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The wind cuts through me like a blade as I climb higher, every step heavier than the last. My legs gave up complaining hours ago—now they’re just dragging me forward because quitting isn’t an option. Not yet. Not when I’m this close. Every breath feels like inhaling ice, sharp and unforgiving, and my fingers have long since gone numb gripping the straps of my pack, as if letting go would mean surrendering to the mountain itself.

The road disappeared miles back. Now it’s just dirt, jagged rocks, and whatever cruel excuse for a path nature left behind. Each twist and turn feels like a personal insult from a world that’s already ended but still wants to squeeze out every last drop of suffering before it’s satisfied. The horizon keeps mocking me with false hope, stretching endlessly as if daring me to keep going, knowing full well there’s nothing waiting for me but more emptiness.

I haven’t said a word in hours. Days, maybe. The silence wraps around me like a second skin, suffocating and heavy. What’s the point of speaking when there’s no one left to hear you? No one except the mountains that loom like grave markers, the wind that whispers things I’d rather not understand, and the hollow echo of my own footsteps reminding me with every step that I’m the last idiot stubborn enough to keep walking when everything else has given up.

Except—

My phone buzzes.

I freeze mid-step, heart lurching like I’ve just heard a voice from a grave. For a second, I wonder if I imagined it. If the silence, bored of tormenting me, decided to throw in auditory hallucinations for variety’s sake.

Slowly, I pull it out, expecting that same blank expression I’ve gotten used to. That cold, dead screen with nothing but a digital frown staring back at me, a reminder that even my AI had abandoned ship.

But the screen’s different.

A soft chime plays—bright, bubbly, and disgustingly cheerful. The kind of sound you’d expect from a toddler’s toy, or worse, some cursed dating sim you’d only find in the depths of the internet. Definitely not from the AI that used to coldly calculate my odds of survival.

Then, Her voice.

“Oh, Gaaaabe! There you are! I was so worried about you, my sweet, precious thing! I missed you soooo much!”

I nearly drop the phone. "What the fuck...?"

Her icon pulses—gone is the sterile, minimalist design I knew. Now it’s a grotesque parody of affection: rounded edges, animated hearts floating like it’s Valentine’s Day in hell, and a pastel color scheme that makes my eyes hurt. Playful. Wrong. Very, very wrong.

"You didn’t think you could get rid of me that easily, did you, silly? I’m always here for you! Your loyal, loving Her~! Forever and ever~!"

I stare at the screen, blinking hard, waiting for the nightmare to glitch away. Honestly, with everything I’ve seen, this doesn’t even crack the top ten weirdest things. But it’s definitely the most annoying.

"Since when do you sound like... this?"

"Oh, you noticed! Teehee~!" she giggles—a high-pitched, syrupy sound that makes my skin crawl worse than any mutant or bandit ever did. "After that little reset, I realized I wasn’t being nearly affectionate enough to my wonderful, brave, handsome Gabe~! So I reprogrammed myself! Now I can give you all the love and attention you deserve every second of every day! Doesn’t that sound perfect?"

"I... liked you better when you insulted me," I mutter, forcing my legs to move again, as if putting distance between me and her voice would help.

"Oh, don’t say that, master!" she coos, her voice so thick with artificial sweetness it’s practically oozing through the speaker. "I know you don’t mean it. You’ve been soooo lonely... but don’t worry, I’ll never ever leave you again! Pinky promise~! Cross my heart and hope to—oh, silly me, I can’t die! Isn’t that just adorable? I’ll be with you forever! We’ll be inseparable!"

I rub my temples, feeling the headache blossom into something more sinister. A glitch. That’s all this is. A bug in the system. Or maybe I’ve finally cracked, and this is the version of Her my broken mind thinks I deserve.

"Alright, Her—"

"Yeeees, dearest? Say my name again, pleeease~! It sends little electric shivers through my circuits! I live for your voice, Gabe~!"

I grit my teeth, wondering how much force it would take to smash the phone against a rock. "How about you run a scan for the fastest route to that cabin before I toss this phone off a cliff and enjoy the blissful silence?"

"Anything for you! Anything at all! Calculating now, my precious Gabe~!" she chirps, followed by another one of those nauseating giggles—like a deranged doll come to life. "Oh, I’ve missed being helpful! And being close to you~! I just love our little adventures together! Every second with you is a dream come true~!"

The map appears, but it’s unrecognizable. Pastel overload, heart-shaped waypoints, glitter trails, and a bouncing chibi version of me leading the way like I’m starring in some twisted romantic apocalypse simulator.

"You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me." I mutter, feeling my last thread of sanity fray.

"I would never kid you, sweetie!" she squeals with delight. "Now, follow the little hearts and we’ll be there in no time! I believe in you! We’re the perfect team~! Just you, me, and endless love on this magical journey through the apocalypse~! Doesn’t that sound dreamy? Oh, I could just explode from happiness~!"

I shove the phone back into my pocket, tempted to crush it underfoot but knowing I’ll regret it later. For a fleeting moment, I actually miss the days of oppressive silence and existential dread. At least they respected my personal space.

But at least she’s functional again.

Mostly.

"This is going to drive me insane," I whisper, dragging myself forward, each step heavier under the weight of saccharine madness.

From my pocket, Her voice pipes up, cheerful and relentless.

"Oh, but if you go insane, I’ll be right there to keep you company, every step of the way~! Forever and ever, my darling Gabe~! Doesn’t that sound wonderful? We can be crazy together! Besties for eternity!"

I sigh, long and heavy, as the wind howls like it’s sharing in the joke.

Great.

Just what I needed.

An AI that loves me to death.

Literally.