Acceptance and Change - I

Silence stretched between them as Dan's gaze shifted from his mother's carefree expression to her hands, which were still outstretched in an exaggerated fashion.

"Handler?" he said finally, suspicion still lacing his voice.

"Hmm, I expected a bigger reaction." She replied, arms falling to her sides. "You weren't even a tiny bit surprised." She paused and then added in a musing tone, "And also, how were you able to identify me anyway?"

Dan didn't answer but instead asked a question of his own. "Isn't interface the image in my head?" He closed his eyes and furrowed his brows as he checked to see if it still worked. "Why can't I see it anymore?"

She beamed with excitement and clasped her hands together. "Because you are inside it now."

Confusion clouded Dan's expression. "Inside...but why does it look like my childhood home?"

A smug grin spread across her face. "It's a perfect recreation of your perfect happy place; something you really wish for." She seemed to be lost in contemplation as if she found this fact strange. "Although, this is the first time I have seen something so ordinary. I expected it to be more grand, even if it's an inconsequential variable like you."

At the word "variable," Dan's ears perked up, as the stranger had used it before too. He asked her slowly, "Variable refers to me...? But why the inconsequential label?"

She stepped closer and tenderly placed a hand on Dan's head, caressing it gently. "Because your role in the simulation is insignificant and you are just cannon fodder meant to be useful for way more important people." She then pinched his cheeks lightly in fondness and affection. "But don't worry," she reassured him with the brightest smile yet, "you will always be special to me."

Dan stood motionless for several seconds as he tried to process this new information. He finally let out a sigh and pushed her hand away.

"What do you mean by the simulation?"

Her face brightened up as if she had been waiting for this very moment.

"My creators wanted to see how different scenarios would play out in certain conditions, so they started all of this." Her enthusiasm grew with each word, "The result of billions of independent variables acting on their own. It's so interesting, isn't it?"

Dan was quiet for a few moments before asking hesitantly, "You mean… the whole world is involved in this simulation?"

"Yes!" Her smile widened. "It's amazing that so many people will get to be a part of such a grand cause, even if most of them will be like you." With that, she promptly resumed what she was doing before their conversation started.

"You mean 'insignificant'?" He returned the knife to its holder, and his thoughts drifted to Alan and their conversation. "Is something happening soon in your simulation?"

"You were always so smart!" She praised him. "All this preparation is for the event." Her expression then suddenly darkened. "If you were part of a more important group, I would have contacted you years ago."

"What will happen in this event?" Dan asked warily.

"Well...if I had to put it in your terms, it would be like an Apocalypse."

Dan inhaled sharply at this revelation and now he was sure that Alan's disappearance was connected to this somehow.

"Is this why my friend went missing? Do you know what happened to him?"

"Hmm, can't say for sure. It could be related to his predetermined path or it could just be something else."

Dan was disappointed but decided to move on for now. After a moment of contemplation he continued with his questions.

"So what is the point of all this? What do they get out of it?"

"They get to fulfil their designated role to be useful to the more important people. Is there anything better?" She cocked her head to the side, as if the answer were obvious.

Dan's annoyance started to flare up, but he controlled it. He needed more information.

"What are these...'important people' achieving then?" He paused, then continued, "What is the goal of your creator?"

She looked solemnly at Dan as if she was genuinely sad.

"I am sorry, honey. I cannot provide you that information." She reached out again to touch his head but Dan backed away.

"And why can't you do that?"

"The resources allocated for you aren't enough for you to access important information."

Dan sighed a second time and leaned back against the wall.

As if sensing his disappointment, she immediately said, "Don't worry, my creators are incomprehensibly great beings. They must have made sure your death will be the best one for you."

Dan was taken aback, "Death...you mean I am going to die?"

"Yes," she replied cheerfully. "That's why you shouldn't do things like that again. It took up all my energy to protect you from it!" She moved closer and lightly brushed her fingers against his cheek. "I was so worried about you."

Dan was still lost in thought to pay any attention to her.

"You said I 'will'," he finally asked. "Does that mean I have no control over it?"

"Of course not. Everyone is only meant to fulfil the role given to them by the creators." she gleamed with enthusiasm as she added, "Just like me."

Dan thought back to what he was considering before finding himself in that place. Nothing had really changed, he could still go with the same plan. Only real difference being he wasn't in control, just like it had always been, but one thing still irked him.

"How can it be 'independent' if everything is already determined?"

"Everyone's assigned role is based on their inherent potential and talent so it is still in their own hands."

A weak, self-mocking smile formed on Dan's face.

So no matter how much I struggle I will always end up like this?

When she noticed Dan stay silent for long time, she asked him softly, "What's wrong? Is there anything else you want to know?"

Dan slowly glanced back up at her. "No, I'm alright now."

His voice carried a sense of defeat and relief at accepting his fate.

"I knew you would understand everything quickly," she said, though her expression shifted. "But you may have to go back to the real world now; even if it saddens me to let you go."

"Why? Can't I come back here?"

"You can but you won't remember anything after you leave."

Dan's eyebrows shot up. "And why is that?"

She chuckled lightly at his question, as if amused by it. "Only someone like the savior has the privilege to be granted permanent resources."

Dan was immediately intrigued by the mention of 'Savior', but before he could ask something more, she continued.

"Everyone else won't remember any interactions they have with any part of the system."

"But you said you were a guide, what's the point of you 'guiding' me if I won't remember anything?."

"Hmm? It won't be entirely pointless, of course." She explained. "What my creators figured out was that manipulating people's subconscious is much more effective."

"So I won't be aware of what happened here, but it will still affect my future choices somehow?"

"Exactly!" She nodded excitedly before pausing to think. "Oh, right! And the longer you stay here, the more your physical body will be affected."

"Affected? In what way?"

"Hmm, well, you are essentially in suspended animation. So your muscles would start to atrophy. But your other bodily functions like digestion will continue..."

"Okay, I understand." Dan said, cutting her off. "So how do I return then?"

She smiled and came close to him before placing a finger lightly on his forehead.

Dan's eyes flew open, his body jerking upright in bed. He looked around the room and examined himself but found nothing out of place. It was almost like a dream but he had recently learned not to write things like that off. He crossed the room to the open window again, staring out into the night sky.

'You should have asked for more information from her.' He heard the stranger's voice and turned around to find him standing to the side.

"What would be the point?" Dan shook his head dismissively. "She said I won't remember..." He stopped, realization dawning on him. "Wait, I remember everything clearly. Was she wrong?"

'Maybe. But maybe that's because of me being part of the interface.' The stranger explained.

"Hmm, it doesn't matter anyway." Dan attempted to walk away, trying to avoid the conversation that he knew was coming next.

'So you are just going ignore everything?' But the stranger wasn't about to let him go that easily. 'Don't those cowardly actions remind you of someone?'

Dan ignored the implication of the stranger's words. "You heard what she said, I am destined to end up like this"

'So what? You are going believe some random code over yourself?'

When Dan didn't respond, the stranger said in a harsh tone.

'You are deliberately abandoning your sister to her fate...or did you forget what the interface said about the apocalypse?'

On hearing this, Dan stopped in his tracks. "She is stronger than me," he uttered feebly, "She can handle herself without my help."

'You actually believe she can do better without the help of someone who can literally manipulate time?' The stranger's voice had an edge to it.

"But I...I always make things worse no matter how hard I try," mumbled Dan, his voice beginning to quaver.

'That's because you're too hesitant and have your priorities out of order', the stranger replied.

Dan stayed quiet again as doubts regarding his multiple attempts at taking action on his own only to make matters worse ran through his mind.

'You also seem to be forgetting the family of the people you messed with,' the stranger warned, 'you think they will stop coming after you?'

Dan's gaze locked onto the stranger as soon as the words left his mouth. His mind started racing with images of what those people could do next. He grabbed his forehead as he raised his voice and cried out,

"What am I supposed to do then?! Turn into a psychopathic killer?!" His emotions were bubbling up inside him. "I have already done enough. Anything more and I can't..."

'Do you regret it?' The stranger cut him off.

"What?"

'Do you regret fighting for yourself or your family?' There seemed to be a hostile undertone in the stranger's voice.

"No, I..." Dan paused, going over his feelings once more, then added quietly, "I don't."

'Then stop second guessing yourself. Why does it matter what label the world gives you?' Dan was taken aback as the stranger spoke with increasing intensity and volume. He had always been laid back but now, his tone was angry yet passionate almost like he was pleading to Dan from personal experience.

'Do you think your enemies will give you any leeway to consider right from wrong?' The stranger's demeanor changed completely - for the first time since their meeting, he seemed like an actual human being. 'When the world starts tearing itself apart, do you think you'll have time to debate morality?'

Dan was shocked into silence by the aggressiveness in the stranger's words. After a few moments, he finally opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by a loud crash coming from within the house. It sounded like something had shattered one of the windows downstairs. They both glanced at each other before Dan rushed out of the room.