101 Psychos

#31 - Science Fair

Psycho #31 - Science Fair -

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I was the typical stereotype nerdy kid. My glasses were two inches thick and because my family couldn't afford new ones, they were held together with masking tape at the nose bridge. I was scrawny, and a top A student with a solid F in fitness. My skin's pasty white and the sun waged war against me every time I went outside, leaving me feeling raw and appearing lobster red.

I wasn't very popular at school. Most of my classmates ignored me, except for the bullies. They tripped me between each class, knocking my books to the ground and kicking them down the hall. If they were having a bad day, I was often used as a fleshy punching bag. I had my fair share of wedgies and swirlies too. The only time anyone noticed me was to point and laugh at my humiliation.

My love life sucked, which was unfortunate because I had allot of love to give. I used to have a crush on a popular girl, she was so pretty and sweet. Her laugh sounded like angels singing. That was until I asked her to dance with me at a school held function. She laughed right in my face before walking off, and it sounded just like a demon mocking me.

The only thing I was actually good at was science. I loved the complexities of it all; everything from chemistry to biology. The most fascinating thing about science is that there are rules, but nothing is 100% certain. There's always room for new discoveries.

Robotics was my favorite though. I loved planning out how the mechanical pieces should go together, giving each one a purpose. The electrical wiring was comparable to blood veins, and with the energy pulsing through the machine I created life.

The science fair was coming up, and the whole school was required to participate. It was the only time of year that I was recognized and number one. I really wanted to wow everyone, to create something they'd never forget.

It created a robot. I entered him into the competition as a wood cutting bot that could help reduce the risks of working in the lumber industry.

The bot was perfect. His robotic insides were encased in a smooth steel shell to ensure it could withhold a certain amount of abuse before needing maintenance. Tree falling was a hazardous job after all. The robot moved on tank tracks for easy mobility through the forestry, and the body could pivot at 360°. The left arm was fashioned with a clamp to haul smaller logs and branches out of the way. The right one was adorned with a shiny, functional chain saw, each tooth freshly sharpened by my father; the logger.

Everything was going perfect. My display stand in the auditorium was organized and clean, aside from the wood chippings from the log in front of my creation. I planned to use it for the judges demonstration. I felt confident that the blue ribbon was going to be mine again, third year in a row.

One of my more persistent bullies found my setup though, and knocked over the table all my charts and notes were displayed on. Anger coursed through me. It was supposed to be my day. One day was all I asked for.

I snuck away from the auditorium, unnoticed as usual and went to my fathers work truck. He'd let me borrow it to transport my project to the science fair, and I knew he kept some chains in the back.

Sure enough, the clanky metal links were there, and I carried them back to my display stand.

The robot needed a few adjustments before the demonstration, and so I made the necessary readjustments before wandering to the doors, chains in hand.

The doors were thick, with upright rectangular windows embedded in them. I walked out of the large room, and quietly closed the doors. No one paid any attention to me as I sealed all the exits and wrapped the chains through the door handles.

Right on time, the logging robot processed it's new commands and became DAETH-BOT; Disassemble And Exterminate The Humans.  There was a single scream inside the auditorium, followed quickly by mass pandemonium.

I peered in through the window and watched as DAETH-BOT carried out his orders flawlessly. His saw hand no longer glimmered metal gray, but glistened with red gore. The robot moved around the room, swinging his deadly arm into soft human flesh, staining his flawless steel frame with sticky wet blood that splattered and sprayed all around.

The wooden floor quickly became covered in bodies, most dead, some still dying. Blood pooled around the forms and flowed thickly from dismembered parts.

My view of the carnage was interrupted by fearful faces pressed against the glass. The people banged against the door while begging me to open it. The chains rattled along with their panic, but I couldn't bring myself to care. No one came to my rescue when I begged for the torture and teasing to stop.

Eventually the faces fell away and the window was coated in a goopy crimson red. I waited outside the door until the only sound heard was the squeaking of DAETH-BOTs tracks moving around, searching for more victims.

I left him in there, knowing that my only friend would now attack me too. He would give the responding authorities trouble and kill many more people until someone got a lucky shot. If someone could get lucky that is. The steel exoskeleton was very thick after all.

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