H.A.I.U.

~4~

I hit the ground with a thud. I hissed in pain, but began to run. Bad idea, my leg hurt. Probably broken. I took my barrette out and it became my hover board. I sat on it instead of stand, and I zoomed into the third floor. The window shattered, but now I was in the indoor stadium for the robot.

But on the screens, it was up and moving. Talking.

It looked humanoid, only very much like a robot at the same time. Same body structure as a human, but joints were sticking out with wires. It's face wasn't just two pixel circles and a line for a mouth, it was more human. Female.

And I couldn't kill it now.

The people below me looked up in surprise, and I blurted, "To get a better view. I'm sorry." They rolled their eyes and glared at me, but their attention was quickly drawn back to Zion when he announced, "--each of you here will get your own sentimental robot at a much lower price than they would be in stores! Only two hundred nine-nine! That's less than three hundred!"

"And remember, we each have our own personality based on the setting we were first awakened at. I would like to say I have high self confidence."

"Egotistical." I muttered, but nobody could hear me because they were all screaming in joy. I backed out of the window, but I hit something. I turned around. Crap, I forgot. The window reformed itself, and now it'll be even stronger. I backed up and crashed into the window beside it, and zoomed away. I got closer to the ground than I would have liked, and I heard someone following me. I looked behind. Security bots.

I tried to pick up speed, but I was met with a blinking red light. Then I got an idea. I ran the red light, and when I looked behind me, they were stopped by the red light. I gave them a gesture that relied heavily on my middle finger, and I turned the corner. My hover board was running low on battery, so I quickly picked up some speed and skid to a stop at my house. It scanned my face, and I rushed in. I turned around and locked the door, and put the windows on lock down setting. Then I rode my hover slowly to the bathroom.

"Bathroom, I broke my leg."

"Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I was. But no learning was in store today, so I'm good. Now, fix my leg." I said, and sat down on the toilet lid. I used my hover to keep my leg up, and closed my eyes. "Play Metalica, For Whom the Bell Tolls."

The bang of a bell sounded through the bathroom, and I relaxed. The guitar came in soon after and, I hissed when I felt to cold metal of the bathroom's arms. I clenched my fists and suppressed a cry of pain. "Also, could you replace the bandages on...everywhere? The burns, cuts, and gashes. And be gentle."

"Okay, Mono."

"I said don't call me that." I muttered, looking away. Even though it was a robot and had to listen to what I say, it sure as heck can be defiant. I took my shirt off, wincing. I took my skirt off, too. My bandages fell loose, and the bathroom quickly began to wrap me in them. I looked in the mirror and turned around. My back was riddled with scars, but the two most recent gashes were painful. Done with a vegetable knife. One said die, and it had begun to heal and would have if yesterday the girl hadn't come and written orders over it. Now I had a fresh wound and an old one cut open.

I gasped when it sprayed alcohol on my back. "I hear pain. I think you may have gotten it infected."

"No, it's just fresh, you stupid robot. Now hurry up."

"I assure you, I am not stupid." it replied, and I swear I heard a twinge of annoyance in its voice.

I tugged on my pajamas, grabbed some Cheese-its, and  turned on Glitter Force, Doki Doki. I munched on the bacon cheddar flavor, and prevented myself from squealing in joy as Ira forgot who he was and became nice, and hung out with Glitter Diamond.

I heard the front door open. "Dad?"

"I'm tired, sweetie. I'm taking double shift tomorrow, that okay?"

"Okay pa." I called back, and I finished watching Glitter Force around midnight. Twelve hours straight of TV, great.

I shuffled into my bedroom, grabbing some apple pie from the fridge along my way. I sat on my bed, and put my plate on my nightstand. I was hungry, so I had finished it before I got in here. I looked around my room. It was small, just big enough for my bed, a trunk, and m nightstand. I had tons of posters on my wall, and pictures I drew. I ripped the robotics convention poster from my wall, and opened my window, letting it blow away.

I jumped when something came hurtling at me, but it was just my cat, Dipstick. I closed my window and picked him up. He was a tiny thing, a toy Siamese. And missing an eye, now.

"Hey, Dipstick. You feeling okay? You seem pretty scared." I said, sitting on my bed. He was shaking. I sat criss cross on my bed and stuck him in my lap. He was adorable. "See? You're safe now. Nobody's gonna hurt you." I whispered, and he began to purr. I eased and leaned back on the wall. Across from me was a picture of my mom, the only one we had. "Hey, mom. How is it in Heaven? I'm sorry those scientists drilled into your head to put a fake brain inside. I'm worried it'll happen to dad, too. We don't like robots anymore. We even got rid of nursemaid bot. You're probably wondering how my friends are doing. Well, Kathi moved away and refused to talk to me. She was my only friend. But I still have Dipstick, don't worry." I said. Silence followed. "I don't like silence anymore, you know. It scares me. Good night, mom."

I turned on my radio, making the volume low but audible. I lay down and put Dipstick under the blanket with me. He licked my face and snuggled up beside me, and I said a silent prayer just like every night.

"Psst. You, girl. With the hair." a voice whispered in the night.