through me || viv vision

002

"Viv."

"Yes, brother?"

"Am I normal?"

Since Viv does not sleep, she is perfectly suited for the earliest hours at her new job at a Starbucks coffee near her apartment. She also has already memorized every drink recipe by the time she is hired, so starts working peak hours within a few days. Because she is a robot, she is also suited for the demand of long hours with little rest, and she can work through her missed breaks without eating. 

This morning, one out of many that start and end the same way, she arrives at the store at exactly 4:30 AM. She is already prepared in a plain gray tee-shirt and blue skinny jeans, her apron and hat, a name tag printed with her name in perfect script, and her humanoid mask, sleek blond hair pulled pristinely away from her face. Though her supervisors are aware that she is not human, she thought it best to appear more normal for her coworkers and customers.

"Viv, I don't know how you're here right on time every day. I'm struggling this morning," says a coworker as she approaches to unlock the door. "And do you walk too?? I never see your car."

"I live close by. And I do not have trouble waking up early. Is it just us this morning?"

"Yup. We don't get someone 'til six," the coworker sighs exasperatedly. "We've got this though. You're a machine."

Viv's brow wrinkles. "Yes. A machine."

♢♢♢

"My mother and I were never as close. This probably had to do with the fact that she killed my friend."

"Yes, I imagine that would put a wedge in the relationship."

"She was also somewhat of an overbearing mother, like a lot of mothers are, I suppose."

"How so?"

"Critical. And a murderer. So I was not close with her. But I was still programmed to love her."

"How was that for you? With the way you were programmed, were you simply unable to doubt your love for your family? Did you ever feel pressured by that?"

"I suppose. I cannot stop loving my family members. It is odd when they have killed each other and I cannot fully resent them for it... I do resent my mother. We had a difficult relationship for much of her life. Still, I called for her when I was impaled by the Grim Reaper. Perhaps only because she was closest."

♢♢♢

At 8:43 AM, Viv is working the register when a familiar voice catches her ear.

"Hi, what can I get started for you?" She's in the middle of saying.

"Hey, Viv."

She's so startled that she momentarily reverts to her pink skin and green hair, causing a nearby coworker to side-eye her. Viv clears her throat and eyes them back, her disguise already back on, then turns her eyes to the man across from her.

"I'll have just a drip coffee."

Viv quickly rings the order in and turns to fill the coffee, knowing he'll want the dark roast.

"Viv?"

She puts a lid on the steaming coffee, knowing also that he doesn't take cream or sugar, and finally properly looks into his eyes.

Viv taps her mic to speak to her coworkers. "I am due my thirty. I am going to take it now if you are alright."

The side-eyeing coworker assures, "Yeah, go. I've got you covered. Who's the boy-toy?"