Sp0reBots 2 - The Nightmare

The bots are calling me for dinner, and I’m crying. I don't want to give them up. As I try to collect myself, I hear a knock on my study door. “Ummm… helloooo? Can you even hear us?? It’s dinner time and I’m hungryyyy…” It’s Blewit.

I take a deep breath. “Yes. I hear you, Blewit. Tell the others I'll be down in a moment.” After about a minute, I joined my bots for dinner. Today, it was a soup made by Jack. He’s actually not that bad at cooking. I've taught my son well.

As the night gets darker, I tuck all the bots into their beds. Little Sp0reBots have to sleep too, after all. Once I make sure all the kids bots are asleep, I go back to my study. I need to think.

… I've literally made each bot their own room, decorated how they like. Why do I read them bedtime stories, give them stuffed animals, and kiss their metal foreheads good night? I'm supposed to be making servant bots, but I can't do that to them. They don't deserve what the Elders would do to them.

But if I don't give them up, then the Elders will take them anyway, and I’ll be banished and ostracized from everything I know. I'm in quite a dilemma.

As I sit with my head in my hands, I hear a soft knock on my door. 

I heard quiet sniffles on the other side, and when I opened it, the bot on the other side immediately hugged me like they were scared to let go.

“Button, what happened?”, I questioned, worriedly.

“I…I…had…a bad..d…dream…”, the young bot squeaks in between sniffles. 

I picked them up like a child and carefully placed them on one of my study chairs. 

“Aw Button. It's okay. You’re safe now. Do you wanna talk about it?”

Button nodded and wiped their tears. 

“Umm… we were in a dark… cold… place with a bunch of scary men… they kinda looked like a m…monster version of you and… and…” Button started hyperventilating a bit. I reassuringly patted their head. 

“Hey, it's okay. Deep breaths. Take your time.”

Button calmed down a bit.

“The scary men took us away from you…” they whisper sleepily. I find a blanket and give it to them.

“Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. You guys are stuck with me… forever!!” I say the last part in a silly tone. 

Button giggled a bit and then started snoring… sleepyhead. I also end up falling asleep, leaning against the sleepy child’s chair, with the study door still open.