Lost & Found

Slight Faith in Humanity

Chapter 113: Slight Faith in Humanity
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3 years later

My throat tingled, my lungs wheezing painfully as my tongue failed to produce enough saliva to hydrate my dry mouth.

My feet pulled through the thick tangled grass below, they ached painfully in my torn shoes. I could hear leaves rustling and noises but I paid it no mind knowing it was just surrounding wildlife making way for the large Cyberdog trailing behind me.

"C-Come on, Booms." I reached back and pat his nose, encouraging him to move forward. He whimpered as he slowly picked himself off the ground and began limping forward.

I thought of carrying him to relieve him of his injury but Hide and Ratch strictly ordered me to remain in my normal form to not cause attention to myself. That was a bit hard to do trying to hide a giant metal dog.

Though before the three of us were separated, they taught me how to change my alt form, claiming that my colors were much too bright and noticeable. I didn't bother arguing with them on that and changed my alt form's colors to a dark grey.

Somehow, Boomer's color magically changed to match my new color scheme overnight. I wasn't sure if this was part of his programming and he did this on his own or if this was the Prime's doing.

I haven't talked to them in months. It wasn't my intention to cut them off but I have been unable to have a proper rest, fearing that we would be caught if our guard was let down too long. At times I can hear their voices in my head, but I wasn't sure if I was hallucinating from the lack of rest and malnutrition or if it was actually them.

"Fight." My grandfather would say.

"Be strong," Prima said.

"Do not give up, young one!" Solus Prime once said when I had collapsed to the ground from exhaustion.

I longed to see them, desperate for a new sense of strength or reassurance. I wondered if they would accept Boomer back in the realm and keep him safe. I dread the day the humans will try to take my dog away from me.

I see him as a sweet innocent dog and the humans see him as a science experiment. Disgusting.

The cold winter wind blew and whispered in my ears as it bit at my bare skin. My body could tolerate the cold but after being stuck out in freezing temperatures without proper clothing or no source of heat for days, it was becoming quite difficult.

I tucked a few loose blond strands behind my ear as I leaped over a fallen tree. I dyed the tips of my hair blonde over a year ago after cutting it had failed. Who knew my hair could grow back to its previous length in under a week?

I also dyed the blue patch of my hair red, believing it was what I was most recognizable by.

"Hey, Booms." As we came to an opening, I pointed to a barn and house in the distance. "L-Look. A house. I-It's-" My knees buckled but I desperately continued forward into the bright moonlight.

"All t-the humans...can't be the same, right?" Boomer hesitantly crept out into the open with me, letting out a soft whine.

"I-I know boy but t-they-"

I collapsed to the ground.
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KNOCK

KNOCK

"I got it, dad!"

Cade Yeager glanced at the clock hanging above the Tv in the family room and frowned. It was a quarter past 11. Who knocks on someone's door at 11 at night?