We aren't supposed to feel

Part ten: Layla

When we found her that day, in the cave huddled, cold and lonely I knew that she had been through a lot. I wanted to help her, I didn't want any harm to come to her. But now, I have failed. George has tried to convince me to go with him, to save Mimi. I told him that I trust Hannah, that she will bring her back. She has to.

The sun beats down on me, making sweat roll down my face. We agreed to take turns watching the cottage, so for the next hour it's my turn. I sit and wait, and wait. At first I didn't see it, it was a mere speck in the distance. But as it got closer and closer I could see it clearly. "George come out here!" I shout. She's there in the distance, Mimi. George runs out of the cottage and gasps when he sees her. When she's close enough he kneels down and hugs her tightly. Joy fills my heart instantly, she's safe, Hannah did it. "We were so worried about you." I say bending down. "Hey where's Hannah?" George asks, raising his head. I look around as well. I expected Hannah to arrive with Mimi, then a sickening feeling fills my stomach. She looks up at me with tears in her eyes and I instantly know what the answer is. "Mimi you're here alone aren't you." I say already knowing the answer. Mimi buries her face into Goerge's shirt, and cries out. "He rebooted her!" I take a step back, rebooted. I have herd of that before, my mother told me that robots are sometimes rebooted if they aren't working correctly. "Rebooted?" I asked, "What does that mean?" My mother looked at me, she said she got this information from a group of survivors she met a long time ago. "It's when all of their memories are erased." My eyes widened, "All of them?" I asked. My mother nodded. I looked down then said, "Ma, is it possible for the robots to live with us as they once did?" She smiled and rested a hand on my head, "I don't know, but if you truly want it then you can make it happen." I smiled then, hoping that I could change everything. But I was a kid, and now, I see the world differently.

"Who's he?" George asks pulling me away from my daze. "The ruler." She murmurs in between tears.

George's eyes widen, "Then we need to save her!" He says.

Mimi trembles, then pulls away. "Hannah wanted to protect us, more then anything. Going after her would defeat the purpose and get us killed."

"George," I say raising my head and waiting for him to look at me. His eyes are full of anger, I recognize that look from long ago, at the farm. "Mimi is right. And even if we go now we would be to late."

George looks away, averting his eyes then says, "Didn't she say that we are her only family?"

She did say that, and I want so much for that to happen. For us to live among the robots, for this nightmare to end. But I now know that Hannah was right, it's impossible. It's just a dumb dream, and she has proved it. "George please." I say. All I want now is for us to be safe. George nods sadly. I look up at the sky, and wonder where Hannah is, is she looking for survivors? Maybe. And I also wonder, for some reason, what Hannah's eyes look like. Do they no longer have emotion? I wish I could say goodbye, that is what I wanted with my parents as well, I wanted to say goodbye before they died. But things don't happen like you want them to. Sighing I walk back inside the cottage. Goodbye Hannah, forever.