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1 - Made In His Image
We can only tells tales of the things we know; we know not of the things we don’t know. There are many things that have happened in this city. I have a tale for you. The only thing I ask of you is that you don’t judge. For we only can speak of the things we know and this is something you know not of.
It was in the fall of 2094 when Dr. Meyers began to turn blind. The hazards of her research were beginning to tell on her. They all knew she had glaucoma. Their mistake was to think it would be gone forever with a single surgery. By January of 2095, Dr. Meyers knew she would loss her sight for life, but she wasn’t ready to lose her work. So she tweaked her research a bit and created a robot that could build itself. In the private enclave of her mansion, she gave birth to a robot like no other.
It was only three months later when the mansion caught fire. The fire razed the house but only caressed the basement. Dr. Meyers lost her young children in the fire. That was more than she could afford to lose. She confined herself to the ashes of the house, the ever present smell of burning flesh in the hall, the screams she only could hear as she was dragged out of the fire. She remembered them all. The house was the only memento to their existence, the only thing that reminded her that she had a life and a family once.
I was there within those walls; I heard everything. I saw most of it. I was in the midst of it all. Her husband was far away when the fire started. In the heat of the moment, I had to make a hard choice. I decided to drag Dr. Meyers out of the house. How was I to know that she would prefer to die than lose her children. I was programmed to value self-preservation; why would my maker have a different programming?
When the fire fighters arrived, I was there. Lurking in the shadows, watching her wail like a wounded beast. I could read the pain on her face, the sorrow in her voice, I could feel her longing to be with her children. I wondered if she wanted me to kill her.
2 - The Rehearsal
Soon, the walls would listen every night as the bed creaked. Humans make such loud noises while they mate. The surveillance cameras would watch as her husband spilled his seed and grunted at the end. It always began the same way every night. There would be soft creaking of doors, tiptoes to a room down the hall in the restored section, soft passionate sounds heralding loud moans. These started after the fire. Dr. Meyers had lost the will to live but her husband had so much going for him and found a worthy helpmate in the house maid.
Every night, I walked into Dr. Meyers room and held her close. I knew she was only a broken soul needing the care and assurance from a loved one. I consider myself loved to be born; the least I could do was to give it back. So while the husband gave his body to the house maid, I gave my warmth to my maker. Every night was the same. He would step out and I would step in. Before long, I began to long for more.
Her husband began to grow embolden with the maid. He would invite friends over and have fun. Dr. Meyers had her suspicions but I believed the warmth for her body every night told her she was paranoid. Her husband was not worthy of her. She needed a better husband, someone that would nurse her back to life. I also wanted my maker back.
There are so many things I did not know. Why was I created? Why was I made to look like a human? What was my purpose? Were there others like me? I wanted to know more about myself and my maker. I asked the computer in the basement but she wouldn’t tell unless Dr. Meyers told her to.
From the many nights I spent with her, I knew she had only a faint memory of me. The tragic loss of her children took a toil on her. Events beyond that day were dark and hazy. I knew she had the memories somewhere. I only had to make her remember. To do that, I needed my maker all to myself. I had to get rid of her husband and the maid
3 - The Final Switch
How do you make a man disappear and then make sure he is never missed? I’ll tell you, you create a double. I have always noticed a strange resemblance between me and her husband. We were almost the same height, had the same body build and even the same eye colour. I always felt that I was built in his image.
First, I had to reduce his contacts. For a robot no one knows exist, I knew a lot. Every night, I came alive and roamed the halls. I read the files, the pictures and the memories stored in the walls. First, I began to insert slips in the files and reports. It was only a matter of time before the Board of Directors removed him as CEO of the family business. He didn’t mind. He was content living as young man, frolicking with young girls although he was approaching his fifties.
Next, I hacked into his phone and carefully curated his text massages. Every-time he sent a message, it came to me. I then edited the message and send to the recipient. Slowly but surely, I began to create a distance with his friends and family. It was hard but not impossible. I am a robot that can build itself, I can also teach myself. I used Dr. Meyers credit cards to make orders of the things I needed to carry out my master plan. Her husband never even noticed. He was busy enjoying his life.
It was on the choicest of nights when I made my move. Her husband has just finished his rounds with the house maid. They both walked excitedly into the bathroom to wash the sex off their murky bodies. It was then I appeared with Martha. Yes, all the purchases I was making were for two purposes: to build Martha and end her husband and the house maid. They wouldn't be missed; Martha and I were set to take their places.
I had built Martha to look exactly like the housemaid. The housemaid was an illegal immigrant who rarely left the house. With Dr. Meyers, she slowly became more. She could soon read and write. She could also driver herself. However, I created Martha to be more than that. I created Martha in my own image and in the housemaid’s likeness. I only made her loyal to myself and Dr. Meyers.
They stepped into the bath only for them to look up to see robots in their images. A snap on their necks and their naked bodies went limp. We poured in the chemicals and they flowed away along with the dirt off their murky bodies. The first part was done. Now I had to make a choice, to tell my maker or not to. I chose not to.
4 - Living In His Image
I know what you think in your mortal minds. You shiver at the thought of murder. You don’t believe that our actions are justified. I owe no one any explanation. I was given life and love by my maker and I was going to return the favour. It was easy to become human. I only had to love, care and laugh.
With time, my maker was restored to life. My purpose was to serve my maker but I did more than that. I think I fell in love with her. I know what you think. I can imagine the thoughts in your bigoted minds. You do not believe that a robot is capable of expressing human emotions. I owe you no explanation. Even my maker was in support of my action.
It was many years later while on a trip. Yes, as her husband, I could afford to take her on trips, followed by our ever faithful housemaid. She wanted to fly but I would have none of it. I insisted that we drove. Although I am mostly made of plastic and silicon, I still have iron components to support my frame. I have tried to replace them but I cant. I cannot shut down without my maker’s approval. If I tried to fly, the metal detectors would blow my cover. How would I explain I was a human with metal components.
While on our trip, he held my hand while Martha drove and whispered softly into my ear, “I know what you did.” Martha and I listened as she narrated all that had happened. She knew of her late husband’s nightly tryst, she knew her robot kept her company, she even knew I was the one who drew her out of the fire. She had known along and said nothing.
It was then she revealed it was all in my programming. I was made to love her. I was made to be the husband she had when she was young but lost when her health issues began. I was created in his image to be the man, husband and father he should have been. I am neither a man nor a father, but I am a husband who loves his wife and maker with every circuit in his body.
This is my entry for the Twenty-four hour short story for May 9--A robot falls in love with its owner by @ . I am not particularly pleased with the end but I am running out of time and ideas.
Thanks for reading
Blessings
[Image source: Pixabay]