More Than a Machine

Rehab Home

  (hello as usual it's been fifty million years since i updated this story, please enjoy this boring chapter)  ////////////////////////////////

"Alright, your turn."

  "You can't do that," Marie frowned, her face wrinkling.

  "Well, guess what?" 642 challenged. "I just did."

  They were playing Dominoes.

  "No, it's literally against the rules," the older woman said with a slight chuckle. "You can't just put a double out without a matching piece to back it up."

  "Okay," 642 slid another Domino onto the table. "There."

  "But—okay," Marie let it slide, unwilling to argue any more over the game. "Everyone does play this game differently."

  "I'd say so," 642 muttered, and he went back to studying the ceramic pieces in front of him.

  Marie smiled faintly and picked up a Domino to play.

  She'd been visiting 642 on her breaktime over the past few weeks, playing a quick game or two with him, and chatting. A friendship had formed between the two.

  642 hadn't given much more information about himself besides what he'd previously said. Yet, his personality was coming through. He was laughing more. Talking more. Asking questions about Earth and life.

  Marie still didn't believe that he wasn't from Earth. No one did. She did believe, however, that 642 was honest. She figured that he'd hit his head a little too hard during his accident and he really and truly believed that he was an otherworldly being.

  "So, 642, I have some exciting news," she finally said, after they had been playing their game in concentrated silence for several minutes.

  "You bought that transport you were talking about," he asked, face brightening as his one blue eye raised to meet Marie's.

  She'd mentioned yesterday that her dream car was a 1970's Ford Mustang. A "transport" as 642 called them.

  Marie chuckled and shook her head, "No, no, I didn't. This news involves you."

  "Oh," the young man sat up a little straighter. He leaned back in his chair, looking at her expectantly. "What?"

  "We've found somewhere for you to stay. Until you heal completely of course, and your family can come get you."

  642's brow furrowed. "I keep telling you, I have no family. What's the place like?"

  Marie sighed, but answered his question, "It's a special rehabilitation home, run by my cousin. It's actually quite a coincidence because it's on the same lake that you crashed your airplane in."

  "Rehabilitation home," 642 repeated the words, and he didn't like them. He scrunched up his face. "What happens there?"

  "You heal, and you learn things, and you help around the property." She saw the skeptical look on 642's face, and she went on. "You can't stay in the hospital forever, 642. The rehab home is a good place. Actually, it's more of a group home. There will be other people there, too. My cousin is a wonderful man, he's very kind."

  "Hm," the young man's gaze dropped to his Domino pieces on the table. He absently picked one up. He studied it thoughtfully, before asking almost hesitantly, "Will you visit me there?"

  He'd never had a friend until Marie, excluding L'othaim, who was connected to him in an odd sort of way. Perhaps it was a human thing to have a friend. Was he human after all?

  "Of course," Marie's face softened to a smile. "I'll come as often as I can."

  642 seemed to relax a bit. He nodded. "Okay... I guess I can go then."

  He really didn't have a choice in the matter. But Marie wasn't going to say that.

  "Okay, I'll let my cousin know," she said with a nod. "I promise you'll like it there."

  "Doubtful," the young man thought to himself, but he didn't say it aloud because Marie always scolded him for that sort of thing. He'd be interested to see what this "rehabilitation home" was all about.

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  642 was discharged from the hospital only a week later. 

  With Marie's help, he had become a more cheerful and talkative person, and had made friends with quite a few of the hospital staff before leaving. They all thought he was crazy, of course, considering his wild ideas about space and not being from Earth, but they also found him quite funny to talk to. It was certainly sad to see him go.

  The drive out to the rehab home was quite scenic. Marie had to drive him, because no one at the hospital knew what to do with the homeless 642 after he was discharged, and Marie was, in a way, responsible for him. She had personally talked her cousin into letting 642 stay at his place.

  642 sat forward peering out the car window the entire time. Earth was so busy and alive.

  All sorts of colorful ground transports filled the road, everyone heading somewhere. Some humans were on their phones. Others had their windows rolled down because it was a nice day. Some transports had music blaring through the speakers, and 642 could hear it as they passed by.

  Marie continued her driving and turned the car down a quiet country road. The bustle of the city died away. Here, wooded areas and green fields moved gently in the breeze.

  The countryside and all its stillness filled 642 with some sort of peace.

  "This is... really nice," he commented after a few moments. "I hope the city leaves this area alone." He wanted to ask Marie to stop the transport. He wanted to get out and walk through the field or under the shade of the trees. He had never done it before and suddenly it was the only thing in the world he wanted to do.

  And then, with an ache forming in his chest, he realized that he'd never be able to. Not with one leg.

  This thought changed his mood considerably. He sat back in his seat. He was only half a man. What good was anything nice, or anything in life for that matter, if he was only half there to enjoy it?

  He was silent for the remainder of the drive.

  At last, Marie turned the car down a long, wooded driveway. The end of the driveway opened up into a nice and spacious plot of land.

  The first thing 642 saw was a large garden with a fence around it. Near that, a greenhouse. Farther back was a large grey barn. Even farther back, set on the shore of a beautiful lake, was a massive white house with a wrap-around porch.

  "Here we are," Marie said cheerfully. "Look familiar at all to you? You wrecked your plane in that lake."

  642 shook his head. "No... I don't remember any of it." Despite being in a gloomy mood, he was still curious. He studied everything as the car rolled down the driveway to the house.

  Presently he spotted a man on the porch, waiting for them. The man was tall and burly. He looked older, at least somewhere in his late 50's. 

  The man made his way down the porch steps and over to the car as Marie parked it.

  Marie got out, and greeted the man warmly with a hug and a smile. He was definitely Marie's cousin. They spoke for a moment, and then Marie led him over to the passenger side of the vehicle, where a gloomy 642 sat waiting to be helped out.

  "Hello, 6-4-2," the man said the numbers awkwardly, feeling odd about using them as a name. "I'm Theo." He offered a hand to shake. He had a kind face, and eyes that held the same warmth as Marie's.

  642 shook his hand. "Nice to meet you." This man looked nice enough, he decided.

  After introductions were made, Theo and Marie got out 642's wheelchair, and helped him into it. Theo led them up to the house.