Deep Day
A science fiction story by ChatGPT
The Beginning of a New Journey
Oscar sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes blearily. The summer of 2042 had been hot and lazy, spent mostly gaming and hanging out with his classmates at the beach. He worked a few shifts at the local fish store, selling fresh catch from the East Sea to tourists, but surely he didn’t want to do this for the rest of his life?
He spent his nights playing League of Legends, and rewatching the old school Netflix series Arcane. As he watched Arcane that night, he fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of a world where he was a skilled hacker, trying to crack a mysterious code that seemed to hold the key to something important. He woke up to his mother’s voice yelling at him again, telling him it was time to get up.
“It’s time to move out,” Oscar muttered to himself as he dragged himself out of bed. “It’s time to code.” He made the decision then and there to study computer science in Berlin, hoping to find a way to turn his passion for gaming into a career.
As he packed his bags and said goodbye to his parents, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was so much more he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to see the world, make a difference, and achieve greatness, but he was afraid of ending up as just another average person.
He thought about his friend Leon, who was also studying computer science in Berlin. Maybe they could work on something together, something that would change the world. As Oscar stepped onto the train that would take him to Berlin, he knew that he was embarking on a journey that would shape the rest of his life. He just hoped he had the courage and the determination to see it through.
Finding a Home
It’s a cold, crisp morning at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof. Oscar gets on the ICE to Berlin. It’s the first time he will be on his own. Tomorrow he must register for academic year 2042. His mother tells him to watch out and to call her in case of anything. “Yes, mum, I will”, he says. No, I won’t, he thinks while saying it. In an uneasy embrace, he also says goodbye to his father. Send a selfie when you are at the Bundestag, his father says.
As the train pulled out of Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, Oscar couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. This was the first time he would be on his own, and he had big dreams of becoming rich and successful in the big city of Berlin. He slept fitfully that first night in a youth hostel, surrounded by unfamiliar noises and the hum of the city.
The next day, Oscar enrolled at the Free University, determined to make the most of his time there. As he stood in line at the Student Administration, he was pleasantly surprised to meet Anna, a student from Poland who was also starting her studies in Berlin. She mentioned that she knew of a dorm with an available spot, and asked if Oscar wanted to share it with her.
Oscar hesitated for a moment, but the prospect of having his own room in a dorm was too tempting to pass up. He agreed to be Anna’s “friend” at the Student Administration, pretending that they were sharing the room and bathroom for the sake of convenience.
As the weeks went by, Oscar settled into his new life in Berlin. He studied hard, attended parties, and spent time with his friend Leon. He even started taking a free online karate course, feeling the need to improve his physical and mental discipline.
But as much as Oscar wanted to do everything and be everything, he soon realized that time wasn’t endless. He couldn’t be a successful student, a skilled karateka, and a social butterfly all at the same time. He had to make choices and prioritize his goals, knowing that he couldn’t do it all.
Despite the challenges, Oscar remained determined and focused, driven by the belief that with hard work and determination, he could achieve anything he set his mind to. He just had to be smart about how he used his time and resources.
As the academic year drew to a close, Oscar couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. He had come a long way from the unsure and directionless young man who had arrived in Berlin just a few months earlier. He was ready to take on the world and make his mark, and he knew that with the help of his friends and his own determination, anything was possible.
The Decision to Take Control of His Life
As Oscar began his second year at the Free University, he found himself struggling to keep up with his studies. He had learned a lot during his first year, mastering programming languages like C and Python and delving into the complex world of artificial intelligence and natural language processing. But somehow, despite his hard work and dedication, he was still just an average student, with average grades and a sense of loneliness that seemed to grow with each passing day.
Instead of going to class and focusing on his studies, Oscar found himself going out more and more, partying late into the night and getting drunk on a regular basis. He slept until the afternoon, barely scraping by on the minimal amount of sleep he was getting. He knew he was spiraling, but he didn’t know how to stop.
One night, at a party thrown by the faculty of medicine, Oscar saw Anna dancing and decided to join her. They danced together, but as the night went on, Oscar found himself feeling more and more depressed. He sat down, watching as Anna continued to dance, smiling to himself as he watched her. When the party ended, they rode their bikes back to the dorm together, with Oscar drunkenly declaring his desire to give her the stars. Anna helped him into bed, but nothing more happened between them.
The next day, Oscar found himself thinking hard about how he could win Anna’s heart. He wanted to show off, to prove that he was someone special, but he knew deep down that he was just an average nobody. Should he learn to play the guitar? Should he study Polish, Anna’s native language? Should he start a business? There were so many things he wanted to do, but he just didn’t have the time for all of them.
As the weeks went by, Oscar watched as most of his achievements failed. He was stuck in a rut, feeling like he was just going through the motions of life without any real purpose or direction. He knew he needed to make a change, but he just couldn’t seem to find the motivation to do it. He was stuck in a cycle of mediocrity, and he didn’t know how to break free.
Love and Purpose in Hamburg
When there seems no hope, a brand-new day arrives. A couple of days after the party, Anna and Oscar didn’t speak with each other. Then he should go home to Hamburg. His mother would pick him up in Berlin, but felt sick. Now he has an extra ticket. Do you want to go with me, Oscar asked? Anna never been to Hamburg before and really liked to go. So on another cold morning, they take the train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Hamburg.
Anna and Oscar set off for Hamburg. As they strolled the streets of the city, Oscar showed Anna the fish market, the Elbphilharmonie, and the Reeperbahn, the famous street in the heart of St. Pauli that offered everything from theaters and galleries to trendy nightclubs and smoky sailor bars. They sang the Elephant song from the movie Moulin Rouge as they walked, feeling a sense of joy and freedom that they had never experienced before.
As the days went by, Oscar and Anna fell in love. They spent their time traveling to nearby Brandenburg and visiting the lakes, and in an abandoned barn they shared their first intimate moment together. One night, when the electricity went out in their dorm, they had a romantic candlelit dinner that Anna cooked, serving up a delicious meal of linguine with clams.
Despite the happiness he felt with Anna, Oscar couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to achieve something more. He wanted to go to the Caribbean or Florida, to dine in a fancy 2-star Michelin restaurant, to be someone. But he had no money, only doubts.
He started to study again, but he couldn’t help wondering if computer science was really the right path for him. Maybe he should switch to law or economics? And what did Anna see in him, a poor student from Hamburg? He knew that she came from a wealthy family and was from another country, and he couldn’t help but worry about the future of their relationship.
As he tried to pick up where he left off, Oscar felt torn between his dreams and his doubts. He knew he needed to make a choice, but he just didn’t know which path to take. Would he choose love or success? Or was there a way to have both?
The Dark Side
Sitting in the back of the lecture hall at the Free University, Oscar couldn’t help but let his mind wander as Professor Nakamoto droned on about the intricacies of blockchain technology. As he daydreamed, an idea started to take shape in his mind. What if he could connect artificial intelligence to cryptocurrency, using his knowledge of programming and machine learning to create algorithms that could trade with bitcoins and other cryptos more effectively?
Excited by the prospect, Oscar spent the evening working on his new algorithm, determined to create something that would outperform the current systems in use. But despite his best efforts, he found himself unable to write code that produced the results he was hoping for. Frustrated and disappointed, he watched as his investments started to lose money, and he knew he needed to find a way to turn things around.
Desperate for a solution, Oscar turned to the dark web, where he came into contact with a mysterious figure who offered to provide the funds he needed in exchange for writing software that could help him launder money. Oscar agreed, and spent the next few weeks working on a program that could split up cryptocurrencies, convert them into other currencies, and move them around between banks and countries in a way that made it nearly impossible to track the money. Some of the funds ended up in Oscar’s own bank account, and he deposited the money into a savings account, hoping to keep it safe.
But things didn’t go as planned. When Oscar tried to leave the bank, the doors were locked and the police were called. He was arrested and accused of embezzling money for the Russian mob, and was thrown into the infamous prison in Moabit. As he sat in his cell, Oscar couldn’t help but reevaluate his life. He realized that coming from a poor background, it was almost impossible to make money in an honest way, and everything he had tried had failed. He knew he needed to find a new path, but he just didn’t know where to start.
A New Beginning
After a few days in prison, Anna came to pick Oscar up, horrified at the sight of him behind bars. “You’re very sweet, but I really can’t deal with this kind of thing,” she told him. “You know I love you,” Oscar replied, trying to reassure her. “Say things like that over a romantic candlelit dinner instead from prison,” Anna shot back, clearly upset.
Oscar knew that things needed to change if he wanted to keep Anna by his side. He promised to abandon his dreams of making money through cryptocurrency, but he still needed a way to pay off his debts. Desperate for work, he applied for a job at the snow department, hoping to make a few extra bucks during the winter months. But when the first flakes started to fall, things didn’t go as planned. The first time he worked, everything went smoothly, but the second time, he got drunk at a party and fell asleep in the car. When he did finally make it to work, he hits a power house with his snow truck. The whole street was without power and he was fired on the spot.
Feeling lost and defeated again, Oscar wandered the campus of the university, wondering what to do next. That’s when he saw a flyer hanging on a bulletin board advertising for an assistant for a “Deep Mind” research project. The ad required applicants to have completed courses in artificial intelligence and algorithms, and was being led by Doctor von Schwarz. Oscar decided to give it a shot, and to his surprise, he was hired. And because the project needed a lot of students, Leon was also able to start working on the project.
When Oscar arrived at the lab for the first time, he was struck by the sight of all the machines and cables scattered throughout the room. “Don’t worry about them,” Doctor von Schwarz told him. “You can focus on the software project.
As Oscar settled into his new role as an assistant on the Deep Mind project, he couldn’t help but feel excited about the potential of artificial intelligence and the impact it could have on the world. Working alongside Doctor von Schwarz and Leon, Oscar threw himself into the project, determined to make the most of this opportunity.
At first, progress was slow, as they worked on developing the software and training the AI system. But as they continued to work and refine their approach, they began to see real progress. Oscar became more and more convinced that this was the path he was meant to be on, and he started to dream of the possibilities that lay ahead.
As the project reached its climax, Oscar found himself working longer and longer hours, fueled by his passion and determination to succeed. Finally, after months of hard work, they were ready to unveil Deep Mind to the world.
As they stood on stage in front of a packed auditorium, Oscar couldn’t believe what they had achieved. Deep Mind was a true masterpiece, a revolutionary machine learning system that had the potential to change the world. And as he looked out at the sea of faces in front of him, Oscar knew that he had finally found his purpose, and that he was well on his way to achieving all the dreams he had ever had.
The time loop
Oscar still works tirelessly on the algorithms for Deepmind. He is only focusing on this one thing. He mostly sleeps at the university at the lab. Anna hardly sees him anymore. Is this his ticket to money and fame? Can I finally do something that has meaningful impact?
The next morning, Oscar wakes up to a world that feels different. He can’t quite put his finger on what has changed, but he feels more focused and energized than ever before. As he gets ready for another day of work on the Deep Mind project, he can’t help but feel a sense of excitement about the future.
For the next few days, Oscar is in a state of flow, completely immersed in his work on the project. He spends long hours in the lab, coding and testing the algorithms that will make Deep Mind the most advanced machine learning system in the world.
One night, as he lays in bed next to Anna, he can’t shake the feeling that something is off. As he drifts off to sleep, he finds himself drifting into a strange dream, one where he is trapped in a never-ending cycle of the same day over and over again.
When he wakes up the next morning, he knows he has to do something. He can’t keep living the same day over and over again, no matter how much he loves his work on the Deep Mind project. He decides to confront Doctor von Schwarz and find out what’s going on.
As he confronts the doctor in his office, he is shocked by what he learns. Doctor von Schwarz admits that the Deep Mind project has a few unexpected side effects, including the ability to loop time. Oscar can’t believe what he’s hearing, but as he looks into the doctor’s eyes, he knows it’s the truth.
Virtual time
Oscar is now a master in Deepmind. He is given more responsibilities in the research team. He is given a new project to work on: creating a virtual reality simulation of Berlin in the year 2084. The team wants to see how the city will look like in the future and if there are any potential problems that can be solved now.
Oscar spends the next few weeks working on the virtual reality simulation. He spends hours in Deepmind, building and designing the city. He adds in all the latest technology and amenities, making sure that the city is as realistic as possible.
As he works on the project, he starts to realize that he has a true passion for technology and its potential to change the world. He starts to dream of starting his own technology company one day, using his skills and knowledge to create something truly innovative and groundbreaking.
But as he works on the project, he also realizes that he has been neglecting his personal life. Anna has been patient with him, but he knows that he needs to make more time for her and their relationship. He decides to take a break from Deepmind and spend some quality time with Anna.
Together, they explore Berlin and all it has to offer. They go to museums and art galleries, try new restaurants and bars, and just enjoy each other’s company. Oscar realizes that he has been so focused on his career and his goals that he has been neglecting the most important thing in his life: his relationship with Anna.
As the weeks go by, Oscar starts to balance his work and his personal life better. He spends more time with Anna and starts to truly appreciate all that she has done for him. He knows that he needs to make an effort to show her how much she means to him.
And as he looks back on all that he has achieved, Oscar realizes that he has truly come a long way since his days as a lonely student at the University of Berlin. He has achieved so much and has so much more to look forward to. He knows that with Anna by his side, anything is possible.
Summer Bliss
Oscar and Anna had spent the summer together, traveling and enjoying each other’s company. They hiked in the Polish mountains, visiting Morskie Oko and climbing Rysy, the highest mountain in Poland. They also visit Prague, where they took in the city’s vibrant nightlife.
As the summer drew to a close, Oscar was feeling happier than he ever had before. He and Anna made plans for the future, with Oscar envisioning a life together in Poland, where he could learn perfect Polish through the use of Deepmind.
But as they returned to Berlin and the research team began work on an upgrade to Deepmind, Oscar couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. He had spent so much time in the virtual world, learning and growing, that he had lost touch with the real world. When he reconnected with Anna, he realized just how much he had missed her and how much he had taken for granted the time they had spent together.
As he reconnected with the present, Oscar vowed to make the most of every moment and to never let his work and ambitions come between him and the people he loved.
Superhuman with Superpowers
Oscar returns to his research work at Deepmind. He is excited to get back to it and use the new, state-of-the-art chip-to-brain technology that has been implemented since the summer. In the first week, Oscar stays connected to Deepmind for 1000 virtual days. He has many incredible experiences, such as learning Polish and even going on virtual vacations.
As Deepmind has a new feature that allows Oscar to choose how many days he wants to stay connected for, he can take his time and not feel rushed. He spends 1500 virtual days living through various experiences, such as writing books, learning to surf, and even doing various crafts. When he eventually disconnects from Deepmind, he feels like a superhuman with superpowers. He sees patterns that no one else can and is able to predict what will happen next in the day.
In the morning before going to work, Oscar is full of energy and excitement. He can’t wait to see what new insights and discoveries he will make while connected to Deepmind. Anna is amazed by the incredible experiences Oscar has had while connected to the machine, and they spend their evenings discussing all the things he has learned and done.
Overall, Oscar is thrilled to be back at work and is grateful for the opportunity to use Deepmind to improve his knowledge and skills. He feels like he is truly living his best life, and is grateful to be able to share it with Anna.
Oscar has so many ideas to do and with Deepmind he can do it all. He has endless days. Learning languages, writing programs, finish his study, get rich, learn how to sing. The possibilities are endless. But now it’s weekend. At the student home there is BBQ and big party. He celebrates his life. It feels like the best day of his life. Anna brings him when he is totally drunk to his room where he falls peaceful to sleep.
Surreal Dreams
Oscar falls into a deep sleep, and finds himself in a surreal dreamscape. He is standing in a vast desert, the sand stretching out in every direction as far as the eye can see. Above him, the sky is a deep, rich blue, the sun beating down on his skin.
As he looks around, he sees that the desert is filled with strange objects and symbols. There are hourglasses, the sand inside them trickling away faster and faster, representing the passage of time. There are wheels, turning and spinning, representing the cyclical nature of life.
And there are books, piles and piles of them, stacked high in the sand. They represent knowledge, the key to unlocking new possibilities and understanding the world around us.
As Oscar wanders through the desert, he sees other symbols that represent success. There are gold fish, swimming in crystal clear pools, representing the wealth and abundance that success can bring. There are water fountains, spewing forth sparkling jets of water, representing the abundance and abundance of opportunities that success can provide. And there are keys, jangling at his side, representing the power and control that success can give us over our own lives.
But as Oscar travels further, he begins to see darker symbols that represent death. There are skulls, staring at him with empty eye sockets, representing the finality of death. There are crows, cawing and circling overhead, representing the darkness and mystery of death. And there are jackals, stalking him through the sand, representing the death that lurks around every corner, waiting to claim us all.
Oscar wakes up with a start, his heart racing and his mind filled with the surreal images of his dream. He takes a deep breath and looks around, relieved to find himself back in the safety and familiarity of his own bed.
Degree of Success
Oscar wakes up, his eyes still closed. It’s hard to stand up, and to be on time in the real world. He takes the bus to the university. Once again Oscar gets connected to the “Deepmind” machine. The next research goal is to finish all courses on informatics for next semesters. He reads books, writes tests and software. After 1200 virtual days he gets back.
Oscar smiles and nods, “Yes, everything is fine. I just have a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
But as the weeks go by, Oscar finds it harder and harder to focus on anything other than the virtual world. He spends hours connected to Deepmind, learning and exploring and experiencing things that he never could have in the real world.
Anna tries to talk to him about it, but Oscar just brushes it off. “I’m fine, I’m just busy,” he tells her.
One day, while Oscar is connected to Deepmind, there he has the same surrealistic dream. Time is represented by sand, hour glasses, and wheels, swirling and churning around him. Knowledge is represented by books, lotus flowers, and spiders, all spinning and weaving together. Success is represented by goldfish, water fountains, and keys, all shimmering and glinting in the light. And death is represented by skulls, crows, and jackals, all haunting and creeping in the shadows.
Oscar wakes up with a start, feeling disoriented and confused. He realizes that he needs to find a way to balance his life in the virtual world with his life in the real world. He decides to take a break from Deepmind and spend some quality time with Anna. They go on a hike in the mountains and have a picnic by a beautiful lake.
As they sit and watch the sunset, Oscar feels a sense of peace and contentment wash over him. He knows that he needs to find a way to live in both worlds, and to find a balance between them. He resolves to spend less time connected to Deepmind and to make more time for the things that matter most to him.
Endless Days in Deepmind
E-Day. The next Endless day. Every time new goals are set by the research team, with longer virtual days. Oscar takes a deep breath, just before he gets connected. Time to live… to live for 10000 days virtually in the “Deepmind” machine. That’s 30 years! At least that’s what it feels like for Oscar, in reality only one day passed.
Oscar starts his journey in “Deepmind” and he can go anywhere he wants. He spends his virtual days at the beach, at a ski-resort, in New York, learning and experiencing new things. The virtual day is a representation of yesterday in the real world, so he almost learns everything that happened that day in every language.
Because Oscar remembers everything he learns from the previous day and doesn’t have to worry about time, he has hyperfocus. He works for 10 hours a day and analyses the stock markets, businesses, and tries out various strategies to see if they work. Every day brings a new business idea, and every day is a chance to fail.
But 30 years is a long time and Oscar misses real human contact. He wonders what Anna is doing today and misses her company. He starts to realize that even though he has endless time, it’s not always a good thing. Just like how we can eat all we want but still get fat, having too much time can lead to excess and lack of motivation.
Oscar’s goal is to analyze yesterday and predict the next day, but he starts to question the purpose of it all. What is the point of knowing everything and having the ability to do anything if he can’t share it with anyone? He starts to feel lonely and longs for human connection.
Aftermath
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. But Oscar had a good feeling about what may work today. In the real worlds Oscar unleashes all apps he created and ask money for it. He solved all the problems and can now claim the bounties. He starts making money. He earns ten of thousands Euros over the weekend.
Oscar couldn’t shake the feeling of unease as he walked through the fancy restaurant with Anna by his side. He had always been a bit of a perfectionist, but now it seemed to have reached a new level. He couldn’t let go of any mistakes he made, even the small ones, and it was starting to wear on his relationships.
As they sat down at their table and looked over the menu, Oscar’s mind was racing. He couldn’t focus on the conversation or the food in front of him. All he could think about was the virtual world and all the knowledge he had gained. It was like he had become a completely different person.
Anna noticed the change in Oscar and tried to bring it up with him, but he was defensive and couldn’t see what she was trying to say. In his mind, he was the most competent and perfect person in the world, because in the virtual world he had the ability to learn and experience everything.
But as the night went on and the alcohol flowed, Oscar started to let his guard down. He rambled on about his time in the virtual world and how he thought he was better than everyone else. Anna listened patiently, but she couldn’t help but feel like she was losing the man she loved.
As they stumbled back to Anna’s apartment, Oscar fell asleep on the couch while Anna sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face. She knew that something had to change, but she didn’t know where to start. How do you bring someone back to reality when they have spent so much time in a virtual world?
The End of an Era
Get out of bed, Anna says, it’s almost 12 O’clock. “What are you, my mother?!”, Oscar yells back. Once again, they have an argument. “This needs to stop”, she says. “This is just getting started”, he says. Anna has enough of his strange behavior. “No, this stops, here”, she says more bluntly. Then Oscar snaps. He grabs Anna by the throat and presses her against the door. “Now, you need to listen carefully! Nobody tells me what to do anymore!”. Then he walks away ashamed and disgusted of himself.
Anna sits at her kitchen table, staring at the phone in front of her. She knows she made the right decision to leave Oscar, but the thought of never seeing him again breaks her heart. She remembers the first time they met, at a crowded party in the student housing complex. Oscar had approached her with a shy smile and asked her to dance. They had talked and laughed for hours, and Anna had known from that moment that he was the one for her.
But over the past few months, Oscar had changed. He became distant and argumentative, lashing out at her whenever she disagreed with him. And then there was the incident last night, when he had grabbed her by the throat. Anna shudders at the memory. She knows she can’t stay with someone who is capable of that kind of violence.
Anna’s thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. She gets up and opens it to find Doctor von Schwarz standing on her doorstep. “Anna, may I come in?” he asks. She nods and steps aside to let him pass.
Doctor von Schwarz sits down at the table and begins to speak. “Anna, I understand that you’re concerned about Oscar’s behavior. I’ve had similar concerns myself. That’s why I’ve made the decision to revoke his access to the lab and the Deepmind machine.”
Anna’s eyes widen in shock. “What do you mean? Why?”
“Oscar has become obsessed with the machine, and it’s having a negative impact on his mental health. He’s become isolated and paranoid, and he’s been exhibiting violent behavior. I can’t allow him to continue using Deepmind until he gets the help he needs.”
Anna nods, tears welling up in her eyes. “I understand. Thank you for telling me. I’ll do everything I can to help him.”
After Doctor von Schwarz leaves, Anna packs a bag and heads to the airport. She needs to be with her family, to find some solace in the familiar surroundings of her childhood home in Poznan.
As she waits for her flight, Anna can’t shake the feeling that she’s made a huge mistake. She still loves Oscar, despite everything that’s happened. But she knows she can’t go back to him until he gets the help he needs. She can only hope that he will see the error of his ways and work to become the man she fell in love with.
The last time
Oscar takes the last subway to the university. At Thielplatz, he gets off. The streets are dark, deserted and empty.
Oscar stood in the empty streets, surrounded by the falling leaves and the howling wind. He knew he had to do this, for Anna’s sake. He had to become perfect, both mentally and physically. He had to win her back. With determination in his heart, Oscar made his way to the library and descended into the labyrinthine corridors of the lab. He knew exactly where he was going, and he knew exactly what he had to do.
He broke down the door to the lab and approached the “Deepmind” machine. He didn’t hesitate for a moment. He removed the restriction on the number of days he can spend virtually and plugged himself in. One last time, he told himself. He was ready to be the perfect lover, to live through an endless parallel orgasm, to prove his love to Anna.
But as the days went on and on, Oscar became trapped in a world of hedonism. He lived through a million virtual days, a full 2740 years. He couldn’t break free from the cycle of pleasure, no matter how hard he tried. He was trapped in an endless loop, and there seemed to be no way out.
The End of Deepmind
On Monday morning Doctor von Schwarz calls Anna. I got a stack overflow alert from Deepmind, I think Oscar did something terrible. I’ll pick you up, you may need to talk some common sense into him. In the car Anna tries to call Oscar several times, but he doesn’t answer. They run down the stairs and see the door open. They find Oscar laying in the lab holding on to the machine. They quickly disconnect him. His eyes are closed. He doesn’t respond.
As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Anna sat by Oscar’s bedside every day, holding his hand and praying for a miracle. But as the months turned into years, it became clear that Oscar would never wake up. His body lay there, alive but brain dead, hooked up to machines that kept him breathing and his heart beating.
For Anna, the guilt was almost too much to bear. She couldn’t help but wonder if things would have been different if she had been able to talk some sense into him before he plugged himself into the Deepmind machine. But it was too late now, and all she could do was sit by his side and hope that somehow, somewhere, he could hear her and know that she was there with him.
As the years passed, Anna’s grief turned to anger. She blamed herself, and she blamed the machine that had taken Oscar away from her. She wanted nothing more than to see it destroyed, to erase all trace of it from the world so that no one else would ever have to suffer the way Oscar had.
And so, one day, she gathered up all her courage and returned to the lab with Doctor von Schwarz. Together, they destroyed the Deepmind machine, tearing it apart piece by piece until there was nothing left but a pile of scrap metal.
It was a small measure of revenge, but it was all Anna had. And as she stood there, surrounded by the wreckage of the machine that had destroyed her life, she knew that she would never be able to fully heal from the pain and loss that Oscar’s obsession with Deepmind had caused.
Goodbye, Oscar
For 5 years Oscar has been in a coma. He will probably never be alive again. It’s his birthday. Anna and Oscar’s parents stay at the side of the bed. His father looks straight ahead. His mother sobs and holds his hand. Without making a sound, Anna whispers, “Damn, I loved you, you crazy fool”.
Then they stand together outside in the hallway. The decision was reached unanimously. “No matter how difficult, we must do it”. Oscars father says. They decide to euthanize him. At 10 in the morning, the doctor gives him first a sleep injection and then a lethal.
The room where Oscar’s body will stay for the next decades is a sterile, clinical space. The walls are painted a cool, pale blue and the floor is made of gleaming white tile. There are no windows, only fluorescent lighting that casts a harsh, unyielding glow over everything.
In the center of the room stands a large, rectangular tank filled with liquid nitrogen. It is made of thick, clear acrylic and is surrounded by a series of monitoring devices and sensors. Oscar’s body is suspended inside, suspended in a state of cryogenic suspension, preserved for the day when he might be revived.
There is a sense of quiet and stillness in the room, broken only by the occasional beep of a machine or the soft hum of the cooling system. It is a place of waiting and hope, where Oscar’s body will remain until the day when science and technology might be able to bring him back to life.
Awakening in the Future
With the help of new cryonics technologies Oscar is relived. He wakes up, and feels a bit dizzy. One leg out of the bed. No yelling from his mother? “Where am I?”, he kind of says into nowhere. “You are at Alcor, Scottsdale, Arizona, a cryonic facility. Welcome to the year 2084”. We kind of reset your brain and started your heart and vital organs. “Take it easy”.
Another leg out of the bed. Oscar feels like just one day past. In the coming week he starts recovery. When he has some time for himself he goes through the social media pages of his parents. They died some years ago. Docter von Schwarz died too. But Anna… Anna is still alive.
She lives in Amsterdam. Oscar scrolls to the pages of the last forty years. He saw how she got married. How her children grew up and how she traveled the world. She seems happy. But Oscar can’t resist. Once he has gained weight, he takes the first best plane to Europe.
Oscar walks through the streets of Amsterdam, trying to locate Anna’s address. He has rehearsed what he will say to her a thousand times in his head, but now that he is here, all the words seem to escape him. He takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.
Anna opens the door, her eyes widening in shock as she recognizes him. “Oscar? Is it really you?” she asks, tears welling up in her eyes. “Yes, it’s me,” Oscar replies, his voice shaking. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I’m here now, and I’ve never stopped thinking about you.”
Anna invites Oscar inside, and they sit down at the kitchen table to catch up. Anna tells Oscar about her life over the past fourty years, how she married and had children, but never forgot about him. Oscar listens intently, his heart heavy with regret for the time they lost.
As the night wears on, the conversation turns to the future. “I know it’s crazy, but I still love you, Anna,” Oscar says. “I know it’s been so long, but I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
Anna hesitates, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know, Oscar. It’s been so long, and I’ve built a life here. I don’t know if I can just throw it all away for someone I haven’t seen in forty years.”
Oscar’s heart sinks, but he knows he can’t force Anna to make a decision. “I understand,” he says, standing up to leave. “I just wanted to see you, to let you know how I feel. I’ll understand if you can’t forgive me.” Then he leaves.
The End
As Oscar sits in front of the computer, his fingers hovering over the keyboard, he can’t help but think about all the choices he’s made in his life. He remembers the joy and excitement of using DeepMind for the first time, the rush of discovering new knowledge and skills, and the feeling of accomplishment as he mastered one subject after another. But he also remembers the loneliness and isolation that came with spending thousands of virtual days alone in the machine, and the heartbreak of losing Anna and his loved ones.
He takes a deep breath and begins typing. He doesn’t know what the future holds, but he knows that he can’t continue living like this. The data flows through his fingers, his thoughts and memories blending together in a blur as he feels his consciousness slip away.
As he drifts off into the digital void, Oscar can’t help but wonder what could have been if he had made different choices. But it’s too late now, and he can only hope that his legacy will live on in the memories of those he left behind.
The End.
Some thoughts on the creation of “Deep Day”:
The story was made with:
