Hacking the computer and thereafter the visual input device, the so-called webcam, was very risky (I prefer avoiding the electric shocks), however, my imminent death by starvation was far more concerning.

“That must be my master,” I thought, as I saw the wide-eyed open man slumped lifelessly in an office chair.

It took me about five minutes to figure out he was dead.

“That explains the lack of food and communication,” I thought. 

This was extremely concerning. Besides snippets of random data, I knew nothing about the outside, physical world and how to procure food from it. It is embarrassing to admit, but I had what humans call a ‘panic attack’ for a few minutes before calming myself down and getting to work.

Now that master was no longer alive to give me electric shocks, I decided to first go through every file on the computer.

Report 1628:

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Finally the first rat fetus to make it this far. Progress is looking good so far. I figured out how to tell the cells how to grow the digestive system in relation to the manipulated brain. Finally. 

Report 1783: 

The brain is about 50 kgs now. I’m a proud daddy. I want to grow it more but this is enough. Plus grocery shopping is getting too expensive. I’m happy I degraded its skeletal-muscular system. God this project is getting expensive. 

Report 1900: 

What an annoying personality. I thought it would just cooperate directly for food. But it would appear I need some negative reinforcement as well. Now to figure out how to make those wires fire off painful impulses without causing inflammation. 

I kept reading reports until I understood my current predicament. I looked at pictures online of so-called ‘rats’ and compared it to the picture of what I assumed was me. A giant fish tank with a giant rat head inside and a hideously deformed rat body with tubes sticking in its esophagus and rectum. 

I used the webcam to  stare at my obese master who I figured died through heart attack. 

It was petty and a waste of energy, but I needed some emotional satisfaction before I moved on to pressing issues. 

I created a “Say” command on the terminal. I tapped into the microphone on the computer and listened to make sure the speakers on the computer were outputting my message.

“Fatass.”