The Cold Unknown

Chapter 7 - Stormy Night

I was sitting by the front window, holding Timothy in my arms. Thunder rumbled outside as rain pattered on the window. It was another scary night, one as stormy as Todd's behavior.

Todd was sitting on the couch, like usual. A hockey game was on, but Todd wasn't watching. He was too busy getting high off Red Ice. Kara was in the kitchen making dinner - Todd's orders of course. When she was finished, she walked over to Todd, and interrupted his high. "Todd?" She asked, leaning in front of him. He jumped at the sudden voice awaking him. "Huh?" He questioned. "Dinner is ready." Kara told him. Todd slowly got up. "Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'."

I noticed Kara had made two plates of spaghetti, she had probably assumed I was human. I still wasn't sure if telling her was the right thing, so I politely sat down at the table as Todd walked over and sat across from me. He had this strange look on his face. Is he annoyed at Kara for waking him? Is he upset with me? With both of us?  Whatever the case, I still didn't like it. I hate that the drug does this to him. 

Kara grabbed the plates from the counter, and walked over to set them in front of me and Todd. "There wasn't much in the kitchen. I did what I could."  She said. I didn't start eating, neither did Todd. Kara flipped on the light above the table, placed a napkin on my lap, then grabbed a pitcher of water and poured me and Todd a drink as he started talking. 

"Life's funny... I lost my job cause of androids. Then I need someone to take care of this goddamn house. What do I do? I go out and hire a fucking android." Todd said. I noticed Kara's LED turn yellow, but she didn't say anything. She just stood back, hands folded behind her, as she awaited new orders. 

"Course androids are so fucking wonderful." Todd continued. I just stared at the table. "They never fail, they're never tired, never sad! They're so fucking perfect, they ruined my fucking life!" He spat. I'm not perfect. Maybe I was meant to be that way, but still. I have more emotions now than I used to. I can feel rage, deep sadness, true fear. I thought to myself as I looked up.

Todd now looked at me. "What're you looking at? What's your fucking problem?" Uh, oh. I don't like where this is going. He glared at me. "Not the life you dreamed of, eh? Maybe you think this is easy? That it's my fault we live in this fucking shithole. My fault your fucking mother took off!" Well, it kind of is... I wanted to say, but kept myself from doing so. He continued in a voice of mockery. "You should stop taking drugs, Todd. Sometimes you really scare me, Todd." Is he mocking Caroline? Todd went back to his normal, but rising voice.

"Fucking bitch took off without a word. Fucking whore walked out on me FOR A FUCKING ACCOUNTANT!!!" He screamed, standing up and throwing the table onto it's side, sending the glassware shattering on the floor. I stood and backed away when this happened. I looked at Todd, scared. "It's all your fault." He growled at me, walking closer. "Daddy, no." I pleaded. He ignored me. "It's all your fucking fault!!"

I screamed as his swinging hand met my face. It hurt badly, tears started falling from my eyes. My hand went up and covered my stinging cheek. Without thinking, I bolted upstairs, not listening to Todd yelling for me to come back, and not even going to Kara for the comfort that I knew she couldn't give.

I ran to my room and shut the door. Sliding onto the floor, I allowed myself to cry freely. I stayed like that for a while, but then, I heard Todd's footsteps coming up the stairs. "Alice! I think it's time you've been taught a good lesson!" He yelled from the stairwell.

Forgetting to lock the door, I went to my window and opened it. I had a ledge that I could climb down from. I wondered if I should do it. Deciding I would, I went into my fort to grab the only comfort I could get, Timothy. Timothy! I remembered when he wasn't there. I left him downstairs! Just then, my door flew open.

"Come here you little brat!" Todd growled at me. He was holding a belt. "No, Daddy, no! Don't hurt me, please, don't hurt me!" I begged, shielding myself with my hands. He raised the belt high, and I closed my eyes tight, waiting for the searing pain to come. But then, I heard a voice from behind Todd. "That's enough! Leave her alone."

I opened my eyes. Todd lowered the belt and turned. I looked past Todd. Behind him was... Kara? She was standing with a gun in her hands, aiming at Todd.

Kara is protecting me... again. My spirits lifted. She's back. My Kara.

"What're you doing?" Todd questioned. "Put down the gun, and get outta here. That's an order!" Kara remained where she stood. "No." She said firmly. "I want you to leave Alice alone." She kept the gun aimed at Todd.

"You want?" Todd asked. "What do you mean you want? What're you gonna do? You gonna shoot me, is that it? You're gonna shoot a human?" He knocked the gun from Kara's hands, she gasped as it fell. "You seem to have a problem." Todd continued. "I think we need to fix that."

Todd grabbed Kara's throat and pushed her into my dresser. He kept throwing punches, possibly trying to destroy her (knowing what he did before). Kara dodged them, trying to make her own punches. He pushed her to the side, knocking over a lamp as she fell to the floor. He tried to grab her as she crawled away. Todd stood back up, quickly making his way over to her. "Watch out, Kara!" I yelled. Kara stood as Todd ran at her. She dodged to the side quickly, falling again. "Come here, bitch..." Todd grumbled. Kara crawled away again, and hit Todd's foot away as he tried to kick her. Todd still was able to grab her throat again, pulling her up to stand. He pinned her against the closet, hands on her throat, as she attempted to pull them off. I could see her synthetic skin coming off to show the metal underneath.

Kara put a hand on Todd's face, and pushed. They both fell to the ground once more. "Please stop!!" I yelled, crying. Todd had Kara near the window, he punched and missed, making the window break. He threw her onto my bed as I screamed again. "Leave her alone!" Todd ignored me. "I own you." He said to Kara. "You do as I say!" He threw Kara to the floor again, and she rolled. She tried crawling over to grab the fallen gun, but Todd was close to it, and he kicked it away from her. It landed... right at my feet.

I glanced from the gun, up at Todd, then back again. A voice in the back of my mind told me not to do what I was thinking about. But, I betrayed the voice as I found myself lifting the gun with both hands, and slipping a finger onto the trigger.

I aimed for Todd - mainly his torso - but the gun was heavy in my hands, and it wobbled. Though I was still determined to hurt him. With this newfound anger clouding all reason, I gripped the gun tightly, trying my best to aim for his heart as he and Kara kept bouncing around my room.

No! Don't kill him! It'll just make you worse than him! The voice said as I was about to pull the trigger. Just then, I realized what I had been about to do. I still wanted some pain from Todd, so instead of putting the gun down, I shifted it, aiming for his shoulder. I pulled the trigger.

I heard Todd cry out just moments after the bang. A bullet had pierced his right shoulder. Todd dropped to the ground. Kara looked at me, pure shock on her face. I was shocked too, considering what I just did. With Todd still bleeding on the floor, Kara quickly came over to me and carefully took the gun from my hands. She put it in her dress pocket and grabbed my hand. I gratefully followed her out of the room as Todd screamed at us from my bedroom.

"NO! COME BACK HERE!! YOU'RE MINE!!!"

We quickly went downstairs, and Kara unlocked the four locks on the front door. We practically bolted outside, and I saw a bus starting to pull up to a bus stop. Well, how about that perfect timing? I thought.

We climbed into the bus, and sat down. We were the only ones there. The driver shut the doors, and pulled away from the stop. My hand still held Kara's. I looked at her, seeing her LED flash between red and yellow, then spin at yellow for some time. Kara placed her free hand on top of our intertwined ones, as I rested my head against her shoulder. She put her head on mine, and I closed my eyes as exhaustion came over me. I then fell asleep peacefully, knowing Kara was by my side.

"Always." She whispered to me, as I drifted off into Wonderland.