Murder Recall

Eyes of Time

I have relived that day many times. I was going to say that I remember it like yesterday but I've already forgotten most of yesterday. I only remember what I need to. Not to say that my memory is fixed. Tomorrow I might remember more about yesterday than today.

I was so happy to be back at Eden and see Rita, but I was terrified to see the condition she was in. She had been struck by lightening and was seriously damaged. I hugged her, not moving her much, hoping she would know I was there, but the hug dislodged her right arm at the shoulder. It remained attached to her body sort of hanging there. I tried to fix it but there was something wrong with the joint. I lay her back carefully into the position she was in before and started gently kissing her face and whispering at her to please, please, wake up. I raised one of her eyelids and it fell closed again as soon as I let go. An ever-so-faint hum started.

Then both her eyes opened and she said in a faint, damaged voice, "I'm in emergency mode for three minutes only. Open my heart plate and reboot me." I fumbled under her burnt remains of clothing to where her heart would be. Her skin was scorched a reddish-black. It peeled away easily like an onion skin. I could see the outline of what must be her heart plate. I had no confidence in what I was doing but I desperately tried to open what looked something like a lid on her left chest. It wouldn't move. Then I took Mark's knife and wedged it in the grove of the outline and pried with all my force. It opened slightly and I was able to grab hold of it and pull it further up, revealing the workings of her body beneath.

Rita said, "Good work. Now, please remove the damaged switch and expose the clean wires." I saw what she meant and cut the burnt switch off with Mark's knife. Then I cut off the burnt ends of the two wires the switch had been attached to so that clean copper ends were exposed.

Rita spoke again, "Hold the copper tips together until I reboot and then let go." I did that and it worked. I could hear what sounded like a quiet motor start.

"Thank you very much Gwen," Rita said, "you have brought me back to life. I must test all my systems now." Rita's eyes were open and she smiled at me. I was so relieved. No matter what now, Rita was alive and with me.

After some time of doing different movements and also sitting quietly, seemingly in deep thought, Rita said, "There is damage I can work to repair in all areas of my capacity. I am sorry I will not be at the same level of service to you that I was before."

I burst into loud tears at that, "As long as you are with me, I don't care what you can or can't do for me. I don't want a servant. I want a friend. Can I hug you?" I was convulsing with tears. I was crying in gratitude for Rita's company. Rita moved closer to me and we hugged, holding onto each other for a long time.

"A friend I can be," Rita assured me, and she always has been. She never completely regained her prior capabilities or knowledge base. Often she was the one relying on me and that made me feel good.

Sometimes Rita spoke to me using another voice that wasn't her own. The first time was the following June 21st. The sun stayed high in the sky and had not dipped below the horizon for several days. We were sitting in the shade under the tallest tree on the hill in the middle of the island, enjoying the heat, the peace and the marvelous expanse of landscape stretching out endlessly before us. Vegetation on the island had grown back quickly after the fire. The sky was dotted with small clumpy clouds that drifted slowly towards the west.

Rita said, "Just beyond the limit of our sight the river empties into a vast lake."

I turned my head quickly to look at her as it was not her usual voice, though I did recognize it, I couldn't tell from where. I said, "Your voice is different."