#Brenda is like siri but creepier

[ghostly-writers]

Dystopian au!

‘Remember citizens Raven Brooks keeps you and your family safe’ 

The sound of the robot's voice rang through Nicky's ears as he groaned and rolled out of bed hitting the wooden floorboards with a THUMP. He coughed and sneezed dust invading his lungs. He glanced up at the clock on his bedside table sighing as the numbers read 9:30. Nicky picked himself up and meandered over to the bathroom looking at his reflection in the cracked mirror of his crummy apartment. ‘I look like crap’ he said to himself bringing a hand up to his face tracing a finger over his eye bags he gazed over at the small window the metal bars obstructing his view slightly. 

His prison.

After the breakout Raven Brooks became an industrial city stretching as far as the eye could see. It was surrounded by a circular stone wall that reached high into the sky. It was made to keep the ‘beasts’ out as people liked to refer to them as. They roamed the wasteland outside the wall. Nicky had never seen one himself. However, he had heard stories about them, their haggard appearance, twisted limbs and ferocious growls that were the last sound their victims heard. Nicky lived in one of the many apartments in Raven Brooks or as it was now called ‘Raven Brooks: City of the Future'. Most of the normal houses had been knocked down and replaced with large skyscraper-like apartments that housed hundreds of people. Nicky sighed and turned on the tap watching the cold water fill the cracked porcelain bowl.

He picked up his hairbrush and pulled it through his tangled hair wincing as it tugged a tad too harshly. After deeming himself fit enough to start his day Nicky made his way into the kitchen. He made himself a cup of coffee yawning and scratching the back of his neck. He leaned against the counter taking a sip of his coffee enjoying the bitter taste as he scanned his eyes around his apartment “Brenda!...” he called out hearing a few beeps and a voice say “G-g-good morning Nicky Roth” Nicky sighed and placed his mug down after draining it he walked over to his couch plopping himself down. “What will the weather be like today?” He asked. ‘Brenda’ was an in-home assistant that would be activated with a simple flick of his wrist. He heard Brenda beep and processed his question “I-it w-will be s-s-s-sunny!” Nicky nodded and smiled, saying "thanks!" He hated the thing he found creepy but every apartment was installed with one. It was just another way for the government to stick their noses in other people's business. 

But that was reality, caged in this city surrounded by obedient sheep who would follow every command given. Nicky broke free of that way of thinking, his mind focusing on escaping this life and climbing over the outside wall. He brushed a hand through his hair and flicked on the TV, seeing that there was a new discount on apartments on the other side of the city. Nicky flicked through the channels before turning the TV off and throwing the remote next to him. He wandered over to his book shelf picking up a book on machines hiding it behind his back and making his way to the bathroom. He knew his apartment was bugged and he also knew that he was being watched 24/7. He closed the door behind him. He knew there were no cameras there so he sat down on the toilet seat and opened it, removing the book mark and placing it on the floor. He could only do this for around ten minutes every few hours because spending hours in the bathroom would be seen as suspicious. 

KNOCK 

Nicky looked up from his book and he heard the knock at the door and stood up creaking open the bathroom door and looking towards his front door.

KNOCK KNOCK

They were persistent and seemed more demanding. Nicky sighed and exited the bathroom walking over to the front door and twisting the door knob and opening it. He groaned internally as he saw who had been waiting for him. "Hello Peterson…” he said looking down the hallway at the rows of identical doors. Mr Peterson's face split into a wide grin making Nicky want to look away. He always found his smile freaky. “Hello Roth” Mr Peterson greeted placing a hand on the doorway, a subtle way to prevent Nicky from leaving. “Can I have five minutes of your time?” He asked. Nicky nodded knowing he didn't have much of a choice. Mr Peterson was a patrol officer who lived a few doors down. There was one on every level of each apartment building in the city. They were employed by the government to report any suspicious behaviour. 

Nicky nodded and smiled “Sure…” he trailed off and opened the door allowing Mr Peterson inside and asking politely “would you like some tea?” He asked. Mr Peterson grinned again the skin moving in an unnatural way “No thank you” He said walking over to the couch “I’m not falling for that trick again” he mused pulling up a chair and patting it “you know the drill Nicky” Nicky groaned throwing his head back and made his way over to the chair lifting his foot up and pulling his jean leg up to show the ankle monitor it was black and thin and unless he rubbed his ankles together he couldn't feel a thing. Mr Peterson held his ankle softly and checked to make sure it was tight enough. 

“How many times has it been?” Nicky asked, trying to make some conversation. The silence was suffocating. Mr Peterson hummed and pressed the monitor thinking over the question “I think…forty-six times” Nicky nodded shifting his weight he smiled as if recalling a fond memory “ah yes…forty six times I've tried to escape this shithole”. Mr Peterson gave a particularly harsh tug on the ankle monitor making Nicky yelp and shoot the officer a glare “you-” he was cut off by Mr Peterson slowly raising his head and standing up straight dusting off his hands. “We did this for your own good” Nicky looked to the side biting his lip and choosing his next words carefully. He had tried so many times to escape and none of them ever worked; he was eventually put on house arrest; the ankle monitor would deliver a small electric shock if he left the apartment and alert the nearest officer of his whereabouts. 

 “Yeah right” Nicky spat out bitterly, rolling his jeans back down and staring at the floor. Mr Peterson smiled and nodded “don’t look so sour like I said we do this to keep this safe” he placed a hand on Nicky’s shoulder giving it a squeeze making Nicky grimace. “Have you been taking your pills?” He asked. Nicky nodded stiffly and looked to the side. In reality, he hadn't really taken the drugs. Instead, he spit them out and flushed them down the toilet. Mr Peterson sighed and let go of Nicky’s shoulder patting his cheek “I will see you later” he walked towards the door opening it and closing it with a soft click. 

Nicky sighed and rubbed his eyes. He remembered what would happen each time he was caught attempting to leave his apartment. He was obviously not happy with the newly implemented rules that had been put in place for his ‘safety’. Mr Peterson would drag him back to his apartment by his neck and throw him on the floor. He would then handcuff him to the coffee table or something holding him down and trying to force a pill down his throat that would make him compliant. He would talk about how he was doing this for Nicky’s ‘own good’. He would fight Mr Peterson until he had no energy left and lay weakly on the floor before being lifted onto the couch. This left his mind hazy and unable to process what was going on around him. Mr Peterson would make sure the ankle monitor was still secure before leaving. 

“NO NO GOD PLEASE NO!” Nicky screamed as he was dragged down the corridor of the apartment building by one foot, his nails scratching against the floor as he desperately tried to kick Mr Peterson who only grunted and kept dragging him back to his apartment. He had been caught trying to climb out a window on the fourth floor but one of the other officers had seen him and reported him. Nicky recalled the look Mr Peterson gave him a flicker of anger smothered behind a smile. Nicky remembered that during his second escape attempt he had offered Mr Peterson some tea. However, when his back was turned he smashed him over the head with the full tea pot. Mr Peterson suffered some severe burns that the doctor had to treat by stitching new skin over the old skin. Other than the thin pink scar that ran up his face, you couldn't tell that he had anything done at all. “I’m doing this for your own good!” Mr Peterson said as he dragged him to his apartment, opening the door and throwing him onto the floor holding him by the neck with one hand and searching in his pocket with the other before pulling out a small white pill. Nicky squirmed and kicked more.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see someone walking past his still open door. Grey eyes stared at him before they moved on. Nicky reached out his hand. His mouth was open to say something but he felt the pill being pushed roughly down his throat. It was bitter and Nicky had no choice but to swallow it and grimaced at the taste. Mr Peterson stood up and helped him onto the couch patting his cheek and smiling. “This is to keep you safe…” and with that he left leaving Nicky who fell limply into the pillows next to him a single tear rolling down his cheek.

Nicky quickly walked back over to the bathroom. He locked the door behind himself staring at the window. He lifted his foot onto the toilet seat. He rolled up his jeans and poked at the small black box. He had managed to loosen it before. Maybe he could loosen it enough so he could slip his foot out. He tugged and pulled at it, deciding he was going to need some assistance. He began searching through his cupboards until he found a pin small enough to get into the lock. He stuck his tongue out in concentration and fiddled around until he heard a small click. He looked down in shock as the lock had broken open and was now lying on the floor. Nicky grinned at himself. He picked it up and filled the sink, throwing it in watching it sink to the bottom. 

Exiting the bathroom Nicky made a bee line for his room opening his closet and grabbing the backpack and throwing it over his shoulder. He walked back into the living room and turned on the TV. If he was going to pull this off he needed it to seem like someone was home. Next he put his backpack on the kitchen table “H-h-hello Nicky!” Brenda said cheerfully Nicky froze opening his cupboards and filling his backpack with tinned food and a few bottles of water he had a first aid kit, spare clothes, shoes and a map so he knew where he was going most maps had been destroyed as the government deemed them ‘problematic’ and could encourage ‘rash decisions’ but Nicky had managed to meet someone who collected maps and things like that in an alleyway on the outskirts of his apartment block "here you are", he said handing Nicky the map who carefully put it in his backpack. “Thank You…how much?” Nicky asked, rummaging through his wallet the stranger smiled and waved his hand dismissing the thought of being paid “have it for free…just promise me you will get out of here” Nicky nodded and exited the alleyway trying to look as unsuspicious as possible. 

“Hello Brenda…” Nicky continued to rummage through his cupboards pulling out some energy bars and opening the bottom cupboards and pulling out a long length of rope and a water purifier. He also grabbed his shotgun and swung it over his shoulder along with his backpack “Y-y-your fridge is empty would you like me to p-p-p-place an order for groceries?” Nicky shook his head feeling guilty for what he was about to do but he couldn't have her alerting Peterson. “No thank you Brenda…” he shuffled over to her control box grabbing a screwdriver and prying open the box “w-w-what are you doing N-nicky?” She asked in a broken voice. Nicky sighed deeply and leaned his head against the box “I’m sorry…” he whispered out, plunging his hand deep inside the box and pulling out a fistful of wires. Brenda spluttered and her speech became slurred until it became totally quiet. Nicky almost forgot what silence was like. It was kinda nice. 

Nicky threw the wires onto the ground and grabbed his bag and ran over to the door, his hand lingering on the door knob. He took one final look around his apartment before opening the door and looking up and down the hallway to ensure the coast was clear. When he was sure it was he crept down the hallway and down the many flights of stairs. Being cautious to avoid all the cameras he made his way out onto the street. He hid his gun in his backpack and pulled up his hood as he weaved his way through the crowds of people. There was graffiti on most walls and barbed wire on the top of the imposing stone wall that loomed over them reminding them who was in control. Nicky kept making his way through the crowd crossing the road and making many turns to throw anyone who might be following him off his track.

Nicky caught sight out of the corner of his eye. He spotted a cop car making its way up the road slowly. He then took a sharp turn into an alleyway and climbed up a ladder that led to an apartment roof. He could see two officers get out of the car and ask several people around them. One pointed to the roof and Nicky made a quick dash jumping to another roof, climbing up further. He could see the wall. He just needed to keep moving. He jumped from another roof to another rolling over and standing back up quickly. He had only a few more roofs to jump off and then he was free. 

“STOP IN THE NAME OF THE LAW!” Nicky spotted the two officers running after him Nicky started to sprint his hood coming off his head revealing his brown hair. He stopped suddenly and nearly fell off the edge. He could see the wall was only one more jump away. He could see the cops getting closer. He took a deep breath and took a long leap landing on the edge of the wall. He struggled to get his legs up but eventually hoisted himself. His heart was racing and a small crowd of people had gathered beneath him. He grinned at himself and easily jumped the barbed wire fence. He ran to the edge of the wall and inhaled the fresh air. He looked down and found waste land below. Dead trees and grass were everywhere, nothing like the city. He looked behind him at the growing number of police that were trying to find a way across the drop. 

Nicky looked back at the edge. Was this all a mistake? Should he climb down and go back to his life? No, he wanted to be free and explore what was beyond the city. He cast one final look behind him, turning around fully making sure all the cops could see what he was doing. They stared at him like a pack of wolves; he outstretched his arms and moved a step back. The officers lurched forward and Nicky took another step back looking behind him taking another deep breath in. He would survive the fall because there were a couple of bushes that weren't dead. He took one final step back…and let himself fall.