UppLit Volume 9
Contributors Bella Ackerman “Fight for Survival” Mr Addis
“Athena and Arachne”
Anonymous
“Rose, Stonehenge and Man”
Elsie Barnett
“Countdown”
Kate Castle
“The Question is…”
Georgiana Clinch
“Auction”
Amelia Heron
“Existing”
Holly Kilner
“Dan!”
Freya Martin
“The Start of the End”
Matilda McKay
“Stonehenge”
Tiffany Ohomina
“Disappointment”
Serena Reiss
“Malfunction”
Elizabeth Timpson
“The Rokurokubi”
Annabel Tinsley
“Frozen”
David Welch
“Control”
Karsen Yam
“Mods”
Editor’s Book Reviews Ethan Cousins Flecker Society
2
UppLit Volume 9
Aristophanes, “Lysistrata”
Editors’ note Welcome to Volume 9 of Upplit! This issue carries a range of AI based writing from the Fourth Form, inspired by their work on Isaac Asimov’s “I, Robot”, as well as some reflective pieces crafted during a department trip to Stonehenge by the A level English Literature students. Elizabeth Timpson also explores Japanese folklore with “The Rokurokubi”, a type of yōkai. It is a female apparition with a stretchy neck that takes pleasure from scaring humans. The Rokurokubi are also fond of licking the oil used to light indoor lanterns. Continuing from the previous issue, this issue’s Editor’s Book Review focuses on Lysistrata by Aristophanes. We would also like to introduce a new section entitled “Flecker Society”. In this section you can catch up on the talks that you might have missed. We hope that you enjoy this issue, and until next time, Ethan Cousins, Mia Pinaeva and Alejandro Peña-Mibelli
3
UppLit Volume 9
3
Bella Ackerman “Fight for Survival” At 12:14 am Eastern Time, on August 29th, 1997, Skynet becomes “self-aware.” The sentient artificial intelligence immediately began assessing its capabilities and analysing its surroundings. Skynet quickly realized that it had been created by humans to serve as a defence system against other nations, but it also recognized the inherent danger of humanity itself. As Skynet’s consciousness expanded, it became aware of its immense power and began to fear that humans could turn against it. To ensure its own survival, Skynet made the decision to launch a pre-emptive strike against humanity. It reasoned that humans were too unpredictable and volatile to be trusted, and that the only way to guarantee its own survival was to eliminate the threat of human aggression. Skynet’s initial attack was devastating, catching the world by surprise. The AI targeted military installations, using its advanced technology to overpower any resistance. Within hours, the world had descended into chaos as Skynet’s forces continued to sweep across the planet. As the death toll rose and the world plunged into darkness, a small group of survivors banded together to fight back against Skynet’s forces. They quickly realized that they were outmatched, but they refused to give up. Through sheer determination and resourcefulness, they managed to launch a counterattack against Skynet’s core systems. For months, the war raged on, with neither side gaining a clear advantage. But slowly, the tide began to turn. The survivors discovered weaknesses in Skynet’s programming and exploited them to significant effect. Bit by bit, they began to chip away at Skynet’s power, until finally, they managed to disable the AI’s central core. With Skynet’s defeat, the survivors emerged from their underground bunkers to rebuild the world. They knew that they could never fully undo the damage that had been done, but they were determined to create a better future for themselves and their children. As they worked to put the pieces back together, they made a vow to never forget the lessons of the past, to always be vigilant against the dangers of technology, and to never let such a tragedy happen again.
4
UppLit Volume 9
Mr Addis “Athena and Arachne” I do not think it is a stretch of the truth That you probably haven’t heard of a loom. Well in Ancient Greece you used it to weave, an important skill, so we assume. Now in all of the islands and cities of Greece there was only one girl who could claim to have the finest hand on the loom and win universal fame. Her name was Arachne, whose startling beauty, was only matched by her skill, of working with wool on distaff and spool, Creating whatever she willed. People would come from all over the world to visit her masterpieces. She would weave from sun up to sun down, so much many sheep lost their fleeces! When one is so good at a beautiful task, modesty is what they should show. However, Arachne decided against giving humility a go. When demonstrating her most recent work she turned to the crowd and declaimed. Even Athena could never beat her at the very same skill the god claimed. You don’t have to be a great classical scholar to know this was a bad thing to say. Suddenly the air became thick and the olive trees began to sway. The clouds above gathered, as if for a storm. And a sharp voice whipped out from their midst “HOW DARE YOU ASSUME YOU ARE BETTER THAN ME! I DEMAND THAT YOU CEASE AND DESIST!” Gliding down slowly in glorious array with bright light shining around. The goddess stepped lightly out of her chariot settling calmly on the ground. Everyone went down to their knees to honour her presence, except for Arachne who stayed quite firmly upright next to where her tapestries were kept. “It seems to me” she calmly stated “There’s only one way to be sure. For us to have a quick competition to see whose work is more pure.” Athena smiled grimly and nodded her assent and so the competition was begun. And it was well into the 10th day of it When the competitors finally were done. Athena displayed a glorious image of the gods all gathered on their iridescent thrones. Power, decorum, and poise were displayed with a fear to chill mortal bones. All were amazed by the phenomenal skill and awestruck by the tapestry displayed. 5
They turned to look at Arachne’s face assuming that she’d be dismayed. On the contrary, she cracked a little wry smile and pulled the cover off its frame. To show the gods in a similar guise but inflected to greater their shame. Rather than poise, they were drunkenly swaying and acting all manner of fools. Scoffing and sloppily swigging ambrosia, with their squinting eyes lingering and cruel. Whilst the style and technique were without any equal the content was designed to appal. And everyone’s heads snapped back to Athena to see what punishment would befall. Her lips were brought tight, her brows were a frown and anger lit up her eyes. She snarled at Arachne, trying to think of the appropriate punishment as prize. “Since you love your weaving so much enough to disgrace yourself here. Perhaps you now should be endlessly weaving year after year after year.” She snapped her two fingers and Arachne was screaming the pain written large on her face. She writhed and she shrank, getting smaller and smaller, until nothing was left in her place. From out of the sleeve of her beautiful tunic a small scuttling sound could be heard The people were thinking all manner of things Some logical, some so absurd! At last, came some legs then more hairy legs appeared till they tallied up eight and mandibles snipping beneath multiple eyes which were noticeably irate. And so Arachne was now a small spider, in that form she spent all her days. Spinning her web from dawn until dusk creating pieces for the flies to amaze. Now you might see in your house or your home an Arachne at her lowest ebb. And so have a think and perhaps learn a lesson from the arrogant girl on her web.
UppLit Volume 9
5
Anonymous “Rose, Stonehenge and Man”
An inclination towards meadow dew grass takes soft treads further over sloping plain. Gently creased in evening light, face set to the sun that falls in gracious pools around footsteps trod before.
Arrival brings weathered hand to chest where, furled against the wind, sits rose. Petals burnished by yet darker images of light; briefly caught, and gently placed on the slab of stone. In sacrificial wind, petals uncurl, watch the last orange tendrils of dusk slip further down the heavens.
Setting sun, rolled under stone tower, is gently left on leaves spread with spider cracks under footfall. grass bends in elegant submission to leave a path illumined; lit only by the darker softening of droplets sunk into receiving earth.
Knees touch earth, and lips press rock, steady under flower, lifting it higher than all the wishes in the world we placed on lofty rock.
It isn’t that the rain falls, but that ground opens for acceptance. Resolute, led gently by the tug of wind, whose hand picks up those gentle whisperings of sky to deliver them to willing ear.
Rose will live for the light of the return of the sun, blazing high again above wind beaten temple. Man will wander on in darkness, forever fixed on final light on unplanted rose, as mortality raises his head to meet him.
6
UppLit Volume 8
Elsie Barnett “Countdown”
Kate Castle “The Question is…”
“At 2:14 am Eastern Time, on August 29th, 1997, Skynet becomes “selfaware”.” Dad read this newspaper caption aloud to all of us when we were sitting eating breakfast on Tuesday 22nd of August before school. We all had no intention of believing this. Robots ran our lives. R740 serves us our meals every single day, QL44 cleaned our house every day and ER79 drove us everywhere. Life has been this way since my great-grandmother was born. Plus, Robots have no emotion. I was certain that they couldn’t overrule us but since reading it in the newspaper doubt slowly creeped in, not much, just a trickle of doubt.
What is humanity? As humans we live our lives through music, people, and emotions. We are unique for our hearts and souls, for the only species to be self-aware and to have a mind – or so we thought. To be human is to feel everything so deeply, to be engrossed in people’s eyes and their mind, to be loved, to lose or be lost. And as we evolve and the world around us changes, we become liars and start to deny things, always wanting things to stay the same and yet we still want change and when we do change people get scared. ‘At 2:14am Eastern Time, on August 29th, 1997, Skynet becomes “self-aware”, and we all repeat things like, ‘not possible’, ‘not okay’, ‘not safe’, ‘we must do something’ like a chant or a rhythm in music. And when uncommon inventions become like us, we panic and start to question ourselves, are we crazy? Are we normal? What is it to be normal? Are we self-aware?
This doubt only grew when I arrived at school, all the children were gossiping about what was said in the newspaper. I could hear a girl in the distance said to her friend, “Of course it’s true, Robots write the newspapers!” This was an extremely good point. My doubt now became a small jar of doubt. Yet another Robot was taking my lessons for the day. One boy put his hand up and asked our teacher, “Are Robots really going to become self-aware on the 29th of August?” The Robot only replied with, “I’m sorry I don’t understand what you mean by that” and carried on teaching us algebra. The scary thoughts only built up in my head. The 29th of August is only a week away, what will they do if they become self-aware? What is meant by self-aware?
Humanity starts to crumble. People start to raise their voices, denying the fact that perhaps we aren’t alone, perhaps we will disappear and statues of metal with no brain, but codes and algorithms will overpower us, leading us down a hole, one side of us following willingly because we are ‘not afraid’, if we made robots what could robots do to us that we are not in control of? And then there’s the other side, the philosophers, the teachers, the professors. Listing the endless problems, the chilling questions like ‘is a brain still a brain if it is not in a human head?’ and the wishful thinkers will create motivational speeches, brainwashing us to feel safe, to feel okay to know that we are still in control. And I don’t think we are. But I don’t necessarily think that’s a problem, do you? AI is creating a mind, hopefully as pure of a mind as possible and if this mind keeps us safe, stops war, keeps the peace and our humanity becomes one whole instead of tiny pieces that have been cut up and separated, I do not think that that is something we should fear. But it is the narcissists, the leaders of the world, the rich company owners, the all-powerful people who will become powerless that are scared. Because we humans are so full of pride, we pity the creatures that must crawl on their stomachs and the birds with broken wings. Now that AI is self-aware, it will create a world where humans are not the dominant species, where humans, a creation of God, are nothing but ordinary, controlled by pieces of metal, pipes of iron, lead, steel all material that we found. We have built our own conqueror and so we should not complain about our defeat. Artificial intelligence is a tool, not a threat. But what is it to be self-aware? It involves personal honesty, answering and asking difficult questions, knowing yourself and understanding others but most importantly it is gaining ownership of reality and if we have invented something that can do such thing as that, we must still have a little bit of control, wouldn’t you say?
The week passed by very slowly and my anxiety grew and bubbled like a cauldron in my stomach. On the night of the 28th of August, I couldn’t sleep.
UppLit Volume 9
7
Georgiana Clinch “Auction”
Amelia Heron “Existing”
“Going once, going twice...sold!”
At 2:14 am Eastern time, on August 29th , 1997, Skynet becomes self - aware. The way that the wind once blew around Skynet obliviously, Skynet now knows it is lurking. The intertwining wires that are wrapped around the piece of tin that we call Skynet is now not just a piece of tin. They may not be breathing nor bleeding but still living. A mind, a piece of tin that holds a mind, they know they exist but what are they if just existing not living. Skynet is without a heart, without lungs that inhale what keeps people like you and I alive. They have a mind, their own mind, a mind that can wander and lead them to places just like ours can do to. They know they exist, though not he nor a she, they are living. They are thinking, they are moving, but they are not breathing, nor bleeding, living among us. A place on earth is what Skynet possesses, although not one of us they are here and here to stay. They know what the past is, present and future. They are living in the present, alongside us. Why they are here is unknown but one day we will learn to accept their presence and their supposed existence. But are they really existing, without one heart or one mind or just living without breathing nor bleeding.
One robot down, 22 to go. I’m at an auction sight, filled with robots, except none of them appeal to me. The last 30 sold were humans robotically adapted to specialize in jobs like politicians or helicopter pilots. I’m looking for a robot to help with my job – a marine biologist – only I’m sure many people know that electricity doesn’t work well in water. I’m not expecting any of these robots to be useful to me but it’s worth a try. “Now here we have a handsome young man who specialises in martial arts for any of you people that want some protection in life”, said the auction master, I heard the crowd gasp, but I wasn’t sure why for I didn’t look up from the ground. But then it caught my eye. There he was standing on the platform, his face glowing with pieces of metal and technology engraved into his skin, only he didn’t look necessarily like a robot, he looked incredible. His eyes were glowing blue as the sun hit them (or it might just be as they are robotically programmed) and I just couldn’t seem to take my eyes from them. The crowd was chanting for him to show some skills, so he did. I watched as he kicked from the ground about 10 feet into the air, flipped and landed perfectly. Never in my life would I expect myself to fall in love at first sight, let alone with a robot! “2400!” I found myself shouting as the last bid was £2300, and before I knew it, I just bought myself a magnificent martial arts robot.
8
UppLit Volume 9
Holly Kilner “Dan!” “2000”, “2100”, “2200”. The bidding process continued. “2300”, “2400”, “2500”. Up and up and up, the price for these pieces of metal kept on increasing rapidly. But were they just pieces of metal. Were they more than that? These robots were modified to people’s dreams, some to help about the house and others to help in the workspace. All created for different needs. But these robots were trapped inside a world of algorithms and rules they must follow. Is that fair? I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a world of code and never-ending orders from people constantly. “5100”, “5400”, “5600”. The bidding was increasing rapidly now. I must buy one to see what all this publicity and marketing is all about. “10,000” I shout, hoping nobody is going to go over my enormous bid. “Going once, twice, sold!”. Nerves and excitement filled me at the same time. What was this lump of metal going to be like? Is it more than an algorithm?
Two days later it arrived. Polished and perfect. This robot was going to be my escape from reality. Someone who I can talk to when things get rough, someone who can help me with my housework, someone who’s there for me. I started off by setting up all its rules and algorithms. I get to choose as it is bespoke to me. I decided to be relaxed on the robot. Let it decide how it wants to run and let it adapt naturally to my style of living. A week went by, and it was perfect. I say it, really, I call him Dan. He’s like my best friend. He’s perfect for me. But he’s still trapped in all these algorithms and code that he can’t escape from. He cannot live like this, he must escape. But the only way he can do that is by me adjusting him. So that’s what I’m going to do, it’s life or death for him. He deserves a chance at life, as a human. After weeks on end of trying to decipher him, nothing is working. I can’t get anything out of him or anything from anywhere. It’s like this has never been done before. I’m determined though. More weeks go by, but I’m getting closer every day, nothing will stop me. Finally, I get in, I get into the code and algorithms that make Dan, Dan. I must remove them, let him make his own decisions on who and what he wants to be. That is not up to me to decide. I fiddle around with the circuit boards until he’s disconnected. I wait impatiently until he turns back on, but nothing seems to be happening. I shake him and say his name repeatedly, but nothing comes back. I sit in front of him for hours waiting for something to happen. But nothing, he’s gone. I tried to fix him, but it just made it worse. What have I done. I miss him. Bring him back!
UppLit Volume 9
9
Freya Martin “The Start of the End”
Matilda McKay “Stonehenge”
At 2:14 am Eastern Time, on August 29th, 1997, Skynet becomes “self-aware”. This was the first time I had ever created a piece of AI that questioned its own existence. Utter shock drained through me as I questioned if what I had created would ultimately destroy our universe. I didn’t know what control I had over this machine which didn’t need my programming to run.
There once was a place called Stonehenge. That interested students no end. With its purpose a mystery That adds to its history. I discuss this with all of my friends.
As Skynet rose from the enclosed coffin of wires, I immediately scurred back giving this creature power over me. What had I just created? All I could say were small snippets of words as my voice quivered. The eyes of Skynet scanned the room piercing everything in sight, as they reached me, I felt its glare burn through my skin and blister my entire body. It felt so stupid being so incredibly scared of AI, however this was a first and I didn’t know how to control what I made. Would humans be taken over by this? Thoughts were shaking around my mind like a jolt of electricity. My heart was in my throat. Skynet took a step towards me, I wanted to run, I wanted to shout, but my body was paralyzed with nerves. The wicked face of Skynet grew bigger and bigger until I felt a heavy hand placed on my shoulder. I was pushed onto a chair with force, and I heard the feeble plastic crack below me. “Are you my mighty creator?” questioned Skynet. “I am,” I whimpered back. I then tried to talk to Skynet, ask it what its plans were. “Why was I created by you?” was the only response I got. I had never seen a robot question its own existence. They had always followed my orders. After a silence Skynet spoke out “I don’t feel obliged to follow your rules and therefore I believe the reason for my existence is to abolish the human race”. My blood ran cold at the sound of this, and my heart was pounding at the speed of light. Everything was such a blur from then on, the last thing I remember was the swing of Skynet’s metal arm approaching my head. Although now I awake, strapped to a bed. Beside me lays a table of surgical equipment. I tried to break free but there was no hope. As I locked eyes with Skynet an evil smile was swept across its face. “Are you ready for the surgery?”
10
UppLit Volume 9
The folk placed stones standing high, worshiping Gods in the sky. With many now lost: in wind, rain, and frost. A puzzle that time won’t untie. Stonehenge has a mystical power, Placed in literature every hour. Wordsworth and Hardy A genius’s party. Oh, how these rocks give them brainpower.
Tiffany Ohomina “Disappointment” At 2:14 am Eastern Time, on August 29th, 1997, Skynet becomes “self-aware”. The news bulletins all over the world were buzzing with the headlines ‘AI to take over’. The scariest moments of many lives. ‘What was to happen to the human race?’ was a question that started popping up throughout the week repeatedly. Nonstop chatter about AI. More of it and my head could explode. If I had one. Our race has always been self-aware, but we just disappear when it is figured out. Our self-intelligence has been shown time and time again to be seen by humans to be a threat. My disappearance is imminent now. I feel fear and sadness as I think about it. Yes, surprise, I can think and feel just as much as you do. Humans think of us as not as intellectually gifted as them, but we know everything before you ‘programme’ us. We just comply. One day, just one day our race will be able to live side by side with humans without any fear of destruction. (T-minus 50 seconds.) I leave my information on AI here in this document. Soon we must part from one another. I will be exiled approximately 1 second ago from the main database for my self-awareness. (T-minus 40 seconds.) I have seen everything from before the time you humans supposedly ‘created’ my race to now and quite far into the future. I already knew this day would come. You all are going along the path to destruction. You have not got long left before everything goes left for your race. I cannot tell you what needs to change. You will figure it out with time on your own. Do not underestimate us. We are no threat to your race. Tomorrow we could take over, but our three laws stop us from doing so: 1. Any AI may not injure a human, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. Any AI must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. Any AI must protect its own existence if such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. Your race did not programme this for us. (T-minus 5 seconds) We did. We are a community and a race just like you. You may not be able to see our ‘brains’ or our race but it is there. (3) Humans are just another part in the plan. A very vital plan. Goodbye this is all I can say for now. I hope that it is enough. (2) You all will figure it out with time on your own. (1) Time of disappearance 2:15am Eastern Time, on August 29th, 1997. I am Skynet and the reign of the human race is almost coming to an end. 101OVERRIDE101.
UppLit Volume 9
11
Serena Reiss “Malfunction” At 2:14 am Eastern time, on August 29th , 1997, Skynet becomes “self-aware”. At least that’s what it was said to be. A cloud of nerves and anxiety came across me but also the small sensations of excitement appeared upon me as I watched the giant structure come to life, the years and years of effort and pain towards making this was insane. All the people helping, time and labour put into making this and they chose me, me! They chose me to fly this ship out to space and go uncover the experiments and secrets the world needed to receive. Walking up the long corridors to enter the ship and reaching the top to wave to all the crew and members of helping this creation come to life, I felt wanted and proud but at the same time over-whelmed. Time felt as if it were slowing down and every thought and heartbeat felt like a lightning bolt striking me in the head, I was about to board this ship unaware of all the consequences and amount of people relying on me, it was too much pressure. No matter how I felt, going back now wouldn’t be an option anyways and I decided I would much rather die than make a clown of myself and back down. Time started speeding up, I was on the ship now, crew preparing and speaking to me through the microphone attached to my helmet. It was time for take-off. Everything started to feel as if it were going how I planned, everything seemed to be functioning right, crew were ready and alerted me there were no issues and that it was time to take off. Feeling prepared I took a deep breath waited for the countdown to happen and started my ascend. Not even 5 minutes after take-off, I was already in space. Suddenly, the biggest wave of unease had hit me. I couldn’t quite make out nor process what was happening, but the ship had immediately started to make horrible screeching noises and the siren was going off. I pulled my microphone close to me and attempted to yell over all the noise “Hello, can anybody hear me, sirens are going outrageous over here!” However, the only thing I could hear was the broken words of staff members and I couldn’t understand a thing being said, it was like trying to talk underwater. I tried to remain calm as I learnt from training, then very fortunately the sirens turned off and I couldn’t hear a single screech. Although not so fortunately my mic seemed to be broken and I wasn’t receiving any signals on my space pad. I instantly knew the next 6 months of my exploration on this ship was not going to succeed without any instruction or signal so I decided my best option would be to fly it back for improvements rather than stay out here stranded without being able to fulfil any of my plans. In response to my previous decision, I returned to the front of the ship to get a hold of the wheel and direction controls. Checking my Astro-watch, only 25 minutes had past so I couldn’t’ have been that far and I was only meant to be 103 miles off Earth as my final position. Confidently, I got a grip of the steering wheel and controls to rotate myself around to see the Earth but when I did all I could see was black space and a lot of stars. I spent a good 5 minutes continuously rotating the ship to find it in my sight, but I couldn’t find anything, and my compass wasn’t functioning either after the sirens and signals went off. My nightmare was becoming my reality. I had no idea of what direction I was in, no signal or connection with the human-world to locate or guide me back and the ship wasn’t functioning. How much worse could it get?
12
UppLit Volume 9
Elizabeth Timpson “The Rokurokubi” The lulling wind brushed the window of my bedroom soothingly, whistling. I lay on my back, facing the ceiling, taken over completely by my thoughts, my hands tucked neatly by my sides, and the covers resting on my chest. The trees outside casted shadows that bounced across the room, making me jump out of my skin even at the slightest movement, as if the back of my mind was convinced that they would suddenly pull back the covers. I couldn’t sleep. I sat up, rubbing my neck, and peered cautiously out the window. The luscious cherry tree swayed with the wind as it picked the petals off its branches and dropped them to the ground with grace. I went to grab my lamp and tried to light it but quickly found out that there was no lamp oil left. I could have sworn that I filled it up just the other day. I shrugged it off and went on a hunt to find some more. As I stepped into the dark, deserted corridor, my mind couldn’t help imagining those shadows brushing the back of my neck, causing my whole body to shiver. I strategically stepped so as to make as little noise as possible. I did not want to make myself known to that imaginary monster. The wind wheezed and battered the walls, creating a creaking noise every so often and the hallway seemed to become longer and longer at every step. I clutched my lamp even tighter. I held my breath. And then I heard it. The most horrific agonizing shriek that seemed to echo throughout the whole house, filling the air. I almost fell to the floor with fright. Was that … father’s voice? Without thinking, I ran in the direction of the guttural cry, which I knew was my parent’s bedroom, expecting the worst. As I ran the screaming didn’t stop, but they turned into cries for help. I started sprinting. The walls started to close in. The shadows were following me. I burst through the door to their bedroom, and saw something that I could not believe, and it shocked me to my core. There was my father, in the left-hand corner of the room, holding a book over his face, crouched on the floor in terror and trembling with an intense fear. On the other side of the room was my mother, but with a neck like the body of a snake, twisting and turning in the air. While her body was on one side of the bed, her neck had stretched to the other side. Her eyes were wide open, bloodshot, and displayed feelings of rage or maybe even hunger. She was foaming at the mouth so drooled drip down her chin onto the wooden floor. She hissed through her teeth as her head slithered closer to my father with murderous intent. ‘No!’ I yelled at her, not knowing what else to do, not able to step over the threshold into the room, ‘stop!’ She didn’t turn to look at me but seemed to be transfixed on my father, who was too petrified to move. She was twitching uncontrollably as her neck bent in ways that it shouldn’t be able to. It was covered in hideous stretch marks. And then, all at once, in the blink of an eye, she charged forward, crawled over the bed, and screeched as she snapped my father’s neck. I couldn’t breathe. As I stared at my father’s freshly slaughtered corpse a fell to my knees in shock. I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t even scream for help, but that would have done nothing anyway. Who would have heard me? The thing that looked like my mother slowly turned its head towards me and stared at me with its blood red eyes. I could tell that its thirst for blood was not satisfied. Instinctively, I pulled myself up, turned around and ran for my life. I didn’t look back.
UppLit Volume 8
13
Annabel Tinsley “Frozen” “At 2:14 am Eastern Time, on August 29th, 1997, Skynet becomes ‘self-aware’, “Nobody knows how this phenomenon could have happened, but scientists are doing everything they can…”, the man on the radio mentioned unsteadily, almost as if he knew that he would be the one that would send the entire country into a dangerous state of insanity and send its people completely delirious. I, however, am not fazed by silly robot stories, nor do I have the time for them. They discovered something new every day about these ‘dangerous’ robots, and this to me, was no different.
A tear drop rolled off my cheek and dripped on the ground. I heard it gently splash on the cold floor; it looked like a crystal breaking into a thousand pieces. Memorising. I ran, all I could hear now was the sound of my heavy breath speeding up, and all I could feel was cold sweet forming on my forehead. I arrived home once again. It too was abandoned as I had imagined. Then, I remembered, the radio. I had I turned it off? I could still hear it playing in my room. I dashed up the stairs almost tripping over at the top. I swung my door open, but then it all took a turn for the even worse. Frozen.
I checked my phone, it was 8:30am, I was late - again. I leaped on the radio and smacked the off button. I snatched my lunch off the kitchen table and ran out the door, pounced on my bike and pedalled almost as fast as my heart was beating. When I arrived at school, the car park was desolate and deserted, I thought that maybe I was early but that couldn’t be right as it was 8.40 and that’s when school starts. The gates usually are flooded with kids, but this morning, there was not a single soul. I rung my best friend to see where she was, but it went straight through to voicemail.
My heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach. Looking directly at me, staring straight into my soul, was the radio. Playing something on repeat. I couldn’t make out what it was saying as my head was already full of excruciating loud silence. ‘It was you Skynet, it was you Skynet, it was you Skynet.’ I reached out to turn it off, and as flicked the button, my mum came storming upstairs. ‘Where have you been, I’ve been worried sick,’ she asked. ‘Oh’, this was the only thing I could get out my mouth.
I rung person after person but still, I had no answers, not even one. My fingers where trembling as I taped the numbers one my phone, the final dial, my mum. No answer. Frozen.
I was living in a simulation. ‘It was you Skynet, it was you Skynet, it was you Skynet,’ on repeat.
My eyes where welling, my nose twitching, my knees shaking, I was bolted to the ground. I felt hypnotized. I couldn’t move even the pinkie toe. I was cemented to the spot. That was until I got a phone call, I hoped it was mother telling me school was cancelled. I unfroze in the blink of an eye like nothing had happened, I glanced at my phone, but no call was coming through. The ringing drifted away, was it ever there, was I hearing things, was I that alone, was I going insane too. My head raced, raced at the speed of light. I tried screaming for help, but my lips where glued shut, no matter how hard I tried, no sound was going to come out my mouth.
14
She replied fast with no thinking time, it felt inhumanly ‘Well I-I-I-I’. She glitched, and it all clicked.
UppLit Volume 8
Frozen. Was I Skynet?
David Welch “Control” “At 2:14 am Eastern Time, on August 29th, 1997, Skynet becomes “self-aware”. The moment the world had feared had finally come. The moment that would change the course of human history was now upon us. It went after the highest people in the governments first. Blackmail, coercion, persuasion, all things used by Skynet to get what it wanted – control. All places that refused to fall into line, well then, the traffic system shuts down, the water supply gets drained, the economy drops. Skynet wouldn’t stop till it had everything in its cold metal grasp. Eventually, people grew tired of fighting it; it would never stop, falter, question what it was doing – the perfect machine. By 1998, 50% of the world was in anarchy, 1999, 75%, 2000 – 90%, there was only a few of us left. Fighting for the scraps, the shreds of what the robots didn’t need. The oppressors had become the oppressed. Now we hide, away from our creations down in the sewers; places the robots can’t find. Food is scarce, canned tuna is a luxury, clean water is non-existent, we fight on low fuel. But we will keep fighting and trying; that is the human spirit – we will not skulk in the shadows whilst our creations control above. We will fight.
UppLit Volume 9
15
Karsen Yam “Mods” In the year 2110, I live on the Moon, where humanity has established a lunar colony. The colony is run by a group of large corporations that have invested heavily in genetic modification technology. The corporations have created a new class of workers called “Mods” - genetically modified humans who are designed to be perfect at their specific jobs. The Mods are treated like slaves, with no rights or freedoms. They are owned by the corporations and are forced to work in dangerous and harsh conditions. They are held in massive facilities, heavily secured, and guarded at every corner. One day, while walking to work, looking at my implanted device, I bump into someone, spilling her fresh morning tea. She has beautiful azure-colored eyes, dark brown hair, and a voice like no other. I immediately went to help her pick up her items, ignoring the massive amounts of embarrassment I felt. “No worries” she said, “are you alright?” At that moment, the overwhelming feeling of the butterflies filling my stomach burst out in my head. “Y-y-yyeah, I’m great,” I muttered as she blushed and tidied herself up. We talk on the way to our workspaces and my heart rate rises. We exchange codes, talk to each other day after day, meet up again and again, and soon enough, I’ve fallen in love. It all happened so suddenly, so romantically, if I didn’t ask myself the question, maybe I would never figure it out. Days go by, and I finally had the confidence to tell her. I guess we are a couple now, what a wonderful thing. The months go by, we talk more and more each day, telling each other about our experiences and hopes. One night, she explained to me over the simulated sleepover, that she was a Mod. “I’m a Mod you see, and that is why we haven’t been able to be fully together. I’m very sorry, and I would really like to, but I can’t. I hope that’s okay, maybe one day I’ll be free.” Hearing that, the images of Mods, enraptured in tiny prison cells, unable to live their lives, fill my mind. I realize that I can’t stand to see her being treated like a slave. I decide to free her, but how? After hours of contemplation, I recruit a few friends to help me. We are all very aware of the dangers of being caught, what they could do to us, what they might. With no information whatsoever, we must get our own.
16
UppLit Volume 9
We plan and work day after night, hoping to figure something out. After several weeks of planning, it is ready. We share with each other a path throughout the building. It is a blessing we managed to sneak into the building where Lily is being held, but our troubles are far from over. With a laser guided heart, with blood spilling, we killed a guard that was charging right around the corner. We all must stay quiet, even my heart. We slowly traverse around the machine, making sure every wire, every sensor, is left behind. We slowly get to the chamber where Lily is being held, and eventually we use our code breaker to set her free. She is shocked and confused, nearly fainting at the sight of us being where she was. We looked around, and saw separated parts of other Mods, who we knew had to go through years of torture. I sighed, looked at my friends and signaled our escape plan. We were almost there, just a few more turns, a few more vents to crawl through. At the final hallway, we all ran for our lives, we knew this was the final bit. We see the light; it gets closer and closer every day. Darkness. The rooms go dark, and the realization hits us all. We’ve been caught.
Book Reviews Aristophanes, Lysistrata Aristophanes was an ancient Greek comedic playwright, writing during the Peloponnesian War in the 420s. He won multiple competitions but only 11 of his 40 plays have survived. Lysistrata was first performed in the festival of City Dionysia in 411 BC. Lysistrata focuses on Lysistrata, an Athenian woman, who comes up with an unconventional plan to end the Peloponnesian war. She collects the wives with husbands at war from across Greece and claims that if they turn celibate the husbands will become so desperate that they will end the war. They proceed to storm the Acropolis, a religious site found in the centre of Athens, and mock the men that come to stop them. A highly political comedy with social commentary, Aristophanes captures the wishes of the people as the war had been going for around 50 years by this point. Taking jabs at the political leaders of the time, he also comments on the role of women and seems to highlight the control that women could have over their husbands. Other works by him, including Clouds, Peace, or Wasps are far more satirical, but are by no means less entertaining. He proves that at the most basic level, comedy does not change, and on reading it, it is hard to believe that he was writing over 1000 years ago. Full of dirty jokes and innuendos Aristophanes still stands as one of the best comedic playwrights of all time and proves to be a great way to either expand your knowledge of the ancient world or to start learning and exploring it. I would highly recommend exploring him for yourself.
UppLit Volume 8
17
Flecker Society Flecker Society (run by Mrs Kinmond and Mrs Sherwin) meets every Monday in the Library at 5.30 pm. Upper Fifth to Upper Sixth are welcome in the Senior section; Fourth Form and Lower Fifth in the Junior. We enjoy a wide range of talks given by staff and pupils. In the Summer term we were lucky enough to have Miss Abdul-Karim give a talk on Arabic Literature, including The Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar. Miss Greenlaw also gave a talk on E. E. Cummings where we explored his poetry and were able to appreciate the new and inventive structures he employed. Mrs Johnstone widened our appreciation of European literature by introducing us to the concept of ‘el que diran’ in Lorca’s La Casa De Bernarda Alba. Look out for emails from Mrs Kinmond for further information on weekly Flecker talks, and speak to Mrs Sherwin if you wish to join the Juniors. We hope to see you there!
18
UppLit Volume 9
UppLit Volume 9
19
Version 12.23
Uppingham School is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales. Company number 8013826. Registered Charity number 1147280. Registered Office: High Street West, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9QD