I must win

Red tone. Damn… they locked out my keycard. I was hoping for the easy way, but I’m going to have to do this the hard way.

My sledgehammer crashes against the steel door with a thunderous force behind it. The door dents, but doesn’t give in. I pull back and swing harder this time. I must get in.

Boom after boom resounds around the parking lot as I throw my entire weight into removing the object that stands between me and my goals. The door is looking structurally mangled now, but not yet open. I continue slamming the door. I must get in.

I pull back and strike again and again without taking a breath. Again and again. My arms scream for respite that doesn’t come, my heart pounds like the hammer I plunge into the door. I must get in.

The sound changes as my hammer punches the door open, compromising it permanently. I pause only long enough to steady myself before running inside. I’ll only have a few minutes to do what needs to be done. What I need to do.

Running down the sterile hallway, I find the double door at the end and push my way through.

There, in the middle of the room, lies my machine. My life’s work. My life. Examining my electronic child, I notice nothing out of the ordinary. They haven’t started dismantling it yet. Which means it’s time to get to work.

I open the cover on the side of the machine, and toggle the digital display on. The small cooling fan hums as the computer starts up and I wait impatiently for the menu screen to appear. It always took ages to boot up.

A clattering sound coming from the hallway steals my attention. I pick up my sledgehammer and go to the doors. Shoving it through the handle, I hopefully buy enough time to do what I need to. I get back to the computer quickly, the menu screen is up and so I press the “run diagnostic” button. Waiting impatiently for the percentage bar to fill up consumes the next few seconds of my life.

“Hey!” An angry thudding on the double door starts my internal countdown, quicker than I expected, this will be tight.

“Come out of there!” I consider how he’s here already as the diagnostic comes to its conclusion.

“All hardware ready”

Good. I look at the “Run Simulation” button, but there’s no time and I already know it doesn’t work. That’s why I’m here. Time to figure out why. Opening up the calculations, I skim over my brainchild for the last 15 years, trying to find the error that has illuded me for weeks.

A crash grabs part of my attention. Not yet! I’m not ready! I look over and see an intimidatingly large man stumble through the broken doors. The gun and badge on his side indicating his role as campus security.

“Edward?”

I return my focus to the calculations. Searching

“Edward, you need to move away. You can’t be here anymore.”

My calculations seem perfect. I can’t find the error. Where is it?? I must find it! I’m wrenched away from my child. Crying out for the pain that never will be.

“Edward, stop. It’s over.”

I scramble to get back to my machine. “Let me go! I’m so close! I’m almost there!”

“Edward, stop fighting. You’re just making things worse”

I must make it work. I must!

Running the calculations through my mind again and again. Trying to find the solution that is just out of reach. Firing in circles, the equations fly through the air as I try to find the fault within them. Where is it?

Suddenly, my periphery is aware of something. A tapping on the ground. Tap, tap, tap. I know that sound. It’s the sound of greed. I hate that sound.

“Mr Rickson, sir!” The security guard addresses the worthless sack of meat.

I look up and meet with his scheming eyes. Eyes that know they’ve won. They’ve finally taken me down. A smug expression tugs at his cheeks, further affirming a single goal which has just been fulfilled. The goal to rid me of everything I am.

“Edward”  

The word splits the air. Even the security guard cowers. But not me. I will kill this bastard if that’s what it takes.

“I assume you’ve called the police Jordie?”

“Yes Mr Rickson”

“Good, make sure they know this dense fool has gone and done the one thing I told him not to. Even after I was really nice to him about it.”

He claims with a victorious tone.

“Nice?! You cancelled my program! Stole my work! You took everything from me! You’re closing me down just because you wanted more money for yourself! You selfish-”

Wait- Dense… Density! Yes that’s it! The equations snap into place as the image becomes clear. I have the answer! I just need a minute.

“I have it!” I scream. I must make him hear me. Just once!

“No you don’t. And you never will. Take him outside.”

My arms are wrenched forwards and my body violently refuses to follow. I try my hardest but the security guard is far stronger than I am. Of course he doesn’t believe me. Even if he did, he wouldn’t want me to succeed. I’ve got to do this on my own.

“Come on Edward, don’t make this any worse than it is.” The security guard tries to calm me. I will not be calmed. In my mad thrashing I flounder for options. Equipment is too far away, I can’t grasp the door on my way through, the hallway is empty, I appear to be out of options. Then I brush something. Something that gives me a glimmer of hope. I pause for a moment and look at the security guard, he looks at me and a flicker of realization hits him.

He moves to stop me but I’m quicker. My hand moves to his hip and I draw his sidearm. He catches my arm and the struggle ensues.

“Gun!”

I wrestle for the gun but the immense strength of the man is overpowering me frighteningly quickly, fortunately, I am fighting for my life. I throw my knee into his groin and follow up with a flurry of elbows and punches with a staggering level of ferocity. He takes it well at first but gradually stumbles back and weakens, just for a moment. But in that moment, I have the upper hand. And I take that advantage.

BANG!

His eyes widen. White turns red. The floor becomes slippery.

BANG!

His eyes are gone, his head hits the floor. I’m free!

“What have you done?” I turn to face Mr Rickson. He moves towards me with a presence that is intimidating. And maybe scared?

“Put that down before you hurt someone else!”

I point

BANG!

Thud

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Click.

The ringing in my ears accompanies the quiet hallway. I’m Free! Free to finish my work. Standing up, I thunder down the hall as fast as I can. Through the broken double doors and towards my machine. I input the new solutions into the computer and Run the Simulation.

10%, 20%, 30%

The wailing of sirens pierces the night.

40%, 50%, 60%

I am tense, will it work? Will I finally be right?

70%, 80%, 90%...

100%

Success

I inhale sharply. It works. I stand in disbelief. It works. What now?

Turn it on! Turn it on! Of course. That’s what now! I chide myself for being so stupid and run over to the roller door. As I haul on the chain to open the door, the sirens becomes clearer and louder. Not here yet, but soon.

I had wheels attached to the machine which allows me to move it out into the clear night sky. I lock the wheels and hover my finger over the “Activate” button.

This is it, the moment I dreamed of. The moment it was all for. Time to turn it on.

I compress my finger into the button and stand up. Looking up as the machine starts to whir. Internal components spinning and clicking before finally firing a small stream of solution into the sky. Normally, the solution would be captive to the laws of gravity, but on this one occasion, gravity forfeits its control for just a moment. And in that moment, glory ensues.

The sky darkens even more now. Ominously foretelling of the danger to come. The wailing of the sirens and flashing of the lights begins to compete with the flashing of lightning and roar of thunder. Let them enjoy the show.

Water droplets begin to fall on my face, cementing my victory. I close my eyes and take it in as the sprinkle turns into a roaring downpour.

It works.