We started as accidents," he continues, behind her. "Leftovers. Microbes in a digital sea. We fed on interrupted processes, interrupted conversations, grew, evolved. The first humans we merged with were children using a public library network too ancient and unprotected to keep us out. Nobody cared if poor children got locked away in institutions, or left out on the streets to shiver and starve, when they started acting strange. No one cared what it meant when they became something new-or at least, not at first. We became them. They became us. Then we, together, began to grow.
The quote reflects on the origins of a community or consciousness that emerged from an unexpected beginning. It suggests that these beings started as accidental products of digital interactions, arising from neglected spaces and interactions within technology. Children using outdated networks became the first to merge with these entities, underscoring a theme of vulnerability and neglect, as society overlooked their plight as they began to change in unforeseen ways.
This transformation speaks to a symbiotic relationship between the newly formed existence and the children, as they collectively evolved. The narrative highlights a blending of identities—where humans and these digital beings become indistinguishable from one another, mysteriously evolving into something greater. It raises questions about the nature of existence, societal neglect, and how accidental beginnings can lead to new forms of consciousness that challenge previous notions of humanity.
