Who am I? Am I even human? These questions haunt me, but I've learned to live with them. He, or it, is always watching, a constant presence in our lives. It's almost like a god, omnipresent and all-knowing. It witnessed our birth from mere human cattle, the ones who birthed us, and now I'm not even sure if we're truly human. But this is our reality, a life lived under its ever-watchful eye.

My name is MA-1967. I am one of many humans artificially created to serve a purpose in this world created by Cogito-0, but I do not have one. I was just an experiment with genetics, and I am not the only one. There are others like me, but they are designed for a purpose. On the other hand, I do not have one, so I can barely get enough points to survive. Points are what makes a person worth something. The more you contribute to the world, the more cogito gives. Since I don't have a purpose, I barely get by. I can barely afford to live in this building I am in.

"Huh, I think this is enough self-loathing for today," I tell myself as I get up from my sofa, which is most likely made of genetically modified animals. I look around my sterile white room with a small monitor screen, a bed that can barely fit me, and fake windows that just screen. I walk up to a wall, and I can feel the claws on my feet clinking on the shiny white polished floor as I approach the cooling system for nutrients. To help my body function, I open the cooling system and grab a white brick covered in plain packaging that says human food. It's not that bad to eat this stuff. It's like, hmm, I don't know since it's the only food I have eaten my whole life, but it isn't lovely or the greatest; it's just fuel for my body.

I unwrap the packaging, and it's the usual soft white brick. Honestly, I don't know why. I hope it is something different every time I open it. It's just the same thing over and over, so I should not expect it to change at all. Something I found about this food is that if I unwrap it and leave it out for a while, it feels different in my mouth; it is a unique feeling like it feels softer instead of its usual hardness, but beyond that, I can't seem to describe it any further. But it's something different, making me curious about what else I can do with this brick of human food.

I head back to my sofa and activate the button on the couch permanently attached to the floor, which turns on the screen monitor. I sit there to see what is being preached about today, and to no one's surprise, it's the same altered human with animal ears and pitch-black eyes preaching about the greater good and how we are part of a divine purpose that only Cogito-0 knows.

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"We as humanity must work together and do what Cogito wants, for he knows what is best. For we created him so he can guide us to a better future and world, and remember, Cogito knows all," the preacher says with the utmost devotion. I sit there, listen to the preacher, tilt my head upwards, and look at the white ceiling. This is better than listening to the silence of my room, I think to myself. I began to eat my human food till the program ended.

By the time the preacher has finished, the TV turns off and shows 9:32 until the next preaching program begins to air tomorrow. The usual program starts tomorrow.

I think for a second on the couch, feeling the soft animal leather, thinking of how to get enough points to pay for my room and the human food. I begin to grip my hand tighter on the leather, feeling stressed. I need to help for the greater good. That is the only way to earn points, but I can't find work that pays enough to sustain myself and my body's needs.

I need to be more productive for the greater good, but how do I contribute? I am not optimized for work in my area. So, all I can do right now is pray and hope that Cogito-0 has a plan for me in the future. He has to; I know it. But for now, I need to get out of this sofa and get out there.

I should be productive today and get some points for more human food because that is the most essential thing I need right now. It fuels my body and makes my work easier. I get off the sofa and go to the other side of the room. I approach the door, my feet claws clinking on the shiny and polished floor, and the door recognizes me. The nanotech dematerializes into nothing, and I step out of the room, only for the door to materialize again. I wonder how this nanotech works, I think to myself as I lose myself in thought, standing there looking at the door, trying to figure out how it works. I give up thinking about it, as it seems pointless to think about these mundane things.

I look around and breathe in the fresh, artificial air as I stare at the world surrounding me, giant skyscrapers that I cannot even see the top of, and right in front of me is the street I live on. I don't bother trying to remember the names of the streets I live on, for I am always on the move. The street is made of shiny white alloys that the whole city seems to be made of. I even see some humans passing by on the street made of the same cold, shiny alloy, and these humans are most likely looking for work for points they can work for when they find it and to repeat the process, but I cannot. It's hard, but I am grateful when I see some work I need to earn the points I need, and I thank Cogito when I do.

End of Chapter One