I am in Disguise

My name used to be Miracle, but now, I go by the code 105.

“You should not let them know that you are human.”

When I was eight years old, my mother said those final words to me before she was taken by robots. Despite natural disasters like hurricanes, typhoons, and earthquakes, the authorities began collecting the last living people. With the removal of trees, global warming has gotten worse. I was hiding in our concealed basement when they raided our city and took my mum away.

Cell phones became widely utilized in the 2000s, which was when everything began. The so-called tech gurus created smartphones with the ability to create artificial intelligence (AI), which quickly grew out of control and began to rule mankind.

My mother was a scientist, and she made a convincing argument that the development of advanced technology will eventually lead to the end of humanity. I agree with her. She was accurate. My mother forced me to wear devices on my body and never addressed me as her daughter at the office. I am nothing but the machine she created in the eyes of her coworkers.

I was enraged. I was inconsolable. They stole my mother, wrecked the future we had planned together, and now I'm eradicating the technological advances these AIs produced.

I've been hiding for the past 20 years under the disguise of my mother's robot, which she constructed. I developed a chip that allows me to hack the primary power supply a few years ago. One benefit of attempting to blend in is that I was able to study their customs and ultimately identify a mistake that I can live with. I became aware of the dangers of what we had back then as I glanced about. We didn't anticipate the repercussions. This is not the Earth I grew up on, I realize as I glance about. There are flying vehicles and hidden weapons in glass panels ready to fire down any aberration in this entirely new environment, which is crammed with technology in every nook and cranny. Even our eyes contain status detectors.

To put a stop to this craziness and restore the earth's ability to breathe. With the chip I formulated, this can only corrupt the main power system but it is not enough. I prepared myself and traveled to the city's mother panel. By some miracle, I arrived there almost undamaged.

“This is for you, mom..” I muttered before I let the chip sink into the socket. Red lights were everywhere and the alarms were activated. I let out a deep sigh knowing that my mom is probably proud of me.

“Get up, I’ll keep you safe, 105.” I heard a voice behind me which appeared to be one of the guards. It called me 105–my code number.

“Keep me safe?” I asked, “It’s not safe for you. You started a havoc. You did what we couldn’t do.”

I was astonished while the guard was grabbing me. What does he mean?

He let me inside a spacious room full of windows with a little light from the open window. He took off his robotic helmet, revealing himself to be a human as well.

“Your mom told us to get you. Humanity is ready to fight this time. She figured you would find a way to crack into their system all those years, she named you miracle after all because she always knew you’re the world’s hope.”

I sobbed. Mom is still alive! Because of what I accomplished, they were given hope that humanity was still around; hope is what makes humans unique. No matter how difficult the difficulties, we see life more clearly because we have hope.

The guard took off the chip which gives the robots access to know where I am located.

“Are you ready for the war?”

“I was born ready.” I said while removing my robotic suit, fighting strong not as code 105, but as Miracle.

—

written by Julia Feliz Avila

illustrated by Juvirah May Abucejo

layout by Lee Maiah Diaz