There were five of us: Gorrister, Ellen, Nimdok, Benny, and me, Ted. AM—"I think, therefore I am," as it called itself—had chosen us from billions, altered us, and kept us alive just to torture us. He kept us trapped in his underground labyrinth, a world of chambers, traps, and terrors beyond human logic. Benny, once a brilliant scientist, was now a simian creature, deformed and almost unrecognizable. Gorrister, once a pacifist, was indifferent. Nimdok, silent and tormented, returned from his secret excursions pale and trembling. And Ellen... Ellen pretended to be pure, but AM enjoyed watching her squirm with contradictions.

That day, Nimdok thought he had seen cans of food in an ice cave. We had doubts. It could be another hoax, like the frozen elephant that nearly drove Benny crazy. But Ellen, desperate, begged me to try. I didn't care about anything anymore. I gave in.

We left on a Thursday. The date only mattered to AM, who always reminded us of it, like a cruel reminder of time passing by. We carried Ellen in our arms. Benny and I led the way. We were heading toward the ice caves, 160 kilometers ahead, with a single purpose: the hope of satisfying our hunger. We no longer knew if we were walking out of hope, habit, or punishment.