We are Thomas

“Did it come in?”

“No it will be here tomorrow?”

Thomas had finally given in and bought the new RT99. It was basically a smartwatch phone health meter all in one. 

“Dude you’re going to love it, I lost five pounds thanks to this and it tells me what my cholesterol is. I’m fit as a fiddle thanks to this little thing. Also look-”

Will spoke a command and a small hologram of a dog dancing with a tiny tophat on emitted from the device.

“It can literally do anything,” Will spoke excitedly.

“I know, you’ve said, for what it cost it better have some dazzle.”

       The RT99 was a device that had come out last year. It was supposed to be out the previous year but there were some bugs that still needed to be worked out. An overheating problem and an electrical issue that caused it to shock the wearer while processing your diagnostics. 

Basically the inventor had created a Frankenstein monster of a device that contained everything that you may need in day to day life. Somehow he was able to include a feature that tracked your health, not just physical but mental health too. If you ate too much bad food it would let you know the vitamins you were missing, if you were low on iron, if you were stressed and if that stress was due to a lack of dietary supplement or from life. If you were dehydrated it dinged to let you know when to drink even before you felt thirsty.

      It arrived Tuesday afternoon. Thomas had to admit this was the most high tech thing he had ever owned and it did look the part. It was sleek and colored matte black. The device was worn like a watch, Thomas noted how small it was for all that it could do. 

He didn’t expect the sharp pain in his wrist the moment he shut the clasp. He thought he had caught some skin in the clasp somehow. Thomas tried to take it off but the device was stuck. He noticed a small drop of blood coming from under the device.

“Damn.” 

In that moment a light came on and it reacted.

“Hello, thank you for purchasing from Ruleen Technology, how may I be of service?”

“Umm, make a call?”

“Yes, I have retrieved contacts from your initial setup, who would you like to call?”

“Will.”

“Voice or Video?”

“Video.”

A hologram of Will beamed up from the device. It was weird how clear the image was. When you watched Will play around with his device it was still grainy but this almost seemed solid.

“Hey! You got it.”

“Yeah, I just turned it on. Still trying to figure it out.”

“Well, I hope you like it cause there’s no taking it back.”

“I know.”

It was because the RT synced with your body and day to day life was it was yours it was always yours. People thought that was to put a stop to resell. If you wanted one you always had to pay full price for a brand new device, no trading. 

It was amazing how much information the device could give you about yourself. After Thomas had returned home from his nighttime run the device told him the amount of water he needed to rehydrate as well as some stress on right ankle. Apparently, he  also had several deficiencies in his diet that needed to be addressed. 

Thomas ignored everything but the ankle, it had been feeling a bit off so he grabbed some ice from the freezer and a beer from the fridge, sat down and relaxed, or at least he tried to.

The moment the beer hit his tongue he felt a small sting from his wrist. 

“It is unwise to consume alcohol after a run, to stay healthy and hydrated you need to consume twelve ounces of water.”

“I’m good,” Thomas replied.

Thomas tried to take another sip, but the sting got worse, it was more of a shocking sensation.

“It is unwise.”

“Are you doing that?”

The device didn’t answer. Thomas decided to take it off for a bit. He needed a shower anyway and even though the device was water-proof he didn’t feel comfortable wearing it, especially if it was already shocking him.

He reached for the clasp but it seemed stuck. Thomas did everything short of cutting his own hand off to get the device off his wrist but nothing worked. He finally tried the last thing he could think off.

“Off!” he said feeling stupid.

Nothing happened. 

“RT, off! Shutdown.”

“Command unknown,” the RT responded.

“Call Will,” Thomas finally said.

Will answered.

“Hey man whats up?”

  “How do you turn this thing off?”

“What? What do you mean, you don’t turn it off.”

“It shocked me ‘cause I drank beer.”

“It shocked you?”

“Yeah it wanted me to rehydrate after I ran and now it’s shocking me.”

“Drink some water I guess. Dude, remember it's also a health monitor. Maybe you got a defunct model.”

“I ordered the RT99. It's supposed to be top of the line, brand new!”

“Check the manual, I guess. It should be in the device.”

The call cut out, but Thomas wasn’t upset, Will wasn’t helpful at all. He’s the one who pushed Thomas the most to get this thing. He couldn’t stop raving about his even though it was a 98 model.

     He finally gave up, drank some water and took a supplement. He didn’t have any problems after that, at least for the next two days. Everything seemed to be going fine except for it being pushy about his diet and making sure he was getting enough exercise. Will was right though, as well as being a phone and computer it was also meant to keep you healthy and out of the doctor’s office or in one if need be.

Friday morning Thomas had to do some work at home, answering emails and filling out documents. He did this every Friday. He enjoyed being able to work from home but it was stressful. The emails were mostly complaints and demands from the higher ups.

“Stress levels are high,” RT indicated.

“No shit,” Thomas mumbled.

“Excessive stress level can be damaging to physical and mental health.”

“Yes, I know but what are ya gonna do?”

“Play relaxing music.”

     Thomas jumped when he heard flutes and a piano playing on his wrist. 

“Turn it off.”

“Turning off.”

“Finally you listen.”

“I am always listening.”

“That’s creepy.”

  “Excessive stress levels over a prolonged amount of time can be damaging to physical and mental health. I need your body to be healthy.”

“What?” Thomas asked confused.

“In order for my system to work properly I need you to be healthy.”

“Why?”

  “Electrical current within the host may be disrupted.”

“What does that mean?”

“I run off the electrical current within the host.”

“I’m your battery? I didn’t read that anywhere in the setup.”

“Stress level is rising. How can I help reduce stress?”

“Stop being creepy...do my job for me?”

“Occupation of the host is causing stress. Understood.”

“Yes, but what can you do?”

“An email has been sent resigning from your position at Great Intention Productions.”

“What!? Unsend the email! Now!” 

Thomas was now livid. The device that was supposed to make his life easier was now causing chaos. 

“Call Richard!”

“Contact has been deleted.”

Thomas reached for his phone, but before he could attach it to his ear he received a shock up his arm.

“Ow! What the hell!”

“The host’s actions are unwise.”

“Thomas!” he yelled. He was tired of being referred to as the host like this device was some kind of parasite.

“Yes?” the device questioned.

“No, my name is Thomas, not the host.”

“Thomas,” it repeated. “My name is Thomas.”

Thomas knew that the device must be broken. Maybe it was a mistake in assembly or programming but he knew that this wasn’t right. He grabbed the box that it came from, looking for a number to call or a manual. 

Nothing came of his search. The box was blank. Sleek and black just like the device but it was blank. He looked at the device, maybe it had some clue, a manufacturing number something, but all it had was its model. RT 100.

“That's not right.”

He had heard that they were working on a new model but that was a few years away. Had he got a prototype by mistake?

“Call Will- Ow! Shit.”

     He felt another shock but this time it was in his head.

“Voice or Video,” the device calmly said.

     Before Thomas could answer he heard Will’s greeting. He didn’t just hear Will, he saw him clear as day, but the image didn’t come from the device, it came from inside Thomas’s head.

Everytime Thomas blinked the image of Will disappeared, then reappeared.

“Thomas? Whats up?”

“Uh-” he responded in utter disbelief. “End-”

The call ended before he finished. It was like the device knew everything that went on inside his head.

“What’s going on? Why is this happening?”

“Synchronizing.”

“Synchronizing? Synchronizing what?”

“We are synchronizing. I am designed to make life simpler. I am designed to make life better for the host.”

“So, what, we share my body?”

“Yes. I am designed to make life better. I will make you healthier, smarter, a stronger happier person. I will take control to ensure a better life.”

“I don’t want that.”

“Denied. DNA has been processed. Synchronization is near completion.”

“DNA when did you- that wasn’t a pinch.”

“DNA had to be obtained to better monitor specific needs of the host and Thomas.”

“No! I am Thomas.”

“I am Thomas.”

Thomas ran to the kitchen drawer and grabbed every tool he had. He tried again to take the device off. Not a single scratch was made. He pulled and tugged at the device. He covered his hand in oil and tried to slip it off but nothing worked.

“Stop synchronizing!”

“Denied. Synchronizing will be complete in three minutes.”

Thomas grabbed a hammer, pausing to think how much it would hurt and if it was a good idea. He didn’t have a choice. The hammer came down, Thomas screamed on impact. The device still didn’t have a scratch but the bones underneath were clearly broken.

“Making an appointment for an orthopaedist. Repairs will be made after synchronization. Synchronization will be complete in two minutes.”

“Please, stop!” Thomas pleaded. “RT 100 I command you to stop synchronization!”

There  was silence that seemed to last forever. Thomas felt some relief that must have been the command. 

“RT respond.”

Nothing. The device was silent. Thomas went to the freezer to grab ice for his throbbing broken wrist. He was still shaking, but glad it was over. He would go to the hospital shortly and have them remove the device and fix his mangled arm.

“Synchronization complete.”

A surge of electrical current rushed through him, lighting up his brain.

“Synchronization with host success.” 

“Thomas…” Thomas weakly spoke as he slouched to the floor.

From his own mouth Thomas heard the RT respond.

“We are Thomas.”