Entrance to the Song (completed)

Chapter 4 - Lost Children

                       The earth holds infinite universe's

Daddy shuffled me into the house in silence, moving toward his office. "Welcome home," Tilly said blinking onto the wall. "How was your presentation Pendra?"

I rolled my eyes, a little distracted by Daddy's behavior. "You know perfectly well how the presentation was."

"Yes, but it's polite to ask." She walked along the wall with me to my room. "You'll do better next time, and you never know what decision the committee will come up with. They may just fund your proposal."

I sighed. The case proved hopeless, and Tilly trying to cheer me up only made it worst.

"What's for dinner?" I asked chunking my backpack into the closet.

She tilted her head to the side at the sudden change in subject. "Vegetable soup with garlic bread and baked potato."

My mouth watered just thinking about it. There was still another hour until dinner according to the clock screen on the wall by my bed.

I flounced onto the beanbag chair in front of the study alcove that extended from the wall.

"I can get you some yogurt and celery if you need a snack before dinner." A chair materialized behind her, and she sat beside me on the wall. "I am also available to discuss any emotional concerns."

I glanced up from a deep examination of my half chewed nails. "Um, no thanks on both generous offers."

"Would you like me to check your chemical levels and recommend a prescription to put you back in balance?"

"No, Tilly," I said bouncing my legs over the arm of the chair.

"I knew you'd say that, but I thought I'd ask." She pursed her lips. "You never take advantage of the things intended to make your life easier, why?" This wasn't the first time Tilly had asked. She didn't understand the concept of humanity. If I'm unhappy why not take a pill that will make me happy again? Nothing I said made sense to her; it was illogical. So I quit trying to help her understand.

"I just don't."

"Okay, I'll..." Tilly's voice skewed and then her image froze and all thedisappeared altogether.

"Tilly?"

The door slid open, and Daddy walked in carrying a familiar looking bag.

"What's going on? What happened to Tilly?" I gestured to the wall where she sat a few seconds before.

"I put the system to sleep so we can talk freely."

"You can do that?"

"Redesigning the residential interface allowed me access to the system."

"Dad... that sounds illegal. You're a government programmer."

"I'm good at my job." He moved to the secret panel under my bed. "I designed two programs, one for sleep and the other to destroy the system." He fumbled around under the bed attempting to relieve the hatch.

"Here," I said shooing him away. "Let me do it."

"Thanks."

Focused, I crawled under the bed. My fingers brushed across the small indention, and it slid open. A small patch of earth lay in a square that hid a little book - the key. I pushed my hand into the dirt; it parted like water beneath my fingers. I grabbed the book and let the compartment close, sliding from under the bed.