Mines

Chapter Thirty-four

Hercules falls into a gigantic mud puddle and splashes the dirty muck everywhere. I cover my face to avoid getting in my eyes, but when I open them again, I see Lafayette kneeling down next to Herc, and I splash down next to him.
     "What's wrong with him?" Laf moans.
     "I- I don't know. But did you hear that sound he made?" I ask. Lafayette turns to me with a pained expression on his face.
     "He was hurt!" he protests but I shake my head.
     "That didn't sound human Laf. And he sent some kind of electrical shock through me." Lafayette looks puzzled for a moment, but then an odd expression comes over his face.
     "He's- he's- a..."
"What? What is it?" I ask urgently. He turns to me, still looking shocked.
"John... is Hercules a... a robot?"

"W-what? No! That's impossible! He can't... can't... he just can't be!" I immediately shout, my voice starting to get hysterical. Because after all that's happened to me, all that's happened to us, Herc can't just... he can't hide a secret like this.
"It's not impossible." Lafayette says quietly, because unlike me his voice is getting softer and softer. "I mean, you two lived in the desert, correct? And it almost never rains there, right?" I'm stunned, because he's right. In all my time in living in the desert, and working in the mines, it's only rained three times. I can't remember what exactly happened on those days, but now I'm trying to remember if Hercules was by my side at all.

"No!" I say, my voice cracking. "He's human! He's got to be! This is just some sort of-"
"Some sort of what?" Laf asks shrewdly. "When has he ever been apart from you?"
"I mean, theres been times at school and in town but," a thought crosses into the forefront of my mind. "Why... why are you asking?"
"Think about it, if there is a real Hercules, and this is some sort of replacement, then when would anyone have the time to 'switch them out' in a sense" Lafayette says, still calm. "Who'd even want to replace Herc?"
"Captain George!" I say immediately, and I feel oddly triumphant for a moment until I see Laf shaking his head.
"Oh please, because the Captain needs Hercules for something." he says.
"Well he's strong so- but I mean- this all just seems to impossible! And- and why are you trying to- to be a pessimist?" I question, but I seem to have touched a nerve.
"Oh so I'm supposed to be cheerful all the time! Is that it? Well excuse me for being a little gloomy on the pretense of finding out that my best friend is actually a robot!" he suddenly stands up, clutching his head. "I mean- did I fall in love with a fucking robot?"
"He's not a robot!" I shout, and I stand up as well, tears and rain alike pouring down my face. "He was- is human! This is just- some sort of decoy- or something!" But I know I'm not fooling anyone, because all hope is lost if even Lafayette can't see light in this darkness. I suddenly hear a branch snap behind me, and I turn around suddenly to a cloaked figure. It takes me a moment to realize, that it's Alexander.

"Alex?" I ask astonished. Alex's whole face is pale, and his hands are shaking where he has them clutched tightly at his sides. He shouldn't be here. I know he can't stand being out here, with his Ombrophobia. "Alex, why-"
"I heard you shouting. I heard enough to have guessed what happened." Despite his shaking limbs, his voice is steady. But it still takes me a moment to realize what he said. And then when I do realize it, I feel terrible. He's out here, in a rainstorm, when he rather be anywhere else, to help me. I've never felt more ashamed of myself.

"You should go. Now." I say, clenching my own fists, but Alex shakes his head.
"I can't. You seem to be missing a few very important points." he says simply.
"About what." Lafayette asks, anger still in his voice.
     "Well if we're going to bring logic into the situation, did- did Hercules ever get hurt?" Alex asks. Lafayette and I stare at each other for a moment.
     "...Yeah we all did. I- oh!" I say excitedly, a memory resurfacing in my head. "Remember that day he got really bad blisters?"
    "Oui! Yes! They were bleeding all over the place!" Laf says, sounding happy again, but then his expressions changes to sulky again. "So what? What does that mean?"
     "Well... if he was- is a robot, robots can't get hurt, per se, so..." he falters slightly and his eyes go wide again, but he shakes his head vigorously.
     "Wait so you're saying, that Herc- there is a human Hercules? Somewhere?" Laf asks, tears brimming in his eyes.
     "I think we have a very good idea where he is." Alex says grimly. And Laf and I nod. Herc is back at the mines, and Captain George has sent his replacement to spy on us.