Artificially Intelligent

Chapter 6

        "Arsenic. I'm confused too, but you need to calm down," Bindy's voice cut through my panicked state of mind. Calm down? I can't "calm down"! She's confused too, why isn't she in the same state?

        I inhale to attempt to "calm down". It works, a little. "Alright, alright, you're right," I say, "I just need to calm down, that's all." I take another breath, "Stanly, how dose this all work? How did you get to another pain of existence? How did we get here from World War II?"

        "I already told you," Stanly said, "it's magic."

        I laugh weekly. "Actually, I'd like the truth."

        "That is 'the truth'"

        "No it's not. do you want to know why? It's because magic doesn't exist."

        "Yes it does," Helio chimes in.

        "It does seem to point to that being the only explanation, Arsenic," my dad replies.

        "Alright, then can you explain why  it works?" I ask.

        Helio looks at Stanly, confused. After a long moment, both of them say, "No."

        Bindy and I share expressions. They're the expressions you get when an idiot walks into a room and tries to look smart by saying that pure white diamonds are the rarest mineral in existence. No, diamonds are rocks and are pretty darn common.

        "Okay, I'm with you now, Arsenic," she says, "everything has a cause and a process. If you can't explain it to a couple of science nerds, then I'm out."

        "Wait!" Helio said.

        "What," I said, "you have your 'magic', what else do you want?"

        "Can't you just wait to meet the others?"

        "Others?" Bindy inquired, "Can they explain this mess?"

        "Maybe...probably not, but, come on, it's rude to leave without saying good bye."

        "Well then, call me a jerk," I sarcastically snap back. As I say this, my eyes filter onto something on the table next to the door. I try to figure out what it is, but my concentration is broken when I notice a tall figure in the window.

        I was about to say something sarcastic, like, "I don't want to end another chapter on a question, but who's that?" but then it walked in along with a few other...things. Can I even call them people. One seems to be an android, and the tall figure is just a shadow attached to a disproportionately small, and genetically impossible, leopard-parrotlet hybrid.

        "Good bye," I said and went to the door. I grabbed the glasses and waltzed right out the door.

        "Arsenic..." I here Bindy start to trail off, but I keep walking. Then I here foot steps.

        "You decided to come?"

        "You're not the only one who has suspicions about this stuff." 

         "You aren't either."

         "Fair point. So where are we going?"

         "Would you believe me if I called it a midnight stroll?"

         "About as much as you believe in magic."

         I let out a small laugh and hand her the notes I found. I remind myself that I'm either walking into certain death or out of it.