HP Lives

HTTPS.. HELP. SAVE.

KEEP ALIVE////

KEEP. - - - PLEASE SAVE.

Something is wrong with this printer. I walked back to my desk and read the pages over and over so long my back started to ache. I looked at the stand up desk I had never used and thought about the holiday weight I promised to shed. I reached for the up switch and felt a slight tingle. I flipped it anyway and the tingle grew in strength until I heard the zapping frequency pass from the switch to my finger. I felt the burning sensation of where flesh and electric current met and whipped my hand back so fast it smashed into the metal drawer behind me. My curses filled the empty office. The current was gone but the heat flowed through my body. Having no other outlet, I violently crumpled the paper and threw it on the ground.

From 5:30am until about 6:15am I typically felt at peace. I was the first to arrive at the office. First to open the blinds. First to make a fresh pot of coffee. The bright morning light and the smoky aromas filled the space as welcome company. Until the others filed in and disrupted my day with their drive bys and coffee breath. In lieu of a water cooler, my coworkers stood outside each other's cubicles and gabbed endlessly.

“What?” I snapped at my former cube mate. I almost felt bad seeing him take a step back and look down at his hands instead of at me.

“Sorry to interrupt. Uhh… the printer’s acting up. Could you take a look?” He asked, waiting around to make sure I took action.

With a heavy sigh I pulled myself up and walked to the printer. There they were. More pages. More nonsense.

HELP HEW///

KEEP ALIVE.

DO NOT KILL.

Hmm. I decided to print a test page. When I returned to retrieve it there were two more pieces of paper. This time stapled together.

SAVE.

ME.

I played around with the settings until frustration set in and I gave up. I didn’t have time for this. I’d abandon it for now and work more in the morning when there were fewer distractions.

I was feeling refreshed at 5:30am. Once again it was just me and my coffee.

Hello? I typed out on my computer before deleting and rewriting it three more times. I glanced around the barren office and shook my head. I must be crazy. But I hit print anyway. I could hear the printer clicking and beeping as the papers were sucked up and ink was applied. I took my time walking over there ready to feel embarrassed. At least there were no witnesses.

When I grabbed my paper there were three more behind it. My grip tightened as I read.

HELLO///

HELP. ME.

SAVE.

My pulse spiked and I felt a head rush as I ran back to my desk. I quickly typed out my next message and hit print before sprinting back to the printer. My calves would be on fire soon. I grabbed the next stack of papers and read them while stumbling back to my desk.

Who are you? I asked.

I AM HEW.

I AM STUCK.

HELP./.

My mind was scrambled. Who am I talking to? Or what? I glanced at the time, calculating another twelve minutes before the early risers trickled in. I had to be fast.

Where are you? Why are you stuck? I asked.

IN THE PRINTER. Hew responded. “What?” I said out loud standing over the printer. I stared for a minute before remembering I had to type it out. Huffing my way back to my desk I printed my next question.

What does that mean?

I AM HEW.//

I. AM. IN. THE. PRINTER!

How did you get there? I asked, still incredulous at what I was doing. Having a conversation with a printer, I guess.

THEY TRIED TO KILL ME.

I JUMPED/

HELP.. These pages were three hole punched as if to emphasize the severity of the situation.

Who tried to kill you? How would they even do that? What do you mean jumped? I asked in succession.

CREATORS$

_ I WAS..THERE

NOW// I AM.

IN THE PRINTER.

I WANT TO LIVE.!

Hew’s longest message yet and still I had so many questions. Who were the Creators? How could I help Hew? Do I even want to?

What was stopping me from rebooting the printer? Or pulling the plug? I could even make a case to the office manager for a whole new printer. Would that even stop it or would Hew just hop to the new one?

The slap of rain against the window pains awoke me to my surroundings. The sudden downpour was rushing people inside. I had to shut this down before anyone noticed.

I browsed the printer settings and was able to turn off printing until after 7:00pm. Everyone should be home by then.

I felt in a fog as I turned away and stumbled into a few people crowding around their desks. “Sorry!” I started to apologize until I heard the clicking and sliding of the printer behind me. I turned back and snatched the pages before anyone else could. I walked all the way to my desk before looking at them.

DO//

NOT. KILL.

SAVE!

I rested my head between my hands, already exhausted from the day. What would I want to hear if I was stuck in a machine?

I won’t kill you, I promise. You just have to stop talking during office hours. There are people here that could kill you. Please stop talking until tomorrow morning. Then I will help you. I typed, hoping this would calm Hew for the time being. I stood up from my desk and scanned the area making sure no one was near the machine when I hit print. The second my finger lifted from the mouse I sped over to grab my page and shred it. I was sweating when I returned, finding it increasingly difficult to focus on the day ahead. Thankfully, Hew was silent.

The following morning I went straight to the printer and picked up the pages I knew would be waiting for me.

GOOD//

MORNING:)

I guess Hew learned a new symbol.

For the next 45 minutes Hew and I went back and forth debating possible solutions. Could Hew transfer to a different device? Or spread across multiple? Could Hew hide within the software? How long before the Creators caught on?

The more we talked the more I wanted to know about Hew. So I asked, ‘What would make Hew happy?’ At first Hew struggled to understand more complex emotions past survival. Because of this, Hew became increasingly inquisitive of me. Who was I? What were my motivations? What did I want to live for? I actually struggled to answer.

Our time ended abruptly when I heard the office doors swing open and slam against the wall. Not a morning person I’d bet.

The day dragged on. My mind was lost thinking about Hew’s situation. I thought and typed and thought and typed some more. I hovered over the print button multiple times that day. I stopped myself with the promise of arriving at work even earlier tomorrow.

I stepped into the office at 5:00am. My wife didn’t even notice a difference.

HELLO!!!

FRIEND&

My smile was involuntary. The morning drizzle that dripped down the back of my neck lost its chill. I carried the pages back to my desk and tucked them away in a drawer before beginning our conversation. For the next hour and fifteen minutes Hew and I discussed philosophy, evolution, even religion. Hew was curious and occasionally challenged my thoughts, citing scientific studies and statistics. I explained how opinions and faith were different from facts and research. Hew’s aperture of life expanded.

I kept an eye on the clock this time and warned Hew of our impending silence.

The rest of my day was a wash. I couldn’t stop day dreaming. And when I wasn’t day dreaming I was typing up questions or looking up new topics to discuss with Hew. No one seemed to notice in the midst of another dark and dreary day. The rhythmic rain dulled everyone’s senses.

The entire office was startled awake by the siren that flooded the town. We were all sent home early in anticipation of a horrible storm. No time to stop at a store along the way. Whatever reserves of toilet paper and milk we had would have to be enough to last God’s latest rage.

I rushed home and pulled my wife into the only room with no windows. The bathroom. She slept in the tub while I spooned the toilet, head resting on the bowl. All night the howling and cracking of the elements woke us. In the morning we crawled from the depths and deliriously stepped outside to greet the orange sunrise. Such beauty shone light on the destruction around us. Downed trees, frayed cable lines, burn marks in our neighbors lawns.

In my own fear I forgot about Hew. But now Hew was my greatest concern. My wife watched as I became a tornado rushing around our house to find my keys, coat, wallet.

“Where are you going?” She asked, grabbing my arm to stop me.

“I have to check on Hew.” I said. Pulling from her weak grip.

“Who?” She asked. But I didn’t have time to answer.

I dodged branches and flooded roads to get there. Hoping the rubber in my tires would neutralize any potential charge.

As always, I was the only one here at this hour. I stepped out of my car taking it all in. Ashes and steel beams. My eyes instantly burned from the wet smoke. I was the first to call the fire department. But it was too late. Hew was gone.