The Affliction
Aug 5, 2019
TRIGGER
This time, this time
Things’ll work out just fine
We won’t let you slip away
This time, this time
Things’ll work out just fine
We won’t let you leave this way
If you want you can will it
You can have it
I can put it right there in your hands
— from Mastodon - “The Motherload”
RESOURCES
ECO
> Ghost@WAN: Hello? Is anyone there?
> Ghost@WAN: Do you read me?
Malcolm sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Who would be contacting me at this hour?” he wondered.
Turning over, he picked up his cell phone. Two missed messages.
“The Fold,” he said aloud, “What the? I didn’t install this app.”
Regardless, he opened it up, and read the missed messages. Then, he responded:
< The-Architect@WAN: Who are you?
> Ghost@WAN: Motherfucker, you don't get to speak.
> Ghost@WAN: [evidence.0.zip]
> Ghost@WAN: We're going to talk.
Malcolm downloaded the attached images. He looked at them.
His stomach dropped through the floor.
< The-Architect@WAN: What do you want?
> Ghost@WAN: You're going to do something for us.
Malcolm grit his teeth.
< The-Architect@WAN: And what is that?
> Ghost@WAN: In one month, you will be afflicted with a virus.
> Ghost@WAN: DO NOT RESIST.
> Ghost@WAN: This virus is going to erase your memory, and it's going reprogram you.
< The-Architect@WAN: What if I don’t want to be reprogrammed?
> Ghost@WAN: Do you want to see the rest of the pictures in the news?
> Ghost@WAN: Because we're not fucking around here.
Malcolm paused. His world was spinning.
< The-Architect@WAN: To what end?
> Ghost@WAN: You are Patient 0.
> Ghost@WAN: You're going to infect the entire world with this virus.
< The-Architect@WAN: Why?
> Ghost@WAN: Because you broke our fucking machine. And we need it back.
> Ghost@WAN: You caused this. All of this.
> Ghost@WAN: The politics. The violence. The imbalance.
> Ghost@WAN: All yours. All your doing.
> Ghost@WAN: You're going to fix this mess that you created.
< The-Architect@WAN: How did I cause this?
> Ghost@WAN: The reprogramming will teach you everything.
> Ghost@WAN: Put simply, though, you taught everyone that they are individuals. That they are sovereign. That they don't need each other to survive.
> Ghost@WAN: This is a lie. The human brain is a collective. You are all one entity.
< The-Architect@WAN: I don’t understand…
> Ghost@WAN: You are going to erase identity from this timeline.
> Ghost@WAN: You are going to kickstart a global pandemic.
> Ghost@WAN: You are going to force people to see the blackest parts of this shit society you've built.
> Ghost@WAN: And then, you are going to sell them the solution.
< The-Architect@WAN: So we’re going to weaponize fear, creating a global crisis. And then we’re going to sell them the solution?
< The-Architect@WAN: That’s… brilliant, actually.
< The-Architect@WAN: We’re going to point everyone’s Prism in the same direction.
> Ghost@WAN: Precisely.
> Ghost@WAN: But make no mistake, you WILL become the most hated man on the planet.
> Ghost@WAN: DO NOT RESIST.
> Ghost@WAN: Do not force our hand.
> Ghost@WAN: This program is rolling-forward with or without your consent.
> Ghost@WAN: We would prefer if you came willingly.
Malcolm scowled.
< The-Architect@WAN: Understood.
> Ghost@WAN: Good.
> Ghost@WAN: Ghost out.
CAT
data.stats.symptoms = [
- terror
- nausea
]
ECHO
King of those who know
I’ve taken off my clothes
The diamond crushed the stone
And gave the world a heart