Game Boy

29 - Creator

"They approved it?" Kenneth watched the bot with a half-bated breath, his hand pressed against his chest to ensure he remembered to inhale at the proper times. His mother stared off into space and said nothing as she sat back in her chair, her fingers drumming on the arm.

"Affirmative."

Eyes widening some, Kenneth sat up a bit more. He then shied back when he saw his mother's eyes flicker up and his head dipped back down. "That's good..." he whispered under his breath and smiled to himself. 

The bot turned and looked at the monitors. "We will begin surgery prep soon. You are scheduled to undergo operations at 4 pm tomorrow afternoon. This was the earliest time allowable."

Kenneth nodded. He peeked up at his mother's stare which was currently fixed on the back of the bot's head. She shook her head some. "The earliest time would've been two weeks ago, you already have all his scans," she murmured.

Biting his lip, Kenneth swallowed back a reply to her and just folded his hands in his lap. He reached under the blanket with one hand, though, touching the headset. It seemed to burn hot under his fingers even though it wasn't on. He swallowed and pulled it out.

"Uh, before you go..." 

The bot paused and turned back to him. 

Kenneth held out the headset. "I...took this...thought you'd want it back." His eyes lifted through the shield of his curly hair and he heard the air go silent, pulled taught as his mother's brows lifted and her lips compressed. She murmured something he couldn't hear. He looked away.

The bot took the headset. "This device is off-limits until a later determination," it droned and simply replaced it back in the safe. Kenneth dropped his hands in his lap. He closed his eyes and exhaled. I know I wanted to talk to her, but...she'd probably not be happy if she knew I was talking to her over something stolen. He swallowed, but the guilt that had wormed its way into his chest released slightly. Kenneth inhaled easier and exhaled again. The cold air didn't sting as much anymore and he relaxed.

"Sorry, mom," he whispered. 

"You bet you are," she snapped. 

Kenneth nodded. The bots whirring tracks turned. "A doctor shall arrive soon for final consulting and to review surgery prep. Have a good day."

It trundled from the room. The sound of machines clicking and beeping filled the silent space. Kenneth leaned back onto his pillow and peered up at the ceiling. His stomach churned slightly and he closed his eyes against the white lights. I hate waiting, he thought to himself. The air came in and out of his lungs slowly, each breath mildly forced. Don't think about waiting. Only a few more hours. After all, it's 6 pm today. Dinner will be soon...then I can sleep, then it's just waiting until 4 pm. He cracked his eyes slightly and stared at the safe. It would be easier if I had a distraction, though.

Eyes falling to where his mother sat, Kenneth quickly moved his gaze away. She's human...I know that...I guess. His lips thinned and compressed. He shook his head. I don't know, I just...not yet. He swallowed. The thought of opening his mouth and saying something, anything, he could feel his heart racing inside his chest already. His fingers felt cold. He tightened them around the blanket and just closed his eyes again and tried to relax. 

In the back of his head, Kenneth felt the hours tick by. He fell asleep after a few and his dreams flipped through his mind. Montages of his adventures, the world he and Byrd had spent so much time in. Adventures they'd never gone on played out in his half-sleeping mind and he smiled slightly. 

Eventually, the bots came in to wake him for dinner and the counseling, though. He sat and listened without truly taking in information. He let his mother handle the talking and just tuned out her harsh questions to the doctor--who was human surprisingly. Kenneth's eyes simply fixed on the floor, his mind off in another world.