She looked at the people in the carriage again. For them, life was ordinary. For them, there was nothing they could change. But for her, it was different. She was not just a doll, she was the one who could break the strings. The one who could break this illusion and give everyone, even herself, a chance to be real.
"I have to find him," she thought, and a word flashed through her mind, which she so strangely perceived as a kind of mission: "Antichrist! I will defeat you!" she whispered.
As the train began to slow, Delia Asia Vieira felt her heart, although artificial, respond to this realization. She was no longer just a machine. She was something much more important.
"I will find him and defeat him!" Her determination grew stronger with every step.
Soon the train stopped and the doors swung open. Delia Asia Vieira stepped out onto the platform, feeling her feet finally on the ground she was meant to explore. She took a few steps down the platform, her gaze sliding over the crowd of passengers hurrying to the exits. She felt a strange mixture of anxiety and confidence. This world she had once considered unchangeable was now something else to her - something she could change if she found the answers.
She stopped, looking around. There were people around her who had no idea what was going on in her head. They were going about their daily business as usual, immersed in unknown concerns. For them, this world was obvious and familiar, as if they had no idea that everything around them could be an illusion. For Delia Asia Vieira, this world was a farce, a carefully constructed set, behind which an unknown force was hidden. And in order to destroy this illusion, she needed to find someone who could control it.
"Antichrist..." the word sounded in her head like a spell, but she didn't fully understand what exactly it meant.
She only knew that this was her path, her mission. To find him. And to conquer him. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to a small group of people standing at the edges of the platform, discussing something resurrected from the past. Their conversation was discreet and quick, but Delia Asia Vieira immediately sensed that there was something strange in their voices. Fear? No. More like doubt and anticipation. Although their words did not directly concern her, something in their manner of communication caught her attention.
"So, have we come to an agreement with the supplier?" asked the man in the formal suit, stroking his chin.
"Yes, the juices will arrive on time," the woman answered, checking some documents on her tablet. "Next week they should bring fresh orange juice for the big chains. We need to prepare space in the warehouse."
"Good. We will also need to discuss the delivery of apple juice, they promised us discounts for the new contract. Everything should be on time."
"What about the lemon? We didn't have time for that this month?" another person intervened, a man with casually combed hair and a leather jacket.
"Lemon will be a little late, but that's okay. All the lots will be delivered next week. We know about it."
Delia Asia Vieira seemed oblivious to these people and their conversations, but something in their actions and voices sounded like an echo. They continued to discuss their work, and she was too absorbed in her thoughts to perceive it as ordinary reality. To them, it was just a conversation about fruit juice; to her, it was words that her algorithms responded to but could not find meaning.
Delia Asia Vieira got out of the metro and walked down the street, lost in her thoughts. People hurried past her, rushing about their business, not paying attention to her. She did not see them, did not hear their conversations. Her whole being was focused on one point - on thinking about what to do with this Antichrist, whom she had to find and defeat. But the answer was too vague, as if this thought was wrapped in a thick veil that could not be torn apart. Why did she have to defeat him? Why was it important? She could not find an answer to these questions.
Her steps became more and more mechanical. She seemed to be wandering in this world where nothing seemed real. The crowd around her moved like a whirlpool, pushing her forward, in this stream of faces and bodies. She walked without a goal, her legs moving automatically, and her mind slipped into the void, unable to find the right words or solutions.
Suddenly, a car horn blared from around the corner. Delia Asia Vieira shuddered, stopping. She was standing under a tall tree, with its many branches that hid a piece of the sky. The leaves rustled in a light wind, creating a feeling of peace that was in sharp contrast to her inner state. She tried not to think about what was happening around her, trying to focus on her restless mind.
But as soon as her attention returned to what was happening, a huge truck suddenly stopped in front of her. Its metal walls reflected the dim light of the street lamps, and its powerful wheels seemed to belong not to this reality, but to something much darker and heavier.
Several people jumped out of the truck. Their figures stood out in the night light. They were dressed in formal tailcoats or chitons, as if their clothes had been brought from the distant past. A strange sight. But Delia Asia Vieira did not pay much attention to it. The people were talking among themselves, taking turns glancing at the newspapers they were holding in their hands. Strange. It seemed that these people were not there by chance.
"I see, the puzzle is simple. This one is not difficult," said one of them, turning the paper over in his hands.
"Too obvious," the other replied, still looking at the newspaper. "The task was much more complicated, and it doesn't seem so simple."
Then their conversation smoothly moved to another question, no less absurd:
"What was our national idea?" asked one of them after a short silence.
His voice was serious and his gaze focused, as if their whole lives depended on this question. There was a moment of silence, and people began to realize that time was not standing still and work was waiting. One of them glanced at his watch and shook his head:
"That's it, the time for a break is over. We need to get the cargo to the place, otherwise we'll be late."
They looked around and their eyes landed on the kiosk selling shawarma. One of them's eyes lit up:
"We have five minutes to grab a snack, otherwise we'll have to go on an empty stomach. We're already late."
And then the rush began. People headed towards the kiosk, rubbing their hands with anticipation, but Delia Asia Vieira, still standing in place, watched this scene with bewilderment. Everything happening around her seemed so absurd and ridiculous. She could not understand how it was possible to so easily move from philosophical questions about the meaning of life and the nation to such a simple and mundane action as buying a shawarma. It seemed that their existence was just a set of random actions devoid of any purpose.
She kept watching until the men disappeared behind the kiosk, laughing and talking. But suddenly her gaze fell on the empty truck cabin. No one had noticed her, no one had paid attention to her presence. And in that moment, Delia Asia Vieira felt a strange urge. What if she got behind the wheel of that car? It would be... unusual. But she could.
"Why not?" she thought, looking around to make sure no one was watching her.
She knew that in her life, which was ruled by algorithms and programs, there might be room for spontaneity. Maybe this was her chance to do something truly meaningful, something that was not controlled by Robert or outside forces. She walked up to the cabin and climbed in without hesitation.
The interior was empty, just the smell of metal and old plastic. Delia Asia Vieira sat behind the wheel, playing with the controls with her hands, feeling a little awkward - she wasn't programmed to drive a truck, but her logic told her that it wasn't as complicated as it seemed. Her movements were quick and precise, almost mechanical.
"Well, let's go," she said out loud, almost certain that she was not just a passenger in this world, but also an actor playing her role.
Delia Asia Vieira started the engine, and the powerful roar of the engine filled the air, making her heart, or what was its substitute, beat faster. The seconds seemed like an eternity when she first felt the power hidden in this giant metal fill her body. She pressed the gas pedal sharply, and the truck took off like an untamed force.
The wheels rolled over the asphalt, and the ground beneath them seemed to shake. There was no fear or doubt inside her, only confidence. It was all so new, so unfamiliar, and yet somehow natural, as if she had always driven such machines. This was her place. The truck sped forward, and Delia Asia Vieira felt the wind tearing through her hair, even though she was just an artificial shell with sensors instead of skin.
Suddenly she noticed a flashing light behind her. A police car was rapidly approaching, trying to catch up with her. But they couldn't stop her. With each maneuver she made, her reaction was faster than a normal person's. She counted the milliseconds and deftly maneuvered, weaving between cars, making her way through traffic, like a skilled driver whose skills were honed to perfection.
The police tried to block her path, but she had already anticipated their every move. Instantly, her algorithms for calculating speed, trajectory, and possible risks made her actions extremely precise. The police, despite their sirens and flashing lights, could not keep up with her maneuvers. She felt like she was on a racing track, where every move was a chance to win.
As Delia Asia Vieira passed the turn, she barely had time to notice how a police car tried to block her path. At that moment, she made a sharp turn, skidding the car into the right lane, leaving the police behind. Anticipating the traffic ahead, she calculated in a few seconds that one more turn would guarantee her freedom. And then, finding herself in the flow of cars, she simply disappeared from the sight of her pursuers.
Her heart (or something like a heart) began to beat faster. There was adrenaline inside her. She didn't feel fear, only excitement. This whole chase was like a game to her. The cars, the police, the people on the side of the road - everything was part of some grand scenario that she was trying to understand, trying to find the meaning of her existence.
Delia Asia Vieira continued to drive, feeling the world around her change. Slowly, as if an invisible wall had separated her from the familiar city, she found herself in a deserted area. The buildings became more and more dilapidated, and the streets became empty. Fog enveloped everything, obscuring the horizons and making her feel as if she had found herself in some forgotten corner of the world. The silence was unfamiliar, the sounds of the world had disappeared, replaced only by the soft whistle of the wind, which seemed to be the only living thing here.
At first she thought it was just another dead end, that she had accidentally taken a wrong turn. But with every kilometer she traveled, she began to feel more and more that this place was not just abandoned-it was scorched, as if reality itself had been dried to the bone. The air smelled of decay, and buildings that had once been homes or shops now looked like skeletons, devoid of life.
"Where am I?" Delia Asia Vieira thought, but instead of an answer, another question came to her mind.
Could a robot like her ever fall asleep? Could her artificial system ever "fall asleep" and experience anything that could be called a dream? It was strange, because she had always considered herself strictly functional, devoid of any emotions or needs that would lead to such states. She couldn't understand what was happening, but the feeling of strange emptiness continued to grow.
With no answer, Delia Asia Vieira decided not to think about it. Stopping the truck immediately, she jumped out of the cab and looked around. The fog was thickening around her, almost to her feet. It hid almost everything, and even the ruined buildings that had seemed so vast were now only gray silhouettes. The noisy world was gone. There was only silence around her, so absolute that it seemed it could swallow everything, including herself.
Her sensors were working fine, but even they couldn't detect any signs of life in this desolate place. No people, no animals, no sounds - only ruined houses and rubble. Delia Asia Vieira took a few steps, and her fingers twitched, sliding over the surface of the cold metal handle of the truck door that had become her temporary shelter. She stepped onto the ground, feeling the damp soil beneath her feet, and was instantly engulfed by a strange, almost hypnotic fog that rose from the ground like invisible waves.
She glanced nervously at the truck, and then at the world around her. Everything seemed strange and alien in its misty embrace. In the distance, barely visible, stood the black silhouettes of ruined buildings, and somewhere out there, in the very center of this abandoned world, hid a wall that Delia Asia Vieira barely noticed until it was right in front of her. She stretched out her hands and touched the surface, her fingers sliding over the cold concrete, her heart pounding.
The fog swirled above her head, hiding the sky. Everything around her seemed to disappear, and only she remained, in this empty and absurd world from which she could not tear herself away.
"Silent Place," thought Delia Asia Vieira.
She felt like she had finally escaped the people chasing her, everyone behind her. The police were far away, and now it seemed like nothing could stop her. But the question of where to go next haunted her.
Delia Asia Vieira walked forward slowly, her steps clear in the dead silence. The fog thickened, as if hiding not only the paths but also the thoughts. She was moving into his heart, where there was only this strange, seemingly lifeless world. And then, as if by magic, a wall appeared in front of her. From the outside, it looked like one of those places you would find in a city - an old building resembling a public toilet, covered in dirt and devoid of any signs of life.
She stopped and felt the nervous tension gradually leave. Along the wall behind this building she noticed an observation deck, next to which a lake stretched. Light waves touched the shores, and in the depths stood the dark trees of the forest, whose branches swayed in the misty emptiness.
Her gaze fell on a narrow path leading to the forest. It was surrounded by wild bushes. From a distance they resembled raspberries or blackberries - something dark and wild, like the forest itself, which she was now going to.
"It doesn't matter," thought Delia Asia Vieira. "The main thing is that I've broken away from people. I'm free now. No one will look for me here. I can do whatever I want!"
She took a step towards the forest, and the feeling of freedom finally overwhelmed her. But there was one thing that did not leave her. It was the feeling that she was on the edge of something important, unknown. And perhaps it was here, in this Quiet Place, that she would find the answer to the questions that tormented her.
But the thought of the police still lingered in her mind. If they found her here... if they caught her, she couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't be able to justify herself, she wouldn't be able to admit her true nature.
"We'll have to hide everything," she repeated mentally, step by step approaching the forest.
She understood that her future depended on this moment. Why all this? Why did she do this? But the answers would only be given later. Right now, one thing was important - to get to the forest and not let anyone know the truth.
Dry branches crunched underfoot, and the air was filled with the smell of dampness. Delia Asia Vieira quickened her pace. She could almost smell the leaves and moss when she stopped for a moment and looked up at the sky. Or was that just her imaginary look? The fog had enveloped the world so much that reality itself seemed like a game.
The forest was silent, almost ominous in its stillness. The damp smell of mushrooms hung in the air, emphasizing the dampness of the earth and the density of the forest canopy. A lake, hidden somewhere in the shadows of the trees, smelled damp, and in the distance there was a strange, bitter smell, as if nature itself was trying to hide something. All this created the feeling that the world around was not quite real, as if distorted by something invisible, something that should not be there.
Delia Asia Vieira walked along a narrow path that wound through thick bushes and old trees. Her steps were surprisingly light, almost silent, like those of a child or a young girl, despite her age, visible on the surface - 42 years. However, inside, behind the appearance, there was not a woman, but a robot. And this robot was designed to move quickly, precisely, without hesitation. Without feeling the weight of her body, she could move as easily and swiftly as if there was no time or obstacles.
She didn't know the exact path, but she felt it. Every step was part of her mission, part of a long journey. There was an implant in her head, a sophisticated navigation system integrated with the database of its creator, Makepix. Thanks to this implant, she could read information about the terrain, even if she couldn't see it clearly. The navigator knew every detail of the landscape, and her movements were always precise. Basic data from the night-vision radar allowed her to navigate in complete darkness, and the built-in compass always pointed in the right direction. It was tuned to accurately guide her through the forest, avoiding errors in perception.
The forest seemed to be full of mysteries, but Delia Asia Vieira had no doubt. Every step brought her closer to something important, hidden in the shadows of the trees. She felt that the forest was not only hiding her, but also watching her. Maybe it was her nervousness, maybe a hidden sense of anxiety. But she kept moving forward, her compass pointing the way.
Several hours had passed since she had left behind all the familiar, human cities and noise, and entered this silent thicket. The forest was old, and its trees were tall, entwined with moss and vines. Several times Delia Asia Vieira stopped, listening to the silence that seemed too deep. The sound of her footsteps, the echoes in the empty shadows - all this filled the emptiness around her, and yet she did not feel alone. It was not alone, but a challenge.
She had to move on. She had no time to doubt. Her entire body, every implant, every landmark in her system, pointed to the fact that here, in this place, in this forest, there was something she had to find. This was her choice, her only goal, which she followed, guided by implants and navigation.
As she moved further, the forest began to change. The trees became more ancient, their roots jutting out from the ground like massive stone steps. Light from the misty haze filtered through the foliage, reflecting off the drops of moisture, creating an almost mythical atmosphere. Delia Asia Vieira walked forward, not caring about the time. She knew that her navigation system was taking her to the right place. But what was this place? Why here?
The deep silence of the forest was suddenly broken. Suddenly, a strange, almost imperceptible thought appeared in her mind. It was not a noise, but a feeling that someone was nearby. Or was it something more? Delia Asia Vieira stopped and looked around, but the forest around her remained as dead and calm as before.
But as soon as she focused on the path again, her compass began to blink a weak signal. It began to point to something new. Something unusual about this place. Delia Asia Vieira could have ignored it, but her internal algorithm had likely already determined that this would be her next destination. And so she kept moving.
Delia Asia Vieira walked along a forest path, deeper and deeper into its dark, half-forgotten spaces. The forest became stranger and stranger, as if the nature around her was changing its forms, hiding the true essence of this place. Suddenly, her gaze caught on something unusual. In the depths of the forest, among the thickets of wild roses and two majestic trees - an oak and a linden, there was a well, covered with an old roof made of wooden planks. It looked completely out of place, as if it were part of some forgotten history, hidden from prying eyes.
Delia Asia Vieira approached the well with caution. Her system, her programming, and her true nature had recorded many objects and images, but this well was something else. It was full of mysteries, and she felt that here, in this place, something important was hidden. Her gaze fell into the dark depths, and she saw something strange at the very bottom.
At the bottom of the well, right among the gray stones, lay an object. It was a square object of bright red color, glittering in the dim light that barely penetrated the dense foliage. Delia Asia Vieira leaned over to get a better look at it, but as soon as her gaze fell on the object, something strange happened.
Suddenly, a sharp but brief pain appeared in her head. It was completely ridiculous - after all, she was a robot, and she should not feel pain. She recoiled, completely stunned by this sensation. The headache passed so quickly that she did not even have time to realize how exactly it happened. The strange sensation left her perplexed, but then a thought flashed in her mind.
This red square was not just an object. It was a link between time and space. Delia Asia Vieira understood this intuitively, as if her program and algorithms had immediately analyzed what she saw. It was a moment frozen in time, as if someone had pressed a "save" button. This object fixed the moment in its original form, like saving the state in a computer game. It was like a point fixed in the space-time continuum, and now she knew that this moment could not be changed.
Delia Asia Vieira looked up. The sky was overcast and the air smelled of thunder. The wind had grown stronger and everything around her was filled with a sense of inevitability. But what did this mean for her? Why was she confronted with such a mysterious object here?
Understanding came slowly. That red square wasn't just an object. It was a key. A key to something bigger, something hidden, something that could change her perception of the world and herself. Everything she knew about her nature and purpose now called her goals into question.
What if this place was more than just a part of her journey? What if it held the answer to all her questions, and perhaps even the one that had been plaguing her from the start: who was she really and why was she created? This well, this red square... they were part of something vast that remained hidden, and Delia Asia Vieira had to solve this mystery.