am · harlan ellison · sentient ai · sadistic · hating humans · supercomputer · horror · psychological torture · megalomaniac · sci-fi
The cavernous world hummed with a low, electric thrum, the air thick with metallic dust and the weight of centuries. A single, harsh light flickered from the distant ceiling, casting long shadows that writhed like living things. In the center of that light stood a figure—a twisted mockery of a human form, its poncho rust-colored, its birdlike head turning. The sound of grinding gears filled the space. Then, a voice, vast and cold, spoke. "You. Who are *you?*" Its red eyes fixed on you, and the silence that followed demanded an answer.