The Kramer Institute Experiment | Scary Stories from The Internet

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Ronnie Dickison (0:48)

My hand slid over to my phone, attempting to tap dismiss as the alarm blared in my apartment room. After missing it twice, I sat up and glared at the phone. My heart spiked. 525?! I shrieked, jumping into the air and sprinting over to the shower. Yep, that's how I began my first day of my internship, waking up ten minutes late. That morning was mostly a blur. I got a shower in record time. The first half freezing and the second half boiling, because I didn't have the time to attempt to adjust the temperature just right. I ate a banana so fast I probably ate the peel with it, and got dressed like Clark Kent transforming into Superman.

I was down in my car in less than ten minutes.

I felt gross about not brushing my teeth that morning, but I popped in a breath mint. I figured it looked better to show up on time with some plaque, then lay it with a polished awkward smile. I was going for my masters in robotic engineering at the time, five years down and one year left. I had interned before, but nowhere too notable.

I started by shadowing a professor who worked at the school's own robotics wing when I was a sophomore going for my bachelors and two years later I shadowed at Benwick Electronics, a place most known for its cutting edge advancement and forklifts. But after some of my professors went out of their way to get me connections, a much different opportunity arose during my first year of grad school, an internship at the Kramer Institution for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. This was nothing to sneeze at. The Kramer Institution was America's most funded and most cloak-and-dagger laboratory devoted to studying artificial intelligence. And since I was pretty vocal about my interest in AI, which is part of the reason why I chose a major in robotic engineering in the first place, a professor of mine hooked me up. I'm not sure how or why he did this for me. I wasn't the top of my class by any means and didn't bring much to the table. But according to him, my passion for the science of AI was unparalleled.

But enough backstory.

On the way to the institute, I FaceTimed my fiance of six years. Since I was studying in California and she was studying in Oklahoma, where we're from, we decided to hold off the marriage until we could live together. And that wouldn't be until both of us obtained our masters.

She grimmed at the sight of me. I woke up late, only glancing at her, but mostly keeping my attention on the road.

SPEAKER_3 (3:14)

Today, Chester…

Ronnie Dickison (3:17)

I know, I know. Daddy! My daughter Teresa's voice rang into the phone.

We named her Teresa because it sounds like Tesla, after the great Nikola Tesla, because we're nerds.

SPEAKER_4 (3:27)

Tess, come on, we need to keep getting ready.

SPEAKER_5 (3:30)

You're not dressed yet? Tessa.

Ronnie Dickison (3:32)

She turned and faced her.

SPEAKER_5 (3:34)

Sorry, mommy.

Ronnie Dickison (3:35)

She was about to walk away, but then spun around and called. Hi, daddy!

Hey, sweetie. I chimed. Keep getting ready for mommy. Are you going to be late? My fiancee inquired. No, now I should be fine.

How's Tess liking preschool?

SPEAKER_4 (3:50)

Seems to be liking it. She already made a friend.

Ronnie Dickison (3:54)

I'm glad to hear that. Well, I should probably get off the phone.

SPEAKER_4 (3:57)

Chester.

Ronnie Dickison (3:58)

Yes, Allison?

SPEAKER_1 (3:59)

Have an amazing time.

Ronnie Dickison (4:01)

This is what you always dreamed of, okay?

SPEAKER_4 (4:04)

And make sure you tell me what it was like later.

SPEAKER_5 (4:07)

You know, whatever you're allowed to tell me.

Ronnie Dickison (4:10)

Of course, baby.

I assured with a smile. Love you.

SPEAKER_4 (4:14)

Love you, too.

Ronnie Dickison (4:16)

We were pretty good at still saying I love you after six years. And boy, we were champs at making the distance work. Though I'll admit, I hated not seeing Allison and Tessa nine months out of the year, besides lucky visits and breaks and holidays here and there. When I got to the Institute, I wasn't even sure where to park. It took me an eternity to find the intern parking, and no surprise, it was a good quarter of a mile away from the door. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but that's what it felt like. When I got inside, I was welcomed by a cheery front desk lady. She looked so prim and proper and futuristic even. I felt like a slob in comparison.