City walls shimmered. City walls warped. City walls began to melt. City walls fell at last. City walls…

Your eyes rolled backwards. Almost painfully far. Should eyes be able to scan the back of the socket?

You never got your answer as darkness swept in.

Down. Down with the city walls you tumbled, into wreck and ruin.

Somewhere far away, in the Facility, the puppeteer slammed their fists onto the blank face of their desk. Such was the force emitted that even the computer leapt with fear, as pens and pencils launched themselves over the edge in desperate bid of survival. Reams of paper took flight, circling in momentary glee before drifting away to who knows where.

“No!” Was the only word that gripped the walls in terror. Paralysed, all the plastered brickwork could do, was repeat the single syllable in ever decreasing whispers.

Feet froze in mid-motion as their revolutionary chips stuttered and blipped. One by one, with dazed expressions the workers resumed their tasks, unsure of what they were really doing- for long ago they had lost their sense of automation.

The bank of sentient computers blinked in frantic code, trying to regain control of the aimlessly wandering workers. Uncontrolled minds were dangerous minds. They had the power to breach the Law of Revolution. At last, with a collective whir the machines settled back into their daily routine… all but one.

Bewildered seemed to be your new state of existence. Another tidal wave of cleanliness scrubbed your sinuses free of all contaminants. Another day, another hospital- or was it another Facility?

Wearily you swiped away the rheum that glued your eyelids tightly shut. A single dainty sneeze waltzed from your nose. And that was it. You were awake, with minimal pain and that made for a welcomed change.

Shuffling awkwardly upwards you surfaced from the surprisingly comfy embrace of the duvet, though regimental in colour it seemed to care about the wellbeing of the occupant. Your eyes caught sight of the quite pondering glass, filled to the brim with icy water. Microscopic droplets of condensation misted the crystal glass, casting a strange translucent veil. Carefully, not wanting to spill a single drop, you grasped the glass and raised it to your lips.

Your thirst quenched, you waited. The unseen clock ticked away steadily, eating away the seconds that are allocated to every being. Some have more and others less. Seconds add up to minutes, and minutes add up to hours, and so forth and so on.

No crippling command gripped your mind in a tight electronic fist. Did you dare rebel against the mission forced upon you?

A sly grin was all you needed to creep up your cheeks to know the answer. Seeing a regimental dull blue button with a single word taped above: CALL.

“Beep,” as all the average sized button said, as it was pressed. Unsure whether that was a good or bad noise, you contemplated whether to press it again- for good measure.

However, there was no need to because the aching hinges creaked open revealing… a member of the Night Guard. Mentally facepalming yourself, the worm poked its head above the blanket of drowsy intent, you were meant to kill someone and take their role.

“Good morning! How are you feeling?” Chirruped the fresh-faced Night Guard.

Massaging your temples, you composed the letters that ran rampant through your mind, “I feel better thank you, the water was most welcome,” You motioned toward the empty glass, “Is there a senior member of staff I can talk to?”

“A senior member of staff?” Their eyebrows knitted together in confusion, “I was detailed that you had been found passed out just inside the city walls. You were severely dehydrated.”

“Please this is urgent! I’m not sure how much longer I will have control of myself,” You begged with everything you had, including melting your eyes as you had seen the dogs do.

Nodding slowly, “Of course.” Shutting the door tightly, they smartly hurried down the corridor. They weren’t used to being given orders by a citizen, and a beetle of anxiety began to gnaw at their small intestine.

Terrified hands twisted and folded the corner of the duvet, would the Night Guard relent and find the help that you desperately needed?

While back in the Facility the mastermind of the new age stormed up to the Computer Room. Only to find the three-armed worker slumped uselessly in the hall.

“You useless oaf get up!” They placed a well-aimed boot into the workers ribs, eliciting a groan. Hauling the tri-uman by the tattered collar, they slammed the body into the walls sending devious lines running across the plaster work.

“It seems as they you are incompetent at your duty, I shall have you redeployed after you have undergone some upgrades,” They hissed at the now crumpled form, a singular river of crimson trickled down the tri-uman's temple.

Flattening the door they entered, a tempest of anger blazed out of control behind unbecoming orbs of hatred. Their newest creation was offline, and unreachable. Winter’s flowers of frozen water bloomed in their veins... Could this be the end?

The Senior Night Guard listened to you, stunned into silence, as your words unravelled from your lips. At last, you ceased speaking, inhaling heavily as if drowning under the weight of treason.

“I must get the chief doctor to examine your head, if I may, to be sure you are telling the truth,” The bristled curl of his mastache spoke with certainty.

Bowing your head in consent, you observed how the tricorn covered head craned around the door, which was followed by a sharp whistle of authority. The corridor came alive with the sound of rushing feet, though frantic they were cautious not to trip.

“Yes, sir?”

There was no one in sight, yet you heard the words with a crystal ring.

“Examine, this patient's skull. They say that they have been experimented on by an unknown person at a place they believe to be called the Facility. If what they say is true, then we must act with urgency.” The towering Senior Night Guard squinted at the floor, tilting his head as if a spasm had taken over his body.

A small tickle hopped onto the single toe that you had left exposed, recoiling it sharply into the safety of the covers you heard a startled squeak followed by a bizarre plop.

“If you are to be examined, you must let the doctor get near to you!” Chided the Senior Night Guard, as he bent and scooped up something very small.

Marching to the side of your bed, he lowered his well-toned hand onto your shoulder. Pushing your eyes to the very corners of their sockets you just caught sight of a cricket. Its antenna waved jovially as it greeted, “Good morning, you are most welcome here. Now I shall give you a thorough examination.”

What proceeded this polite sentence was the most frightful investigation of your entirely life, it took every ounce of good citizenship not to squirm and wiggle the doctor from where she was perched.

“Ahh, see here sir, this tiny incision behind the left ear?”

Carefully, the Senior Night Guard pulled back the lock of hair that hid the doctor and the incision, his breath forced a rise of heat in your cheeks, “Yes, I see.”

“Now this is where the chip was implanted. At least that is what I think it is, I would need to take an x-ray to be sure.”

“What does this chip do?”

“It will allow someone to control this person- sorry I don’t know your name- if the someone had the correct computer software and passcode.”

“Oh! Why are they helping us then?”

“I believe it is because they have gone out of range.”

“Well, that does explain a lot,” you interjected.

“I think we need a plan,” firmly said the Senior Night Guard.

“Agreed,” You and the doctor agreed in unison.