Imperfect Android

Chapter 17

The wake felt like it lasted a cruel eternity.  There were many colorful flowers and teary eyed co workers during the service.  Naru was silent the whole time.  She kept her eyes fixed on the floor and never looked up.  Lore couldn't stop himself from crying as he wrapped his arms around his mother.

Jerdin's dead body was in an open coffin that was lined with dark red velvet.  He looked peaceful; Almost as if he was asleep, but Teagen knew that wasn't the case.

The whole service was a blur of despair and when it was over, things got worse.  As people poured out of the funeral home, Mr. Gallows slowly walked up to the coffin.  He bent his head down to look at the dead body of Teagen's father.

"Oh Jerdin." he said softly.  "You are going to make a magnificent android."

Teagen shot Mr. Gallows a look.  The words he spoke filled her head.  Her father's body was going to make an android; another one of her.  Teagen sat down on one of the wooden chairs.

"I wonder who was sacrificed to make me.  Wha-what if they were a loved one of a family... it could have been a daughter...a mother..."

Tears streamed down Teagen's face as she put her hand over her eyes.
"That person can never be alive again and they were used to make ME!  I don't deserve to have this gift of life!"

Mr. Gallows walked over to Teagen and put his hand on her back.
"You will get over this." Mr. Gallows said calmly.

Teagen didn't want to respond to him.  Her throat hurt too greatly from crying.  Mr. Gallows went out the door to leave the funeral home.
"Come on Teagen, let's go."

She followed along and left the building along with Mr. Gallows.  The sun went down and darkness covered the sky.  Street lamps illuminated the sidewalk and casted large shadows.

"Tomorrow we will have the funeral and burry your father at the graveyard.  After that this will all be over."

Teagen gathered what strength she had left in her vocals to speak.  "You're not really burying him; you know that as well as I do."
"Well yes, that's true, but don't you worry about that."

Teagen cleared her throat and kept looking ahead.  Finally, they arrived back at the building.

"I'm going home now Teagen.  I'm closing up the building since everyone went home already.  You go ahead in and I'll lock it up."
Teagen went through the door and hit the button to call the elevator.

"I've never seen this place so empty before." Teagen thought as she looked around. "Usually Mr. Gallows works till really late.  It's almost as if he never slept.  He was always working and working....."