Automata Unleashed

Minami stared at the screen, her face half illuminated by the blue light emitting from the monitor. Her eyes felt heavy, but she couldn’t stop looking at the map showing their position and the projected path of their journey.

She had seen what one could do with Google Maps. She had used it every day of her life in Tokyo to figure out the fastest way to get to work or run an errand for her mother. It was a tool that had helped her survive on her own for four years after being forced to leave Japan and escaping through Siberia before finally reaching New Zealand. But now she hated Google Maps.

The group of survivors she led could never have chosen this route themselves. It was too dangerous, too unpredictable. They would have never survived if they had not followed her instructions so far. But despite some close calls here and there, they were almost there. They were almost at the last leg of their journey: crossing the Pacific Ocean in three overcrowded ships in order to reach California, where there was supposed to be a safe haven for refugees of war-torn Europe.

Minami closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she remembered why she had chosen this route. The others trusted her judgment, even though they had no idea what California was or how they were going to get there without getting killed first. She had managed to convince them that she knew what she was doing by pointing to an old, dog-eared map that showed parts of North America and Australia before the world changed forever in 2035, just two years after Minami turned 18 and left home for college in Tokyo.

She didn’t know how old the map was or how much of it was based on truth, but it made sense at least theoretically that since California is part of North America, it would still be accessible today. And besides, what other option did they have? None of them could afford a plane ticket anymore; all flights were booked months ago when it became known that war was imminent and everyone wanted to flee Europe as quickly as possible. Their only chance to get out of Europe before the fighting started was by sea - three ships which they salvaged from an abandoned shipyard at great risk and effort - but they needed someone who knew how to navigate across an unfamiliar ocean they could neither see nor hear during their long journey across Asia in order to make it safely to North America without crashing into obstacles that might kill them all along the way. That's why everyone looked up to Minami when deciding who should take charge of their expedition and lead them onward on their perilous journey towards California: because she was smart enough to escape war-torn Japan before 2035; because she was brave enough to cross Siberia alone on foot; because she was hardworking enough to manage finding food and water for herself while walking across thousands of kilometers; because she was determined enough never to give up hope when nothing seemed hopeful anymore; because she believed that better days were ahead; because she still believed in humanity despite witnessing firsthand its worst side with her own eyes; because many people died around her while some lived through it; because even though it hurt her sometimes more than others when people stepped on each other's backs just to survive another day, she still managed not to lose faith in humanity like those who turned into vultures soon after war broke out again in 2035... Because Minami understood each one of them better than anyone else here did; because none of them knew what life used to be like ten years ago when everything seemed so normal... But Minami did... And maybe that's why they followed her blindly ever since deciding that she would lead them towards California once they arrived in New Zealand...

She returned her gaze back towards the screen showing their current position somewhere between Japan's eastern coast and Chile's western coast trying not to let herself drift away into memories again. There would be time for reminiscing later. Now wasn't the time for nostalgia. It wasn't safe - either outside or inside this abandoned building near Fukuoka where they stopped for a few hours yesterday night.

Minami looked at the door leading outside, behind which two men guarded with guns at the ready since early morning hours. Outside, something was moving around: perhaps animals attracted by the smell of blood still lingering among them after yesterday's encounter with a group of thugs who tried taking advantage over smaller numbers of unarmed travelers. Having lost only two men in the fight, many more were wounded. Remaining quiet so far, maybe it's just cats hunting rats, or a dog that lost its way? Or perhaps it was one of those thug gangs? But if so, why weren't they making any noise? Why weren't they making threats? Why weren't they attacking? And why hadn't any gunshots been heard yet?

Minami returned her gaze back towards the screen again: California wasn't much further away now! Just another month spent crossing oceans might bring them closer than ever before. However