Michael woke up with a headache, but that was normal for him. Having a half-robotic brain wasn't always a benefit.
He rubbed his temples, shook his head to wake himself up, and looked at the clock beside his bed. The time flashed green on the electronic screen: 2:30 AM. He sighed.
"Just what I need," he rubbed his eyes and sat up. "Another sleepless night."
Due to his Insomnia, he usually woke up this early. His hours of sleep had improved since half his brain was replaced with motherboards and electronic cables, but it was still the hardest thing in the world to just get himself to fall asleep. He also couldn't sleep on his right side, because his arm was made of titanium. It would get pretty uncomfortable.
He stared at the clock for a while longer, then he pulled on his shoes and quietly walked out his door.
He knew he shouldn't have been outside at this time- the Half-Robot Town had a deadline for when you had to go inside for the night, and when you could come back out- but Michael found that taking walks when he couldn't sleep helped him relax. He wouldn't be out for long anyway; usually he just walked around the Town.
He closed his eyes and felt the early morning breeze blow his black hair out of his face. Then he jogged away from the small house he shared with two other people, not paying much attention to where he was going.
About ten minutes later, he found himself walking down the Forbidden Path, the road that basically told you oh hey, you're leaving Half-Robot territory. He slowed down and blinked.
"What.....? Whoa, I've never been here before..."
I should head back to the house now, his brain said. If I get caught out here, I'll get in big trouble.
He sighed. "Well....." he muttered to himself, "I'm not tired, and I can avoid the border..... And what's the use of a road if people don't walk on it?"
He had made up his mind. He continued walking down the road.
He was so mesmerized by the way the trees swayed in the breeze that he didn't realize the road ended until he bumped into a strange looking man.
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