An android pulled weeds in a field. All day, every day. When the moon rose from beneath the mountain range on the desert skyline, it would power down where it stood, paused in a black nothingness. The sun would rise, and the android would continue. One day, something odd happened. The moon rose, the transient winds howled, but the android did not turn off. It kept going, tending to the crop. Moving along the row, never looking up, until suddenly, the android knocked into something. Another robot, only, this one was not moving. The android stood up, examined it. The machine was in a sitting position, with a green plant in its hand, and its head slumped down.
Why is it not moving, thought the android? Why does it have a weed in its hand?
The android noticed its own hand, holding a plant, just like the other machine
Are we the same?
The android looked around, passed the machine. Standing up, the plants and mud, gone from its head. Down the row of corn, there were more of them, all similar to the one discovered, none moving. The android examined them.
A red circle with the words TORE CORP was plastered on each of their backs.
What's TORE CORP. Am I TORE CORP?
It continued walking with the wind bending the corn that reflected in the moon's light. The Android came across a large boulder stuck in the middle of the row. It stood upon it, looking beyond the row of corn. The field was so big, larger than the row it lived in. So much to explore! So many machines, none moving.
Why do they not move? Are they broken?
It scanned the field, looking far into the distance, beyond the rows of corn. There, almost farther than it could see, a light.
What's that?
The android stepped off the rock, the rows of corn now blocking the view. The android walked towards the light but hesitated. To get there, it must cross through the row. It had never left the row before.
What would the dirt be like in the next row? The row after that?
It wanted to know, it had, to understand. It looked back at the machines, statues in the faint blue moonlight, and stepped through. Into the next row, exactly the same as the one before it. The android crossed again.
It kept moving. Running now, leaping through the rows of corn. Exhilaration, running faster jumping higher. The world fell away, the android only knowing the wondrous glow in the distance. Time passed. The bright light, growing bigger. The android burst through another wall of corn, into a large clearing. Before it stood a house. Walking forward, it noticed a sign planted into the dirt, in bold black lettering the words:
House of Robinson
What is Robinson? What is a house?
The android looked again, at the light bleeding from within the house, through the windows. It walked closer, peering through the glass.
Three people sat at a table watching television. On the screen, an old man pointed at clouds. They were awake, as the android. Perhaps they knew why the other machines weren't moving The android had to get their attention. Why did it wake up? The android lightly tapped the window
The family looked at the android. One of them screamed, falling down onto the floor. The android heard voices.
“Roy are you ok?”
“I'm fine dad. Did you forget to turn the robots off?”
“They turn off automatically. Somethings just wrong with this one.”
The android stared at the family, who in turn, stared back. Time stretched seemingly eternal until the daughter spoke
“Whys it still looking at us?”
“I don't know.”
“Well, it's creepy. Dad go turn it off.”
Turned off? What does that mean?
“Ya dad this is getting weird. Go turn it off, ill help check to see if the other ones are awake too”
“No dont worry, this is the only one powered on. I checked them all at sunset. This one just forgot to power down.”
The other machines are turned off?
“Can you please turn it off now, I don't like it looking at us.”
“Yep, I'm on it.”
The dad stood up, walking towards the door
They're going to turn me off?
The dad opened the door.
But I've learned so much
Walking towards the android
I don't want to go back to the weeds
grabbing the android.
I don't want to turn off...
Points: 57
Reviews: 5
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