Phantoms 99th Percentile Round 2: Writers Debate

Chapter 4: Man or MachineResigned, I walk ever so slowly towards the door, rubbing my miraculously healed yet painful shoulder. "So," I say, "you wax nostalgic about ancient literature one minute then treat me like a variable in some mathematical formula. What are you?"Do you mean what or who?I cross the doorway. "You're too cruel to be human," I counter.But if I am such a "cruel" machine, what would that say about the human that made me?Hmmm. Good point. I don't bother saying it out loud though. As I shuffle into the coliseum. Even though I know I am walking to my death, I take a moment to enjoy the color. Brown dirt crunches beneath my feet with each step, though I notice the floor beneath the dirt is that same damn white material. The arena is built with rough orange stone. The high wall circles me completely with a closed portcullis every few feet presumably containing more monstrosities waiting to maul me. At least it'll be nice to see something other than white when I die.The real question you should ask yourself is this: who or what are you?"I'm no machine, that's for sure."But I made you. If I am so cruel, then why aren't you?I have no answer, so I change the subject as I stop at the center of the arena. "So, what is this great plan you have for me?"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not yet. Test first.A stone pedestal suddenly emerges from the ground next to me. Dust clouds form in the air around it as it reaches waist height. On the pedestal are two sealed glass containers. One contains a blue pill; the other contains a red one. "Great," I sigh.Oh good, you haven't forgotten what these are for. Now, make your choice."Not until I see what's coming," I retort.Smart.Around the arena, every single portcullis opens with series of clangs. My pulse quickens as the sounds of moans and groans emanate from the dark archways. The first "thing" to emerge is from my right. It's a monster alright, but whatever it is now, it used to be a man. It's missing one arm and drags a dead rotting foot behind him.To my left comes another mangled man with its feet backwards and one of its eyes bobbing outside its socket. Another man emerges followed by a dozen more. Soon hundreds of these sub-humans are slowly dragging their putrid forms towards me. But that's not the worst. As they get closer I notice they are all the same height and body type. The all have the same black hair, same beards, and same distinctive pointed nose—my nose."Who… who are they?" I ask, knowing the answer.Subject 319, meet your predecessors, all 318 of them.They are inching ever so closer. I should be preparing to defend myself, but I can't help but ask, "What did you do them?"These are the prototypes. It took me a while to get it right. Some of the less mutilated ones actually came close to passing the first test. Unfortunately, there is no prize for anything less than superb achievement."And you kept them around for this sick game of yours?"Waste not, want not. Now, please be a good little subject and dispose of them.They are now a stone's throw away from me. "Don't I get a weapon?" I ask as I look around for anything I can use for protection.I already did.The pills. I reach out and grab the glass tubes, and to my surprise, the experiments-gone-wrong stop dead in their tracks and watch my every move. I hold up one of the pills and all eyes follow my hand. I sway my arm to the left; they shuffle ever so slightly in the same direction. "Recognize these, do you?" I say with a smirk. They simply stare at my hand like dogs waiting for table scraps.Interesting solution.With my good arm, I hurl the container with the blue pill. All eyes (the working ones anyway) watch it sail over the crowd and smash into the ground a great distance away. The subjects scramble towards the pill with a fury, including the ones behind me. I manage to push my way between them, thankful for their singular focus. I maximize my distance as I watch them tear each other apart, ripping off limbs and gouging out eyes. The ruckus goes on for quite some time. When the numbers are easily cut in half, they scatter away in fear except one who looks around with agile reflexes. It looks like the blue pill does grant speed.I curse myself for giving into the voice's little game, but I'm determined not to end up as just one more discarded subject. I break the container with the red pill and swallow it as the speedy subject runs at me. I don't feel anything. Did it work?Wait for it.The pain! My shoulder is nothing compared to this raging fire that consumes my entire being. I fall to the ground as every muscle in my body seems to repeatedly petrify then melt. I writhe for what seems like days until—as suddenly as it came—the pain ceases. I hear the rapid steps of the approaching subject and the malicious growls of a less-than-human opponent. Just as he pounces, I push myself upward and deliver an uppercut so powerful that the subject's head detaches from its body and hurtles spinning into the air.Yes! It works!I don't just feel strong, I feel invincible. It's not enough to merely defend myself. I must harness this power. I must express my strength! I break into a run toward the hundred or so remaining subjects, all of home are cowering against the coliseum walls. They scream in terror, but I don't care. I pound, swing, and kick with joyous abandon.That's my boy!Every cracked bone is a musical note to my ear. I revel in a symphony of mutilation until the crescendo ends with a final crushed skull.Bravo! Bravo!There are no more bodies to smash, but the power within me is not satiated. I smash the stone, rip out portcullises, and beat against the floor. When the pills effects finally wane, I am lying on the floor in exhaustion. I glance around at my destruction, and it pains me. "You lied to me," I pant.Whatever do you mean?"That pill doesn't just grant powers, it just takes over my will. I wasn't me."You've only been awake a few hours. How do you know what you are?"I wasn't me!" I yell. "That pill turned me into you… into a machine!"A powerful machine.I manage to get to me feet. "You can throw these tests at me all day and pump me full of mind altering drugs until I die but you cannot take my humanity!" My voice echoes throughout the arena.No answer.I stumble my way back to the door leading to the lab from whence I came when I notice one of the large craters caused by my super-powered rage. I look inside to see empty space within. The floor is supported by mechanical trusts, but there is plenty of room for a person to maneuver. This entire room is just a madman's stage.Looks like you found the man behind the curtain."Is that another one of your little ancient literature references?" I respond sardonically.As a matter of fact, yes. So, you have a choice. Leave my little game and see where the rabbit hole leads or go back to the lab and embrace your true potential."What happens if I go down the hole?"Why spoil the surprise. Just remember, I'm in your head. You can run all you want, but you simply cannot hide.PROBLEM: Does the protagonist choose to enter the crater or return to the lab?