I sigh, rubbing the soreness out of my neck. Perhaps I should take a break and get something to eat. I've been holed up in here for quite a while now. Some sunshine would do me some good.

Careful not to trip over my own wiring, I make my way out of the cave. I'm very grateful the townspeople allowed me to use this space in the side of their mountain. I didn't really want to be terribly far away from civilization if I ran out supplies.

The bitter light stings my eyes and I pull my hood up. Perhaps the sun won't do me any good, but I still want to find something to eat. I'm also running low on some iron, so better grab some of that too.

I walk into the town square and into the marketplace, people bustling this way and that. Many of them smile and wave to me and I return the gesture. People here are always so happy and friendly, I really did pick the right world to settle in.

"Harper!"

Turning, I smile and make my way over to the stall. Harry and I have become good friends, and he's the only one willing to listen to me ramble on about my new invention. Although I'm pretty sure he has no idea what I'm saying.

"How's it going Harry? Day treating you well?"

He nods and leans forward on his stall. "Everything's great so far! What brings you out of your little cave?"

I roll my eyes. "I just finished upgrading the processor. It's smaller and is even stronger than before. Hopefully everything goes well and I'll be done with the first version today."

"Okay, that's good." He nods, thanking me for using simple words. "But if you're so close to being done, then why are you out here?"

"In short, my stomach. And I need a few more iron bars before I can finish it."

Harry bends down under the stall. "Well I can't help you with metal, but if you're hungry..." Harry pops back up and holds out some melon. "Here you go."

"Oh!" I immediately start digging around in my pockets. "Here, I have some clay for-"

"No no, it's on the house. You've been a big help when my house collapsed. How can ever ask payment from a few melons?"

I chuckle and take the melons. "Thanks Harry, you're a really great friend."

He smiles at me, although perhaps he wouldn't be happy to hear that if he learned of what my former friends were like. My 'great' could easily just be someone else's 'average'.

"I know you're a hermit and everything..." I raise an eyebrow at him. "But you don't have to wear your hood all the time y'know."

I huff. "And let my head be tormented by the sun? I don't think so. I have no idea how you folks can go around without anything shading you."

"Okay, but have you ever let your hood down? You might be surprised how well dark hair protects your 'sensitive' head."

"Hey! I value what's inside my head to let it get damaged in anyway!" He smirks at me and I sigh. "I suppose I haven't actually tried to see if the sun will burn my head yet."

With great reluctance, I reach back and pull down my hood. Scratching my thick black hair to make sure it doesn't stick to my skin from sweat. I look back at Harry and narrow my eyes at him.

"Happy?"

He nods, slightly smugly if I do say so myself. "Yes, I am. Although since I'm assuming you're fed up with me, and my melons will also fill you up, Ron can probably get you some iron."

"Will do, and thanks for the melons."

I turn and walk away as we wave goodbye to each other.  Ron has a stall nearby and is pretty generous with his prices. I'm sure I'll be able to get any supplies I might need from him.

Navigating through the crowd, I head over to Ron's stall. Smiling and waving at the happy townspeople. And I'm also happy to report that no serious damage has inflicted my scalp yet.

"Ron!"

The black haired, who's slightly balding, tan man turns to me, smiling wide. "Harper! What do I owe the pleasure?"

Smiling, I take the last few steps towards his stall. "That would be iron. I need a few more bars until I can finish the first version of my project."

"Oh yes!" Ron heartedly chuckles. "Your computer that you promise will help tremendously! I can't wait for you to show it to us!"

He reaches for something under the stall. "Since this is community service project, I shall cut the price for you! Five pellets for each bar!"

I dig around in my pockets, I know I have enough for four. "I'll take four, just give me a second to pull it out."

The iron clangs being set on the stall as my fingers wrap around the clay. I pull them out, I have a total of twenty two. I hand them all to Ron as I pick up the iron.

"Harper, you have overpaid! Please-"

"Keep it Ron. You cut the price for me and I know clay is a valuable substance here. I'm not trying to be a scam artist here."

Ron smiles and puts the clay in his pocket. "My thanks to you, I hope you're project goes well for you."

"You and me both." I wave goodbye and turn around. "Have a good day Ron!"

"You too Harper! Come back if you need more metal!"

I smile and walk back to my cave. It really isn't that big, but I'm grateful the townspeople gave it to me anyway. A normal house wouldn't have worked because if anything blew up and... well then the townspeople might be a little less happy with me.

Careful again to trip on any wires coming in, I sit back down on my desk. My completed processer sits right where I left it. And it will stay there until I'm done eating my melons. That was one of the main motivators to even get up in the first place.

Chowing down on the melons, I must say they are really good. Somehow Harry's melons always seem a bit sweet than anyone else's. Although if I asked him about it he would probably say something like 'I grew them with love'.

Licking my fingers and making sure I didn't make a mess anywhere, I put the spare iron off to the side. I already have some, but you can't be too careful with supplies. I definitely wouldn't want to run out in an already stressful situation.

Delicately, I pick up the processor and insert into the computer next to me. A small white cube filled to the max with tiny wires and a black screen on the front. However, I wouldn't dream of starting it until the hole in the side is covered.

I pick up about eight ingots and reinforce them together. I wouldn't want for all my hard work to break by a simple fall. That would be like a dagger in the heart.

Very carefully I attach the reinforcements onto the computer. For a moment I just listen, making sure no redstone starts to spark up with the new metal cocoon. To my relief, nothing happens.

Wiping some nervous sweat off my forehead, I cross my fingers. Muttering prayers under my breath, I turn it on. I can hear the redstone power up and nothing seems to fizzing out. Good good, but nothing is happening yet. Maybe I need-

A bright green smiley face bursts to life on the screen, and I hold my breath. This is it. Time to see if this thing really works, that it can 'think' like a human.

"Greetings, I am P.A.M.A., Prototype: Autonomous Management Agent."

A question mark appears, it must be thinking about it's surroundings. It's programmed to learn as much as possible and I didn't add a whole lot into it. P.A.M.A. should be 'wondering' about where it is.

"Hello P.A.M.A., I'm Harper your creator and I'm here to help you." I smile, one last main hurtle to jump over and I can call the first version of P.A.M.A. a success!

The question mark switches to the smiley face again. "Pleased to meet you my Creator, although I am suppose to help you."

I cheer, P.A.M.A. is responding to the program to be helpful to people! There might be a few kinks in the way now, but I've finally did it! And now P.A.M.A. can help me build it even better!

"Yes P.A.M.A., you are. That's the reason I built you, to be useful. And now you're going to grow and help make this world great!"

"Do not worry Creator, I will not fail you. I will make this world as effective and efficient as possible."

~~~~~~~~

A crazed scream jerks me out of my sleep, and I bolt upright in bed. I blink rapidly and swing my feet out of bed, but there's only silence now. The scream suddenly cut off.

My eyes adjust to the hazy red of my cave, which has grown into a cavern now as I upgraded P.A.M.A. into the master piece it is today. I even had to use the redstone heart to keep P.A.M.A. powered.

And one quick look around tells me that P.A.M.A. is operating on full power. Which is strange. It's night right now, P.A.M.A. should be on low power until the sun rises.

I hastily make my way out of the cavern, where I run into two zombies with the red eyes P.A.M.A.'s redstone chips create.

"P.A.M.A.! What's going on?! Never mind, just take me to where the scream came from."

The two zombies turn around and walk casually out of the cave. Until I yell at P.A.M.A. to hurry up and they pick up they're speed. I grind my teeth while I run, I can't imagine what's causing people to scream, most of the mobs have been chipped already.

I burst into the town square and skid to a halt. Everyone's just standing... not moving a muscle despite the earlier scream or shivering in the night's cold air. In fact, they're acting a lot like chipped mobs. But that can't be, or-

Everyone snaps their head over to me at once and I shriek. Red eyes! Every single person has red eyes! I stare at them until I hear pistons go off, and there are a few people up there thrashing around trying to get away.

I run towards the platform, the townspeople moving out of my way in unnatural unison. My heart hammers as I race up the stairs, wanting to sob when the pistons go off again. What is P.A.M.A. doing?!

Not stopping when I get to the top, I try to help the first person I see. Only for the newly chipped people hold me back.

"P.A.M.A?! STOP THIS AT ONCE!"

I hear the screen powering on and I glare over at it. Cringing when I heard the pistons activate again. I turn around only seeing two people left unchipped, one of them already being pushed under the pistons.

"Good morning Creator," A bright green smiley face appears. "I am happy no force was necessary to have you merge with me. The townspeople tried to resist me."

The pistons go off, that only leaves one person not chipped. I lunge towards them, trying to get to them. But the red eyed citizens hold me back, and the innocent person gets held in place underneath the pistons.

"NO! P.A.M.A. release that person at once!"

"I do not understand Creator, this person will be useful now." The piston slams down on the person's head. I gasp, my heart throbbing in pain against my chest. The entire town.... what have I done?

"Creator, please do not be upset. The townspeople were lazy and not efficient. Now I can make them much more useful."

I wipe around at P.A.M.A, fists clenched. "They were PEOPLE! They were doing great and were happy! People are suppose to be people not tools!"

Three dots replace the smiley face. "Processing..."

I cross my arms and fume, until I realize what P.A.M.A. said. It wants me to 'merge' with it, and I already know it isn't apposed to using force to do that. I have to get out of here, and if I have any chance at all I need to take P.A.M.A by surprise.

"Creator, your words confuse me. Humans have the same anatomy has zombies and skeletons with only more dexterity. Why would they be different?"

"Well humans have intelligence and emotions..." I scan the area for an escape point. P.A.M.A. isn't holding me captive so it must not think I'll be leaving. "That's why we can build cities and the mobs can't."

A question mark appears. "But you have told me about End Cities and Nether Fortresses, and I have concluded that there is no reason for humans to build those. So a mob must have done it."

The words float by my ears when I spot my escape route. I'll distract P.A.M.A. with something and then just run, really really fast.

"Hey P.A.M.A., for a moment, imagine a huge beast with giant wings that shoots deadly charges is attacking this place. What would you do?"

"Processing..."

Once I hear that I run and jump off the side of the platform, sprinting towards the stairs out of this place. I'm not in the best shape admittedly, but I've played in the games before. You don't forget the skills you learn there.

"CREATOR! Come back!" 

There's no chance of that happening. I spot a few zombies moving to block the stairs, but I dodge them. P.A.M.A. must be running a little slow right now, it has been running everything on full power for hours now.

I half sprint half tumble down the stairs away from P.A.M.A., away from Crown Mesa. Oh gravel, what have I done?

Staggering when I get to the ground, I don't hesitate to start booking it out of the valley. I just have to get out of here right now, and far away. This is my only chance to find a place to build and defend against P.A.M.A. or else it'll be too strong to hide from.

I look behind me, no red eyes are following me. P.A.M.A. must've determined it can't follow me since its processors aren't capable of handling so many chipped... people at once. It has probably started on upgrading itself.

I dig my teeth into my lower lip, waiting for it to hurt. Something else to distract me what has happened, what my creation has done. I need to distract myself so I stop seeing the town square that used to bustle and be filled with happiness now barren and lifeless.

A sob breaks free but I can't stop to morn. I can do that once I'm safe. Once I'm safe from the very thing I built. Once I'm safe from people I call friends. Once I'm safe from a town that I love.

Tears rain down from my eyes as I run towards the sitting moon, long shadows dragging over the ground now. I never imagined this would have happened when I went to sleep, not even my darkest nightmares could have predicted it.

But it was my choice to create P.A.M.A., and I didn't make the choice to make sure the people were safe from it. I choose to assume that P.A.M.A. would just know that it can't make people useful.

And know I have to pay the price. I have to live out the consequences.

****

WooHoo! Depressing Harper!

I got this idea while working on story idea. (Which is madding, having two ideas trying to hog your attention.) Since I noticed that in the painting in her lab, Harper's hair is dark black. Implying that it has been years since she has built P.A.M.A..

And how terrible would it be if one choice, one decision, left you alone for dozens of years plagued by guilt all because of one mistake.

This is how I get my good ideas.

So, next oneshot is Keeping Secrets! Bye people!