The Technolypse

I’ve always known that a sinister force lies in wait to attack humanity, hidden where we would least expect it. I’ve always said that we need to take action and demolish it before we are the ones destroyed. I’ve always fought against it and tried to spread the news of this problem, but no one listens.

Well, they should. 

‘Cause when the day comes of their attack, few will be prepared. 

Beware, technology is coming for us . . .

The technolypse is near . . .

———

“CODE RED! WE HAVE A CODE RED!” I burst through the front door and execute a tuck-and-roll onto the bright green lawn. Across the yard, Mishka glances up for a second, then returns her gaze to the giant book in her lap. 

Sitting there on the grass, I get no more response then an eye roll from dad. Seriously? They’re ignoring me? But this is important!

Indignant, I get to my feet and march over to the azalea bush my dad is trimming from the other side. Still slightly winded from my mad dash through the house, I try to prove my case with short breath. 

“Dad, you gotta listen! I’m positive the—” And that’s as far as I get. 

“Marvin,” dad interrupts, his voice slightly muffled by the dense bush. “Don’t start this again.” Honestly, it almost sounds as if he’s pleading. “Just drop it, ‘kay?” Frustrated, I round the bush and face him, nearly glaring. Dad takes in my disheveled appearance and seems to frown at the grass stains on my new jeans. 

“But dad—”

“No buts about it. Now go get cleaned up.” Though he wasn’t looking at me, Dad sets his jaw in such a way I know the subject is closed for further discussion. Drat. 

I sulk my way across the lawn, dragging my feet the whole way. Under my breath, I mutter, “You’re almost as bad as mom,” and thank goodness the bush is so dense. 

I abandon my quest to convince my parents that the microwave just tried to eat me, and turn to my twin. “Mish—I was just attacked! It’s like I said, TECHNOLOGY IS COMING FOR US!”

All I get in response is an icy glare, so I press on. “The world has to be warned, but nobody will listen. So I’ve got a plan to prove it. So we’re—” And for the second time in less than five minutes, I’m cut off. 

“We?” Mishka crossed her arms and looks positively scary. “There’s no we. You’re the one with this crazy idea, so don’t rope me into it.” I open my mouth to object when she interjects again. 

“No.” The venom in her voice alone is enough to kill an elephant, not to mention the arson in her eyes. Suddenly feeling like a child again, I stick out my tongue. Well, she does it right back at me, so I guess we’re even.

Oh, but don’t get me wrong—I love my sister. She’s a great person and a fun friend. But sometimes the twin thing goes a little too far and just becomes annoyingly creepy. Like now. 

I guess it’s partly my fault—that last scheme must’ve pushed her too far. Ok, well it wasn’t like I planned for the lightbulb to explode. And I’m just gonna say thank goodness we both have totally terrible vision and have matching glasses. 

So instead of letting her in on my plan (although having my sister there would be awesome), I shut up and trudge inside. I make sure to walk up the stairs a little harder than usual so my mom notices, but to no avail. I change (as ordered by dad) then reach for a baseball. Then, the room goes dark. 

I must say, it’s not one of my finest moments. “AHHHHH!” I yell, blindly trying to find the door followed by a symphony of pain. “ACK!” (dresser) “OUCH!” (legos) “WOAH!” (backpack) THUD. (door) 

I feel the need to clarify that I’m not afraid of the dark. At all. I promise. Just when everything's bright and then suddenly goes dark, it’s enough to freak anyone out. Right? And the dark isn't even my first fear. Honest.

Thankfully it’s still noon and the sun is shining so the stairs are partially visible (or that’d be a hospital trip for sure) and I finally make it outside. 

“I TOLD YOU!” I run out the door yelling. “IT’S HAPPENING! THE TECHNOLOGY IS COMING TO DESTROY US!”

Across the lawn, Mishka is still sitting where I last saw, and she’s rolling her eyes at me again. Sisters. So I abandon trying to reason with her, and go sprinting to find my dad, shouting at the top of my lungs. 

I finally find him around the side of the house and the words come gushing out. But I’m silenced by a single command: “MARVIN! QUIT IT!” I’m pretty sure I can hear Mishka snickering all the way from over here.

“But dad! The lights went out!” At that, dad winces. After silencing me again with a glare, he motions to the side of the house where he had been trimming the bushes. Moving aside some of the branches, I see wires sticking out at weird angles. 

Dad sighs, shaking his head. “Gonna have to call an electrician.”

But I wasn’t satisfied. “So it was just . . . you?” With a nod from dad, by accusation is debunked. But I’m still not totally sure . . .

Slightly dejected, I head toward the park with a baseball, scuffing my shoes on the sidewalk. So nobody believes me—mom just ignores me, dad yells, and Mishka…? Well, she just flat out doesn’t believe me. I thought twins were supposed to be best buddies?

But still, can’t they at least just hear me out? Am I the only one who has ever known the truth? Do they really think I’m all that crazy?

Like, c’mon guys. When have I ever steered you wrong? (don’t answer that) Hasn’t it ever crossed your mind that I just may be right? (has it?) And it’s not like it’s an empty claim. I’VE GOT EVIDENCE! Like . . .

1- Electronics always seem to crash right as we really need them!

(THEY’RE BECOMING LESS RELIABLE, WHICH MEANS THE TECHNOLYPSE IS COMING SOON!)

2- Things seem to . . . //move// . . . at the worst possible times. 

(MOM, I PROMISE THAT BLENDER WASN’T THERE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE. IT WASN’T MY FAULT THE BASEBALL DEMOLISHED IT!)

3- Already the internet is calculating our every move and knows ALLLLL about us . . .

(SERIOUSLY, IT’S TRUE. I READ ABOUT IT ONLINE! WAAAIT—)

4- People are becoming more and more attached to their technology. 

(DON’T SHAKE YOUR HEAD, DAD. I SAW YOU HUGGING THE TV. I’VE GOT FOOTAGE, TOO.)

5- Technology is taking over the human life and people are becoming incapable of functioning without it.

(MISH, DO YOU EVEN //KNOW// HOW TO MAKE TOAST WITHOUT THE TOASTER? I REST MY CASE.)

SEE??? I’M NOT CRAZY! TECHNOLOGY IS GONNA TAKE OVER THE WORLD—AND SOON!

THE TECHNOLYPSE IS COMING!

WE NEED TO WARN EVERYBODY BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!

Now if only I could get people to actually listen . . . 

. . . And I may just have an idea . . .