Sparks

Chapter 31

I sigh and put my hands on my hips. "So that's the end of it?"

"Yes, if you followed every instruction I gave exactly then it should be installed correctly. Is the camera facing the street in front?"

"Yep."

"And is the solar panel set up on the roof with all the colors of wires that you reconnected matching?"

"You bet."

"I'm gonna try and connect to it, then."

"Alrighty, have fun." There's some clicking sounds on the other end of the phone call and then he speaks again.

"Ah, I can see you! Wave so I know it's picking up video correctly." I do. He says, "Oh, yes, there we are! Hello, I can see you now."

"Good for you. Can I get back to patrolling now?"

"Someone's impatient. But sure, go ahead." I turn to Delores after ending the call.

"Sorry about that. That camera should theoretically last for another few years at least, and it'll run all the time. I think Jacob's going to be watching this most of the day and he'll be handling everything so neither of us have to do much."

She relaxes back into her chair and laughs. "I'm tired just from watching you. How do you do it, dear?"

"I'm just used to being on my feet all day, I guess." I shrug. "It doesn't bother me."

"Whatever you say. But you said you had patrolling to get back to?"

"Yeah, sorry. Oh, and you don't need to call me anytime you see it anymore. The camera will take care of that."

Delores frowns in confusion. "It? But isn't she a she?"

"Ah, sorry, my mistake." She shakes her head.

"Kids these days. Calling innocent girls 'it.' But you need to go head off now, right?"

"Right. Bye, Delores!" I walk away in the direction of the candy shop. I need an ice cream...

--

The girl behind the counter recognizes me now, which is funny. She'd know me by name, if I'd told it to her.

"Hello, can I get a bowl of double chocolate ice cream with marshmallow creme on top?" I ask.

"Sure thing, that'll be four fifty." I pull out a five.

"Just keep the change." The girl takes the money and hands me the ice cream. I nod a thanks and sit down.

This whole deal's been really tiring me out lately, but at least I get to patrol every day and have ice cream. It's a blessing that I've gotten to patrol in one, such a small city, and two, a city that still has a sweet shop. As well as two steak restaurants, at least seven churches in about ten square miles, and a drive in fast food place that I have bad memories of, but that's beside the point. This town would be almost perfect for my taste, if it wasn't for the fact that Sparky has the sheer gall to exist.

Sparky. At first I was terrified of it, but after hearing about it so often and seeing it on video almost as much, I've become a bit desensitized. It almost feels from what I've seen that it can't hurt me, but that's truly a very stupid opinion. I'm not very powerful at all and this thing killed eight senior members of my organization.

That's what I need to remember. It may seem harmless and clever, but it's a killer. It murdered eight innocent people and its intelligence only means that it is truly accountable for its actions. It may not be human, but I know that it has enough humanity to pass as one. And I will gladly help make sure that it is punished as one.