Champion of the Bots ✔️

Chapter 35 ~ RENA

When Rena reached the hospital ward for what seemed like the umpteenth time, she was surprised to find that the bulky guards didn't stop her and didn't even look at her when she walked between them to the iron grated door.

Her fingers paused before she grabbed the rust. Too easy. Just a few days ago, they had to pick her up like a sack of flour and throw her to kitchen duty. She already conjured up a few plans in case that happened again—throwing pie at their faces, kicking their crotch, throwing flour to their eyes—but this was too easy.

Before they could change their minds and before she could change her mind, Rena pulled on the door and went inside the white room.

Her eyes flinched at the bright lights in the room; and when her eyes adjusted and found the object on the table, she realized why the guards let her through.

The Bot was dead.

It seemed shriveled underneath the white spotlights, like a raisin in the sun. Its handsome features were slightly crumpled and darkened. Its body was rigid and still, as if it was frozen to death.

Walking towards the immobile metal object, Rena started to notice the little screws, the pointy knives, the thick wires, the shiny machinery around the surgical room. Rena almost balked at the coppery red liquid pooling on the ground, hoping that it was some scientific concoction and not blood.

"So, this is what they've been doing to you," she murmured.

The question had been burning inside Rena's brow for days since she last saw the Bot, and she had to know that he was at least alright. But the answer was right in front of her face.

She whimpered. "I'm sorry."

She waited—for a reply, for forgiveness, for a sound. None came from the boy she once called Tob.

Despite herself and despite her fear of seeing crimson blood, Rena stepped closer to the body. "Tob, I'm sorry," she repeated, as if the Bot didn't hear her the first time. "But you know I had to. I had to." She skidded her foot and turned around to walk away, muttering to herself, "Why am I here? I don't care about him—it. I need to focus on saving my family. I need to remember t-that this is Eden's Bot." Her voice slipped back to malice, and she took a step to the door. "This is an enemy. This is the robot that nearly killed me." Her mind faltered back to the dizzying crash of the Savior.

She let out a frustrated sigh and said, "And this is the Bot that saved me." She could still feel those protective arms around her and that flash of concern in his green eyes before the world turned upside down and landed on the island, before her world flipped inside out and saved the Bot.

"I know it was you that saved me in the crash," she whispered, her voice a soft murmur in the deafening silence. "I know that you are still human inside. So, please, just wake up."

"You know," she said to the lifeless room, "now would be a good time to show me that you're really human inside, that I was wrong to turn in a Bot of Eden's to the good side."

She stepped towards the platform and put a hand on the Bot's head. She didn't know how soft and silky his hair was, and she didn't understand why tears formed in her eyes. She wiped them away and said, "We're landing soon. Some of Aldrock's men flew on their mini planes and scouted the area. They spotted a huge crowd of people on a floating device made of wood heading their way to another island."

Her hand moved to Bot's hand, and she nearly gasped at the clamminess and the cold; but she kept holding on, hoping her warm would diffuse into him. "What scares me, Tob, is that if we could find them so easily...did Eden capture them already? What if this turns into a trap?"

She let out a shaky laugh. "You're the only one I can talk to. Since they took you away, they crammed me into this room that smells like a broom closet, only letting me out to use the bathroom or eat. I tried to come here a few times, but the guards always carry me back.

"Except this time. Because...you're dead." She said it. There was no denying it. Rena was familiar with death; she had seen countless pale faces with eyes still brimming of fear when the Savior came too late to save them.

She glanced around the glass monitors around the room, hoping for a little flare of brain activity, a little burst of hope. None came.

Then she bunched her fists into a tight ball and turned back around to the body. "What did they do to you? How could they torture you like this?"

"You made a deal," a voice replied.

Rena didn't bother turning to face Aldrock as he stepped behind her. "But you never said you'd kill it."

The man shrugged and joined her to stand by their enemy. "You never asked."

She stayed quiet, fuming. "Why are you here?"

"We're nearing the island that the survivors are in," he simply stated. "I thought you wanted to know so that you can be ready to greet your family."

She nodded. "Okay. Just...give me a few minutes."

He clasped her shoulder and said, "It's just a Bot, girl. Let it go."

She nodded, her hand still on the Bot.

When the last of Aldrock's steps faded away, Rena leaned in and whispered, fluttering his dark eyelashes, "I'm sorry that in the end, I didn't save you. Thank you for showing me that not all Bots are completely evil as I thought. Thank you for being the only friend I had." She leaned back. "Goodbye, Tob."

Then she let go and went outside to finish her deal.

She didn't turn around to notice that the Bot's hands twitched.

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'*ﾟ▽ﾟ*'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*

Ahhh I can't believe how long this book is getting...and how close we are to the end! Thank you so much to everyone who has been with me and this book from the start to end 💖🤗😘😁
So, I felt the need to publish this chapter; but just a warning, I am still a little unsure of these two's relationship and will probably add a little more details. I have added some extra scenes with Rena and Tob near the beginning (Chapter 15-16), and I am planning to bring the two closer as friends 😬 Yeah, sorry, I'm an amateur at writing. Do give constructive criticism!