armed.
Her father rounded on them with his arms raised in an effort to protect his daughter as Lisa rushed over to them, inhumanly fast with no hesitation. Her programming was clear.
“You will be infringing upon private rights by steeping foot within this house without the permission of the owner.” the robot announced stepping onto the porch when one of the men jabbed it in the abdomen with a short rod that delivered a powerful current to its mechanical body. The robot froze as its functions ceased and its systems failed. The men stepped pass Liza, over the threshold, as Maria’s father backed away, tightly clutching his daughter’s arm.
“I will do anything you want just don’t harm my daughter,” he pleaded as the leader of the gang nodded.
“Fair enough now lead us to your lab.” he commanded as her father nodded then turned back to Maria.
“Stay here and don’t get in their way.” he told her firmly as she stared at him fearfully before he released her then turned to lead the way downstairs.
“Dad,” she whispered as they exited the room.
What were they going to do with her father after they retrieved the pricey lab equipment? What was transpiring just beneath her feet she wandered but when she could no longer take it she snuck after them to the downstairs lab. She perched on top of the stairs peering down into the semi darkness.
“The lab equipment is over there.” her father told them as he gestured in the general direction of the lab.
“What are you doing with all this anyway?” one of them asked him as he froze for a second as if frightened by the statement but he quickly recovered.
“I am a scientist.” he stated simply as one picked up a piece of high-tech equipment that he used to study Marias brainwaves as a child.
“So you bring your work home with you though some of this equipment does not look standard.” he committed as her father grew impatient wanting to get off the subject.
“I have a lot of work and at times I work independently. Now please just take the equipment and leave us in peace.” he offered when the leader turned to him.
“This is too extensive for private research. You are up to something.” the leader stated as her father backed away as he approached menacingly.
“What do you mean, I am a scientist I do research.” he stated nervously as the leader pulled out his gun.
“Of course but what have you been working on?” he asked as her father became very uncomfortable, fidgeting with his zipper.
“All of my equipment is yours.” her father offered.
“Your research could be valuable as well.” the leader of the gang pointed out.
“It is worthless if you can’t understand it.” her father pointed out.
“Who says I am incapable of understanding it?” the thief challenged when a flash of understanding rolled across her father’s face.
“That voice, you are that lab technician that was fired for stealing lab equipment. That is how you know of my lab. I knew your voice sounded familiar.” her father accused him as he tore away his mask as if to congratulate him on his discovery.
“A lot of effort must have went into this research it would be a shame for it to be lost.” he continued as he pulled out his gun.
“I will never tell you anything of my work. Its secrets will die with me.” her father declared proudly, before stepping froth unafraid.
“Well I suppose we could still look over your notes and figure it out for ourselves so I guess we don’t need you after all.” he figured before shooting him square in the chest. A thin spew of blood briefly sprayed as he fell slowly, suspended by Maria’s shock before collapsing upon the floor. His bright lively eyes dulled as blood spilled upon his chest soaking into his shirt, dying it a deep crimson.
Maria backed into a wall as her breathing quickened along with her heart. Her optic nerves mustn’t be communicating properly with her occipital lobe for her father’s death must be a fabrication of her mind. Her father couldn’t be dead. This mustn’t be happening. She must have simply taken leave of her senses. She must be going insane.
The gang stomped up the stairs carrying her father’s equipment, his life’s work. They paid her no mind as they trudged pass with their loot. They did not take notice of how badly she quivering or how vacant her stare had become.
The leader followed them out but paused when he noticed how distraught the girl was. He kneeled down then grasped her shaky shoulders, with his cold apathetic eyes fixed on hers.
“Now be a good little girl and silence your larynx when in the presence of your superiors or the next time we find you we might not be so merciful.” he told her in a chilling voice then rose to his full height, casting her within his shadow. Then like nothing had transpired, he simply turned away, leaving young Maria weeping on the floor.
The Stagnation of Blood
Tears welded up in Maria’s eyes as she held her knees to her chest with her head bowed. Her mind raced, plagued by thoughts of uncertainty and irrevocable fear. She could hardly breathe between her seemingly endless fits of sobbing.
Her father couldn’t be dead. He just couldn’t be. The bullet must have grazed his shoulder for surely it did not kill him. He must still be alive.
She lifted her head suddenly, her eyes brimming with determination. She had to help her father. She had to trend to his wounds before it was too late.
She got up then waddled down the stairs, her short legs forcing her to shift her weight laterally. When she reached the bottom she raced over to her father’s side. She leaned over his chest, staring desperately into his dull eyes that stared back at her unblinkingly. She pressed her ear against his chest, listening for signs of life but his heart was silent and his blood flow had ceased. He was dead. There was nothing that she could do.
A horrific wail burst from her lips echoing off the walls, carrying her pain filled cry across the spacious room. Tears flooded her eyes and spilled onto her round cheeks, dripping from her small quivering chin. Her hands were stained in blood, that quickly grew darker in hue.
She eventually quieted herself, looking down at her father with glossy eyes. Her father’s body laid on the cold floor, unmoving. His chest was soaked in his own blood and his eyes were devoid of all emotion. He was gone and he would never return.
He had just returned home yet here he will forever lie. She waited eagerly for her father to return all day but he was never coming back. He would never help her make a tent of blankets in the living room like he promised. They would never share another plate of warm chocolate chip cookies or camp nestled in snug sleeping bags by the hologram projector in the living room. He will never tell her another one of those childish tales that she relished so. She will never see his eyes glistening with joy or hear his voice ever again. He was simply gone.
Memories of her mother laying on her deathbed rushed back to her, for such memories could only be ignored until they are prompted to return. She was young when her mother was muttering with a pained expression as her illness attacked her brain, stealing away her personality and all her defining characteristics. Drool leaked from her lips as her eyes retreated where no one could follow. Her limbs convulsed beyond her control before death finally found her. Her body grew still as an eerie silence fell upon the room.
Her mother’s death still haunted young Maria. It created a sense of loneliness that even time couldn’t fill. She was tormented by the void that she knew her mother once occupied and now that her father was gone as well; Maria was all alone.
There was no one to tuck her in at night or comfort her after all was lost from sight. There was no one to be there for her as she matures and facing life’s hardships. There was no one for her to adore unconditionally nor was there anyone to adore her unconditionally. She was utterly alone.
There was no one to watch over her for she had no other family. Her relatives on her mother’s side were ravaged by that befouling illness that claimed her mother’s life. Death came quickly causing the mind to deterior
ate before medical advances could be envisioned. Death tore at the seams of her family, residing in infants unmarked by known genes. Grief flung uncles and aunts far away to solitary places hidden from the world. Death stole the others away leaving nothing but their decaying bodies behind.
Her father had no siblings and his parents both willingly choose death when age threatened their livelihood. Her grandfather Rico Rivera, who was named after her great grandfather the famous philosopher that sparked the interest in many neuroscientists in his time, allowed the troubles of old age to claim him after his wife passed. For being quite religious she chose to slip from existence peacefully ignoring the pricey technology. Maria had only seen them once for her father moved after acquiring his job at the research center. She would never see them now because they were both dead and now she had no one to care for her. She needed to do something.
She looked up at the stairs then forced herself to her feet. The robot will handle her problems for she did not want to think about any of this any longer. She just needed to reboot its systems then its highly functional programs should fix this.
She slouched over to the stairs with her head bowed. She reached up for the rail then pulled herself up the staircase as her short legs scrambled over the high steps. She walked slowly back to the front door that was left wide open. Sunlight poured into the house assaulting her eyes. She