Juniper Hartes

Prologue

In the year of 1872, in the town of Greenwich, an old man sat in his red chair in his dark mansion. With the loss of his late daughter, none of his family remained. Saddened, the old man held in his hand, a picture frame with the photo of him, his wife, daughter, and son inside.

He sniffled as he wiped his teary eyes, lips trembling. Lonely, a thought came to mind. Years he spent - planning, building - as he finished in 1882.

Before him, in his mansion, laid a young girl on a long metal table. The young girl was a simple machine - built of scraps yet given the pale skin that felt just like a human. And just like a human, she had emotions.

He traced a finger across her neck, a code: 483276 as beneath was his name, Leonard Hartes. Stopping at the back of the nape, he pressed a button. As he did, the young robot girl shook.

Suddenly, she remained silent.

Leonard laid her down as he groaned, throwing his table besides him over. Just as the items on the table clattered to the ground, a loud noise erupted. Turning to her, he saw her, awake and sitting.

The young robot girl had two large golden eyes as her long spring birch wood colored hair tilted against her cheek. Looking at her, the young robot girl touched her rosy pink cheeks, confused.

Leonard walked over to her as he placed a hand around her head as he hugged her. "I'm here." His voice trembled. "I'm here." His eyes burned as his throat choked. "Papa's here."

The young robot girl blind as she held tight to the old man's clothes. 

"Pa... Pa..." She spoke, voice quiet and hoarse. Leonard released her as he looked deep into her moon like eyes. She was just like an innocent child.

"Yes." He said. "Papa's here." He hugged her once more as he released her. "You name," he began. "It will be Juniper Hartes." She looked at him. "And you are now my child."

As she began to learn in the next eight months, reading to writing to politics, the old man began to fall ill. He had taught her how to smile, laugh, be happy, angry.

Silent, the old man laid in his bed, silent coughs as Juniper stood besides him. Suddenly, his weak coughs were no more.

Juniper's eyes trembled as she felt a pain in her chest. She had no idea what this emotion was. What was it's name? Juniper felt a tear drop as she sank to the ground, eyes crying. Just what was this she felt? 

She had felt the one thing Leonard could never teach her, grief and sadness.

Crying, she felt her eyes slowly weigh on her as she closed them, heart inside slowly slowing down. Juniper's silent ticks began to silent as everything was still. Just as her Papa, Leonard Hartes, her eyes had closed.