How do you survive in a world without rules?
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Some of them were old enough to remember what it was like before everything turned into sand.
When there were cities, communities and grocery stores. Now there was sand, scorching sun and more sa...
My heart was pounding in my chest while I waited for an answer, if it was really Twelve who wrote back, I would have succeeded better than both Carl and I had hoped for.
[12] <Lo? Not 10?>
I frowned and read the sentence over and over, what the hell should I answer? The hands trembled over the keys.
[10] <10 is my alias.>
It had taken about eight tormenting minutes between each answer, I realized restlessly, when I glanced at the clock. Four minutes for my answer to be received and four minutes for Twelve to answer? This meant that whoever it is, was really far away. Or in the middle of a storm, or it had a terribly bad connection.
[12] <How did you find me Lo?> <username changed to Lo>
[Lo] <I found your chip.>
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After a quarter of an hour I gave up, I had probably scared it away. Whatever it was. Probably a very smart AI that was forgotten in some box with a small spare generator or something. Probably not a person. Fuck, I had been so close!
I stretched my arms over my head and yawned loudly, I had been connected for four hours straight again. It was time for something to eat.
I took off my glasses and looked around for the protein cookie I had placed somewhere among the clutter on the desk. I really should check with Carl if he knew anything more, but I did not have time to think more of it before blue text appeared on the screen again and my heart felt a shot of joy.
[12] <What do you want from me?>
I stared at the screen and thought about what I should write back. I didn't want to scare him off.
[Lo] <Just talk.>
[12] <Why?>
[Lo] <Because I feel lonely.>
I grabbed the cookie and started nibbling on the dry ration while waiting for an answer.
[12] <You and me both then.>
I leaned back in my chair and ran my fingers through my hair. It was a human being, it must be. My heart beat a little faster again, it had been crazy long since I talked to someone outside our family, someone who didn't want to kill me, or sell me, or eat me.
