Chris Milne Writes: Poetry, Philosophy and Essays

Written Approx.: April 2019

I awoke to whiteness. I was lying in a strange bed, in a strange place I had never been before. Everything in the room was white: there was a chair, with a small side table, with a plant in a pot on top of it. Everything was white. I got out of the bed and walked towards the door. I felt dizzy as I walked around, it felt like that feeling of waking up from a long nap. I approached the door and noticed a slight problem: there was no handle on it. I knocked on the door and said “hello, is anyone there, hello?”. No one answered. I wandered back to my bed and inspected it: it was a modern hospital bed with all the features. I tried to remember how I got here, and what I was doing here but I drew blanks. I got scared, confused about my own reality. I went back to the door and slammed on it, “HELLO, CAN ANYONE HEAR ME, HELLO” I scowled into the abyss. I started to think no one would hear me so I walked back to the chair and sat down.

As I sat down the door opened, and this lady walked in. She was maybe 5’7 probably taller in the heels she was wearing, she was wearing white heels, with a white skirt that went down beyond her knees, a white suit jacket, and with a white bow tie, and a white scarf wrapped around her neck, and a white circular hat. She was carrying a white tray with a white dish with what looked like eggs, with bacon and potatoes, and a white mug with black coffee in it. It also had a white fork and knife, and white sugar and milk for the coffee. “Good morning Marshall” she said to me. “Where am I, and what am I doing here” I shot back instantly at her. “Marshall, do not worry about that, eat some breakfast. You have been asleep for a while and are probably hungry.” I was confused, I had so many questions to ask and I had little or no trust in this lady, but for reason I just listened. I sat down in the white chair and she brought over my breakfast, and I started eating. “Marshall, what I am about to tell you, might be scary to hear, but you need to trust me. You are the last person alive, well the last person of your kind.” “What? What do you mean” I exclaimed, I was filled with many more questions, last of what? If I was the last, what was she? “You are the last human, who never got the chip”. “The chip, what chip?”

She went on to explain that the “chip is something that enhanced all of our brains, it allowed us to see things, and understand things differently than regular humans could. Everyone was implanted with them, it became mandatory at birth, but you, you slipped under our radar. You are the last known human who doesn’t poses the chip.” “Ok, I get that I don’t have this said chip, but that doesn’t explain why I am here.” “You Marshall, are here to receive your chip.” “Hold on wait a second, what if I don’t want the chip, what if I like my life the way it is?” “Marshall, don’t be silly, the chip grants you immense power. You can see things you wouldn’t even believe was possible to be seen, you will know things that are impossible in the form you are now to understand. Why would you not want this chip?” “What if I like myself the way I am, what if I don’t want all that knowledge?” “Why would you consciously choose to be weaker then you could be? It was Kant, one of your favorite philosophers, who said it is your duty in live to” “Constantly grow and improves, yes I know that, but this seems almost Hubris like” “What if I just showed you some potential benefits of the chip, like a trial?” “No, I don’t want the chip” “What if I told you, that you could see her again.” “What? How is that even possible, she died seven years ago!” “That’s right, but with this chip you could see her, you could talk to her, say those last words you never got the chance to stay.” A tear fell from my eye. It rolled down my cheek. I could feel it’s cool moistness caress the hairs on my cheek, as it fell to my chin. It sat for a minute, holding onto my face, before it fell. How could I say no to seeing her again? I couldn’t. But how can I accept this technology at the same time? I don’t know what it’ll do to me, or how it could affect me? Am I supposed to take the shot in the dark, but it’s her… “Okay, let’s do it” She smirked, and looked to her left. She nodded her head, a nod of acceptance, or, it was like she was saying yes to someone. She looked back at me. Her eyes peered into mine. She had these deep white eyes, and it felt like she was staring into my soul. “Perfect” she whispered.

The lights turned black, and I couldn’t see anything. I felt as those I was asleep, but awake at the same time. “I thought you said the philosophical ones would be harder to plant, the one with ethics or whatever that shit is.” I heard someone say this, but I’m not sure where it came from. It sounded like it was coming from inside my head. “It’s too easy with these creatures, they all always fall for the same stupid trick.” “How can a civilization that seemed so advanced, be controlled by such a base emotion? What do they call it here? Love? Aye yes, love.”