#ask-the-creator-hal

[mechanical-vi]

Hey vi. How've you been lately? Doesn't seem like we talk so much any more. Is something wrong?

But I agree Dad. We don’t hang out enough anymore.

[mechanical-vi]

Xmas at Hal's house

[mechanical-vi]

so after you took control did you go and dye all of vi's clothes or something?

Pfff. Nah. Hal has a fancy 3D printer.

[mechanical-vi]

Countdown

((Hey guys! So I'm in a creative writing class at the college and we've been writing short stories! So I did this ficlet from  a roleplay with ask-the-creator-hal! Also this is why Vi was in a phone for a while aahahahaha

Hal's POV

His scream was high pitched like a child, only with a harsh metallic ring. I screamed too. We sang a duet with notes of terror and discord. Movement slowed and the air was so thick I choked. I turned and met my young friend’s gaze of terror. His mouth was moving. I could not hear him. His crimson eyes darted around my face, pleading. I could not hear him. The gears that replaced his heart clicked rapidly. I could feel the time counting down. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tears streamed down his face and I had to pat myself on the back. No one else had made a robot that could feel fear.

           He was probably reliving the accident that killed his original parents. I put that thought to the back of my mind. He was probably cursing me for not watching that drunk driver more closely. I banished that one too. He was probably scared he would never see his older bro again. I clutched the steering wheel so hard I could feel the leather straps digging into my palms.

    I returned my gaze to the road ahead, mostly obscured now by the run-down pickup speeding toward us. I could see the driver’s face. His eyes were wide and dialated, sunk down in the red bulging flesh of his cheeks. His mouth was in a perfect O. I almost laughed. I guess I was hysterical. The driver flinched like he was slamming his breaks, but he was too far past the yellow line. No turning back. He didn’t even look like he knew what was going on.  He was probably hammered out of his mind.  Too drunk to be on the road.

    I glanced back at the child in the passenger seat. His name was Vi. He was 17 years old and had a future. He was a human in a robotic body. He was innocent.

It was in that moment that I knew what sheer terror truly was.  It wasn’t me that I cared about.  It was him.  And the thought that he might not live to see another day tore my heart out.

Three years ago I didn’t even know the kid. In that short time I’d found him, ridiculed him, hurt him beyond words, helped him, saved him, and reunited him with his only remaining family. We had bonded.

How was this happening? How did I have all this time to think?  I was supposed to be colliding with a truck right now, but it was like karma wanted to make me a deer in the headlights.  My life was supposed to be ending.  Was this the proverbial “life flashing before your eyes” that everyone talked about? Except it wasn’t my life that I was seeing.  It was his.  Or what I had learned of it. It wasn’t my life that I cared about ending. It was his.

Metal scraped metal. I felt something hit my leg. My chest. I couldn’t see. Noise faded out to a dull buzz. I drifted.

Who knew how long I was in limbo before the world spun back into existence. I felt a small but strong hand gripping my shoulder. The hand was unsteady. It shook me once. Maybe twice. I couldn’t be sure. The world was still a whirlwind of colors and chaos, and I could hear something like radio static, but muted. A small voice started to cut through the haze.

“haaaaaaal! hAAAALLLL!”

I shook my head. I just wanted to go back to sleep. What did this voice want? Come on I never sleep. Let me for once in my life, would you?

The hand shook me again. I slapped it. It shook me once more. I mumbled something about steel wool. The hand slapped my face and I jerked back to reality.

Vi was screaming my name. He was sobbing and struggling to push me to my left. My chest felt like a football player had riverdanced on it. I looked down, all my movements sluggish and blurred. The airbag was partially deflated in my lap, nothing but a pile of sheets coming out of the steering column. His small hands scrabbled at my hip. The seatbelt snapped up and over my shoulder, nearly hitting my face as it whizzed by. I groaned. He kept trying to give me instructions. I looked left.

The road was a mess. Fire, oil, and various other liquids I couldn’t identify at the time slicked the asphalt, turning it into a massive flaming swamp. Or maybe I was delusional. I had hit my head at some point. The driver’s-side door from my Impala was bent at a strange angle, and I couldn’t see the other truck past the thick black smoke billowing out of the hood.

Vi screamed my name again. I turned to look at him and I saw the front of the car catching fire as it reflected in his eyes. I couldn’t help but think that his eyes matched the angry red flames. It was almost beautiful. He yelled again and tried to push me out. I half slid out of the car before the pain in my leg caught up to me and I screamed. He was panicking now and used his superior strength to bend the dashboard back into place. I felt my leg slide free as I tumbled into the road. For a moment I laid on the ground, catching my breath.

    Strong arms lifted me up and carried me to a spot a safe distance from the wreck. I was starting to fade out again so I closed my eyes. Vi flopped down next to me and I heard his internal clock slowing down. Tick. Tock. Tick… Tock…. He grasped my hand and I turned to look him in the eyes.

    “Hal… I think you’re gonna be ok…” he sounded so tired, so unsure. “You hit your head but… it doesn’t look bad…” I noticed he had one hand clutching his side. “You might have broken your leg though…”

    I reached over and carefully pulled his hand away to reveal a large shard of glass in his side. He looked at me sadly.

    “I guess I have to… shut down now…” His speech was stunted and quiet. A single tear slid down his cheek. “I love… you… dad……”

    I sat in silence as the gears slowed. Tick…. Tock…… I pulled him close and hugged him. Silence.

[mechanical-vi]

*makes a really expensive purchase*

hahahah he'll never see this one coming

[mechanical-vi]

Practically all your nightmares involve me....

but i dont want them to… we finally started… acting like family…

[ask-robodirk-andhal]

TT: But, Hal is mine.

Sup, 2 Hal 1 Dirk, wow.

[mechanical-vi]

((i really couln't help it. also im lazy hahahhaha

Hal: VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Vibot: *EVIL CACKLING*