The forest is dark. All I can see is a strange red glow in the distance. I turn around, searching for something, but there isn't anything. Then, a flash happens at the corner of my vision and a second later I am laying on an operating table. A man hovers over me, wearing a lab coat with a strange star emblem on his breast pocket. “Don't worry Avai,” He says to me, “I will get you and this nice young man back to normal.” Then, my ears begin to ring, as if I was a bomb that was about to explode…707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGNWVfXTEB
I open and close my eyes several times as I wake up, in an attempt to get My vision back to normal. My metal lungs rise and fall as I breath in the crispe oxygen. I blink back tears as I surface from my nightmare and try to get myself back to reality. What a messed up dream. I think to myself as I swing my legs over the long metal sheet that my father- I mean- Master Sam, gave me. He said a Ro like me must have a place to sleep, and today, I have to go to school.
You see, there are three groups, all different but yet, all the same. I suppose I should start from the beginning, in the year 2018 there was a large tsunami that drowned millions and millions of humans to the point that only a few hundred survived.
From there the scientists began creating Ro’s which is short for Robotic Heart Mechanic, but of course most call us Ro. But there are some Fleshlings (or humans), that have been repaired, humans who are Cyborgs, who fit into both categories. Those who are called Cy. But as the years have gone by, you can not tell which is a Cy, Ro, or Flesh. The only thing to separate each category, is there eyes and their gender. Why gender you may ask? Because Ro’s are only Males, but yet, I am a Ro. How can that be possible? And Ro’s are machines, only machines. Cy’s were human, but repaired. Fleshlings rule, and the rest are separated, turned to nothing. That is, if you can keep secrets.
I begin to change my clothes and notice that a piece of my skin on my forearm is missing and replaced with the metal, the metal I was built with. I sigh and grab my skin graft repair spray and spray the length of my arm, returning it to the surrounding golden brown.
After I am dressed, I check my make-up in the mirror and set my blue-eye contacts in, changing the bright green eyes every Ro have, to a more common color. I fluff my brunette locks and walk out of my cage- I mean- room. Master Sam walks towards me, with a grim look on his face. He grabs my shoulders and breathes into my ear reminding me what I was going to school for. To fulfill my builder's will. He wants me to have a normal life, Even when I am the only female Ro in all of Doltoch- in all of Earth.
My Master lets go of my shoulders and pushes me towards the door that leads to the outside world. I look outside, seeing the familiar silver bus rolling up to our driveway. I make a dash towards the metal vehicle, careful not to trip and blow my secret. My hair flies behind me as I move towards the bus. My metal heart pumps against every nut and bolt that holds me together, and I enter the bus just before the driver was going to roll away. If my Master would let me, I could drive myself to school, but that is not an option, I am a Ro and nothing else. I am to fulfill my schooling and live a normal life, but I can never have a family. Ro’s are not built to procreate. Lucky me. But I wouldn't have any chance at getting a guy anyways, what guy would want me? A machine and nothing else.
I sit next to my one and only best friend, Crystal, she is a Cy but doesn't like that the Fleshlings look at her as if she is a nuisance. She knows what I am, she knows that I am a Ro and has promised to keep my secret. Of course Master Sam doesn't know she knows. Crystal’s eyes were a bright blue and her hair was dyed white that turned to a dark navy blue at the tips. I loved her hair, if only I could dye my hair and it looked as good as hers, but it will never happen. And besides, I like my brunette locks.
“Did you finish your Calculus test?” My voice had a hint of an English accent and no matter how much I tried, I could never get rid of it, not that I minded it anyways.
“Yes,” She replies, turning to me, smiling. “Did you?”
“Is that even a question?” I giggle, “Of course.”
A masculine voice coughs in between words saying ‘nerd alert’. I clench my jaw and Crystal whispers to me, telling me to let it go. But I can't, they do this every day, just because they think I’m weird for being smart and friends with a Cy, it’s infuriating. In their eyes we are both worthless and that is just wrong.
“Little nerd, are you going to cry?” He breaths in my ear and all I want to do is to punch him square in the jaw.
But I can't, I’ll get expelled and lose any chance I have at having a normal life. Because I’d break his entire face if I punch him and my secret will get out. I do my best to ignore him, I close my eyes and search through several songs that I had downloaded to my hard drive. I’ve recently gotten into the oldies, like Justin Bieber or Rihanna. You must understand that now, thousands of years after they were popular, no-one listens to them anymore, well, except for me.
*
I was glad when I stepped off the bus and onto the hard pavement of West Marin High School. I could loose myself for another day of solving problems and learning things I didn't already know, Even though I could choose to download all of the knowledge on my own. I liked that I was learning like a normal teenager. That I was sort of like everyone else my age.
But before I could go to class, our headmaster called an assembly, and that either meant one of two things: Magister Bluu has made a new rule regarding us, or we had a new student. Which meant, the truth serum. This wasn't like what you have read, this is different. I’m not sure why they called it a serum when it's in the form of a pill, but it tells the entire student body what you are. They started this a few months ago, thinking that if everyone knew what we were, it would help that there are people around us that are alike. They were wrong, the bullying only got worse.
I crane my neck to see the new student, he was tall, maybe six foot four. And a strong build that I’m sure all of the girls were swooning over. Then, he looked at me as the Headmaster attached the bracelet that would either flash green, red, or blue. Green for Flesh, red for Ro, and blue for Cy. I saw the color before me, is flashed red in the corner of my eye, and I couldn't help but smile. He was like me. A few mumbles spread around the room and all I could think about was the color red. He was like me and he was going to my school. He was trying to be normal. And the school administrators ruined his chance at ever having a normal life.
He ripped the bracelet off and walked straight over to me. He must know something, maybe he knows that I am like him. Or that he has XRay vision and can see that I am fully metal, I hope not, because then he can see underneath my clothing and that's just wrong. I shiver a little and he glances at me. I mean over and whisper, “It's nice to meet you.” Should I give him my real name? Or my name Master Sam gave the school. “I’m Avai.”
“That's a pretty name.” He said, in an accent I knew all too well, our programed one. “I am 436.”
And that is where our conversation ended, and a friendship, that blossomed.
I’ve had that same dream for weeks, I’m not sure what is going on with me. I’ve stuck with the same routine and I’ve gotten A’s in all of my work like a good little Ro. I’ve been counting the days till my graduation: two months. Just two months and I can be free from this place. From the school. From my Master. Everything. I can taste the freedom. But sometimes I wonder if I’ll like it. Being away, starting somewhere new; a fresh start.
I walk into the cafe that Crystal texted me to meet at. Apparently there is something urgent that she wanted to talk about. Maybe it was about her parents disappearance or the fact that one of her new parts hasn't come in.
When I stepped onto the parking lot of Rose Café, I saw Crystal’s familiar figure through the glass window sitting in a booth. I slowly walked across the pavement and towards the building. Once I stepped inside, my nose is immediately hit with the strong smell of grease, cigarettes, and coffee. I walk over to where Crystal is sitting and slide in front of her.
Her leg is bouncing up and down and she began to pick at her nails, something she only does when she is nervous about something.
Can I tell you something?” She inquires, her face full of worry and I nod, “I think I may be - um.” She glances down at the table then reaches behind her and gets her phone out. The word enters my head as soon as she hits send. I gape at her as the word echoes through my metal skull. She can't be...pregnant.
“Are you sure?” I ask, swallowing the lump in my throat and trying to comprehend the information Cris has given me. She nods and I watch as she begins to cry, “Hey, don't cry, You’re going to be okay.” I move over to sit next to her and give her a sideways hug. We sat there for a few minutes as Cris cried. When she wiped her face for the thousandth time she was finally done crying, we edited the cafe in a rush and dashed towards the bus stop.
When we got to the bench, 436 was sitting there, still as a stone, next to his Master. My Master’s brother. I couldn't say anything as Master Brody noticed me, or the fact that 436 noticed he recognized me.
“2248?” He asked and walked towards me, “Is my brother finally letting you out on your own.”
“My name is Avai, sir, I am not a number.” I immediately regretted talking to him like this.
I felt the impact on my cheek, making my head wip back. I smelled the graft skin burn off my metal face and I stood frozen in place. My secret is out. I didn't know what to do, so, I grabbed Crystal’s hand and ran. I ran as fast as I could, across the street, past Master Brody and I could feel my metal cheek burning From the impact. But I barely felt it, all I wanted to do was escape. To leave before anyone saw my face.
“Avai.” Cris wheezes, “Please, slow down.” I immediately slow down to a walk.
“Sorry, I just. I panicked.”
‘I know.” She said, her face filled with understanding, “I have an extra can of skin graft at my studio, you're going to love what I added in it.” She smiles and we walk towards the bus stop to get to Cris's studio.
The small one room basement underneath her home is where Cris uses to create her clothing designs, and a place for me to write my music. The room was littered with mannequins, fabric and papers stuck to the walls. But an added addition to the other side of the room, is a large, dark soon piano. I gasp and run over to it, lifting up the case and running my fingers over the black and white keys. “You did this, for me?” I ask, turning to Cris who smiles. “I can't believe it.”
I walk over to the window seat where I leave my folders and folders of sheet music. I have only completed one song and have played it in my head, but no-one has ever heard it, not even Cris. Until now. I grab the finished song and walk towards the bench in front of the piano. I set the sheets in front of me, set my fingers in their positions and then, the music began to flow.
Once the cool melody left the piano, it was like I couldn't stop, every note poured out of me like lava, all I could do was play, play until every bolt was satisfied, till I filled every inch of myself with the song I was playing from my fingers. This, is the greatest gift anyone has ever given me. I am glad Crystal is my friend. If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't be able to survive in the crazy world. We are in this together and as I got the last few keys, I felt content in the life I have. That even though when I get home my Master will beat me, I felt happy in this moment. The one moment I have my heart in my music, Even though my heart was made of metal.
I opened my eyes as I ended the song, I stared at my hands for a while as I took in what I had just done. I had just played one of my songs, it's in the air now, and the only person who heard it was Crystal. Or so I thought, three sets of hands were clapping. I turned and saw Crystal, her four year old brother, and her mother. Crystal’s mum was tearing up and she looked at me then at her daughter's creation. I’m sure if Crystal hadn't been so wrapped up in my song that she probably would have ushered them out, saying something along the lines of, “Get out this is my studio. My work isn't finished yet.”
“Where did you learn to play like that?” Crystal’s mum, Karen, asked.
I shrug, “I don't know, I just do?”
“Look at you keeping secrets,” She smiles, “I’m going to leave you girls to it.” Karen grabs her son and places him on her hip before leaving Cris and I alone.
Then I suddenly realize something, the metal on my cheek is showing. I start to panic and Cris notices. “Its okay, my mom thinks your a Cy, not a Ro.” She walks across the room and grabs the can of skin graft, she walks back over to me and hangs me to can of spray. I begin to fix my face.
After and hour of writing and erasing my hands were beginning to cramp up. I set my notebook down and look over at Cris. She was pinning a cobalt blue fabric to a black mannequin. Her hair was up in a messy bun and she had pins in her mouth. When she set the final pin in place she backed away, studying the dress she was making. It looked like a dress someone on the red carpet would where. It was unique and beautiful at the same time.
She grabbed chalk and began making seeing lines and when she was done she took the fabric off the mannequin and moved over to her sewing machine. My hands began to loosen up and I went back to my work, playing the notes over in my head.
“Hey Cris?” I ask, not looking up from my notebook and sheets of unfinished music.
“Hmm.”
“Do you think after we graduate we could go on a trip?” Her sewing machine stopped working and I turned around to look at her,
“Yes! I want to leave so badly. But how can I, when I’m-” She couldn't say the words.
“It's okay, we can take care of it together. I could be like it's aunt or something.” She smiled, thinking over everything.
