[Original Novel] Little Robot, Part 59

alexbeyman (74)in #writing • 6 years ago

^{Part 1}
^{Part 2}
^{Part 3}
^{Part 4}
^{Part 5}
^{Part 6}
^{Part 7}
^{Part 8}
^{Part 9}
^{Part 10}
^{Part 11}
^{Part 12}
^{Part 13}
^{Part 14}
^{Part 15}
^{Part 16}
^{Part 17}
^{Part 18}
^{Part 19}
^{Part 20}
^{Part 21}
^{Part 22}
^{Part 23}
^{Part 24}
^{Part 25}
^{Part 26}
^{Part 27}
^{Part 28}
^{Part 29}
^{Part 30}
^{Part 31}
^{Part 32}
^{Part 33}
^{Part 34}
^{Part 35}
^{Part 36}
^{Part 37}
^{Part 38}
^{Part 39}
^{Part 40}
^{Part 41}
^{Part 42}
^{Part 43}
^{Part 44}
^{Part 45}
^{Part 46}
^{Part 47}
^{Part 48}
^{Part 49}
^{Part 50}
^{Part 51}
^{Part 52}
^{Part 53}
^{Part 54}
^{Part 55}
^{Part 56}
^{Part 57}

Suddenly I heard tires screech, and a familiar voice shouted “GET DOWN!” None of us reacted until the gunshots started. Madeline screamed, as did Lars, hunched over with their hands on their heads as bullets shattered the side and rear windows. I draped myself over Helper instead.

Plastic and metal arms reached inside, groping blindly for something soft to claw or crush. But one at a time they jerked backwards, limbs flailing spastically as they collapsed in a flaming heap. Only once their numbers were sufficiently thinned was I able to glimpse the gunman.

Big Red, plus three of his men. One of them stood alongside Red while the others fired from higher vantage points on the truck’s cargo bed. Blam, blam, blam. Red hammered away at the mechanical mob with a pump action shotgun while his men peppered their midsections with machinegun fire.

When the last shambler finally dropped, Madeline erupted from within the car to greet Red, tears of joy flowing freely. Lars got out slowly, surveying the honestly quite mild damage to his car with an expression of quiet horror.

“...You shot up Rhonda. There’s...there’s bullet holes. Bullet holes don’t buff out. How could you just go and-” He tried to complain more but was sternly reminded by Madeline that Red just saved our lives.

I hung back and searched Helper for damage. Other than broken glass, which I carefully swept from her legs and shoulders, she looked fine. Besides being comatose that is. I headed out to meet Red and shake his hand for coming to our aid.

When I did, I was in for a shock. Somehow it slipped my mind that I’d asked him to do this. The bed of the truck was loaded up with all my vintage robots, restrained from tipping over during transit with those stretchy, hooked bungee cords often used by movers.

I could’ve kissed the man. Forget my reservations about his compound or his lifestyle. Forget it all. For the moment his grinning, red nosed, bushy bearded face was the most glorious sight in all the world.

“Well now, just look at what y’all went and got yourselves into. Not even a day out from the lodge, either. Didn’t I say it? Didn’t I say you wouldn’t last long on your own?” It would’ve been infuriating if I weren’t so damned happy to see him.

When he asked what we were doing parked outside, I explained the situation as best I could given the man’s limited experience with computers. Behind us, his men set about carefully unloading my robots and lining them up against the entry gate.

“Don’t tell me she’s had it all this time.” I asked what he would’ve done if he’d known, especially the other night in the bunker. He stared sternly at me. “I get why you did it. Maybe I even woulda done the same in your shoes. But don’t appreciate being kept in the dark.”

I apologized, and thanked him again. For fetching my precious machines from the apartment that otherwise would’ve been their final resting place, and for gunning down the mass of robots that had us pinned inside that cramped, foul smelling car.

“Six crates.” I cocked my head and asked him to clarify. “I reckon that’s what’ll fit in the back of the truck. You can thank me with six crates of them rations instead of the one we agreed on ‘fore I knew you were keeping secrets from me.”

In no position to haggle, I eagerly agreed to the new terms and told him to come back in a few days, reasoning that either the door would be open by then or we’d have given up and headed back to the lodge.

“If you don’t mind” I added, “we could use some ammunition in case more of those things show up. We’re also real low on gas. That wouldn’t be a problem except we need to keep all that machinery powered if Helper’s going to recover.”

He shrugged. “Hmm...I guess six crates is a lot of food...sure, I’ll throw in some gas and a box of shells, but that’s pushing it. You got your robots, I saved your bacon yet again, don’t you go tacking on any more extras.” I swore up and down that we’d be square after he let me siphon enough gas to lift the needle back up to where it was before we left the lodge.

That wound up being nearly twenty gallons. Red grumbled about it but honored his end of the deal. Lars took the box of shells from him and set about excitedly loading them into the shotgun Helper showed up outside the police station with, seemingly many years ago.

Madeline and I waved as Red departed. Lars started Rhonda’s engine, which mercifully still ran like a dream despite Red’s indiscriminate application of lead earlier, then set to patrolling the area with his freshly loaded shotgun at the ready.

I wasted no time powering up the cooling system, then gradually dialed the multiplier back up to 32x in modest increments. The sun now once again hung low on the horizon. Six hours remaining.

Despite the chilly evening air, after spending nearly the whole day cooped up in that stinking hot car, it was a joy just to sit outside around a hastily put together campfire. Lars returned after a while with a pair of rabbits he’d shot.

I cringed, as I have a soft spot for critters. But not so long ago I was giving serious thought to which of us would wind up eating the other two. Rabbit meat, though not my first choice, was certainly a step up from long pig.

I elected not to watch as Lars skinned and gutted the animals. “Really? After everything we’ve seen so far, this is all it takes to make you squeamish?” I considered explaining that human deaths bother me considerably less than animal deaths before deciding against it. There’s just no way to say that where it doesn’t sound wrong.

Hunger is the best spice. I’ve spent enough time out in the wilderness, one of my precious few refuges before all this, to appreciate how fresh air and physical exhaustion coincide to make food prepared outdoors unusually delicious.

So when the scent of those rabbits cooking over the fire reached my nose, I could do nothing except follow it slavishly back to the source and dig in. I noticed Lars peering around every ten or fifteen seconds while he ate. As I probably should’ve been doing myself, but I was too busy gorging.

I admire that about Lars. You can accuse him of many things and be right about most of it, but he’s sharp as a tack. Competent, vigilant and reliable. His insufferable degree of self confidence, I must admit, is only rarely misplaced.

In retrospect, I hardly could’ve picked a better pair to survive this mess with than Lars and Madeline. When I said so out loud, Madeline smiled, but Lars scoffed. “It’s a bit early to say we’ve survived.” Ever the optimist, too.

^{Stay Tuned for Part 60!}

#books #horror #scifi #stories

6 years ago in #writing by alexbeyman (74)

Sort:

bearmaster (47) 6 years ago

Good chapter today, big Red saving the day as it should be.
I must say that this novel has me very trapped from the beginning and it is easy to identify with the characters and be very fond of them.

You are great Alex!

dilshan77 (1)(1) 6 years ago

Fuck and the adrenaline starts, it feels like coming maybe it was a mistake to separate from Big Red at that time, maybe they should wait a little longer.

mshakib (1)(1) 6 years ago

Can not be more craved madeline wanting to go to the bathroom but what a frustrating situation, by Lars attempts to calm the moment I think it worse because everything had the same "robot" response, I hope everything goes well and that helper does not have to see only his bones. That carelessness or overconfidence by not taking food or a small weapon that at that time would be very helpful.

edgarcastillo87 (46) 6 years ago

I know that many hours have passed after the publication but I feel that the important thing is to read it and leave a comment so you know that I am very attentive to your publications.

We always criticized big red but this time is a god or a savior that came unexpectedly to save him "THANKS BIG", but with your robots, well they cost you some supplies but the material does not matter as long as you have your friends close the sorrow. Lars has his stuff but if it is true he is very tactical when it comes to any danger he is very attentive.

roky77 (0)(1) 6 years ago

He held up a bundle of black hose, with a shiny metal bit on either end. “Will this help?”

That moment I started to believe Helper is saved. But still anything could go wrong. I also felt relieved when they were able to get power supply from the other robot’s batteries. 😞 again? With all they already have, it would take that long? He has to figure out something...

kwadjobonsu (66) 6 years ago

The situation seems to be escalating. Big red really surprised everyone with his heroic gesture. This story is full of suspense and surprises. That's good.

gabriel90sson (52) 6 years ago

I was wondering how they were going to survive that...it ain't over yet though

sujonkhan (-1)(1) 6 years ago

I think it's not a good idea to go back as Madeline put it, because it's one more hour on the way back and when passing through the same place where they already warned the crawler robots, the first thing is to save helper and madeline has to collaborate more, just as Lars is helping out, you have to help yourself because survival depends on everyone.

$0.00

afire (48) 6 years ago (edited)

always your writing is best! maximum part was awesome! carry on.

$0.00

sujonmia (2) 6 years ago

I reached a multiplier of thirty two before it began to falter. I dialed it back to thirty as...
The bot is simply amazing. To be able to handle an x30 multiplier is something really rare. Even with nitrogen cooling, most recent PCs struggle under higher multipliers.

$0.00

STEEM 0.18

TRX 0.16

JST 0.030

BTC 67421.82

ETH 2623.68

USDT 1.00

SBD 2.68