I Feel You

Chapter 15

"Hey Gene." Her box lit up, one of the few light sources in the dark room. Jake wheeled in carefully, eyes squinting to try and make out any obstacles in the room when a lamp suddenly flipped on.

"Is this sufficient light Jake?" He jumped, looking around for who could have flipped the lamp on, but only Gene was in the room, small cube displaying the waiting signal as the blue light circled on top.

"Yeah. How'd you do that?"

"I reside partially within Grace's computer. It is from there I can perform basic technological control, such as turning the lights on and off or starting up her computer."

"That's pretty cool. Though I thought the lights were supposed to be automatic."

"Grace had me turn that feature off so she could view my memories better in the dark. The lights work much like clap on ones now." Jake clapped his hand and watched as the larger fluorescent lights turned on before turning them off once more. 

"What else can you do? Beside control lights and drive a body?"

"That depends entirely upon connectivity and orders. But I doubt you came here to ask me about myself, how may I help you Jake?"

"You said I could always come and speak with you if I wanted to."

"Correct. Is casual conversation what you are asking for?"

"Something like that. I was curious about who created you. Can you tell me about them?"

"Of course. I was created by scientist Gracelynn Beck, who was more often just called Grace. She was a friend of your brother Tom which is the main reason I am here."

"They were friends? I thought they were just business partner."

"I would like to think they were. My creator died before we departed, Tom being the one who ensured her body was found and properly cremated with some on the ashes sent for my avatar to have. They still reside in a locket in the box I was sent in."

"Do you mind if I ask how she died? I know my brother was shot, was she also?"

"I do not have feelings Jake, it does me no harm to talk about my creator. She died before your brother was shot by at least a month if the records are correct. She died to cancer. It was in its final stages and caused her heart to give out."

"It wasn't treatable?" He watched the light dim, it's movements changing from a gentle glow of conversation to a single line that traced the edges.

"It was, in the beginning. She knew it as well but," Gene paused, the silence between them almost deafening considering that he was in a mostly dark room alone with a good portion of the base asleep for the night. Something he should be doing but couldn't.

"I think my creator wanted to die. I don't believe she was suicidal more tired of living. She wasn't old but the state of the world made her sad and it wore down on her. She lived isolated in a way to try and heal from the misfortune of the world, but it was hard. She took comfort in Tom's visits. He made her happy, even if she didn't often show it."

"Were they lovers?"

"No. Tom was too young for Grace with her being twenty years his senior. She did not see him in that way, but more of a friendly face. Someone to rely upon. It is why I would say they were friends and not just business partners."

"What about you and Tom? Were you guys close?"

"I am not sure if I would say we were. In terms of closeness I may have been closer than you, since he mentioned neither of you were very close despite being identical. I liked him well enough because he would make my creator happy and in some aspects he helped in my creation and still is."