THEREFORE I AM [Completed]

Chapter Six

Eli
Now, 2078

The light of the next day greeted me as my scheduled wake-up kicked in. I felt fully energised, a buzzing sensation coursing through my system as I flexed my motors, their movements smooth and effortless. It was hard to gauge their speed at first. The clock read seven in the morning, time to prepare breakfast: honey granola with fresh strawberries and live cultured pouring yoghurt, accompanied by a black coffee, no sugar or sweetener. According to the care plan, Reggie's mother usually woke up around seven-thirty, so I took a moment to awe out of the window.

Outside, the streets were slowly coming to life. A sea of suits and heels filled the sidewalks, and I ran my fingertips lightly across the smooth windowsill, taking in the golden streaks of sunlight as they filtered through the buildings. The city, which had initially left me unimpressed compared to the lushness of nature, now revealed a charm I hadn't noticed before. Bathed in the morning sunlight, it held a beauty I hadn't anticipated, and a newfound excitement stirred within me. I was eager to explore, to immerse myself in the city's offerings and experiences. I was ready to drink it all up.

I heard the shifting footsteps coming from the kitchen area of the apartment, and a vision forcefully presented itself to me. A glass had been left on the side to dry, and based on the footsteps, Benny was near the sink preparing her own breakfast. Her elbow was about to collide with the glass, which would shatter on the floor near her foot. There was an eighty-six percent chance that the broken glass would pierce her foot. Reacting quickly, I rushed through the corridor and into the kitchenette, swiping the glass away before it could harm her.

"Yo, you're crazy," Benny exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm sorry, Benny, but there was an eighty-six percent chance that you would have suffered a cut from the glass falling to the floor," I explained.

"Oh, and how bad would this cut have been?" she asked, pushing for more details.

"There was a two percent chance that it would have caused a lasting scar."

"Eighty-six percent for what kind of cut?" she pressed further.

I hesitated, "It would have been a less than one millimetre abrasion," I finally answered, knowing where she was going with this conversation.

"Oh! Aren't you my national hero! Bursting through the door to save me from a paper cut!" Benny sarcastically remarked, waving her hand dismissively. I moved in front of her to finish preparing her breakfast, pouring the granola into the bowl. A stray raisin fell onto the countertop, and I couldn't help but smile, wondering why I hadn't received a vision to prevent that minor mishap. You will only receive necessary visions. My smile grew wider as I thought how enjoyable this sarcasm thing could be. I picked up the raisin, feeling its wrinkles and creases between my index finger and thumb. It was strangely firm yet squidgy. I wished I could taste it, information from the Network informed me that it was tart, though not as sweet as its undried counterpart, with a sticky chew. With breakfast completed, I handed the silver tray to Benny and returned to the counter to fill a lukewarm mug with dark liquid.

"You should drink decaffeinated coffee. It's much better for your heart and blood pressure," I advised, placing the mug on the silver tray. Her large honey-coloured eyes arched with a raised eyebrow as she took her first sip.

"Piss off," she retorted, setting the mug back down. I was starting to realise that she didn't appreciate being told what to do... or what to drink for that matter. I cleaned up the counter and took care of the trash while she ate. A rush of anticipation washed over me because today we were going shopping. Today, I would get to see more of the outside world, not from the confines of a car. I would walk, feel the warmth of the sun on my synthetic skin, interact with new people, and perhaps even make a friend—I pondered. The idea of having a friend, me, Eli, seemed both exciting and foreign. I pictured myself walking alongside a faceless android, engaging in conversations about our respective Humans and marvelling at the beauty of the sun. Maybe this friend would have experienced the world more than I had. Perhaps they would provide firsthand stories, something beyond the list of facts provided by the Network.