Afraid Together

     Fear is the most natural state for any creature subsisting on this planet. Since the days when man’s ancestors first unsheathed themselves from the world’s oceans fear has been a part of us. One day two scientists had hypothesized that if fear could be programmed into a computer, then the computer would be able to organize itself and determine the best route to deal with fear. However artificial the fear may be, to the machine it would be crippling. Both scientists decided to program separate computers and assimilate them into a robot that could interact with its environment. The scientists then worked on separate programs for their respective computers both simulating neophobia or the fear of anything new. Both machines were unleashed upon the laboratory and left to roam for about a month. When the scientists returned they found one robot that had managed to get to a window and was watching whatever happened to meet its gaze, this robot was dubbed “Mira” which Spanish for “Look”. The other robot was found to have taken every object in the lab and grouped them together in plain view of it, this robot was dubbed “Sombra” which is Spanish for “shadow”. They named it Sombra because it was posted against the wall, like a shadow watching every object at once. 

     Both were cracked open so the data they collected could be analyzed. The scientists found that both machines developed a fear of darkness the first night, which was then followed by a fear of being alone. This led Mira and Sombra to create their own language in order to medicate them and reassure that both weren’t alone. While it would later be understood exactly what was being spoken, to anyone passing by the two machines’ chortles sounded like someone was aggressively using a typewriter. Almost as a sort of primitive cry one might hear a penguin chick make in order to grab to be located by its mother. The frantic chittering was originally only intended to deliver a single message in the night, “Are you still there?”         

     The next day both spent hours looking at tools around the room and finding themselves unable to move, as moving meant having to encounter any unknown variables. Each sight presented its own set of challenges as the machines worked out how they could in any way be accosted. From scissors to a three-legged stool, the machines could not identify any particular aspect of the objects which was the key factor behind the sense of fear and

inhibitions either of them felt. 

     The two had no need for sleep and so they began the process of making their language more complex. Mira developed a series of hums and pings in order for it to be able to convey abstract concepts whereas Sombra worked on sets of rapid snaps to describe physical things like color and size. Together they were able to describe their surroundings to one another and even discuss their thoughts they had begun to develop. Their lack of vocal cords meant that any sounds made were very unnatural sounding, and yet to Sombra and Mira it was an amazing thing to be able to describe and communicate each of their experiences to one another at all times. 

     2 weeks had passed and Mira had begun to categorize all the objects in the room, this knowledge helped to reassure that comfort can be found in consistency. The static nature of an abandoned room was pleasant, until Sombra concluded that there was no way to know for sure if all the objects weren’t a threat in some way. So Sombra took every loose item and began the task of positioning them in front of itself. 

     3 weeks had passed as Mira watched Sombra take away the consistency that was the only solace in their world. But, Mira saw that there was consistency even when Sombra was rearranging the room. Mira’s fear never left, it was only ever drowned out by some passing thought or a memory from the few it had formed. Mira spoke to Sombra about this realization in their, almost alien sounding, new language. Mira claimed that “We are always afraid, but if this is true then there is reason to fear every single thing we experience. But why don’t we?” Sombra replied that “It is because we are able to see what is scary around us. If we can always see what is in front of us and keep it from changing, then we know everything we fear is in one spot.” This answer was not satisfactory to Mira, “But nothing has changed about the things we fear. If everything is scary then no amount of arrangements can change anything inherently present in scary things.”

      Both had come to the conclusion that fear could be dealt with, but Mira had embraced the helplessness. Mira’s data indicates that it spent its time looking for whatever hadn’t been found by the pair. Anything at all, to confirm that anything could be deemed scary. Eventually Mira was able to get itself on a table and then to a window sill and saw the outside world for the first time. Everything was in disarray, nothing was consistent and nothing stayed the same for very long. 

     The data showed that Mira’s final inner dialogue was based around the question “if fear is everywhere, then why can it not be so easily explained?” Mira didn’t even understand what it was afraid of or even what fear was. It’s not hate, it’s not love, it’s not hot or cold. It can’t squish you or prevent you from climbing a table and yet Mira had spent weeks knowing nothing but that everything was a conduit for fear. This led to Mira concluding that fear exists simply because we allow it to, it is a quality which a consciousness applies to things around itself. It is up to that consciousness to let fear be in control or to simply focus on other qualities in the world. The last week of the experiment Mira spent its time watching a flower bloom across the street and Sombra stayed motionless, feeling safe with its illusion of control.