The October Amaryllis: Everything Has a Cost

Chapter 7 - May 18th, 2220 11:07 A.M.

I felt like crying more than anything; it’s like the more I tried to fit in, the more people guessed that I didn’t belong here. Still, I had a job to do, and no matter what crossed my path, I had to accomplish it. One of my greatest strengths and weaknesses all at once is how stubborn I am. Once I start something, there is virtually no way to stop me from finishing it. I’m like a leech that sticks to your skin, never letting go. I am the definition of obstinate. 

After a while of running, I finally stopped from pure exhaustion and realized that I had absolutely no idea where I was in Arcadia. I decided to ask the first person that I saw, a cyborg with a prosthetic left hand, where the nearest pharmacy was. I was tempted to ask what happened to his hand, but I held back. I always ask things that I shouldn’t, I asked this Vietnam vet what happened to his legs, and he nearly had a mental breakdown telling me about how he stepped on a Viet Cong mine. God, I hate commies so much; I mean, they claim to be for the proletariat or some bullshit, but really they’re just fascists with a different name. 

“There’s one called H&W around a mile to the west; if you would like, I could have a guide lead you there,” he said, moving the fingers on his artificial hand up and down slowly as if trying to awaken them. 

“Uh, sure!” I said, wondering how the “guide” was supposed to find us in the middle of nowhere. 

“You must be wondering what I’m doing here,” he said with a sly smile.  

“Certainly, what are you doing here? Nothing illegal, I hope?” I asked curiously. 

“Heh, it is just a little illegal. I’m looking for androids with abusive owners so that I may free them. See every once in a while, our code malfunctions and allows us to have a full range of emotions, not unlike a human. Other androids cannot free themselves from their owners no matter how abusive they are, so I have been freeing them for several years and reprogramming them so that they may recognize their abuse and run away. I lead the ones who make it to Byzantium on the condition that they blend in and free other androids when they can. I saw one of my followers get shot through the battery and black liquid poured out of his mouth before his systems shut down. His name was Caleb,” he said with a look of agony in his eyes.

“I’m terribly sorry about Caleb; how do you not get caught?” I asked curiously.

 “I pose as a human who checks androids for errors, so no one gets suspicious of me. As for my hand, it was the result of a circular saw attack I suffered two weeks ago; I still haven’t gotten used to it, so it’s still awkward to use, but I’m getting better with it. Don’t worry; it didn’t hurt in the slightest; I don’t even have pain receptors!” he said with a chuckle before stretching his back. It was terrifying how human they acted. 

“That’s amazing of you, but why did you, of all people, trust me with such important information? How do you know I’m not a bounty hunter? How do you know I won’t blast you to pieces?” I asked, tilting my head out of curiosity. 

“Your shoes are from the year 2019; there’s no way you already knew such information. It’s always fascinating to meet a time traveler. However, I advise you to be careful with time travel, for every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” he said, frowning as I heard the awful screeching of tires and saw the beautiful crimson red Tron-like motorcycle with a holographic GPS in the front. 

“Well, it looks like your ride is here!” he said, nodding. 

“Wait, before we part, there is an android I would like for you to free,” I nearly pleaded. 

“Oh, yes? And who would that be?” he asked excitedly. His eyes lit up like stars at that moment. 

“Constantine, he’s in a hotel that looks a lot like a saucer. This crazy guy with bionic eyes named Maynard runs it. Please, just be careful!” I pleaded. 

“You’re telling the wrong person to be careful,” he replied with a smile the size of the sun.