Matrix: Uploaded Unconsciousness
Neil Wells
The Matrix series, universe, and it's characters are all © The Wachowsky Brothers and warner bros.
This is when I'm going to work. As usual, my laptop sitting on my. Well. On my lap. Most of the usual people are here.
Tom. He works at a convenience store. He says he works there for the thrill.
Susan. She's a teacher for a high school, but they don't pay her enough for her to purchase a car. Her rent is too high and her husband cheats on her. She's in denial.
Julian. Student.
Jillian. His twin sister.
And all the others, all the office workers in their suits, the fast food crews, the school kids.
And me.
I must be the only program writer I know that prefers public transportation.
This morning I'm testing my company's new product for the laptops. Mobil Internet. This way, you can be anywhere on the earth and be able to connect to the net via satellites and whatnot.
I'm testing it for any bugs or anything while chatting with my friends and co-workers using a chatting program I wrote.
Yojimbo: So dude, you're on the bus and connected to the net?
Sliver: That's correct
Yojimbo: How do you pull that off?
Sliver: A program I got from my company. Allows for roaming internet.
Yojimbo: Is it really from your company?
Sliver: ...Yes, of course it is. Where else would I have gotten it.
Yojimbo: Just asking. Well hey, see ya around. Have fun at work.
Sliver: Yeah right. You too.
I look up from my computer screen, and I see it's my stop. I pull the cord, get off, go into the building, stand behind the counter, sell the customer standing there cigarettes and a lottery ticket, and put the money in the cash register.
I'm sure you expected an office building of some kind. A cubicle. Me trying to look like I'm working. But no. I'm just a store clerk. I sell things to people while I sit behind the counter, downloading pirated hacker programs, write programs for other hackers, and play online multi player role playing games.
Sitting at my laptop, my keyboard clicks while I type more programing code, I hear a little bell ring signaling somebody just entered the store. When I look up from my screen I see a thin pale man standing before me, wearing mostly black. I'd tell you how his eyes looked, but they were shielded by circular framed dark sun glasses.
You're the hacker called Sliver right? he says to me, just out of the blue as if he's known me forever.
Taken aback slightly, I think it over. then I decide to not give any hint to my being a wanted hacker. Do you want to purchase some smokes sir?
I need you to take something from me. It's a program. he slaps a disk on the counter and pins it there with his forefinger. There's somebody after me for this, you need to keep it safe. You need to set yourself free.
He slides the disk across the table.
Rewrite the matrix. Let yourself out of imprisonment. Free your mind.
The little bell rings, and we both look at the door. Standing there is a man in a suit with a cord to his ear, and absolutely no emotion behind his rectangular sunglasses. Even behind the sunglasses, I see the first man, the one talking all that... stuff... you can see fear in his face as he turns to run out the back.
The business suit pulls out a desert eagle and unloads some rounds at his prey, who just happens to be behind me. In slow motion, I see those bullets fly, and right before they strike my chest. Before they kill me.
I wake up.
Woah dude. How often have you had this dream? She sits across from me, drinking coffee. Who she is, this coffee drinker, is my best friend. She is Kendra Fray.
Every night since about a year ago. I eat my bagel, covered in cream cheese.
Thats kind of scary. Do you think it means anything?
I don't think so. But... Bite. Chew. Chew. And around chewed up mush of bagel, I say, it just seems real. That's what makes it so scary.
She nods, sipping more coffee, watching me eat my bagel watching her drink her coffee.
Kendra and I have been friends for a couple years now, and I kind of feel like she's my sister. She's always there for me, and I, her. Kendra is a fellow hacker, who runs the net going by the alias of Boon.' Her hair is the kind of red you'd see in a ripe tomato. Her eyes, the green of mint.
Suddenly she jumps, as if something bit her rear, and she smacks her fingertip on the table.
Oh hey, I just remembered. Me and Jack are going to a movie later. You wanna come?
I don't know. I say before stuffing the last bit of bagel in my mouth. I won't have a date or anything, and I do need to work on that white rabbit program. Jace wanted that asap.
Oh come on. Why not take a break from all that work? Come have a little field trip with us.
After giving it a quick five second think through, I give my answer.
Alright. Why not.
That's the spirit sport. she stands and ruffles my hair with her hand. I gotta go to work, but I'll see you around seven-ish?
I'll be there.