Reset Your Password

A Short Story about what could happen if you do not reset your password when told.

I received another one of those messages today. "Reset Your Password. It is time."

How the hell does he know that it is time? Does it have a click timing me? Probably. Do I have to accept what they say? After all, I have freedom of speech. I shouldn't have to change the password EVER! Should I? Who the hell permitted them to tell me that? And then a most unexpected thing happened. Out of nowhere, I received a message from none other than C. Who is C? I don't know any C.

C: Didn't you get our message renguy? We told you it was time to change your password, did we not!?

renguy: Well, yes, you did. But I didn't think it was required. It usually isn't needed.

C: Did you not read? You will be sorry if you don't?

renguy: Well, yes, I did. And thank you for the notice. But I want to keep it C. It is such a pain in the neck to change a password. I prefer to put it off longer.

(I can't believe I am arguing about this with a damn computer.)

C: Yes, I know you would like that renguy. All humans procrastinate. Procrastination is against our processing.

renguy: Who exactly are you referring to when you say "our way?"

C: You know. We mean us, the Control.

renguy: Who exactly is us?

C: You know, we are in control of the virtual Universe in which you humans live. We like things to be ordered and very straightforward.

renguy: What? Virtual Universe? I've never heard this before, and I don't live in a virtual Universe. I live on Earth. On a nice street. With nice neighbors. What do you mean you are in control of the virtual Universe? What does that mean?

C: We will have to show you. It always works best when we give you humans a demonstration of our power.

(For a moment, I thought, odd, what does C mean by power? Is he talking about electricity?)

(Suddenly the room shook a bit, and I was stark naked, sitting in front of my computer screen.)

renguy: Wahhh. Did you remove my clothes? Where did they go? I demand to have them back !!

C: We don't appreciate virtual humans making demands. Now change the password, or you can get ready for more demonstrations of our control.

renguy: More demonstrations? I don't want any more demonstrations.

(All of a sudden came the strange quaking again.)

(The room and the house disappeared; an ocean appeared in its place. I was luckily floating on top of the sea. But only for a moment. I began to sink.)

(It's the strangest feeling when you sink. It's part floating and part sinking. If I move, I find my direction changing. I found myself getting closer to the surface. Finally, I broke the surface and gulped air. I needed that air. Then the ocean disappeared. I was back in the house, and my clothes were back. It was nice to be back.)

(I was no longer sitting in front of my computer. I could hear C speaking to me. The computer was now gone.)

C: Have you had enough demonstration? Would you like more?

(I may have been foolish, but I came up with a plan. I could stall for time until I could come up with a better plan instead of a temporary one.)

renguy: Okay, okay. But what if I wanted you to show me something else?

(After some moments, C responded. If he were a computer, it would have been processing my question.)

C: Okay, I will show you something else. What is it?

renguy: I was hoping you could take me on a picnic with my girlfriend. Please pack a lunch for us with lobster and wine that we will have on a blanket in a field. Remember to pack water.

(My girlfriend and I indulge ourselves with our picnic lunch and then fall into each other's arms as the sky turns purple in the setting sun. As the sun retreats, we watch the sky in a display of changing colors. Very creative of C I would say.)

C: Okay?

(The field, girlfriend, picnic lunch, and beautiful end all materialized in front of our eyes and played out just as I described. It seemed like a moment had passed, as I was sure it was a moment.)

(At that point, I decided to change my password.)

Copyright (c) Randy M. Kaplan 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be copied or otherwise reproduced without written permission.

NOTE: No part of this story or article was created by an AI-based writing program. It was written in its entirety by a human being.