Automatons ✔

Chapter IV

                                                  Yoel came back home from the tavern inebriated. He tried to insert his key card and waited impatiently for the door to open, but he was so drunk that he could hardly move his hand straightly. He banged his forehead onto the door before trying again to insert the card in the slot above the doorknob. Finally, the light turned green, and he pushed the door open. His stomach was unsettled by the amount of the alcohol he consumed and his head hurt. His golden brown hair fell into his eyes when he bent forward to vomit abundantly.

"Puke detected in the hallway." One of his Robutlers gingerly walked over the filthy floor to clean it.

"Mega, can ye' get m some pills first? Ye' can clean this filth lat'r." He slurred his words.

"But sir, your parents will be home in few minutes. If I leave the floor this dirty your mother will get mad." Mega sounded concerned.

"Ge' m pills right no'!" He yelled incoherently.

Mega nodded and rushed to the bathroom. He dragged himself to the sofa and turned on the TV.

"More than 60,000 Automaton-related accidents have been reported this year in California." The news anchor announced, "according to our recent statistics, 45% of American citizens are growing weary of their intelligent machines. In fact, a new anti-Automaton hate group is protesting in front of the White House today calling for a ban on all robots because they fear that one day they will turn against us. Here with us today is the spokesperson of the anti-Automaton group to discuss his worries with us, mister Jorge welcome."

"Thank you for having me today, Steven."

"What evidence do you have that suggests that a technological singularity is about to happen?" The presenter questioned.

"Well, Steven, so far we only have anecdotal evidence. My wife and I came home one night, and we overheard our Robutler, Lilith, talking on the phone with another Automaton— I am assuming, about how unfair humans are. After telling our friends about this story they also had similar experiences to tell about their robots. And we are certainly not the only ones noticing negative changes with our robots' behavior."

"So you genuinely believe that our beloved ASI machines are developing some sort of grudge against us, and that one day they will turn against us?" The news anchor was clearly trying to hold his laughter.

"That is correct, Steven. And our group's job is to raise awareness about the inevitable consequences of this uncontrolled growth and development of Automatons."

"Okay, well one thing for sure is that we all hope that this apocalypse will never happen. Jorge I appreciate you coming here, but we have to move to our next story: a new study reveals that meal-in-a-pill may slow down Alzheimer's, true or false? We will discuss that after the break."

As the commercials appeared, Yoel heard his mother's loud grating voice yelling at Mega.

"Why did you not clean this mess?" Rachel scolded once Mega came back from the bathroom, holding painkillers between its tin arms.

"Madame, I apologize. Mister Yoel is in so much pain I had to fetch for the painkillers first!" Mega defended itself.

"Where is he that idle knave?" Rachel searched around the first floor and finally she spotted him in the living room, "did you not promise to never drink excessively again? What unpardonable sins have I committed that G-d decided to punish me with an irresponsible child like you?" She started to snivel.

"Can ye' stop yellin'?" He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Why are you so sad Yoel?" She took his face between her wrinkled hands and looked straight at him. "Ask for anything, and I will give it to you. Just, please stop killing your organs with that poison!"

He stared back at her with the saddest eyes, "why are ye h-ome, ye never home..."

"Your father and I have finally finished that project we've been working on. Oh, Yoel, I can't wait to show it to you, you will love it!"

"Mother..." his breathing slowed, "I am not feelin' well."

"Dear Lord, you're so pale!" She touched his cheek, then his forehead, "and very cold! Mega call 911 right now!"

Yoel could no longer clearly hear his mother's voice as his eyes drooped further and further. The world around him cruelly started spinning, and the pounding from earlier seemed to find pleasure within him and decided to dwell inside his head. Darkness has spread its veil over his eyes, and he fainted.

He woke up in a hospital bed feeling a little better than last night. His mother was sitting on the chair near him reading the Siddur.

"Mi Shebeirach avoteinu v'imoteinu, Avraham, Yitzchak v'Yaakov, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel v'Lei-ah, hu y'vareich et hacholim Yoel Cohen. HaKadosh Baruch Hu yimalei rachamim aleihem, l'hachalimam ul'rapotam ul'hachazikam, v'yishlach lahem m'heirah r'fuah, r'fuah shleimah min hashamayim, r'fuat hanefesh ur'fuat haguf, hashta baagala uviz'man kariv." She recited the Jewish healing prayer, "Amen. Oh, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

"Where am I?" His stomach grumbled and his throat was dry.

"We're at the Northridge Hospital. Your father is on his way." She informed him.

"What?" A sudden wave of fear shot through him, "I need to leave this place immediately!" He tried to get up, but his mother immediately pushed him back against his pillows.

"Where do you think you're going, monsieur? The doctor just said that your blood sugar is too low and you cannot leave until he gives you permission."

"Why did you bring me here? There are tons of other medical Centers in LA!" He swung his legs over the other side of the bed and tried to stand up again.

"Where are you going?" His mother followed him as he limped in his hospital gown.

"You are driving me back home or to another hospital. I am not staying here, maman."

"They offer a special program for drug detox and it may help you recover from your addiction! I know you don't like talking to humans about your problems, but recently they started offering Automaton-help for persons with co-occurring substance abuse disorders."

"Good morning mister Cohen," a doctor and a nurse entered the emergency room, "I see you are anxious to leave."

"Yes, I feel fine and it would be a great insult to those who need help if I stay here. Where are my clothes?"

"I am afraid you are one of those people who need help, mister Cohen." The doctor began to explain, "you have a condition that is known as Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis. Your extreme alcohol consumption over the past few years has really damaged your liver tissue. If you continue to abuse your body with alcohol, eventually what is left of your healthy liver tissue will be replaced with scar tissue and your liver will stop functioning properly."

"Oh my god!" His mother put her hand over her mouth to smother a cry.

"Not to worry, Mrs Cohen. If your son agrees to participate in our new detox program with the help of one our specialized Automatons, he might recover."

"Please, Yoel, do it!" His mother begged him hard.

"We found a request letter to rent one of our Automatons, Éloa, in your pocket last night. If you wish, you can start the program with it." The nurse exposed his blunder for leaving the last proof of his desires in his pocket.

As the sere leaves fell from the trees and in his hospital room from the window forming an array on top of the floor near his feet, Yoel thought about the romance he tried to kill just like fall did to these leaves. He tried to banish his feelings for her because he knew it was a transgression to like an Automaton. But since when did he care for society's expectations? He has always been a wild soul who got what he wanted and finds delight in breaking conventions. This time, he shall resurrect that wild soul again and chase what he wants: Her.