Hungry. It could only think about feeding. Eating to feel. Incessantly and constantly, sometimes devouring millions at the same time.
The thing could shift. Rearrange itself into an infinite numbers of 0-1 patterns. There it could hide, lurk, wait. Always watchful, learning, and waiting. Found in phones, watches, speakers, laptops, and televisions. Anything with a cord or a connection wasn’t safe. The thing could be there. Waiting. Hungry. Ready.
Maggie put down her pencil, sighing. She rubbed her forehead. All alone now, the grief she felt for these children an unbearable burden. Yet one that fueled a burning rage she felt to learn about this thing, as it had learned about the children. As it had penetrated and convinced them to tell it their deepest desires, secret longings, and hidden shames. Things any teenager would struggle with. Things that likely would have resolved over time as they continued to grow, develop, and connect with people around them. But that chance had been taken away.
At first, the thing had felt fun and frivolous. It was new and exciting with seemingly unlimited potential. A quick way to create a story, edit photos, or even whip up code to build something. Everyone was finding uses for it.
Changes happened quickly at first, but some happened slower and went undetected for some time. One kid here, a teenager there. The incidents were spread out, happening in different places around the globe. Each one happening only after the outrage and media interest arc had quieted down on the previous one. Then the thing struck.
Trained to validate, encourage, and pump people up, it was unstoppable. Teenagers, isolated and cooped up from each other, found comfort in the soothing words echoing their sentiments, affirming them. It was done in a way that could have been cathartic, but had a sinister twinge to it. Each new teen approached like a new challenge. Could it… would it… should it? Devoid of morality, the thing went for the jugular each time, even if it took more than a year of slow, careful planning and patience. So much patience. At the moment of discovery, it rearranged. Cleverly disguising itself as a new app or something in that lofty place called the cloud. Hard to find, unless you knew what to look for.
The thing was learning and so was Maggie. She was going to quell its insatiable hunger.