“I guess he’s not here anymore.”
Samantha had meant to stop by at Dr. John Rationale’s house just before she continued on in her quest, but the good doctor was not at home at the moment, therefore she simply moved on.
Samantha had meant to stop by at Dr. John Rationale’s house just before she continued on in her quest, but the good doctor was not at home at the moment, therefore she simply moved on.
Her next destination was a riverbank where an oddly unique
boy was hanging out. The place was only a short distance away from Dr.
Rationale’s house and after 10-15 minutes of walking, Samantha arrived.
There were plenty of people by the riverbank. Most were kids who liked to stop by here before coming home from school. In the distance, Samantha caught sight of a boy who looked exactly as Dr. Rationale had described. He was sitting by the shore throwing and throwing stones by himself into the river. Apparently, he was trying to make them bounce, but he didn’t seem to be very good at it. Every once in a while, he’d get a stone that bounced two or three times, but most of them sunk immediately. There must have been something wrong with his technique, Samantha thought.
She moved closer but didn’t approach him yet. She was fascinated by what he was doing. This is because he threw each stone the exact same way every single time – expecting a different result. There was a label attached to a person who liked to do this, but Samantha did not dare let her thoughts go in that direction.
At that moment, three older-looking, taller kids approached the boy from behind.
Then, without warning, one of them kicked his back causing him to tumble face first into the muddy ground.
“Serves you right, you splashed water into my expensive school uniform, you little brat.”
Samantha was astonished at this sight. She immediately thought about rushing in, but what happened next made her stop cold in her tracks.
There were plenty of people by the riverbank. Most were kids who liked to stop by here before coming home from school. In the distance, Samantha caught sight of a boy who looked exactly as Dr. Rationale had described. He was sitting by the shore throwing and throwing stones by himself into the river. Apparently, he was trying to make them bounce, but he didn’t seem to be very good at it. Every once in a while, he’d get a stone that bounced two or three times, but most of them sunk immediately. There must have been something wrong with his technique, Samantha thought.
She moved closer but didn’t approach him yet. She was fascinated by what he was doing. This is because he threw each stone the exact same way every single time – expecting a different result. There was a label attached to a person who liked to do this, but Samantha did not dare let her thoughts go in that direction.
At that moment, three older-looking, taller kids approached the boy from behind.
Then, without warning, one of them kicked his back causing him to tumble face first into the muddy ground.
“Serves you right, you splashed water into my expensive school uniform, you little brat.”
Samantha was astonished at this sight. She immediately thought about rushing in, but what happened next made her stop cold in her tracks.
“Oh… bullies… typical.”
The boy simply got up and lightly dusted his clothes off. Then, he stared straight at his tormenters with a look of pity on his face. It was almost as if he was looking at a bunch of insects who were not even worth crushing beneath his feet.
The biggest and tallest bully of the group grabbed the boy by his shirt and then drew back and began to punch him over and over again in the face.
The boy made no move to shield his face. Samantha grimaced and covered her eyes at this brutal sight.
However, the boy did not so much as wince or even make a pained sound as he was relentlessly beaten up.
The boy simply got up and lightly dusted his clothes off. Then, he stared straight at his tormenters with a look of pity on his face. It was almost as if he was looking at a bunch of insects who were not even worth crushing beneath his feet.
The biggest and tallest bully of the group grabbed the boy by his shirt and then drew back and began to punch him over and over again in the face.
The boy made no move to shield his face. Samantha grimaced and covered her eyes at this brutal sight.
However, the boy did not so much as wince or even make a pained sound as he was relentlessly beaten up.
“Hey, what’s wrong with this kid? Is he okay? .. in the
head, I mean.”
“Yeah, he’s not making a sound… what’s wrong with him?”
The bully who was beating him up finally let go of the boy who just stood there with his face hidden in the shadow of his somewhat long bangs.
“Yeah, he’s not making a sound… what’s wrong with him?”
The bully who was beating him up finally let go of the boy who just stood there with his face hidden in the shadow of his somewhat long bangs.
“There! What’s wrong? Too scared to say anything? Next time,
be careful where you throw those things,” the bully forcefully placed his index
finger on the boy’s forehead, “got it?”
“Well then… is that it?”
The boy raised his head at the bully in front of him and he flashed a menacing grin. His eyes were wide and expressionless – like that of a dead fish.
The boy raised his head at the bully in front of him and he flashed a menacing grin. His eyes were wide and expressionless – like that of a dead fish.
A brutal onslaught of epic proportions followed.
First, he grabbed the nearest bully’s index finger and quickly twisted it upwards causing the larger kid to squeal in terror. After that, he quickly jumped onto the flailing bully’s head and used the momentum of the jump combined with his own weight to topple the bigger boy over and fall onto the grassy riverbank. With his opponent mounted, the boy then unleashed a barrage of punches on his victim – each blow struck with full power and pure bloodlust.
First, he grabbed the nearest bully’s index finger and quickly twisted it upwards causing the larger kid to squeal in terror. After that, he quickly jumped onto the flailing bully’s head and used the momentum of the jump combined with his own weight to topple the bigger boy over and fall onto the grassy riverbank. With his opponent mounted, the boy then unleashed a barrage of punches on his victim – each blow struck with full power and pure bloodlust.
“He-hey! That’s enough, let go of him!”
While one of the other kids quickly ran away to safety, the
other one was obviously more loyal to their leader. He grabbed the smaller boy
by the neck in an attempt to drag him off of his friend.
“AAAAGH!”
But the small boy bit down hard on the arm that was around his neck. He bit down so hard that his teeth actually dug into the other bully’s arm and drew blood. The bully forcefully withrdrew his arm tearing some of the skin off even further. He kicked and punched at the smaller kid who quickly turned his fury upon him and unleashed a barrage of scratches right on his face. This disoriented the stronger, larger attacker for half a second, which was more than enough time for the smaller boy to grab a nearby rock and smash it into his opponent’s face.
At this point, the bully who had tried to help the fallen one staggered back and stumbled onto his knees. He then managed to crawl away into a gallop and eventually run away on both legs.
The boy then turned to the weakened, fallen bully who had managed to slowly stagger back onto his feet. He held out his hand in surrender but his former victim would have none of that. The boy clenched his fists and prepared to launch another brutal assault.
“STOP!”
The voice did not really startle the boy, but it seemed that it was enough to make him stop.
Samantha’s sudden intervention gave the bully just enough of an opening to turn and run before the boy could reach him.
“AAAAGH!”
But the small boy bit down hard on the arm that was around his neck. He bit down so hard that his teeth actually dug into the other bully’s arm and drew blood. The bully forcefully withrdrew his arm tearing some of the skin off even further. He kicked and punched at the smaller kid who quickly turned his fury upon him and unleashed a barrage of scratches right on his face. This disoriented the stronger, larger attacker for half a second, which was more than enough time for the smaller boy to grab a nearby rock and smash it into his opponent’s face.
At this point, the bully who had tried to help the fallen one staggered back and stumbled onto his knees. He then managed to crawl away into a gallop and eventually run away on both legs.
The boy then turned to the weakened, fallen bully who had managed to slowly stagger back onto his feet. He held out his hand in surrender but his former victim would have none of that. The boy clenched his fists and prepared to launch another brutal assault.
“STOP!”
The voice did not really startle the boy, but it seemed that it was enough to make him stop.
Samantha’s sudden intervention gave the bully just enough of an opening to turn and run before the boy could reach him.
“Well, hello there, miss. Sorry you had to see that.”
The boy turned to Samantha with a genuine smile on his face. In fact, there were no traces of hostility left in his expression. It was as if nothing had happened.
“My name is Billy, by the way. Pleased to meet you.”
“Uh… I’m Samantha and pleased to meet you too, Billy… but… just… how do you do that?”
“Do what exactly?”
“I mean, attack those bullies… not like they didn’t deserve it… but I mean, how could you attack those bullies so… viciously and be so friendly with me the next moment?”
“That is simple, Samantha. I have no quarrel with you, after all and you did stop me from going too far. If anything, I should thank you.”
The boy turned to Samantha with a genuine smile on his face. In fact, there were no traces of hostility left in his expression. It was as if nothing had happened.
“My name is Billy, by the way. Pleased to meet you.”
“Uh… I’m Samantha and pleased to meet you too, Billy… but… just… how do you do that?”
“Do what exactly?”
“I mean, attack those bullies… not like they didn’t deserve it… but I mean, how could you attack those bullies so… viciously and be so friendly with me the next moment?”
“That is simple, Samantha. I have no quarrel with you, after all and you did stop me from going too far. If anything, I should thank you.”
“But… weren’t you really angry at them just a few moments
ago.”
“I was… but I am not angry with you. Actually, you’re too cute for me to be angry at you.”
“I was… but I am not angry with you. Actually, you’re too cute for me to be angry at you.”
“I… I see,” Samantha hesitated for a moment. In truth, she did not dislike the compliment at all.
“But, Billy how do you manage to do that? To switch from angry to umm… not-angry on a moment’s notice.”
Billy grinned for a moment and then said the following words with a wink, “That’s quite simple, Sam… the truth is that I’m always angry?”
“Eh… what?”
“It’s a long story… but, I think you have time to listen, am I right?”
Samantha knelt down into a sitting position on the grassy bank. Billy understood that she wanted him to continue.
“You see, Samantha… I am a robot.”
“Ok…?”
“I wasn’t always like this, of course. I was once just a normal kid… maybe kinda naughtier than other kids, but still normal. Still, I was very healthy kid unlike my older brother who was very sickly.
Anyway, I really like him and look up to him. He never allowed his frail body to get the better of him. He taught me all kinds of things from how to play the guitar to roller blades and even boxing. He was sort of the star of the family and I really idolized him… but…
This didn’t change the fact that he was sickly. One day, we
were just playing around and he started coughing up blood. I knew it was
serious because this had never happened before. I rushed to call my parents and
we immediately took him to the hospital.
I’m not sure what the doctor told them exactly, but it was something like he’d have just one week to live if he didn’t get a kidney transplant. It seems that he needed one from an immediate family member… and my parents both agreed to be the donors, but the tests showed that they were both incompatible, in fact, the tests showed that I was the only one who had a shot at saving my brother.
While the doctors tried to tell me what the organ transplant would entail, I didn’t care. If it was to save my brother, I was all for it. Of course, my brother himself was against this idea. He warned me that if I agreed to this, then there would be trouble in the future.
I didn’t truly understand what he meant at that time… and maybe I never really understood it but…
At the very least, the kidney transplant was successful. After spending a month in the hospital to recover, my brother was back in tip-top shape again. Of course, this was only the start of things. Six months later, he again started coughing up blood. The doctors said that this time, he needed a liver transplant. Again, I was the only possible donor. They said that they could create an artificial liver for me which would work just as good as my old one. They couldn’t do the same for my brother because of his weak constitution.
I’m not sure what the doctor told them exactly, but it was something like he’d have just one week to live if he didn’t get a kidney transplant. It seems that he needed one from an immediate family member… and my parents both agreed to be the donors, but the tests showed that they were both incompatible, in fact, the tests showed that I was the only one who had a shot at saving my brother.
While the doctors tried to tell me what the organ transplant would entail, I didn’t care. If it was to save my brother, I was all for it. Of course, my brother himself was against this idea. He warned me that if I agreed to this, then there would be trouble in the future.
I didn’t truly understand what he meant at that time… and maybe I never really understood it but…
At the very least, the kidney transplant was successful. After spending a month in the hospital to recover, my brother was back in tip-top shape again. Of course, this was only the start of things. Six months later, he again started coughing up blood. The doctors said that this time, he needed a liver transplant. Again, I was the only possible donor. They said that they could create an artificial liver for me which would work just as good as my old one. They couldn’t do the same for my brother because of his weak constitution.
This time however, I didn’t want to undergo the same
procedure again. I felt that I lost something… not a physical something, the
first time around… and I didn’t want to lose another thing again… but, my parents
insisted that it was to save my brother. I refused and my brother was always on
my side with this matter, but my parents wouldn’t listen. They insisted that if
we both could be saved then it’s better if one of us was left with an
artificial liver.
Of course, after that, it became a habit. Unfortunately, it seems that my brother’s body was so weak that it was always meant to malfunction one by one as he grew older. Meanwhile, as the years went by, I would donate more and more of my organs to him. Lungs, bone marrow, my other kidney, and eventually… even my heart.”
Samantha twitched a bit upon hearing this.
“Is something the matter, Sam?”
“N-no. Please continue!”
“Well, it went on and on like this for a while. Always, I was forced to be the donor for my sickly brother until eventually, almost my entire body had been given to him. And that is why, I am a robot. Now… Sam, after hearing a story like this, let me ask you… how does it make you feel?”
“Angry… It makes me feel really angry. Really angry, to the point that I could… hurt someone!”
“PFFT” Billy couldn’t resist a chuckle. “H-hurt someone, you say? Really… is that the extent of your anger, Sam?
“Umm… is that bad?”
“No, it’s really good. I’m happy to know that there are still people like you left in the world. My anger… it empowers me. It makes me strong, Sam… but you? Someone like you doesn’t have to be like that… and I’m glad that I’ve met someone like you.”
Samantha noticed that Billy had been fiddling with something in his hand for a while.
Of course, after that, it became a habit. Unfortunately, it seems that my brother’s body was so weak that it was always meant to malfunction one by one as he grew older. Meanwhile, as the years went by, I would donate more and more of my organs to him. Lungs, bone marrow, my other kidney, and eventually… even my heart.”
Samantha twitched a bit upon hearing this.
“Is something the matter, Sam?”
“N-no. Please continue!”
“Well, it went on and on like this for a while. Always, I was forced to be the donor for my sickly brother until eventually, almost my entire body had been given to him. And that is why, I am a robot. Now… Sam, after hearing a story like this, let me ask you… how does it make you feel?”
“Angry… It makes me feel really angry. Really angry, to the point that I could… hurt someone!”
“PFFT” Billy couldn’t resist a chuckle. “H-hurt someone, you say? Really… is that the extent of your anger, Sam?
“Umm… is that bad?”
“No, it’s really good. I’m happy to know that there are still people like you left in the world. My anger… it empowers me. It makes me strong, Sam… but you? Someone like you doesn’t have to be like that… and I’m glad that I’ve met someone like you.”
Samantha noticed that Billy had been fiddling with something in his hand for a while.
“What’s that?”
“Oh, this? Catch.”
Billy tossed the thing that he had been working on to Samantha. She caught it with both hands and then began to inspect it with large, curious eyes.
“But this is…”
“Yup, it’s a piece of a heart. I figured you were needing something like that.”
“But, how did you know?”
“Well… I happened to look inside your drawstring bag, which I’d snatched while you were busy listening to my story.”
Billy showed her the bag that he had indeed stealthily stolen away from her.
“Eh… what? How mean! Don’t do stuff like that.” Samantha quickly snatched the bag away from Billy and clutched it tightly to her chest.
“Haha! Now that’s how you get angry.”
“Oh, this? Catch.”
Billy tossed the thing that he had been working on to Samantha. She caught it with both hands and then began to inspect it with large, curious eyes.
“But this is…”
“Yup, it’s a piece of a heart. I figured you were needing something like that.”
“But, how did you know?”
“Well… I happened to look inside your drawstring bag, which I’d snatched while you were busy listening to my story.”
Billy showed her the bag that he had indeed stealthily stolen away from her.
“Eh… what? How mean! Don’t do stuff like that.” Samantha quickly snatched the bag away from Billy and clutched it tightly to her chest.
“Haha! Now that’s how you get angry.”
Samantha shook her head and then closed her eyes and smiled
sweetly at Billy.
“No, not at all. You’re a weirdo, but you’re not a bad person. I thought that I could help you, but I see there’s nothing that I can do for you. So… thank you for sharing your story with me, Billy.
“And thank you for listening, Sam.”
“Well then… I’ll be on my way.”
“Sure thing, later… oh and Samantha… one more thing…”
“Yes?” Samantha turned back at Billy just as she had begun to walk away.
“No, not at all. You’re a weirdo, but you’re not a bad person. I thought that I could help you, but I see there’s nothing that I can do for you. So… thank you for sharing your story with me, Billy.
“And thank you for listening, Sam.”
“Well then… I’ll be on my way.”
“Sure thing, later… oh and Samantha… one more thing…”
“Yes?” Samantha turned back at Billy just as she had begun to walk away.
“Aren’t you… a whole lot like me?”
To Be Continued
Next Chapter
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