- WhiteBird -

- Chapter seven - Long Road to Nowhere

The day had long worn into nothing, the sun escaping slowly past the horizon, a falling ball of bright orange light. A coyote wailed in the distance, it's call lonely and sorrowful.

Casey sat at the edge of his town, all the determination and spirit had vanished when he came to the empty intersection. He had sat there for hours, off to the side, freighted at the thought of what he may find now that he really had the chance to escape. Karr had not spoken to him since they left his house at noon, not seeming to mind Casey's hesitation. Both monitor screens still displayed gps maps of the area around them, and the highlighted route they would take into Mexico.

He had all of his identification with him, even his unused passport, and they money to pay the visitation fee, but the hesitation was fear of the unknown.

Behind him sat all he had ever known, and so badly his need for freedom had ached, that he never thought about the moment he truly would leave.

But in the back of his mind, the knowledge that the town would sit there like it had for endless years before, soothed him. He could return if he found himself unhappy. It would lay and wait, unchanging.

He was surprised he would even think of returning, but it was his home, and it took his freedom to realize that it was the only thing he knew.

He looked down at the dash, like he had done a thousand times before in the past few hours. At least the car would be with him. A physical shelter to protect him, if the computer spoke the truth.

Even if the car was not an entity on its own, it would still serve to remind him of the familiar things in his life.

Casey reached to the Start Engine button, his finger hovering over it for a moment, and with a final surge of courage, he pressed it, and the car rumbling to life more healthy sounding that ever.

He guessed Karr's awakening had helped fix the ailing engine, just as it had activated the car's dormant functions, but he thought he might discuss it with him anyway.

Casey shifted into drive, and pulled out onto the empty road, excitement building once again.

The night was bright, the sun in its last stages just beyond the horizon, but he guessed the darkness would be heavy, and the road very long.

His stomach lurched with anticipation, and with fear, but there was no turning back for him. Not for a while.

Casey followed the gps on the screen, almost two hours into his trip. His thoughts were racing but his mouth silent, Karr hadn't decided to speak either, and Casey wondered if the car was watching him, or if he was asleep.

Casey laughed silently. Could computers even sleep?

"In some ways, yes" a sharp voice stated.

Casey gaped, eyes wide.

"I said that out loud?" He asked, half to himself.

"Indeed" Karr laughed ruefully. "To answer your question, yes I can power down, and awaken when you call, but I was only being silent."

"How come?" Casey asked simply, watching Karr's voice module.

"I think the battles you're facing can only be fought alone" Karr answered kindly. "I don't think my comments would have helped you."

"What battles?" Casey asked, his hands tightening on the jbutterfly wheel.

"I think you can answer that for yourself" the computer replied.

Casey let go of any pursuance of a conversation, and sat only silent, thinking of the roads ahead.

He wondered what his father was like, his personality, his appearance. He wondered if he still cared remotely for Casey, or if he would be excited to meet him now that he was grown.

Karr had stated he was some sort of outlaw, a gangster, but Casey didn't feel fear, only curiosity, and then his mind wondered to Karr himself.

What was Karr's past? Where did he come from and what did he do?

How old was he, how was he created, what was the limits of his personality, and how did he think on his own?

All these questions swirled together in a heated fight, and his mind reeled still at the fact Karr was even real. So much had changed in the span of an afternoon.

Casey looked at the voice module, wondering if Karr could see him. He was sure he could.

He longed to ask each of those questions, but he wondered if he could ever understand.

"Karr..?" He began, his brown eyes dancing shyly.

"Hm?" Karr replied, his voice but a deep questioning grunt.

"I have so many questions.. there's so much I don't understand"

"Unsurprising" Karr stated shortly.

Casey blinked quickly, unsure of Karr's tone, but without being able to hold himself back, he blurted all of his questions out loud.

Karr was silent for a couple seconds, before letting out a subtle laugh.

"The night is still young, I suppose I have time for a story" Karr said, memories of his life flowing across his mind.

"I'll even drive" Karr said again, "so listen carefully, I'm not partial to repeating myself."