Blue Pill

“Your Kicking me out?” Freya’s breath fogged at her mouth as she stood in the cold in front of her landlords top apartment which he occupied. The short snarling man looked up at her through his grey glazed eyes reflected on the neon blue fluorescent light above, a sign that he had been a bottle and a half through his wine.

“Sweetheart, you’ve been late for the last three months and I haven’t even gotten the last two weeks’ worth yet.” His breath wafted to Freya’s nose and tried t to hide a look of disgust on her face. It wasn’t the first time that they had this conversation most times it ended in her gain an extra week to find the money when she added a slight hand of flirtation to the table.

“Not this time sweetheart. That is unless you can substitute the sum,” the old man sized her up glazing his eye of her body feeling like a slimy frog pressing against her skin.

“Hard pass, old man,” her discuss echoed in her landlord's head. Screwing up his face forming scrunching up his stout nose, “All your belongs are to be out within the hour.” Asshole. Bag slung over her shoulder Freya looked for shelter in the unforgiving Rayvar City. The cold nipped at her as if she were bare-skinned under the cold city lights. Her eyes aware and open to the hooded boned figures crumpled into the corners attempting to find warmth. Homeless. That’s what she was now. Only one of the many in Rayvar, rumours of the governing body forming a scheme to reduce the numbers were just that rumours. No action had been taken, yet. With the rapid increase AI taking on most jobs and the giant boom in birth rates job opportunities were rare. Months passed since Freya had a job working in the factory which overlooked the construction of the latest AI technology. They were set to become the next big thing, however, the Rayvar government never let on to what it really was. The only thing Freya had observed was the formation of an Array of tiny glowing blue pill all Lined up as if they were tiny soldiers going into battle. One day she went to work the next she found a notice saying it was closed and she was redunded. Freya pulled her thin coat tighter around her body, she entered the Grey district the only place where people seemed far from the clutches of Rayvar’s upper-class sneers and the ruling government, not that you could differentiate between the two these days. The streets began to thicken and bodies dressed in old worn coats closed in around her body. Swifty Freya slipped down the odd quiet street and began her ascent up a narrow ladder laden with rust. To a little nook high up and safely tucked away she had found weeks ago. Rounding the corner, standing right at the entrance was a lanky blue-eyed girl. Her face screwed up and her eyes like a snake narrowed in on her.

“this spot is taken.”

“apparently so” Freya slid an apple out from her bag and instantly the girls eyes drew wide and the hunger dribbled from her mouth.

“Guess I get this to myself then.” Turning the girl stopped her short.

“wait. Where did you get that?”

“does it matter?” Freya raised an eyebrow; the girl never dropped her gaze from the apple.

“fine. I’ll take the apple and we can share the space.”

“no. half the space. Half the apple.”

Sighing the girl agreed.

“what’s your name?”

“Rachel.” A pattern began, during the day the girls would find food and share it in their little spot which became nicked named the palace. Half the food half the space.

Days faded into weeks and slowly the creeping sensation of hope for survival began itching at both their skin as they became weaker and finding food and warmth as winter set in became more difficult. On the day Freya felt her stomach was going to eat itself, the government’s new plan to aide the issue of homelessness was announced. Standing with Rachel by her side staring up at one of those neon billbords. A man in a blue suit spoke down to them.

“Citizens of Rayvar I address you all now as you know the demographic of people living on the streets has grown to over one-third of our population and is steadily inclining. But fear not we have formed a solution. Over the next twenty-four hours candidates, 52 will be selected to be a part of a new reality TV show. Through our protective cameras which are placed throughout Rayvar citizens are able to live stream the live real drama created on the streets of the homeless. Candidates will be selected by how… interesting they are. They will be sponsored and selected by elite members of the AI industry the more views they receive the higher their income. A percentage of the income of the show will be put towards new housing and facilities for those less… fortunate.” This was the most ridiculous idea that Freya had ever heard. How the hell were they solving homelessness with putting them on display? next to her, Rachel was beaming.

“well if we’re lucky we might get to be famous. bet you would look good on the big screen.” She elbowed Freya in the ribs teasing her.

“there’s no way in hell with this scrawny ass would be selected.”

“think of the money though, see you back at the palace” Rachel disappeared into the crowd.

It was night when Freya began to trudge back, tonight was different she felt something pressing in on her. It didn’t help that people on the streets were rowdier tonight with people seeking attention. She watched one man light himself on fire trying to gain the attention of those hidden cameras. Every third step a punch was thrown to create some sort of drama. With all the chaos Freya still felt eyes were on her back. She glanced behind her. Nothing. Freya quickened her steps, It was only a matter of time before the streets would get worse. Freya felt a rough metallic grasp around her bicep and a white cloth close around her mouth, she turned and saw glowing red eyes before her vision blurred and went dark.

Her head throbbed she blinked it was a dark room with a red glow. Across from her was a man dressed in a black suit probably in his mid-50s his grey hair slicked back. They looked at each other both seizing up one another. Finally, she broke the silence.

“well?”

“Freya Greenwald, Correct?” his voice was grainy but soft.

“yes.”

“Good, we have a proposition for you, lets’s say it’s a job opportunity.”

“Do you abduct most of the people you interview?”

“no, we don’t. actually, you have worked for me before you were in one of the latest factories, given at how abrupt we had to let you go we thought that we should offer you something for the work you did.” Freya felt nauseous with the unease growing in every fibre of her body. Freya had worked in the factory for little over two years that’s how long it had been running. But it was a job and she was starting to get desperate so she would hear him out.

“And what does this job entail?”

The man sat back in his chair. “As you know the government has put in a new plan by creating a reality TV show about those who are homeless. And we would like to… sponsor you. And in return, we would like you to test one of our latest AI ingestions.”

“They haven’t even chosen the candidates and AI ingestions? I’m not goanna be a lab rat.”

“You wouldn’t be a lab rat, they have already been tested and proven safe.”

“And what exactly do these AI Ingestions do?”

“for the test purposes, we cannot tell you. Its effects only last for eight hours and it is taken in pill dosages. You don’t have to decide now, but you do tonight.” The man slid a small metal box across the table. He gestured to open it. Inside a blue pill glowed, Freya’s eyes widened at the memory of them, thousands of them were produced. The man continued, “take one before you go to sleep tonight. If after the results you are pleased with the outcome a robot will find you for you to sign the contract and a pill will be sent to you on random nights for the next two years. In return, you will receive a decent amount of money each week enough to ensure you will never be homeless again. Also, I advise that you keep this new job opportunity to yourself including from your little friend.” Before Freya could speak another white cloth covered her airways and she again drifted into the darkness. That night she held the pill in her hand, she looked over to her sleeping friend, with the money she would make she could get a home for her and her friend. It’s not like she had much left to lose. Freya placed the blue pill on her tongue and swallowed; the world went dark.

Freya awoke, splatters of paint were all over her and her knuckles were split and bleeding, her body ached like it had ran a Marathon.

“good morning beautiful, rough night?” Freya turned her head she was on her head to Rachel’s voice she was back at the palace it was day.

“yeh I guess I did.” Her voice was hoarse.

“it certainly looks like you did, next time you plan on making a show and making yourself a candidate, be a pal and invite me to.” Rachel had that snake-eyed look on her which she made when she was jealous and angry.

“Making A show?” what did she even do last night, and I guess her bosses plan worked she was a candidate.

“Come look for yourself,” Rachel ushered her over the edge of the building to view the billboard where snippets of the new reality TV show began playing. Snippets of her scaling building, painting graffiti of robots and peace symbols.

“Didn’t think you would be an AI lover,” Rachel sneered.

“I’m not.” Freya kept watching the screen. She was talking and shaking hands in the video with business owners who had a huge interest in the AI industry. In the next video she was having a punch up and winning against five other males who were strongly against the AI movement. She had been used. The man was using her body, her life for his own financial gain. In those eight hours she was a walking breathing robot programmed to do a rich man’s bidding and she didn’t remember a thing. Down below some people were fighting and shouting in the street “Human Traitor.”

Freya sighed, “I can’t tell you what’s happening but just trust me that, I did it so we could live a better life, and that I had no control over my body.” Freya heard the announcement of a robot buzzing behind her, she turned and saw it floating there with a pen and tablet with the contract ready to sign.

“Do you think its worth it? What ever it is?” Rachel questioned behind her.

“I think humanity had already turned its back on itself. People only care about themselves these days.” Freya stared at the pen, two years and she would be free from poverty.

Rachel barely whispered, “Your right if I were you I would sign it.” With that Freya knew she understood. Eventually swallowing the little blue pill and let the dark numbness of her reality succumb her.