I never quite believed in fairy tales. They were ideals of human desire. We all want our perfect ending. Right? What I didn't know, was that a lot of fairy tales weren't always so sweet.
In my wasted time as I sat around hoping for something more, I began to research fairy tales. And found disturbing facts.
In the original Sleeping Beauty, Briar Rose is raped during her sleep by a prince. Nine months later, she gives birth to twins and one of them sucks the spindle from her finger, causing her to wake. But, the prince has a wife, who finds out about the whole thing and invited Briar Rose to dinner. She then chops up her and her children and feeds them to the prince, only telling him what he was eating after he finished.
In the original Cinderella, the step sisters cut off their toes and heel to fit in the shoe. The Prince sees the blood and brings them both back.
In the original snow white, the prince is pretty much a creepy weirdo who takes snow's body because he thinks she is beautiful. The guards drop the casket and the piece of apple lodged in her throat released, waking her.
I had been thinking about these fairy tales. And while no one would ever cut off parts of their feet for a guy, it showed how desperate people are. For money, fame, and someone to love them. Sometimes, our half-baked plans have dire consequences for others. And sometimes you intend one thing in a bad way but it turns into something good.
These weren't perfect happy endings, these weren't amazing stories, they were demented but...human. Human.
"Hope?" Jackson's voice rang through the door.
"I told you not to call me that." I growled. I wouldn't let him worm his way back to my good graces.
"Come on, I have someone who wants to see you." Who could want to see me,
"A-5643?" That voice...no. Why would he be here? That motherf**ker. I got up, my feet hitting the carpeted floor with a thump. I grabbed the handle and ripped the door open. My eyes found my target and my fist found Nathan's face. His hands flew to his nose and he jumped back.
"Just like old times, eh?" He chuckled. The nerve! I made a move to do it again but Jackson grabbed my arm.
"Don't. Hear him out."Jackson's tone was gentle. Very gentle. It made me go back...almost. That was the past.
"Why should I?! He f**king-" My mouth was suddenly covered by Jackson's hand. I quickly bit down and he jumped back, yelling out.
"You b**ch!" He cried out. A**hole. Nathan stared at me.
"Listen, I'm an a**. A complete and total a**. And..I just hope you can forgive me. I was so...scared and lost when Sarah died.
"Hello! Sort of bleeding and have a broken hand here!"
"Quit your whining, coulda been worse." I growled. "Remember, I'm just a crazy robot bent on killing and wrecking lives." I stopped. This was a bit more than a Freudian slip. And I shook my head.
"A-5643, I'm sorry. I did so much to you, and you genuinely tried to help. I was blind but, I see now that you're more than that. Remember, what I told you when you woke up? I told you that I gave you sentience because I saw you had potential. That wasn't a lie." Silence.
"I can forgive." I nodded. Nathan smiled and opened his mouth to say something but I held up a hand. "But I can never forget. Screw me over one more time and you will be six feet under."
"Is no one concerned with my broken hand?!" I turned swiftly and smacked Jackson in the face, making a loud, popping sound.
"I ENDURED HELL FOR TEN YEARS FOR YOU!! TEN YEARS OF HELL! I GET PANIC ATTACKS BECAUSE OF IT! AND I DID IT TO PROTECT YOU!" I shook my head, glad I posessed no tear ducts. He froze.
"What?" As if he just realized it.
"I loved you Jackson. I didn't even know you that long...but I couldn't help but fall in love with you. You were so...kind to me. So loving. You never judged me because of what I was." I smiled lovingly. "You gave me hope. It's gone now. You're happy." I smiled
"Hope-" I shook my head
When I took off the first time, I lived. I met amazing people. I saw that...humanity is beautiful. Sure, it has ups, downs, twists and turns, but it's still...beautiful. I watched people that had lost everything smiling, laughing, and living. Happy. Even with hard pasts and broken homes. They were happy. " I put a hand on Jackson's cheek. "So, I ask you to forgive me for what's about to happen." I kissed him lightly on the cheek and initiated an internal self-destruct. It would disable all my systems and completely wipe every bit of storage from me. I would be a blank, empty shell. I heard the countdown in my head.
"Hope?!" 10
"Stop! What's going on?!" 9
"Dad? What's she doing?" 8
"Stop her!" 7
"I have an idea!" 6
"Hurry up!" 5
"Asher! Come on!" 4
"That won't help!" 3
"It will!" 2.
Suddenly, Asher help a mirror in front of me. I stopped and my system went into shock, seeing myself for the first time. My red hair bounced around my shoulders in tight curls. The countdown stopped. My grey eyes pierced me. I didn't think I looked particularly attractive, but I was surprised to finally see myself.
I hated it. I was too...perfect. Too amazing.
"You materialistic son of a-" I stopped when I felt arms around me, comforting me. Asher.
"Stop. Just stop." He held me tight, close. He was concerned for me. I sighed. My joints released, the metal becoming loose. I relaxed as he held me. "He can't get to you anymore, you're ok. You're ok." He whispered.
"Thank you." I whispered back. There was a tension release in the still room. I was ok.
YOU ARE READING
Wires
Science FictionA-5643 is a robot. Made in a lab and meant as an assassin. But, she runs into a programmer she's meant to kill and he rewrites her code. He made her feel emotion and now she's running from her programmers. She doesn't want that anymore. She has achi...
