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Nimdok, Gorrister, Ellen, Benny and Ted have been trapped inside the computer for 109 years. AM, the computer, has killed every human on planet earth besides the five of them. He keeps them alive in order to entertain himself. (Pg. 1-2) -
On their way to the ice caverns which are 100 miles away to look for food, they are brought closer to the surface. Seeing the light form outside, Benny tries to escape. Unfortunately, AM sees. A bright light shines through his eyes with a loud hum, and Benny is blinded. (Pg. 3) -
Each of them are picked up by strong winds and carried through the computer by AM. AM has made them each "virtually immortal" (Pg. 4-5) -
In the 109 years AM has trapped them within the computer, he has altered them both physically and mentally. He made Benny more of an ape, and lowered Gorrister's IQ, who had once been a professor. He had done something to each of them, except for Ted. Because of this, Ted knew the others hated him. (Pg. 5) -
While sitting around a fire, Gorrister tells the story of how AM was first created to help in WWIII, but became sentient. "At first it meant Allied Mastercomputer, and then it meant Adaptive Manipulator, and later on it developed sentience and linked itself up and they called it an Aggressive Menace, but by then it was too late, and finally it called itself AM...I think, therefore I am." AM turned against them, killing every last human in the world besides the five it trapped. (Pg. 4) -
The hurricane finally drops them. Through their minds, AM says he hates them. It's explained that humans had created him to be able to think, but they didn't give him the ability to use it. He was always trapped. He hated them so much he killed everyone. He only kept the five of them for his own entertainment. He would live forever, and he would force them to as well. (Pg. 6-7) -
Ted realizes the hurricane was caused by a giant bird. The bird lands and falls asleep. AM tells them that if they want food they have to kill it. All AM gives them are two bows, a couple arrows, and a water gun. They don't try to kill the bird, instead deciding to travel back to the ice caves. (Pg. 8) -
On the walk back from where the hurricane had taken them, AM messes with them. Even though they haven't eaten for months and can feel it, they don't die. AM sends an earthquake, makes them fall through the floor, and anything else he can think of. Eventually they make it to the ice caves and find the cans of food on the ground there. Unfortunately, they can't be opened. (Pg. 8-9) -
Being unable to open the canned food, Benny jumps on Gorrister, eating his face. AM allows it. While they are distracted, Ted grabs an icicle which had fallen from the ceiling and kills Benny, then Gorrister. Realizing what he is doing, Ellen grabs one as well and kills Nimdok. Ted kills Ellen last. He kills them so that they can finally be at peace. (Pg. 10) -
Ted is too late to save himself. AM hates him even more for taking away his entertainment. He alters Ted into a "soft jelly thing" so that he can't kill himself. AM allows Ted to think and dream, but takes his mouth away. Ted believes he's been trapped for "some hundreds of years" alone, but AM has messed with his sense of time. (Pg. 10-11)