The night was cold.
There was nothing to shield the skin from the bitter cold.
Trudging through the cold night, he made his way out of the dark forest.
In the distance there was a light. It pulsed like a heartbeat. The light rivaled the stars in the sky.
Hesitant to follow it, the man almost took a step backwards. He wanted to return to the safety of the dark forest. However, there was something beautiful about this light. It was glowing and filling him with warmth.
At last, he decided to find the source.
He walked over the hill and made his way to a deserted city. It was empty.
No people, no animals, no real life.
Only abandoned cars and small devices.
The light was fading.
This made the lonely man feel uneasy.
He hurried on.
Running without shoes, this new feeling of hope tingled on his skin. It made him expect something more in his life. His chest tightened as though he knew what he was running to.
In the alleyway. A weak light was there.
He edged towards it. Step by step.
A glow was illuminating much of this dark alleyway.
Old, dilapidated buildings loomed around him.
The light fizzled out and there remained a woman.
She was beautiful.
A small woman with elegant thin eyebrows, a small nose and mouth. A delicate body with golden skin, it looked so soft.
The poor woman was shivering. Nothing concealed her lovely figure.
Nearing her, a sudden wave of happiness rose in his heart.
He held her in his arms and kissed her forehead.
The faintest trace of warmth was still left in her.
This was enough.
Even for a moment. There was enough to give him a surge of joy.
“Who… are you?” Asked the woman in a meek voice.
She was embracing him for his warmth. His lips ran down her forehead along the side of her face. He was too distracted to comprehend the question.
Nervous, the woman placed her hand to his burning chest and asked again.
This time the man flinched.
Who was he? Where was he? Why did this woman mean so much to him that it was hard to draw a single breath? Why did it hurt to answer the question?
He pulled his head back and hoped to find the answer by studying her pretty face.
She too looked at him. Confused. Upset. Pained.
Her eyes were gray. An artificial color given to the standard machine.
“You are human.” She said softly, “one of the remaining few survivors… forgive me, there is nothing I can do to help you. My battery is low. I will shutdown within the next twenty five minutes.”
She spoke so clearly. Her face was so lifelike. How strange was it for her to speak as though she was not alive.
Caressing her face, the man smiled warmly.
“No. You should forgive me. It seems you have suffered too much. Look here…” he said.
Lifting her hand, a small scrape was on her hand. The injury exposed the wires and metal inside of her.
“I am beyond repair.” Said the woman in a matter-of-fact tone, “it would be best that you leave me and find shelter human sir. You are unwell. According to my thermo reading, you are with fever…”
The woman stopped.
He had interlaced his fingers with hers. Her gray eyes stared at there locked hands. It seemed as though she was processing what she saw.
“I have searched my database and cannot identify you human sir.” Said the woman abruptly.
It appeared that she was scared.
Looking at her with concern, he extended his hand to touch her. She backed away and pulled her hand from his.
“I-I do not know you! Why? I have a collection of all human life in my database. You escape me. T-that makes you a danger. Do not approach human sir. Tell me you who you are!”
“I can’t remember who I am. But I can remember you.” He said with perfect coldness, “I have forgotten almost everything except your design. Let me prove it to you…”
The woman widened her eyes. He extended his hand to her again. She flinched as his gentle touch brushed her arm.
He ran his fingers down to her hand and pressed on her wrist. A small light on the palm of her hand began to blink as a result.
“H-how did you do that?” Said the woman sharply, “only a few people know of my programming.”
The man remained silent.
Instead he reached over her shoulder and dusted her.
The woman seen his sad eyes and changed her expression.
“You really do not know, human sir. You truly have forgotten… much like how I have forgotten about my own files in my database. Strange, I do not remember you at all. Perhaps there is an error in my system-“
He was kissing her hand. He was not listening to a word she said. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be enjoying himself.
“…”
The woman blinked and looked away.
Still, she could feel his breath on her skin. It was warm. Each kiss was sweet and short and slow. Like he was savoring her. It was kind, but also selfish of him.
But how was it selfish? The woman reflected in her system. She was made to appease humans. She was made to serve humans. Protect them. Help them in any way.
She was helping this poor human get past his sadness.
Clenching her hand the woman retracted it.
He was surprised. It was like she taken away his pleasure. His face was twisted with desire.
“I still do not know you.” Said the woman defensively, “I want to-“
“Over there! It came from over there.”
A loud voice not too far away. They did not sound friendly.
“Another human?” Said the woman.
The man got off the ground and extended his hand.
“Times have changed. Humans have changed. Technology has been reduced to nothing but stick and stone. They fear light… and you are practically radiating… we need to go.”
He didn’t want to be found by then. Why not? Was he a criminal? Who was the real enemy?
Well, if he wanted to cause any harm to her he would have already done so. That meant he was safe for the time being.
She almost took his hand, but stopped midway.
How could she trust him?
Gazing into his dark brown eyes, it was evident that he was very human. Kind, earnest, intelligent eyes were looking at her. He was uncommonly handsome, but it was not too much a surprise.
The woman reflected carefully over this thought.
He had a… familiar face, at the very least.
It was though something could not be completely erased from her database. But what was it?
Smiling, the woman accepted his hand and together they ran off into the darkness of the alleyway.
***
