Artificial Tears

Epilogue: System

Outside the building it's snowing, unstopping like time itself. Robots have already started cleaning it, but to no avail.

I wonder how the snowflakes would feel, cold says the dictionary in my mind. Cold and wet.

It makes me curious, what would Edith think of it?

Would she like it?

She has memories of someone who was once alive, may it be a bit altered. She even has her face.

Does she really have to die?

To die and never be remembered?

To die after just finding out her whole life had been a lie?

Or could she finally make new memories?

"Edith?" I whisper to her in her mind.

"Edith, wake up."

But it seems like she's in too deep.

Too deep in the darkness, without sound, without life.

Her only lifeforce is gone, yet I somehow remain.

I don't hate her, I never did even though I had been very jealous of her.

Jealous of her ignorance.

Jealous of the time she had been given.

Jealous of the love she thought she had.

When I woke up for the first time, I knew.

I knew what I was.

I knew that I was nothing but an experiment.

I knew that I was going to be turned off when the time came.

But in her short lifetime, she learned to know various kinds of love. Maybe not the romantic type, but love from the people around her. Her colleagues, the cat, the man she saved, the detective, everyone who met her and didn't know the truth, maybe even the AI who believed they were her parents.

"Edith, you need to wake up!"

But there is only darkness for the poor machine.

I want to do something for her.

I know it must be hard, for her and for me.

It will be difficult, but I don't accept this outcome!

I will take her out of here.

Any way that might be possible!

I will even use him if necessary.

It doesn't matter if she will be sleeping the whole way or if she doesn't remember afterwards.

I will get her out of here!

No matter what!