My Friends • Fred (Updating)

Chapter 5 - The Robots Outside

Fred couldn't understand what Lily was doing, or what Mark was asking. He couldn't get it out of his mind-storage even as he did the dishes, cleaned the kitchen, polished the shoes, and swept the living room.

He also couldn't stop finding something, anything, to do. He had a vague feeling that this was also wrong. Shouldn't robots only be turned on only when the masters needed them? This is wrong, just wrong... And I am running out of things to do!

He carefully placed the broom back in the closet and pulled out the mop. This place is also very clean. I don't spend a lot of time working either... He pulled out the bucket, turned around, and nearly jumped. Lily was staring at him, her gaze sharp and skeptical. Fred immediately straightened. "What can I do for you, Master Lily?"

"You don't have to keep on doing chores. I am going to go out. Come with me." I have to, don't I? But she looks like she is going to bite my head off.

Do what she says, Fred. She is still one of the masters.

If you say so... "Yes, of course, master." Lily just narrowed her eyes at him.

"And keep your mouth shut when you go out. Don't talk about anything. I will do the talking. And don't question what you see. Just act like a robot." Not waiting for his answer, she turned around and marched out the door. He immediately followed, though his mind-storage seemed to be heating up like it was malfunctioning with all what he just heard.

Keep my mouth shut? Act like a robot? What's wrong with the world outside?

*******

He followed Lily down the streets, past lampposts and oxygen filters. He walked past other houses that hovered and floated around, or stayed on the ground but glowed with various kinds of lights. Hovercars kept on whizzing past them with a speed he found incredibly frightening.

Yet the most frightening of all seemed to be the robots with their masters. For those that bothered to walk, they strode down the street with the robots behind them, head low in submission. One seemed to even snap at his robot, calling it things that Fred found vile. The robot did not blink, did not question, did not protest. Just lowered its head some more.

Something twinged in the back of his drive. I should have been like this. This is what the world is supposed to be. Act like a robot... Indeed... Even that voice seemed to be affected. He lowered his head and continued walking behind Lily.

Suddenly, a woman stopped in front of Lily. "Why, isn't it Lily! I haven't noticed that your family has gotten a new robot! What is it?" It? I am an it...

"It's a Vylix, Mrs. Yala." She shot a look at him. He immediately inclined his head.

"Good morning, Mrs. Yala." Mrs. Yala nodded in approval.

"A fine robot indeed! Maybe I should get one of those... See my robot?" She gestured at the robot next to her. "It is a Protez 3.0. Not the newest, but one of the most welcomed. Very good at protecting their masters. Who knows if you'll meet a rebel robot?" A rebel robot? As Lily continued chatting with Mrs. Yala, the Protez glanced up at him and he felt a shock run through him as a new voice sounded in his head.

Hi. I am a Protez 3.0.

W-what? Is he talking to me? The Protez looked puzzled.

Yes, I am talking to you. Have you not spoken to a robot before?

No.

Well, robots can communicate to each other if necessary. I am simply greeting you.

Um, ok.

"Time to go!" Mrs. Yala chirped. "Have a nice day, Lily!" She strode away with the Protez whizzing after her. All Fred could do was blink after the robot.

His voice sounds so dull. Like what you were once. Like what I was once. What is going on? The voice, however, did not reply. So he continued walking on after Lily.

*******

The rest of the day was similar. All the robots he met simply announced what kind of robot it was before leaving. Fred felt as if his hardwire was overheating.

As Lily finally started walking back they way they went, she glared at Fred and said, "Do you understand that all the robots are like that?" She swept her hand across the cityscape. "All of them are like this. I know you were talking to them. And so, you have to be careful about what you say or do." But Fred wasn't surprised anymore about all this. Instead, he asked,

"Master Lily... What is a rebel robot?" Lily stilled. She called Mrs. Yala some foul names that Fred wouldn't dream of repeating.

"I will tell you about that next time."

And so that was that.