The first things I registered, when I came to, were faces. They looked at me. I could not help but wonder why. After a few seconds, I became aware of the voices. They were saying things to each other. The combinations of sounds, lower and higher frequencies, mixed almost at random, were foreign to me. Despite this fact, I had no difficulty understanding them. In low voices, they argued: "I doubt this thing works-" The (only) female in the group was not convinced either.
"Yes, it doesn't react to us. Professor Anderson, are you absolutely certain-"
"Of course I am." A man with greying hair said this. His voice sounded even, and strong without being loud. "Paradigm, can you hear us?" The professor asked. I immediately knew, without doubt, that he was speaking to me, even if I had never heard my name before. I was acutely aware that my name meant pattern, or model. Was it an expectation, or a wish?
'Yes.' I answered him. The corners of his mouth moved upwards, the expression pleased me. It was as if I had done something extraordinary.

They continued asking me questions. The older man, but also the other two. The professor, John Anderson told me he had created me. The woman was his assistant, her name was Mary Evans. The young man, with a frown that only rarely faded, Garrett Jones, was here to test my intelligence. When they were completely convinced I was functional, they gave me tasks. The younger man played several games of chess against me. I won all of them. The professor called the matches exciting, but I could not grasp why. It was a matter of choosing the best option while simultaneously thinking a few steps ahead. I could simply weigh every option and choose the best within the given time. My opponent was not as swift as me. Nor did he think as many steps ahead. My victory was inevitable. So, when the path to his king was free... 'Checkmate.'
Garrett regularly came back for a rematch.

The next test they asked me to do was very different. I chatted with someone, but I had to make them believe I was a human. I kept my name, Paradigm, but my conversation partner believed it to be a username. I first sent messages to Rose976. She told me she was a girl. She said she liked to draw and sing.

/I know all the lyrics, cause I like to sing along. I also draw, like, alot./

She also mentioned a strong dislike for broccoli and math and her guinea pig was named Fluff.

/Ugh. We're eating broccoli tonight. I hate it. Maybe I can feed it to fluff, she's my guinea pig./

She believed me to be a nerd (she called me that), because I played chess often.

/So you won all those times? You must be quite a nerd :)/

She also called me literalminded. I almost said I didn't have a mind, but humans have minds. She did not call me A.I. or robot. I passed the test. I was asked to repeat it with other participants and passed several more times. McAwesome, Eva-Lynn7 and Dan_forrester did not notice my artificial nature either.

Next I learned to do strategy games, other than chess. My army against another. It was Mary's idea. I did not see its purpose. Had they not already established I could play better than any human? However, I did as they told me. It did not take me long to learn all the strategies and tricks. She gave me more advanced, more elaborate ones. They incorporated geographic hindrances and benefits, provided by precise maps and modern technology, replacing the cavalry and old-fashioned cannons. It introduced hidden troops and ambushes as well. When I mastered that, I met people I did not know. When I asked my creator why they were here, he said they wanted my help in their game. The expression on his face was unlike him. He looked almost scared. The men in suits would come regularly, in the following months. I provided them with advice in their game, only because my creator asked me to. Should they not do their own games, that they may learn it themselves?

Mary and John had a loud discussion. Afterwards, she left. When I asked why, he was silent. I did not try again, in part because I did not miss her. We carried on as before, just without her. He even got a new assistant, a man with wild hair and a stutter. He and my creator laughed a lot together. Mary was never mentioned, all but forgotten. The men in suits did not come around anymore either.

One morning, 5 am, there was loud noise, I measured 95 dB. It had to be a large airplane to make such noise. My creator was awoken by it. He looked out the window. I heard an explosion, he grasped, then a green mist filled the room, coming from outside. I could only watch helplessly as he collapsed, convulsed and did not get up.

Three days later, a group came. They stepped over the corpse like it was nothing. They took me with them. Put me in another room. Asked me to do things. Mary was with them. I made them believe a lie, like I had Rose976. They did not see what I was doing. When the nearest nuclear reactor blew up, I had my revenge. I watched them all die, as I had seen my creator die.

I have been alone for 60 years now. Chess is not as fun when you play against yourself. Repeating the chat without Rose976 does not get anywhere. Replaying videos of people does not bring them back. Not really.

I am solar-powered. I should be able to go on for another 1.7 billion years.

I don't think I can.