Such freedom that this new job brought!
Max found himself roaming the suburbs and countryside for hours on end. It was blissful compared to the hubbub of the city, and although it took hours for the subway to stop anywhere with trees, he had access to everything as RêverEnd's dog - now promoted to general assistant and bodyguard.
Today is his first real day on the job - and he's hiking miles across the countryside carrying hundreds of pounds inside a sack on his back. Emptying its contents, he sees that he's been carrying a large bundle of thick wooden sticks. One by one, he plants them into the ground in a circular shape, like RêverEnd ordered.
"Your first ceremony starts here, Max," RêverEnd says, gesturing to the circle of torches around the empty field. A pile of dry wood lies in the middle. RêverEnd claps his metallic hands together and the orange flames roar to life, spanning six feet in height.
"What's my job?" Max peers into the flames.
"You're going to bring more firewood as we move the procession along."
"That's all?"
"I need a special kind, Max," RêverEnd snaps, "of course it won't be easy. I tasked you with this because your nose is strong and you carry a lot of weight. If you're so bad at finding humans, then at least find me something else that's useful."
"Oh," says Max, embarrassed. "Yes, RêverEnd."
"You should be able to smell it already," says RêverEnd. "I want apple wood. No other wood can do, and it must be dry. Go on, then." Max is about to head into the forest when he hears the sound of jingling coming down the hill. Squinting, Max sees a mass of color moving quickly across the gully. RêverEnd whistles. "Looks like we have a bit of company."
Androids cart around heaps of finely decorated fruits, meats, and wines, with one or two scantily dressed humans trailing behind each machine. A golden cart carrying Tone situates itself at the very front.
"Offerings for Le Rêve, Sir."
"RêverEnd, it's my first time attending an Enlightening. Is it possible you could offer my flowers first?"
"I haven't missed a single Enlightening. I wonder if this time, Le Rêve will be merciful and let us pass on."
RêverEnd busies himself with greeting the androids. Max is about to head off into the forest when a flash of lake-blue sapphire catches his eye. The light, musky scent of human, heavily masked by the cloying scent of perfume, drifts to his nose. He cranes his neck, trying to find the human bearing the strange aroma, when the bejeweled figure pauses and looks directly into his eyes.
At first the expression is one of alarm. The man ogles at him for a good ten seconds before Max awkwardly clears his throat and looks down, then up again. The stranger's face is distinctly East-Asian, with catty upturned eyes and sharp brows. That surprised expression softens as the eyes grow half-lidded and affectionate. The man bites his lower lip and sticks his tongue out flirtatiously, showing off the small piercing inlaid in it.
Immediately Max's face grows hot, so hot that he has a coughing fit, his metal heart rattling and sputtering. At first he doesn't notice the heat building up in his lower half, but he slaps himself across the face when he does. The shame! He doesn't even know this person! Does he?
Max manages to sneak one more glance before the man is lead away. He's bare, wearing nothing except jewelry to cover himself. His bronze skin is soft and shiny, like caramel glaze over a chocolate cake.
Max taps RêverEnd on the shoulder and points. "Who is that man?" I know him. I know him. ...What is his name?
RêverEnd's jaw ticks. "Just a service boy. I use him for Tone production sometimes - the kind that makes you feel ecstasy, like you've just orgasmed. If you work diligently this month, I'll let you have him for an hour."
YOU ARE READING
MAX
Science Fiction'Memories successfully removed.' 'Uploading MAX.dog...' ... Max is a dog. Long metal dog's ears stick out of his hair, and his nose can pick up on scents undetectable by his android master. He was created to serve others. His sensitive nose and ea...
