July 31st, 2016
A monitor beeps. Incessant.
A woman cries, "Will he be the same?"
Her sobs are followed by a man's voice. Quieter. Calm. "Just the same as he was before the accident," he says. "All you have to do is sign here, Mrs. Morales."
"And what if something happens? What if he breaks? Can you fix him? If he dies again..." The third voice belongs to another man. Unsure. Frantic, even. "What will happen to our family?"
"Mr. Morales, all of Bionics products are lifetime guaranteed, and Javier's body is premium certified. You came to the right company to give him back to you."
"We only want him back. I miss our son..." the woman's voice returns. Softer and accepting, though hesitation rings in the very last word—son.
"Like I said, Mrs. Morales, you both simply need to sign, and your son will be yours. Again. As though nothing had ever happened to him."
"It just seems... unnatural."
Despite the uncertainty, pen scratches across paper. Hands clasp, shake; the movement like lull winds.
Then the beeps cease. The voices fade.
And the sound of a heart's beating takes over the silence.
"Is anything natural, Mr. Morales?"
YOU ARE READING
Human Code
Science FictionJavier Morales is an android who only wished to be accepted in death as he was in life, but when rogue androids kidnap his sister and destroy the city, he must put himself last to save what matters most. ...
