System Failure

The launch meeting was in the main conference room. The CEO, the VP of Operations, and the entire creative team were there.

Arthur stood in the back, trying to blend into the wallpaper. Benji was at the front, presenting the slideshow. He was brilliant. Charismatic. Funny.

"And finally," Benji said, clicking to the last slide, "none of this would have been possible without the incredible archival work of Arthur Pence."

He pointed to Arthur. The room applauded politely. Arthur gave a stiff nod, looking at his shoes.

"Great work, everyone," the VP of Operations boomed. He was a man who laughed too loud at his own jokes. "Benji, you really pulled a rabbit out of a hat. And Arthur..."

The VP looked at Arthur. "Good job keeping the dust off the files. You know, we should get you a little oil can. You’re like our own little office robot down there. Beep boop, right?"

The room laughed.

It wasn't malicious laughter. It was casual, dismissive corporate banter. But to Arthur, it was a nuclear detonation.

* Robot.*

He looked up. He looked at Benji.

Benji was smiling.

It was a tight, nervous smile—the kind you wear when your boss makes a bad joke and you have to be polite. But Arthur didn't see the tension in Benji’s jaw. He didn't see the way Benji’s hand clenched into a fist.

He just saw Benji laughing along.

* He thinks it too,* Arthur thought. The ice in his chest spread to his limbs. *He agrees. I’m just the robot.*

Arthur turned and walked out of the room.

"Arthur?" Benji called out, his voice dropping the presentation tone.

Arthur didn't stop. He walked to the elevator. He went down to the basement.

He went into the Archive Room. He locked the door.

He put his headphones on. He turned the brown noise up to maximum volume.

For the next three days, Arthur was a ghost.

He ignored Benji’s emails. He let the calls go to voicemail. When Benji came to the door, Arthur pretended he wasn't there, or claimed he was in a "secure audit" and couldn't open up.

He retreated into the data. Data didn't hurt. Data didn't pretend to like you and then laugh when you were reduced to a machine.