The Unknown Tales: A Collection of Short Stories, One Shots, and More

Do You Remember Me?

"Please, I need to see her."

"There's no mention of a Ty Harvey on the list. I'm sorry, sir, but I can't allow you to visit Miss Lily." the accountant said briskly as she restacked the papers.

A metal hand slammed on the counter, cracking the granite. The woman screamed in fright and jerked back. Papers scattered across the floor around her. Ty Harvey leaned over the counter and picked her up by the front of her shirt.

"You will take me to Lily." he growled. The attendant, Macey, looked frantically around the waiting room. There was no one else, she was alone with this maniac. Heart beating frantically she shook her head.

"I can't. It's after visiting hours." she said. A smile twisted Ty's face. Without turning around he pointed to the large clock hanging on the wall. Macey watched in horror as the hands on the clock moved backward until it was no longer eight o'clock but six!

"I believe Lily is in room seventy-nine." the strange man said. Macey nodded and he let go of her shirt. Quivering with fear, Macey retrieved a key from her desk and led Ty Harvey down the hallway and up a flight of stairs. Ty followed silently.

That was poorly done, sir.

Shut up!

Would you like me to change the clock back, sir?

I said shut up!

Very well, sir.

Macey stopped at a door with the number seventy-nine printed in bold black letters on its surface. She unlocked it and opened the door to admit Ty.

"She might be sleeping."

"I only need to see her." Ty said brushing past Macey and entering the room. Macey stared after the man. He was gruff and dark mannered. She didn't think there was a polite bone in his body. And whatever he had done to the clock frightened her beyond belief. The man was unnatural, from the top of his black hoodie to the bottom of his strange, otherworldly boots. His metal arm only added to the oddity. She slowly backed out of the room, intending to call security.

Ty watched her leave.

Make sure she can't call security, P-DAM.

Yes, sir.

P-DAM, Prime-Data Analyzing Machine, the smartest computer in the world. Also probably the most annoying, Ty reflected. P-DAM went quiet for a moment while he shut down the hospital's communication lines.

Sir, I do not think this is logical.

"Can it, computer." Ty said. A photo of an irritated Davey Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean flashed across Ty's contact lenses.

I am a highly sentient being, do not insult me. A computer cannot think for itself. It must be told what to do.

"You're a computer that can think but still does whatever you're told." Ty retorted.

That is not true, sir. I did not lower the temperature of the refrigerator as you asked me to fifty days, thirteen hours, two minutes and fifty-one point three seconds ago.

"How the heck am I supposed to remember that bullcrap!"

I thought humans were capable of remembrance.

"We're not all living clocks."

I am insulted.

"Go turn the temp down in the fridge." Ty said in exasperation.

Yes, sir.

Ty turned his attention to Lily. He removed his hood to reveal dark brown eyes and wavy brown hair that was beginning to grey at his temples. He smiled fondly at the woman lying on the pristine white bed hooked up to numerous wires and tubes. She was thinner than he remembered.