paused by the large glass windows, looking down at the auto-flyers below. They zipped under the platform, quickly vanishing from her sight. Lights twinkled in neighboring buildings.
“Come on Maria, it this way.” Mr. Johnson told her leading to an elevator. She entered after the doors opened as he stepped in beside her. He pressed a button before the elevator descended into another building. The door opened as Maria looked up at Mr. Johnson nervously squeezing his hand. He smiled down at her then stepped out of the elevator leading her down the hall. He opened the door as Maria peered into the room.
Young children played within a spacious room as convincing holograms of trees and supple bushes with lush green leaves occupied the corners. Recording of birds played as toys paraded across the floor. Robotic dogs covered in realistic synthetic fur impersonated biological beings, their glass eyes unblinking. Dolls paced within their houses as mini auto-flyers sped along the ground on hidden wheels. Aircrafts raced across cities of blocks and ignored stuffed animals.
“This is your new home.” Mr. Johnson announced as she looked up at him.
“Yeah I only hope I am welcomed, I am not always an agreeable person, at least not towards the maid.” she muttered as he looked down at her.
“Wait you mean Lisa?” he asked for confirmation.
“Yeah whatever you want to call it,” she agreed as Mr. Johnson became puzzled.
“But she is an android bound by your father’s rules how can you defy her,” he asked as she stepped into the room.
“She holds no authority over me. She is not my mother. She just a piece of junk.” she stated as Mr. Johnson openly stared at her, unsure whether it was possible that was she telling the truth, for surely she couldn’t causally mention overriding an android’s systems. It must have been an oddly phased joke for such a statement made no sense. It was completely absurd.
A Relic of the Past
Maria stepped into the room with Snickers pressed against her chest. Mr. Johnson patted her on the shoulder then left, saying something about verifying files. The children paused to watch her pass. Their cold eyes critically judged her appearance.
She sat along a wall by a small group of young children. They stared at her shyly clinging tightly onto soft toys. A girl cradled a baby doll that cooed softly, its malleable face was warm and inviting. The boy next to her clung onto a filthy blanket. It was unrevealing at its edges and it stained fabric was torn in many places.
“Um I am Maria,” Maria stated as they watched her fearfully.
Maria turned away afraid that she did something wrong when a mini auto-flyer race over to her. She looked up to see a young group of boys laugh as the toys zipped around their city of blocks, becoming airborne briefly before they flipped onto their sides, with their hidden wheels spinning.
She got up then walked over to them, hoping for better luck. They looked up at her then glanced at each other unsure what to think of her presence. She smiled then presented them her hand.
“Hi I am Maria,” she introduced herself as the boys looked down at her outstretched hand as if it was an alien gesture. She slowly retracted her hand then turned away discouraged.
She walked pass two children playing with a dollhouse. A young girl with long dark red hair bounded by a purple ribbon was laying on her belly as she guided her small robotic doll though the rooms of the model house as the boy’s figurine stepped into an airplane to zip around overhead. They both glared at her as she neared before turning away with upturned noses.
Everyone seemed exceptionally cold towards her. Her social skills must be horribly deficient for a whole room-full of children to despise her after hearing her utter no more than her name. If only her father allowed her to socialize with others her age. If only she weren’t so peculiar.
Maria sat by a girl who was just a few years older than herself. Her dark skin was smooth like milk chocolate and her bright eyes were like golden topaz. Her shoulder length hair was contained in three braids, two laid on her shoulder blades and the last along her back. Colorful clips decorated the ends of her braids and cloth covered rubber bands held their base.
A robotic dog circled her wagging its tail. It pressed its small paws against the girl’s thigh. It panted loudly with its long pink tongue lolled out of its mouth.
Maria’s father once gave her a dog exactly like it but after he vanished at work and her mother died; its unnaturally hard body and false eyes began to infuriate her for it reminded her of that robotic maid. It was a poor replica of the real thing. It was lacking some basic quality that made it desirable. It lacked an emotional aspect that allowed one to become attached to it on a meaningful level. It was just a robot with interesting programming, nothing more. It was not a dog just like that android was not her mother. Its exterior may confuse her at times but those empty actions always reveal its robotic nature, crushing her hope anew.
“You must be new. I guess I can show you around if you like.” the girl said as Maria smiled, relived that someone was interested in talking to her.
“That would be nice. I am Maria,” Maria told the girl.
“My name is Ebony.” she stated as Maria nodded pleased.
“It is nice to meet you. You are the first kind person that I have met here.” Maria told her as Ebony looked out at the others.
“Nah, the others are just unsure what to make of you.” she explained as Maria turned back to her confused.
“What do you mean by that?” Maria asked as Ebony pointed to the shy children hugging their toys as they eyed the others fearfully.
“Well they lost their family to domestic violence. Many of their parents killed their spouse suspecting them of committing infidelity. Many of them are traumatized by it.” Ebony explained as Maria nodded slowly.
“Oh I guess that makes sense.” Maria agreed as Ebony shifted her arm so she was now pointing at the large group of boys.
“They lost their parents to street violence. I suppose the desperate actions of their fathers must have had a strong influence on them because their ideology is simply comprised by their desire to seek riches by the only means they believe are available to them.” she continued as Maria turned to the two playing by the dollhouse.
“And what about them?” Maria asked as Ebony looked toward them.
“Oh they are the rich kids. Their parents were killed in freak accidents. I think one lost she mother cliff diving and the other lost his parents when their private plane crashed. They are both kind of snooty and unpleasant.” Ebony explained as Maria turned back to her new friend after noticing how the orphans were grouped.
“What about you?” Maria asked as Ebony turned away muttering quietly as the robotic dog wiggled onto her lap.
“Well my father went to college but he had to drop out to help my mother care for me. They had to settle in a poor neighborhood. They knew it was a bad place to raise a child so my father did all he could to find money, but good jobs for people of his level of education were hard to come by. He looked diligently until the allure of theft proved to be too great. He got in over his head when his so-called friends found out where we lived. They wanted his share from a jewelry heist and they killed them, while I hid under the bed.” Ebony explained as her eyes glistened with building tears.
“My father was killed by gangsters too. They were after his equipment. He was a researcher.” Maria stated as Ebony looked up at her.
“Well then I guess we are not so different.” she stated when an older boy walked over to them. He pushed the rich girl out of his way, knocking down their dollhouse.
His blond hair was cut into a mallet with a long thin braid in the back. His cold eyes were an icy blue. His pale fists were tense and his expression seemed angry.
“Um I am…” Maria began introducing herself when he shoved her.
“I don’t care who you are. I came over here to tell you to stay out of my way. Now do you got that Newbie?” he demanded as Maria nodded her head before he turned away to terrorize the traumatized k
ids along the wall.
“Who was that?” Maria whispered after he was out of earshot.
“His name is Omar. I heard his mother gave birth to him when she was just a teenager but she could not handle the responsibility so dumped him on her mother. He grew up in a bar, quickly learning from the drunken consumers how to behave. His grandmother was poor and when she grew sick she simply died. He was taken here for a few weeks then they attempted to look for his mother. She accepted him but they soon had to take him back after discovering that she was abusive and neglected much of his care. He is the oldest kid here and no one wants to adopt him because he is cruel.” Ebony explained in a hushed voice.
“I guess not everyone is quite as kind as Mr. Johnson promised.” Maria stated as Ebony nodded.
“Yeah well he is supposed to tell it is going to be alright even if it is a lie.” Ebony answered when someone entered.
It was a young woman. Her light brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She was wearing shorts and a tee shirt. Her sneakers squeaked on the floor forming scuffs as she escorted everyone across the hall. Her peppiness confirmed her human nature for androids were much calmer.
“She is Ms. Pearson, the teacher,” Ebony explained as Maria nodded as she followed the mass of students out of the playroom.
The room across the hall was slightly smaller with long tables forming rows. Seats were maliciously lined up behind