THE ROBOTIC ANT

Chapter 10

I waved a cab to stop and climbed aboard. Scoot didn't know where we were heading and he jumped behind me. I know my brother is half-sensed, but he has enough sense to decide to follow me or stay alone in a robot-attacked street.

You know exactly where I was heading now. We were heading to the centre of the city where there is an open ground on which is a structure made of white canvas standing on a supportive metal framework. We were heading for the Exhibition, the only possible epicentre of this Robo-human war. I agree there was no war going on currently, but if somehow, that robot discovers how to use that gun, then, no war was too far.

We were getting closer when we saw to our surprise, there was a chaos. There was police; they were barricading the street trying to stop something to come from the other side. Two brigades were lined up on both of the lanes. They were pouring water and chemicals that blurred up the entire vision. People were running from the other side of the street to the policemen across the barricades. The whole scene was like there was a riot in the city and there were protesters on the other side. I tried to force my vision through. There were upside-down cars and fallen street lights. I saw figures holding sticks or rods, they were shattering the glasses of the shops, smacking the car windows and burning down the vehicles. If this happened to be a protest, then this is the most violent one I had seen in my life. This violence was covering the street to the Exhibition, as if it had started from there and reached here. If this was true, then, maybe, going to the Robomech Exhibition was not a great idea. I don't know why, but anyways, I was ready to give this risky and life threatening plan a chance.

"Take it from the parallel street." I told the driver who un-hesitantly turned the cab to the parallel street that also led to the Exhibition. Maybe, this life threatening plan could be worth for me, but I don't know why the driver and Scoot insisted on risking theirs too.

This change in route is going to double the fare. Although, I was happy as this street looked unaffected. I tried to wish that this street gets attacked by the protesters. As I told you before about my chronic disease, whatever I wish, things always occur the opposite. By the time we reached the Exhibition and the cab stopped, nothing stopped us. Not even a small disturbance. Not even a speed breaker. Now I had a trick to change my luck.

The tent remained stable, unlike Scoot's van, unlike the street destroyed by the protestors. Just it was not as bright as it was in the morning. No lights on. No security. It was unsecured. Every check point was unguarded and abandoned. Good thing I didn't leave my Anti-Bot here. Any thief could sneak in, damage the innovations.

I walked towards the entrance, only this time, there was no slow walker in front of me. No doubt there was a slow walker behind me. Scoot trembling with shiver­­­­­s of this cold night was following me blindly. I actually think he was shivering with fright but even if this was the case, I was not in a mood to preach him anything right now because I was busy preaching myself, telling my soul that the plan I made is gonna work. I made no plan. There is no plan.

We reached the final check point. It was like we reached the summit of Everest from America! The conveyor belt rested silent, like my legs, unwilling to move. When we moved in, it was dark. No, not dark. It was black. I turned on my cell phone's flashlight. I was afraid if I hit any of those solid metal robots, I would break a bone or two. Well, even if I walked without the lights on, I had still no possibilities to hit any robot. Cause, there were no robots! None! They were all gone. All the tables, all the rows, all the Robots that were left behind, they were not there.

"Is this what we came here to see?"

"No, they were here. They should be here!"

"I think we should be at home now. Shouldn't we be leaving now?"

"Yeah...alright."

We turned back and started to move towards the entrance that happened to be the closest exit from us. We were two steps away from the conveyor belt when four robots, humanoids, angry humanoids stood in front of us in an arc with their fists firmed. Along with their villainous entry, all the lights got turned on. I basically cannot read their emotions but their attitude said that they were angry. Angry and weird, they were also weird. It was like as if they were pretending to be us, humans. They were wearing shirts, boots, goggles and everything they were not supposed to wear. Copy-cats! However, they didn't know exactly how to wear them. Wrong buttons in the wrong holes, a couple of them didn't even have noses to set the goggles. They were all holding sticks that they must have snatched from some security guards while one of them was holding a broom. To me, I guess broom is the coolest weapon to use.

Observing them was awkward and unnecessary at this time. What I wanted was a full-fledged escape plan. If even three of them could manage to snatch something from the security guards, then, running cannot be a good idea. What I could only think of was giving them Scoot and running away while they were finishing him.

I was getting impatient while carrying loads of anxiety. I have no breathing problem and I haven't tried one before, but I desired to have an inhaler.

What to do? What to do!       

Decision Pending...