บท 11: Sleep

My earliest memories are of my father. He looked excited the first time I met him. Father taught me how to read and write. He taught me mathematics and science. To make it better, father is a scientist. He helps bring the future to the present or so he says. Father has five friends that work with him. One of them has a son, who came in and met me. He was really cute. He was five, I think.He called me big sister. Which doesn't make sense to me. I'm only 2 years old.

Father told me not to tell him. The five year old was called Kay. He used to come and visit me every day. Until he turned ten. Then, he didn't come back. Come to think of it, barely anyone came back. After ten years, people called police officers came and arrested, father and the friends that stayed. They put a blanket on me and walked me out.

After asking me about father and his friends, the officer gave me some food. He started asking about me. "What's your name?" "I don't have one." "What do you like to be called?" "Amy." "How old are you?" "I'm 17." "Do you know your family name?" "What's a family name?" He asked question after question. I gave him honest answers that he didn't like.

Finally he asked, "Do you have any friends?" "I did." He sat up. "Do you remember his name?" "Kay, he was ten when I last saw him." "How long ago was that?" "Ten years ago." He slammed his head on the desk. The officer sighed, "You know what, I'll take what I can get." After the days, the officers came in with a young man. "Please, say you know her." The man stared at me. "Do you know me?" He asked me. I smiled and nodded. "What did I call you?" "You called me big sister. You called me that for five years." Kay's eyes widened as he looked me up and down.

"Officers, she's an old friend of mine. Her father was Alexander. If you don't mind, I'll take care of her." The officer had Kay take care of some paperwork. Then, Kay took me to his apartment complex. "Okay, who are you and how do you know Amy?" Kay asked me. I tilted my head, "I am Amy." "Bull, Amy was a teen when I was ten." "No, when you were ten, I was seven." "Yes, you were. Amy wasn't." I frowned, "I'll go if you don't want me." Kay didn't know what to do.

He sighed, "You can stay. Just tell me if Amy's okay." "She is." Kay gave me food and a shower. He gave me a room all to myself. I stayed in my room until Kay came in the next day. "Hey, how'd you sleep?" "Sleep?" I asked. "Don't tell me you have insomnia?" "What's that?" "What do you do at night?" "Sit and wait." "You never rest?" "I'm sitting." "You have insomnia and an eating disorder." "What do you mean?" "You didn't eat anything I put in front of you." Kay tried in vain to get me to understand.

Eventually, he turned on his computer and told me to look up something to do. He then left for work. I looked up the definition of sleep. "Sleep- a condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended." Then, I looked up Insomnia. "Insomnia- persistent problems falling and staying asleep. Most cases of insomnia are related to poor sleep habits, depression, anxiety, lack of exercise, chronic illness, or certain medications."

I don't understand why he said I had that when I don't. I just don't need to eat or sleep. Once Kay got home, he put a plate in front of me. I pushed it away. "Kay, I don't eat." "I know but you need to." I lifted my shirt to expose my stomach. "Kay, I don't need food or sleep." Kay looked confused. Until I opened my stomach to expose gears and wires. Kay was taken back. "You really are Amy, aren't you?" I nodded. He pulled my shirt down. "Thank you for explaining." Kay sat back down and ate his dinner. I went ahead and did the dishes. After a few months, Kay took me out to the forest.

"This is going to be fun! I never went camping before!" I ran around. Kay smiled at me. Kay understands that I'm an android with emotions. Father built me to be the daughter he never had. So, Kay and I have a deal. I clean the apartment and he brings in money and food. He also told me to watch TV. That's how our camping trip came to be. I put up the tent and started the fire. Kay went fishing in the lake next to our spot. After he ate, he insisted that I lied down.

After three hours of Kay sleeping, I heard a noise from outside our tent. I knew Kay's life was in danger. So, to protect him, I moved onto him. It seems I was right to, as the intruder shot five times in my back. If that had hit Kay, he'd be dead. After that he put one more into the back of my head. He has already left. Kay will be asleep for five more hours.

"Dear Kay, thank you for taking care of me. Now, you don't need to worry. By the time you read any over this, I will have fallen asleep. Finally, I will know how it feels to sleep. Unlike your sleep, I won't wake up. I enjoyed every minute of every day. Kay, thank you for loving me. I hope you sleep well, my Kay. Good night. Love, Amy"

I closed my eyes after that, never to wake.

"Dear Amy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't fix you. I'm happy you now know how to sleep. However, it came before I could really start taking care of you. Before I could show you everything you wanted to see. I found your memory chip. And told the police officer who found you everything. If he ever doubted me, he doesn't now. Your father is out of jail. He and I buried you in our backyard. I planted a willow tree over your grave. I didn't think it would thrive. Not only that but, it is as one of a kind as you. It has golden lefts and diamond branches. It's as beautiful as you were. Amy, sleeping peacefully under the willow. And here I will weep and wait. For the day, I too sleep under the willow. Side by side with you. Sleep well, Amy. Love, Kay"

The End