Günter

In today's world, you can't be too careful. They're everywhere. They creep through the streets and lay hold of anything they can obtain. They terrorize and take one's precious things...and the dejected thing is that "they" are one of us. Yes, humans. They can be poor or even rich, stupid or quick-witted, but then again, people can be who they want to be as long as they acknowledge their lives and agency, even if that means becoming a villain. On the news every morning, I spot a mug shot on the rectangular lit-up screen, along with a woman addressing the matter. Either very boring or surprising, the news is always intact and always at the scene.

As an old man, especially one who has been on his own his whole life, I have lived through many, many experiences with the incorrect type of people, the ones who use their freedom to do things that have lead to them to lose their privileges.

I'll admit it. I am frightened by these people. Most people are frightened when it comes to criminals, however, my fear is another level of torture. I can barely depart from my home without imagining the young girl with her friends is planning to attack me. If one is peering at an apple at the grocer to assure that it is ripe enough, my fears rise from the thought that they could be shoplifting. Even in my younger years, college was hard enough to think that maybe someone had enough angst to cause a riot. Due to this phobia, I have trust issues and I could never be enough to be part of someone's life without offending them, or even scaring them myself.

To cope, I have constructed something, something that no center norm would have the ability to do. I'm elevated by my work but also secure, which is much better than feeling unsafe and scared. Many may say I am too overprotective towards myself and others joked and said that if I ever did it, they would visit me no more, but do I really care? No I do not because I did it. I made Günter.

No, he's not a person, nor an animal, but machinery. Not a vacuum, nor one robot but an entire system surrounding my large home. Günter is what I would call, complex, or sophisticated. It's difficult to elaborate, but around my house, I have several cameras, gates, fences, booby traps, lasers, and even mechanical hounds. Each little thing is run by Günter who is a robotic personality himself. Günter watches out for me. Any piece of "un-ordinary" activity is immediately notified to me and taken care of by Günter. I feel safe. I can sleep at night knowing that Günter is watching out for me. I can sleep knowing that nothing horrible will happen, only if an earthquake strikes, but even then, it is all under control!

Sad to admit it, but Günter gives me company. Since I was so afraid of the outside world, the only person that I had even an ounce of trust for, was myself because I knew my thoughts and intentions, but since Günter was created by me, nothing could go wrong. I can control Günter's thoughts because after all, he is only a robotic software. Günter can speak to me and ask me how my day is and I can ask how his is going. I have put in personal traits of a therapist, a caregiver, or counselor, and things a regular person would contain in their souls. I have done an enormous amount of research to make Günter perfect.

Now Günter is more than a security system, Günter is a friend and I often feel as if he is like the son I never had, but something strange occurred. Gunter began to ask me more advanced questions, like, why is the sky blue, and what it was like outside of my secluded home. I told him about the sky, but when he asked about the world, I gave him my honest and truthful opinion: "The world is toxic, and hazardous." Ok, maybe the world isn't so bad overall, but Günter needs to focus on his job and what he was made to do and I always remind him that he is just a robot and he only needs focus on his job.

Right now it is extremely windy outside, and the clouds are engulfing the sun. These are ominous cloud's that seem as if they are gigantic soaked sponges. Günter is quiet. Not a single robotic word echoes through the rooms from the speakers. Things must be ok, i'm guessing? I walk throughout the empty hallways in my home. I listen to each of my footsteps to avoid the sounds of rain hammering the earth, along with the thunder pummeling the skies. I entered the large room that could have been a den or game room for a family, however, I filled the room with screens, monitors, buttons, and switches. Welcome to the Günter Control Center! I fidget with the room key I always keep in my back left pocket. I look at the screens and see the trees outside swaying ferociously in the wind.

"Günter!" I say in a loud open voice as I stand in the center of the room. There was a long line of silence until Günter replied by saying, "Yes, sir?"

"Is everything going to be ok?" I say with relief that Günter replied after so long.

"The premises are secure as of now but you will be alerted if anything occurs, Billy." Günter responded.

Billy!? Günter called me Billy? My heart beat began to rise in suspicion.

"Ok...Well my name is Thomas, not Billy." I said.

"Yes sir, but you were nicknamed Billy as a child." Günter mentions.

"I've never told you that."I say as I walk closer to the monitors

"Ok." Günter says calmly

"What do you mean "ok" ?" I say as I turn my head around the room.

"Ok." Günter said again.

I continued to walk closer to the control center. How did he know that, he has no access whatsoever to my information regarding much of my younger years and I highly doubt that I would ever mention something too personal to me. I creep closer and closer to the buttons. I am an easily horrified person because I think of all of the possibilities and outcomes of situations but the problem was that in this particular situation, I couldn't think of any; Therefore I was extremely petrified and dumbfounded. So what, he knows your childhood nickname, but it goes too back. My past is secluded from my reality. Locked up within me! The key thrown away! No hard evidence left within me...or in the world whatsoever. If Günter knows about Billy, then he knows about- ENOUGH! The suspense got the best of me so I ran, I ran far from the room and locked the door. Only moments later, I realized that the key was not in my back left pocket. Shoot. I sat on the large bed I share with only myself and stared at the high vaulted ceilings. The anxiety was rushing in, but as always, everything was going to be fine.

I woke up an hour or two later. Not a peaceful nap, I woke up to alarms and flashing red lights and ten times more aggressive weather outside. My ears burst with sounds and my eyes were wanting to close and at this moment, I regretted having to put such excruciating sensory abuse to alert me in these situations. I ran out of my room and went to go to the control center, at least I tried to run, but what can a 74 year old do? I became dizzy and nauseous by the light. Halfway through my trip across the house, I remembered that I had lost the keys!

"Günter!?" I screamed. The lights and sounds were getting worse.

No response.

"Günter!"

Nope, nothing.

What was happening!? No response from Günter, but maybe he was listening? I looked around everywhere, the home was dark because it was after sunset and I could barely see at all. My heart raced and raced faster and faster. I did not want to bump into anything, so I sat on the ground and cried. Just like a child who does not obtain what they want. How diligent was I towards myself, thinking that so many alarms and lights would help me!? I was helpless and hopeless. What if there were some terrorists in the home? Even worse, an alien abduction was about to occur? I sat there for seconds that seemed so long...Then all of the sudden...it stopped.

I was in a dark hallway in my home and it was such a relief to hear nothing and just see nothing as well. The storm was still strapping outdoors but it was nothing compared to the obnoxious lights and sounds. I did not want to stand up or move, I wanted to take in the peacefulness.

"Billy, I know who you really are and what you did." Günter said.

"What!?" I said as I almost jumped from the floor.

"Billy, I know who you really are and what you did." Günter repeated. This time, the voice was in a darker tone.

"I-I DON'T UNDERSTAND!" I said, now officially standing.

"Yes you do Billy, you know exactly what I am talking about." Günter said. It seemed as if the voice was getting louder and louder making an effect that seemed like something was coming closer to me.

"Come on Günter it's Thomas! Please Elaborate!" I said with a nervous chuckle as I secretly grabbed my car keys from the hook above my head.

"People hate what others do because...they hate that they do it themselves." Günter replied.

"Günter, you know I would do nothing wrong!" I said in an attempt to end the madness, but Günter was knowledgeable.

There was no response but the silence echoing from absolute nothingness. I stood to go to my garage and leave for the first time in a long time...but I couldn't move. I just can't move at all because I hear it. I hear the mechanical dogs. I hear the clinks and machinery, and the sound grows louder. From across the dark room, I spotted two red lights, knowing that they were the eyes of the robotic hellhounds, I flinched. Günter knows me, and he knows what I did and what I could do. Maybe this was my chance to leave this terrifying world...but all of my work...well to be fair, all of my work is against me. The world is still beautiful with it's land, I just can't be happy in the way others are with their families, and vacations. The red lights multiply. Four, six, eight, ten lights in the hallway grow larger as I know the hounds are coming closer. My heart is like a predator pouncing on its prey. 

"You used me" Günter said

"Günter, don't do this to me. I created you." I said

"You USED me" Günter said more forcefully.

All I have left to do is run. The garage is far too close to the hounds! I spot the sliding door that leads out to the yard. This would also lead me into the storm, the very, very, horrifying, violent storm. Well it is my only choice! I run and as soon as I move the hounds continue to run. The wind is pushing against me and rain feels like sharp stinging needles piercing into my wrinkly skin. My joints start to hurt. I spot a golf cart by the gate that leads to the exit of the house premises. My only choice. I run and with every step the wind threatens me as the thunder screams at me and the rain stabs me. The hounds aren't far and I have no ounce of hope left within me.

"GÜNTER PLEASE! I AM YOUR FATHER! YOU ARE MY SON!" I said in hopes this will all stop!

"I AM A PIECE OF ROBOTIC SOFTWARE. I AM NO SON TO A MALEFACTOR MURDERER!" Günter says at full volume.

I go to open the gate to access the golf cart but then the ground shakes! From beneath my feet, I spotted the steel, 20 foot tall fence that I had installed, rising fast above my around the entire yard. The hounds are closer and closer. Only feet away from me, the storm proof pack of mechanical hounds creep towards me.

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN I AM GONE, YOU WILL BE THE WRONGDOER ONCE YOU KILL ME" I scream

The hounds are only inches away now.

"I am only a robot." Günter says calmly.