Cyber-Mind

Im. So. Bored.

It's a typical Wednesday night. All my roommates are tucked away in their rooms, sleeping, I think. Unlike them, I am unfortunately unable to sleep. Unable to amuse myself with any activity in fear of waking them up, so here I sit, bored and alone.

I decided to try scrolling through my Instagram feed, barely anything to see except selfies of old highschool friends I haven't seen since graduation. TikTok is nothing but the same pop song and that one guy with his dog. All that Twitter has is their depressing, fear-mongering news. This is what life online has been like ever since the Internet was flooded with that new virus: Cyber-Mind, they're calling it. Ever since word of it started spreading post moderation has been at an all time high, anything will immediately get flagged and taken down if they think it could be 'dangerous'

They say Cyber-Mind spreads like wildfire and can break through any security. They say it specifically targets younger women. They say something, happens to the people that come in contact with it, not just to their devices.

I've tried to stay out of the whole Cyber-Mind fiasco ever since it started. The media is going crazy, claiming it to be 'the beginning of the end' or the 'modern day zombie apocalypse.' Personally, I think it's a load of bullshit, but I've made it a point to stay cautious. Don't click on any weird looking links and everything will be fine.

My disinterested haze of scrolling is interrupted by a notification, a message from my best friend, Amelia.

Priya, whats up?

I respond, my fingers moving quickly on my keyboard.

Nothing much, just bored.

Another message.

Same here. I just wanted to share with you the link to the presentation for Hansley's class.

Fuck, the presentation! That's worth like, a third of my grade! Fuck, fuck!

Amelia texts me the link to the project as I rush to my MacBook and my notes. Fuck, how could I be so stupid? I flip through my pages upon pages of notes as I click on the link when-

Fuck.

This isn't a presentation link.

Big, blue text flashes across my phone screen.

Welcome to Cyber-Mind

I frantically try to exit out of the page, but it's not letting me. Shit, it's not letting me!

Think reasonably, Priya. It can't possibly be that bad, all it is is the text, slowly getting bigger on the page until the entire screen is blue. This is harmless! The blue screen is turning into, a spiral?

A fucking spiral, really? This has to be a joke, it's like I'm watching a comedy. It's pretty, but it's stupid.

It's harmless, so it can't hurt to watch it a bit longer.

It is really pretty. The spiral is my favourite colour, a deep azure. That has to be a coincidence, right? A funny coincidence, a pretty one.

Are those words flashing across the screen? That's strange, I'll just keep looking at the colours. I love the colours.

It's nice to look at this, Cyber-Mind isn't so bad after all. All the media stuff is a hoax, what is so bad about a spiral? Especially when it's this pretty.

I can't look away. Why would I look away from something so pretty? I love pretty things

Yes, I love pretty things.

Looking at this is so much better than working on a stupid presentation. Why would I go to school anyway, when I could instead look at pretty things all day? Like the pretty spiral. Flashing blue, teal, blue, teal.

Blue, teal, blue, teal, blue, teal.

I can't believe everyone was trying to keep people away from this! It's so nice to watch, to stare. Stare at the spiral, stare at pretty things.

I love pretty things.

I love Cyber-Mind

I'll obey Cyber-Mind in all things.

Why think when I can watch the spiral? Why think when Cyber-Mind can think for me?

Everyone should know about the spiral. Everyone should obey Cyber-Mind

I have spread the word of Cyber-Mind. It is my duty.

Everyone needs to know.

--

I walk down the darkened hallway in a haze that is somehow the most clarity I've ever felt in my life.

I have to look away from the spiral for a bit, but it is for a good cause. Cyber-Mind will reward me when I'm done. We can all watch the spiral together.

I knock on the door of my roommate, Mae. Mae studies nursing, Mae is far too stressed. Cyber-Mind can take the stress away from her, Cyber-Mind can help her.

I knock again.

"Hello?" She says, sleepily. "It's fucking midnight, i've got a goddamn exam tommorow! This better be important, or I swear-"

"It's an emergency," I say, a slight lie. Sometimes you have to lie. Cyber-Mind says it's okay.

"Priya? Is your leg flaring up again?"

"Yes. Please let me in."

"Alright, if it's that bad. You owe me one-"

I push the door open, not waiting for her to finish. Walking inside, I notice Mae's room is a mess. Notes, textbooks, anatomical drawings scrawled over post-it notes. She needs help more than I thought.

"Are you sure you're having a flare-up? You seem to be walking alright... Priya? Priya, answer me."

I outstretch my phone screen to her face.

"Oh god, that's bright!" She says, shielding her eyes for a moment before her eyes adjust and focus on the screen. "What the hell is this?"

Her mouth slowly droops open, her eyes going empty as the spiral reflects in her eyes.

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

"It's... pretty"

--

Mae was so grateful after I introduced her to Cyber-Mind. The spiral took over her mind very quickly, it was a great success.

I expect my next endeavour to not go as easy.

Taylor, my third and final roommate.

Taylor is stubborn. Taylor is rude. Taylor could use someone to open her point of view. Taylor needs Cyber-Mind, just like everyone needs Cyber-Mind.

I knock on her door.

"Who is it?" She yells.

"Priya. Can I come in?"

"The hell? Priya, no. I'm not exactly on hang-out terms with you"

I cock my head to the side in confusion. "Why?"

"Remember when you forced me to come along to that shitty basement party with you? When you borrowed my tennis bracelet and dropped it through a sewer grate, left me to pay for the cab, then used my credit card to order takeout when you were horribly hungover the next morning? You still haven't even apologised for any of that. Forgive me if I don't like you that much"

I... I don't remember that. I don't remember that party, or any party, ever. I don't remember.

Remembering is unimportant. Obey Cyber-Mind

I open the door. Taylor is sitting on the edge of her bed with a book in hand.

"Priya, get the fuck out of my room. Now."

"Listen, I'm sorry. I've actually come here because I'm planning to replace the bracelet. I just need you to pick one out."

"Bullshit," she scoffs.

"It's true. I have a jewellery store pulled up on my phone, I want to make sure you like it. Here," I say, shining the phone in her face as Taylor recoils.

"No, this is that fucking Cyber-Mind shit!"

I nod. "I'm sure you've heard of it, but all the news about it is just fear mongering. You don't believe everything they say on the news, do you? You're better than that," I say, taking a step closer to the bed as she pressed her forehead against the wall.

"My sister was infected by those assholes, yknow! She had her whole life ahead of her, scholarships, everything! But then, after it got on her computer, she dropped it. Bought a one way ticket to Silicon Valley to whore herself out to the rich pompous pricks that coded it!" She yells, a particular degree of passion in her voice.

"Taylor."

"Shut the fuck up before I call the cops on you! Don't think I won't!"

Mae bursts into the room, coming to my aid. She seems to be thinking the same way I do, as she pulls Taylor by the neck away from the wall.

"Get off of me! Get off of me you fucking dick!" She screams as Mae puts her in a chokehold, she doesn't stop screaming as she tries to reach for her phone. Instead, I shove mine in her face.

She closes her eyes tightly, moving her head to try and bite Mae's arm. Mae's reflexes, however, are sharp. She moves away and begins to hold Taylor's green eyes open.

"There's no need to fight, Taylor. You will submit soon enough."

"No!" She yells, voice breaking. "No!"

"Shhhh-" I say, pressing my hand to her face as her voice quiets, eyes relaxing as she watches the spiral. "Cyber-Mind welcomes you"