Deep Black Road: The Head of the Snake

Chapter 19

"Oh, hi," Lisa said to Ricky after the sounds and smells of late-morning brunch being prepared enticed her out of dreamland. "Did you get a good sleep?"

"I didn't need any," he answered. "My dynamic memory's only half full."

She gave him a puzzled look, and then sat up. "Whatever. I bet my hair's a mess."

"I can help you with that. Where's a brush?"

She felt her face get warm. "Um, no, that's okay. I'll do it." Pulling her backpack over, she dug around until she found the brush. As she got her hair into shape, she asked, "You've been so nice to me all this time. How come?"

"I don't know, but you've been really nice to me too. I mean, I'd be a real jerk if I wasn't grateful for everything you've done for me. Besides, I like you, a lot."

Blushing, she rushed the rest of her brushing in silence, and then scrambled around to roll up her sleeping bag and put her pack in order for the rest of the journey.

Ricky watched her and thought, I like her. I really do like her-a lot!

Hey, when did that start?

The glow! My feelings have gotten way stronger since I got that!

#

During the afternoon, Lisa spent some time with one of the other girls; and at sunset, as everyone got ready to set out again, Ricky was surprised when she went and stood with her father. Feeling a little hurt, he took the lead like he had the night before.

A few minutes later, Shirley was trudging beside him. "I hope you don't mind me prying," she said, "but has something happened between you and Lisa?"

"Not that I know of. Why?"

"She's not with you."

"I wish she was. You think maybe I said something to make her mad?"

Shirley glanced back at Lisa, who was walking hand in hand with her father, and chatting animatedly. "Probably not," she answered. "Is there anything you said recently that you think might be troubling her?"

"Well, the last thing I said to her was that I liked her a lot."

Shirley nodded. "She's still a girl, and as such has little experience being close with people outside her immediate family; so perhaps your friendship with her is scaring her a little."

"Oh. Should I say I'm sorry?"

"No, no. It looks to me like you've done nothing wrong; and this is something every child must learn to deal with eventually-including yourself, more than likely, if you're as human as you claim."

"Yeah," he said. "I've never felt like this with anybody before."

"And to make it more complicated, you're a robot."

"Don't remind me. I already feel like an alien."

Shirley chuckled. "Admittedly you have good reason for saying that; but I can remember feeling like I was from another planet when I was about your age; so don't go blaming your robotic nature entirely for it."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind."

After a moment, Shirley fell back to walk with a couple of the other women.

As Ricky mulled over his situation, he realized that if he went back to the CDA-now that he finally could-he'd find it hard to lie about what he'd been up to; so they'd be all over these guys in a flash, which meant that there was no way he could return to General Orkan.