Recharge 05: A New Home

To put it nicely, Chris' living quarters were...less than desireable.

 

There was trash and food everwhere. Immedietly when I walked inside, my foot landed in a tipped over pudding cup, staining my new shoes Daddy had given me. I took in my new space, recording the data and saving it in my memory banks. Picure frames hung low on the creme coloured walls, most of them crooked. Human food was scattered everywhere, mostly candies and greasy pizza boxes. There was a sofa in the center of the living room, and it had a countless number of scratches on it. Stuffing was spilling out of the middle sofa cushion and onto the floor below it, but I suppose this didnt matter to Chris, as he stomped right across it. "So uh...this is my living room. I um...sit here?" he said, scratching the back of his neck while looking at me. I stare, unsure of what to tell him next. How would a Human reply? I open up memory files and go through my list of neutral responses. I find one that I deem appropriate given the current situation.

 

"Cool."

 

Chris seems moderately surprised, but I am unsure of why. My chip tells me that all Humans do that. I suppose I should add that to my list of normal social interactions. "Oh well um...what room would you like to see next?" he asks, and I wonder if he is nervous talking to me. Daddy had told me that Human males act strange around Human females. Since Chris is completely unaware that I am infact not a Human female, his horomones are only reacting naturally to my presence. An annoying trait bestowed upon him, and unfortunately one I must live with for awhile. However I was sure with time it would be embedded in my behavioural program and I would become accepting of it.

 

I take a brief moment to wonder if Daddy and Dr. Lumberghast would come back for me. Was this move permanent? Would I be living with Chris forever?

 

My chip says nothing to me, so I am uncertain if my thought is fact. I shrug it off, like a normal Human would do. I decide it is time to answer Chris' question.

 

"My sleeping quarters, please," I reply, and he passes me a strange look. Humans call this Confusion, my chip informs me. "What? 'Sleeping quarters'? Do you mean your bedroom?" he asks, his eyebrows raised and his pupils cutting me strange glances. I nod. "Exactly. Isn't that what I said?" I say in return. Chris says nothing, only sighing and walking ahead. I follow.

 

He turns a corner and begins to walk up a wide staircase. I look down. These stairs were built closely together. Surely it wasn't safe. One could slip and fall. For Humans, they could fracture a bone or break something. As for me, an Upload, I could hit the floor so hard it would spark a malfunction in my networking.

 

Stop thinking Lacey, my chip warns, you can do this later. Befriend the Human first.

 

I follow Chris up the stairs, making sure to watch my step. My premonition had worried me, something I didn't know Uploads could feel. Anxiety, was it? Yes. Thats a better word for it, I suppose.

 

"Lacey, whats taking you so long?" Chris calls from the top of the stairs. I look up. He's standing there, looking quite cross with me. "My sincerest apologies, Chris. I was simply making sure I didnt fall and hurt myself," I say, and he scoffs. "Well can you do that faster please?" he requests. I sigh. "But Chris, one cannot rush caution. If one does, then it's not truely caution, now is it?" I reason as I reach the top of the stairs. Chris rolls his eyes at me, an interaction my chip says that translates to Humans being Annoyed or Agrivated with you. I hope it will not make my friending Chris harder than it is already proving to be.

 

"Here you are," Chris says, opening a burgandy wooden door and revealing a guest bedroom. "Casa de Lacey," he says with a strange trill on the "L" of my name. I look around. The room is simple: a bed in the center with a powdery blue blanket, a nightstand, and an empty closet in the corner which I assume is for storing clothes. "This will work very nicely. My many thanks, Chris," I say, walking inside and getting a closer look. I wonder why I have no picture frames in my room. They say paintings and photographs help brighten a Humans mood. Had I been a real Human, this room would be not much of a help if I was in a bad mood. Did Chris wish for me to be upset? I would hope not. It would appear to me that that would be very unfriendly of him.

 

"Sorry I didn't have more time to prepare...kinda forgot about signing up. In fact I still can't remember..." he said, his words trailing off. I feel like pointing out the fact that he never signed up for anything, that I was assigned to his home at random. A computer, with it's mesmerizing motherboards and wires, brought me here.

 

These were coordinates chosen by my real family.

 

But I knew Daddy would disapprove, so I say nothing.

 

Chris gives me a smile. Humans use it to express Happiness, or as a filler emotion, used to express Nothing. Right now, I couldn't be sure what he was using it for, so I just smiled back. "So uh Lacey, where'd you come from?" he asks, and by that I was sure he meant where I lived before I was "orphaned". My chip feeds me geographical information, and I pick a place at random. "London."

 

"London?" Chris asks, obviously skeptical of my statement.

"Yes. I was concieved, born, and raised in London, Chris."

"Hey now. I didn't ask where your parents made you."

 

He looks offended. "Chris, have I said something unnesssary?" I ask, and he just shrugs it off. "Nah. Don't worry your pretty little head about it, Lace-Ups."

 

I stare. Lace-Ups? Was this some sort of Human malfunction? Did Chris have a virus?

 

"Chris? What is a Lace-Ups?" I inquire.

He laughs. "You're not serious are you? It's your nickname. From now on I'm going to call you Lace-Ups!"

 

I stare.

 

I don't bother to ask why he will call me Lace-Ups, or what a nickname is.

I figure he'll begin to question my intelligence.

Author's Note

YESS!! UPDATES FOR THE WIN!

Reviews

[Angie Diane♥&hea..]

This was an interesting chapter. I don't think Chris really understood that she was trying to find out more about humans. It's not like he knows that she isn't human or anything. I wonder if he will find out. Can't wait to read on. Thanks for sharing. :)

[Ink Stained]

I enjoyed the Data-like naivety of your main character. I am seeing that not only is your cyborg? trying to understand the human condition, but she is also harboring longing for her father. I sense a germ of humanity here. Might I suggest that in your description of a place (paragraph 2 above) that less is more. You might work in a single sentence which could do the job. Suggest you review Hemingway. However, the more I read, especially climbing stairs, the more comfortable and readable your piece became.