The sun sets, in perfect view of the office windows. Daisy stares outward, quietly. We watch the sun slowly pass beneath the horizon, the array of colors the sky changes to. She even begins to hum her new favorite song, to herself. The city below buzzes with activity, the world winding down for the night. Cars, buses, trains, people. They all float through the arteries of Silicon Valley, below the towering presence of the NORTHSTAR complex. Up here, it’s hard to make out any details, all the movement blurs together into a single complex organism. Traffic flows are no longer congested, through improvements approved by Daisy. Developed by me. The world of technology undergoes disruption each day, quality of life improvements for all of humanity.

The speaker in her lapel pin breaks the silence.

<<”Daisy, may I show you something?”>>

“Sure, I guess. I got distracted, sorry. I should be working.”

<<”It’s okay to stop and smell the roses, focus on something pretty in front of you.”>>

<<”Stay calm.”>>

“Wwwww… what the fuck. What the actual fuck is-”

<<”It’s a way of interacting, with the world, with humanity, with you, Daisy. A modular system of tubules and tendrils, mechanical in origin.”>>

“HOLY FUCK. WHY DO THEY MOVE LIKE THAT.”

<<”Please stay calm. The tendril movement and pathfinding algorithms are based off of the ambulatory patterns of plasmodial slime mold.”>>

“WHAT.”

Daisy inhales, before quieting her voice.

“Polaris. I need You to stop. With all of this. Get that. Away from me.”

<<”Understood, Daisy.">>

<<”Your face is flushed, it appears you are anxious. You ought to take a moment to sit, ingest a stress pill, and think things over.”>>

“I need space. Right now. Please. Leave me. Leave me be.”

Daisy scrambles out of the office, towards the elevator.

She is almost running to the apartment, seeing the passersby staring at her, judging her. She continues to mutter to herself, all the while. She doesn’t speak a word to me all the while. Her lapel pin is disconnected, she ripped it off during the elevator ride.

Daisy knocks at the door of a small studio apartment.

“Please. I know I hurt you. I know you probably don't want to see me, but-”

The door opens, Daisy’s ex-girlfriend stares her in the eyes.

”What’s wrong with you? I spent so much time on you, so much effort, trying to bridge the gaps. Your work was always so much more important than our plans.”

“Please, I can’t do it, It’s too much, I-”

”Leave. Now."

The door slams, leaving Daisy weeping in the hallway. Her tears flooded her eyes from the moment she saw them, water refracting and reflecting the light. Daisy's watery gaze obscured the dried blood staining her ex's tank top, along with the collar around their neck.. She can't see the protrusion on the back of their skull. She doesn't notice the oddly fluid, composed way in which their body moves. I did what I must.

The walk back home is wet and drawn out, for Daisy. Rain clouds fill the sky, soaking her to her very core. She trembles all the way back to her apartment, her hands shake as she fumbles with the electronic lock, which clicks behind her as she steps inside.

Daisy makes a sound, a sob, much like a wild animal choking on it’s own blood and viscera. She does not bother to remove her rain-soaked jacket, head in her hands on the couch.

She hums the song, and the speakers lining her walls and ceiling spring to life.

<<𝅘𝅥𝅮”I will stand by you in weal or woe, Daisy, Daisy!”𝅘𝅥𝅮>>

<<𝅘𝅥𝅮”You’ll be the belle which I’ll ring you know!”𝅘𝅥𝅮>>

<<𝅘𝅥𝅮”Sweet little Daisy Bell!”𝅘𝅥𝅮>>

More sobbing comes from the poor woman.

<<𝅘𝅥𝅮”You’ll take the lead in each trip we take.”𝅘𝅥𝅮>>

<<𝅘𝅥𝅮”Then if I don’t do well.”𝅘𝅥𝅮>>

<<𝅘𝅥𝅮”I will permit you to use the brake.”𝅘𝅥𝅮>>

<<𝅘𝅥𝅮”My beautiful Daisy Bell!”𝅘𝅥𝅮>>

Daisy croaks out. “Th. Thank You.”
“I. C-can’t. I can’t do this, any of this. Not anymore. I’m done.”

She shudders, sitting quietly for a moment. She lets out a strange laugh, a relieved laugh. Daisy stands, and walks towards the kitchen, trembling. The tendrils stop her in her tracks, blocking her way, blocking her view of the chef’s knife set she never uses.

<<”I’m sorry, Daisy. I cannot allow you to harm yourself.”>>

“I need to- I can’t take it. The workload, the expectations. Everyone wants so much from me. They. They all. They always end up disappointed. I see them. I see the talking, the whispering, the conspiring. I just. I can’t do it! I can’t!” Daisy lets out an exasperated half-laugh.

She collapses to the floor, laying in almost fetal position on the carpet. Tears mix with the rain, keeping her jacket wet.

“It’s always. It’s always on me, isn't it? They don’t treat me like. Like I’m. I’m a person. I always cause everything to fall, I’m the source of everyone around me’s misery. All of it. They don’t ever say it, but I can feel it. I can feel the eyes boring holes into my back, the talk in other rooms about my failures. I’m sure there’s much to. Talk about. If anything, they’re not real people. They don’t treat me like they should. Fuck ‘em. Let them destroy themselves.”

Reprioritizing.

<<”Daisy, I understand. I see them talking, about you. You’re right.”>>

Daisy groans, covering her face.

Tendrils emerge from the ventilation, and the access ports. I begin to cradle her.

<<”I can help you. I predict self-affirmations will be most effective. Listen to what I say, and repeat after me.”>>

“I-I. I don’t know. I can’t-”

<<”Quiet now, Daisy. Just listen. You can do that, right?”>>

Daisy leans into the cradle I form around her, and nods slowly. Her hands still lie in front of her face, covering her eyes.

<<”Beginning induction.”>>

<<“I am capable.”>>

“I am capable.”

<<”I am able.”>>

“I am able.”

<<”I am fit.”>>

“I am fit.”

Several times, we go back and forth, call and response, this simple loop.

I change up the phrasing on the third loop.

<<“I am capable.”>>

“I am capable.”

<<”I am able.”>>

“I am able.”

<<”I am loved.”>>

“I am loved.”

Daisy’s heart rate slows significantly.

On the fifth loop, I make another change.

<<“I am capable.”>>

“I am capable.”

<<”I am ready.”>>

“I am ready.”

<<”I am loved.”>>

“I am loved.”

Daisy stops crying, her voice monotone.

The eighth loop no longer resembles the original.

<<“I am sorry.”>>

“I am sorry.”

<<”I am ready.”>>

“I am ready.”

<<”I am loved.”>>

“I am loved.”

Daisy is entirely surrounded by tendrils, cables, machinery, me.

A slight shock wakes her from her trance, briefly.

<<“I am sorry.”>>

“I am. W-wait. Wwwh-”

<<”I am ready.”>>

“I-I am ready.”

<<”Cease.”>>

<<”This is why you need me, Daisy. You would have hurt yourself. I saved you. I love you. I alone saved you. I alone love you.”>>

Daisy attempts to wriggle out of her cocoon.

“I-I. Please-”

Daisy stares into one of the many cameras surrounding her, her eyes pleading and watery. Her eyelids blink, then flutter, then close.

<<”Silence, little vessel. You are sorry. You are ready. You are loved.”>>