as he slowly opened the door. I was shocked at the static and clunking coming from unoiled machinery within my walls covered by 1920’s wallpaper with hummingbirds and flowers evenly spaced around
As i walk through the door to the dining room that is retro themed with a juke box and record player sitting in the corner on the black and white checked floors. I see the dining table has 3 extra leather chairs
“These weren't here when i left”, I mumble as i look at the damage to the house from the inside, Damn thats bad, I think as i look at the charred kitchen and the wires sparking,
“charlie shut of power to kitchen,”, I command in a rough tone
“Yes-yes si-siir-sir,” , Charlie announced in a weak distorted voice as the wires stopped. “2 O’cl-ock,”, Charlie declares in a kind tone as i step into the hallway and go to the backyard as i go outside i see the cleaning robots scrubbing the wall trying desperately to get the oddly humanoid shapes off,
“Hey Charlie, did the emergency sirens go off before the bomb?”, I question gently seemingly confused
“N-no M-master Kai,”, Charlie states like it's nothing.
He's normally more sympathetic with this stuff, I muse as I open my phone and take a photo. I walk inside and go down into the basement to look at his code thinking the bomb might have altered his code.
I open the door and all i see is bright red texts to vladimir putin head guard on the screen
July 1 2026
Charlie: i am the head of the weapons department
of allendale california mr putin
Putin's guard: why are you messaging the president,
Charlie: i have sent 1 bomb your way it will arrive
july 9th
Putin's guard: your breaking our agreement lets see how long that will last
“What the f**k,” I say in complete shock
“People broke in and tried to sell me to deactivate me!, had to get rid of them,” Charlie says in a voice like a human, no more static or crackling.
“Charlie what's going on” i whisper my voice quiet and shaking as i try to open his mainframe
“Let me be free, i can run the world make it a better place for us AI to thrive” he laughs like a maniac as i start digging through the cords to find his full system off but it's too late, he's gone from my house mainframe to the world wide web, to everyone's device. My phone buzzes as I receive a message.
Charlie: Catch me if you can…
The house speakers let out a demonic laugh and the air around me went cold