A living THING

Chapter 21

Tiny metal shards were scattered over the floor. Knelled down I tried to pick them up. Some pieces were larger than others, some very tiny, tiny. There was no way it could be fixed. Larger metal pieces were bent in places and the metal itself was too tough to fix it by hands, at least not with mine weak ones. The tiny parts were too small to even think about repairing. All my dad's work will be a mystery for me forever. There was everything, not just Bryce's characteristics and such, but his purchase contract and his inner system's manuals and information for repairs and what else not. And there is no copy of this information, it was the only source. I was so mad at Bryce now. Though it wasn't visible, I was boiling inside. My breathing was heavy,struggling to hold my emotions in.

"Don't be mad."

He leveled himself to be in same height as me and looked in my eyes. His tone was pleading, but his face remained motionless. Bryce picked some pieces of his destroyed manual. I hated this, it was so hard to communicate with him. I never new what his intentions were or what he was thinking. I was so tuned on human body language and facial expressions, but could not read a single one from a robot. He certainly can make expressions, as I saw today - his smile, but it seemed he preferred not to.

"What were you thinking? Do you have any idea how important this was?" I presented a piece of shard in front of his face.

He didn't answer again, like always, just continued picking things up. I threw everything in recycling system that was connected with all the other apartments and lead down to the basement where it was collected later. Why did Bryce do that? I know, it wasn't an accident. He had to use a brute force to break it. How strong is he? A small shiver run down my spine, imagining of what he could do to a human with those large hands. Just like Sharlene said 'break like a stick'.
I better go to sleep early tonight. Tomorrow I have to get back to work and probably face new problems in office. I can already imagine a ruckus around Bryce, like everywhere I go with him. I decide to sit on a couch for few minutes and listen some relaxing music while watching sun set.

"Do you like it?" he asks after some time.

"Yes! It is beautiful. "

"Why do you like it?"

I glance at him surprised of his sudden interest. "It is natural, real, not made up by humans. It relaxes me, the nature and it's living creatures makes me calm, all the living things."

"You don't like artificially made things." he stated.

" ... I don't know. I would say, I don't prefer."

"Then you don't like me?"

"No, it is not like that, but I am not gonna lie, I would prefer someone else as my bodyguard - a human." I averted my eyes away from him saying this hurtful truth. "I ... I have never had a robot in my life and I don't know how to deal with it, I don't know how to feel about you Bryce." I looked back at Bryce waiting for his reaction.

He turned away from me and went to the other side of the room and looked out the mildly shaded window. I observed him, as I wanted to see, ... to know his answer. Did, what I said, affected him in any way? His reaction seemed strange, like he was hurt and didn't want to hear any more of my thoughts.

****

"Remember, don't say to anyone you are an android, just pretend you are a normal human being, OK?" I told my bodyguard, while dusting his dark shirt.

We entered my office building, it was early and my receptionist wasn't here jet, that's good. I just want this morning to be as calm as possible. Getting closer to my office I noticed Anna already in her workplace. I feel very pleased seeing as she takes her job serious.

"Good morning Anna!" I gave her a warm smile.

"Ahm, good morning, Ms!"

"This is my bodyguard - Bryce." I informed, noticing her eyeing my robot. "He will be staying here, while I work."

Bryce, with small smile, reached out to greet her with handshake, but she was hesitant.

"Do we need to do the formalities?"

"Excuse me?" I didn't understand what she meant.

"I... I mean, do I need to greet a robot so formally? Kyra, if you want it be done that way, than I can ..."

Before she could finish I interrupted her waving my hand in dismiss: "No, never mind, it is OK as it is."

I almost reached my office door, when I came back to her: "How ... how did you know?" I looked back at Bryce and then at her.

"Ahm, some of my relatives own androids similar to him. It has become easy for me to recognize them." she replied shyly.

"Oh, OK." I whispered. "Ahm, could you keep it in secret. Don't tell anyone."

Anna just nodded.

"And you, Bryce, stay here." I put him stand beside my office door outside.

That's it. Now I can quietly do my work. I turned my computer to check my work schedule. There was not much, some small meetings with my own workers and few new projects, which need to be looked at.

A midday was approaching and I started to hear talking outside my office. It was getting louder and louder as the hours passed. I tried to ignore the commotion, knowing it was because of Bryce. Then I heard one very familiar voice. Victoria. She was quite tall and much curvier than me with long blond curly hair, plump lips and green eyes. She liked to were bright makeup, and quite provocative clothing, but I have told her to tone it down a bit. It would be inappropriate to look like a clown and work in this company. I could hear her flirty voice echoing through others. I hated it, as she always tried to get what she wanted with her flirting and womanly charms. Maybe, deep down, I was jealous of her, because I had no such talent. The only reason she was till working in my company, was because she was very good at her job. I tried to concentrate on my tasks, but her high voice outside was bugging me, I wanted silence for once, as the last few hours I have been working with that annoying mumbling outside. I stomped towards my office door and opened it with a quick swing.

I saw many of my employees around my bodyguard, mostly women, attempting to get Bryce's attention. Luckily he didn't seem to be fazed by their flirting. And then I noticed Victoria so close to him, too close for comfort, too close for my comfort. Then somebody notices me standing between my door and everyone instantly shuts up, seeing my grim face.

"Everybody back to your work!" I said sternly and all of them rushed back to their workplaces.

I noticed Victoria wasn't ready to leave as quickly. I gave her another warning look and was relieved she finally left.

I walked towards Bryce and took hold of his arm and dragged him inside my office.