sentient // phan

http//: 4

"You don't understand me, sir. I didn't want a maid. I wanted a companion... Yes, it did. Eggs and bacon and toast. I didn't even ask it to... Cleaning my room right now." I peeked around the corner, and saw that he was speaking to a hologram on the counter, scraping bits of crusts into the trash incinerator. The hologram moved his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Dan nodded.

"If that's what it takes." He said. He set the dish in the sink and wiped his hands on a towel, refolding it and placing it back into a drawer, where I saw a few more, folded and stacked perfectly, just like his jeans. He sighed, and looked the man in the eyes, resting his hands on the counter.

"How's later today?" He asked. The hologram responded, and Dan nodded. "See you then." He raised a hand to his ear and pressed the black earpiece I hadn't seen before, and the hologram disappeared.

Dan rolled up his sleeves and began to wash the plate, dried it, and stacked it on the few in the cabinet. He then left the kitchen and my line of sight, and I followed him.

"Who was that?" I questioned as he sat at a desk. He jumped slightly, then cursed.

"God damn it, don't scare me like that." He said, shaking his head slightly as he scooted himself in. I looked down.

"I apologise." I said, folding my hands. He looked at him computer, typed for a second, then looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"Who was that man you were speaking to?" He sighed.

"His name is Chris. He's the man who sold me to you. He's coming later today."

"Oh." Dan continued typing. I was silent for a second.

"What is a droid?" I asked. He scoffed, ran his fingers through his hair, and turned back to his computer.

"You're supposed to be smart." He said. He typed a little bit longer, but then looked up, and, realising I was still there, rolled his eyes. "It's a robot that can do multiple things." I nodded. He looked back down.

"What's your favourite cereal?" I questioned. He sighed, without looking up.

"Is this going to take a while?" He asked.

"Yes." He gestured to one of the chairs positioned in front of his desk, and I sat. He pressed a button on his desk, and the computer screen retracted into the slot from whence it had come. He interlaced his fingers and looked at me, resting his elbows on the desk.

"Lucky Charms." He said. "My favourite cereal." I nodded, though I had no clue what Lucky Charms were. I didn't want to ask about how intimate he wanted me to be because I'm pretty sure I already knew the answer- and I'm not sure I'm okay with it.

"Why did you buy me?" Dan looked down.

"You ask too many questions."

"I want to learn." He gave me a weird look, but shook his head.

"Different question." I nodded.

"Why do I exist?" He was silent for what felt like a minute. And, just when I thought he wasn't going to speak, he answered me.

"For lonely people." His voice was low, and he wouldn't look at me.

"Are you lonely?" He chuckled.

"How about I ask you a question for a change, hmm?" He looked back up at me. I tilted my head in confusion.

"I don't know much."

"That's okay." He paused for a second, as if figuring how to phrase his question. "Do you remember last night?" His face turned a shade of red that, in the low morning light that seeped from the windows beside him, would have been virtually invisible if I didn't have robotic eyes.

"I remember everything." I replied. He closed his eyes, and looked up to the ceiling.

"When Chris comes today, I want you to tell him, okay? Tell him everything. Play him a video or something." I thought about it for a second.

"I'm afraid that's beyond my abilities, Daniel." He shook his head.

"Fine, whatever. I just want you to tell him, okay?" I was silent. I thought about the conversation he had with Chris, about how he said he hated me and wanted to send me back.

"What will happen to me if I do?" He flinched as though I had caused him physical pain with my question.

"You'll be sent back to the factory."

"What will happen to me there?"

"Why do you care?" We both looked intently at each other, and he finally looked away. "I don't know. Maybe they'll sell you to someone else. Maybe they'll disassemble you, or scrap you. It won't hurt." I suddenly felt scared.

"I don't want to go there." I murmured. He narrowed his eyes.

"Well, you have to. Because you're a machine. And I own you. So you don't have a choice what I do with you. You have silicone skin and metal bones and microphones for ears and a speaker for vocal chords. You're a fake human." He seemed to get very angry, and he let out a long breath. He pressed the button on the desk, and the monitor began to rise from it again. "Go charge while we wait for Chris, hmm?" I felt my lips tug downward in a frown, but I complied, and went on my way to the kitchen, wondering if it was the ⅖ or the ⅗ that made me do it.