Chapter 1: "Awakening"

*THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

I can hear the steady beating of my heart…

I feel the warmth of my breath against the walls of this confined room I’m in…

Who am I?

I can’t remember anything from my past or my present… I’m uncertain of my future

Why am I here?

Who was that?

“But you told me we’re buying my dress today!” said the girl with a certain rise in her voice. Her voice sounded closer.

Papa… I’ve heard the word again… what does it mean?

They are very close now… their voices louder, clearer. My heart beats faster as I feel their presence…

I heard the sound of what my mind tells me as metals scraping against metals. In an instant, all the air is sucked out of this cramped room. And as quickly as it went, it was replaced by the piercing cold air.

“Papa!” exclaimed the girl at the sight of me, “is that a girl?”

“A doll?” the girl repeated,”is this the gift that you told me yesterday?”

“Yes, darling,” her Papa answered.

“Why is she looking at me like that?” cried the girl, “I don’t want her, take her back!”

“She looks scary!” the girl said.

Money… Scary… Furnish… what do these words mean?

“Darling…,” was all that her Papa could say.

“Android?” she repeated “What’s that?” she said the exact words that came into my mind as I heard the word.

“Like a robot,” said the girl.

“Yes and no,” said the doctor, “you see, Miss, a robot is a machine that only works according to what is programmed into its system. It may look like a human but itcould never think like one.”

“I see,” said the girl, “then why are they called machines if they act like humans?” she asked

“So, she’s not a real human.” concluded the girl.

“But how can she act like humans, if she’s not a real one?” asked the girl.

The girl and I looked intently into each others eyes. Her eyes were nothing like neither her Papa nor the doctor. There’s a certain glint into it that I couldn’t quite put.

Friend… why is this word familiar?

“What does is it do, then?” she asked.

“We’ve got lots of bodyguards, Papa,” the girl said to her Papa, “I don’t think we need another one”

Android… I remember it now…

But, he was mistaken in one thing.

I was made to end it.