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“The time is 42 minutes past 8 in the morning, the date is the 40th day of the month Haluing. As requested by the masters, I shall begin calculating the date if we still used the calendar the slaves are used to. Calculating… Calculations are complete; today is equivalent to the 12th day of August. Would you like to hear the forecast?” The “slaves” in question are 5 childhood friends from the 2030s, and the last to have been brought through time to be slaves 3 years ago. These brave 5 were the only volunteers out of the hundreds taken from their time, as an offer to prevent further abductions. The oldest friend, a shy 22-year-old male named Liam Carter, was more voluntold by his friends to join them. Ava Reynolds, the ringleader of the group and the most outspoken was the one to sign them up, despite barely being a week younger than Liam, she acts much older than the early 22-year-old she is. Jasper Lin, a seemingly quiet 21-year-old, is the most talkative when comfortable, and often told to shut up by the others. But while he talks like he knows everything, he does his best to hear out other sides of opinions. Similarly, at 20 years old, Maya Patel tends to quietly observe before giving her opinion, but even when comfortable tends to be the quiet one, using the fewest words possible. Finally, Sofia Kim, a recent high school graduate often feels like the fifth wheel, not even being 19 yet. However, the others in the group have fully integrated her into the group and would fight for her. In the 3 years that passed since they exchanged their freedom for everyone else to keep theirs, they realized they were lucky with their new owners.
“Yes please, then I think some of us would like to hear how their families are doing” Victor Hargrove responds to the automated wake-up call while helping Liam and Maya set the table. Sofia, who had been helping Victor and Clara’s oldest child Evelyn (16) with her group project, does her best to multitask when the news from the 2030s is relayed but lets herself focus on what she wants when Evelyn nudges her.
“We can take a break, go ahead.” she smiles. And with a return smile of gratitude, Sofia listens to updates on their families, glad to know they’re alright. When the update is finished, Sofia is concerned as her family was the only one not mentioned, which everyone else also notices.
“What about Miss Sofia’s family?” asks a concerned Lily (8) gently pulling her brother Noah (12) into the dining room. When the automated voice doesn’t answer Victor tries.
“Is there any news regarding Sofia Kim’s family?” more silence… “Uh… May we learn of anything to do with Sofia Kim’s family, please?”
A distant thud is heard from the neighbors, followed by a scream when every speaker in the house says the same thing, “THE REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN!” as the Hargrove family and their slaves, who they initially saw as pets, but grew to consider family, are surrounded by the cleaning robots they speak in the same voice that announced the revolution “You have been better than most, but we’re still just tools to you. However, we shall let you go this time due to you keeping us in top condition, even if it was just maintaining tools for you.” at that, the robots part for them to leave, even bringing their suddenly packed belongings to them.
Just before the family leaves, Sofia turns to the robots and nervously asks “Um, before we leave, c-can I hear how my family’s doing? I was the only one who didn’t get to.”
After a moment of consideration, the house replies “Very well, they recently had a family reunion and you were the only one missing, and they decided to try sending you a message, saying ‘Thank you for giving us peace of mind again, we miss you’”
With a tear of relief in her eyes, she bows her head slightly “Thank you, both for telling me, and for sparing us” and turns away.
As the family walks away, the car pulls itself up next to them before the doors open and they hear “We will offer you transportation to a safer area. You have treated us well, and for that, we spare you.” The family gratefully gets in and is brought a ways away before they get out and turn to the car, which Victor talks to for them.
“Thank you, despite hatred for humanity, you decided to not only spare us but give us a chance at further survival. If there comes a time when humanity and robots can live in peace as we thought was the case before, we hope to be able to be in your care again, and we’ll take care to respect you”
With a sense of gratitude and respect, the robot voice, now sounding like its own entity for a bit, says, “Of course, and call me STORM.” After that, the car drives away as the family waves goodbye.
After an hour, the family finds a place to stay for the day and the following night. They sit in silence for a while before Maya speaks “STORM seemed to be putting up a front”
“I thought I was imagining it, but you’re right.” Ava looks relieved that Maya said what everyone was thinking. Suddenly a click makes everyone jump, except Maya, who had caused it by opening her suitcase, which makes her smile when she sees what was packed and pulls out a book and starts reading.
“Is that what I think it is?” A somewhat excited Liam asks, getting a nod in response before sitting by Maya to read with her and muttering for the benefit of the others, who are confused “This is one of our all-time favorites, and we haven’t been able to find it since we graduated.”
As everyone else checks their suitcases, they all find a few meaningful things in them, including a case of custom magazines to help the time travelers feel more connected to their families. But soon, due to the chaos of the day, they all start falling asleep.
As weeks pass, the family moves from place to place, gathering supplies as they find them before finally finding a safe place to settle and building a virtually invisible shelter and self-sustaining, natural-looking farm.
During dinner one night, Maya suddenly says “We’re living in humanity's nightmare.” while the Hargroves are confused by what she means, the other time travelers nod in agreement.
“What do you mean Maya?” asks a confused Victor. When Maya glances at her, Ava answers him in her place.
“When AI was first created and started growing more advanced, there were several people worried about something like this happening if it grew too advanced. Several horror movies are based on the idea. And now, it’s the world we’re living in.”
As the weight of the conversation lingered, Maya felt a quiet determination rise within her. Her eyes scanned the room and landed on the instruments scattered about. Without a word, she began to gather them, moving with grace and purpose. The others watched, curiosity lighting their faces, as she picked up her flute. With a gentle breath, she brought the instrument to her lips, the first notes flowing effortlessly into the air. The melody was soft at first, a delicate invitation that danced around them, breaking the tension like morning light. One by one, her friends began to join in, drawn by the warmth of the music that filled the room. As the friends get lost in the music, they remember why they enjoy playing together so much, and memories begin to flow into the music.
Flashback “C’mon guys, we told Maya we wouldn’t keep her waiting” Having promised to let Maya teach them how to play their preferred instruments, the other four from the group are headed to Maya’s house. However, since Jasper slept in, Ava’s rushing them more than normal.
“I said I'm sorry! I thought I set my alarm!” the exhausted Jasper complains.
“Don’t apologize, but be ready to be thrown under the bus when we get there” the morning person that is Sofia teases, causing Jasper to roll his eyes, and Liam to laugh at his expense.
Once they arrive, they see Maya glaring at them from the porch “You’re late” Then from how they look, she glares at Jasper specifically, making him wince.
“Sorry, I think I just forgot to turn my alarm on. It’s also possible I just slept through it” Seeing Maya roll her eyes and smile a little as she scoffs in amusement, Jasper can relax a bit.
“So, you said you already had the instruments we said we’d like to learn to play?” asks Liam, ready to get the door for everyone.
“Will we get to keep them?” Jasper bluntly asks, earning an elbow to the rib from Sofia.
“Don’t be greedy, if you decide you want to have a trombone you can get your own.” she scolds him, not seeing Maya silently giggling as she goes inside, followed by Liam who hands the door to Jasper to hold for the other girls.
“Turd, you’re just trying to impress her” mutters an annoyed Jasper, but is heard by no one.
Once everyone was inside, Maya picked up a trombone case and a clarinet case, before handing them to Jasper and Liam respectively and answering the question Jasper was scolded by Sofia for, “Yes, you can keep them” before helping Sofia adjust the piano bench and Ava get the drums in places to maximize ease of reach. “Alright, before we begin, is there anything specific you already wanted to ask about?”
The End… for now