The City Of Steel

The Machine (1)

This is an inspired story! Check out Gears Of Eternity by Roise2Pink here on Wattpad, and support other authors!

Some of the art of the cover was done by sosolenoo on picrew. Here's the link to make your own! https://picrew.me/share?cd=PWvu6OwJHc

My invention is almost coming to life. After years of hard work and waiting, it's almost here. The bot of my dreams is almost awake.

The body of my marvelous machine shook, then froze. Did it break? I pressed my hand to its chest and opened the hatch.

I forgot the brain! How stupid am I? I spent all that time coding, and never put the brain in.

Where did I leave it? I know it has to be here somewhere.

I heard a dinging and the shooting of steams. Shit, it's that time already?

The ground began to move. I grabbed onto the table to stabilize myself. My stomach turned. Are we going up or down?

I hate when the gears start turning. With our entire society being built on a giant machine, we live on gears and wires. Whatever works best. In the higher levels of the giant tower, you never feel the movement. It's hidden well.

But to us on the lower levels, aka where I live, it's very noticeable. It's impossible to not notice, in fact.

At least they set up super annoying horns that go off every hour to warn us before we change direction.

I placed my hand to my head. Now isn't the time. I have to find my creation's brain!

Maybe it's near my computer.

My house is a studio apartment. A bed, a computer, a tiny kitchen and a worktable. At least the rent is cheap and the bathroom is nice. A small rectangle.

I stumbled over to the computer and looked around. The brain isn't here. Where did it go?

I looked at my to-do list that hangs above the computer. I hate putting those things online. The company might see it.

The companies see everything regardless. It makes me question if building this machine is even worth it.

For all I know they'd steal my design. My code. The years of work I wasted on this machine.

Did I leave it at the shop? I couldn't have. At least, I shouldn't. It can't hurt to check.

I turned around. The door is practically right there. I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder, then turned open the large handle.

This door makes me feel like I live in a bunker.

The spinning of the gears. I get no sunlight. I'd say those things add to the disorienting feeling a bit more than the door.

I stumbled towards the rails. It's even worse when you're not inside a building. Seeing all the communities move. Seeing the walls our society live in stay still. All of it is dizzying.

"Hello, Y/N! How are you?" An old lady walking her pet dog- if you can even call a robot that- passed by.

Before I could respond, she fell over and slid down the sidewalk. This is why you grab the rails and nail everything down.

She's too far gone to chase after her. I have to get to the shop. Problem is, it's a few stories up, and around this time of day the path I'd have to take would take hours.

Unless I take a special gadget out of my bag, that is. My handy-dandy grapple hook. I lean over the rails and watch the communities move.

Where's the shopping district? Where did it go? Please don't tell me it's right above me.