Programmed Love

Chapter Fourteen: Panic

    "Are you almost ready, Miss?" Asked Corrine with a knock on my bathroom door. Looking at my appearance once more in the mirror, I gave myself a nod of satisfaction before opening the door to Corrine. Sending her a small smile, she seemed in approval of my outfit as well. She'd been sent a message earlier from Nic informing us that he'd be making a visit today. Immediately after hearing that, she'd ushered me to dress in one of my nicest outfits and prepare myself. I'd put on one of my few dresses since he'd always told me he thought dresses suited me.

     The one I'd chosen was a medium gray that stopped a little past mid thigh, but was also covered by black lace. The lace formed the sleeves as well as a three inch trim after the end of the grey. Embroidered Indian designs flowed across the chest and bottom. The dress was brought in at the waist by a deeper grey belt and fit very snuggly. I'd felt bad for ignoring Dominic's calls before, so I decided I'd try my hardest to make up for it. Reading the books I'd found in the basement had just been so time consuming, but I'd learned enough that I was confident I'd be able to make a robot of my own if I ever had the inclination. I was sure I could even reprogram Corrine if I found a reason to. 

     "You look amazing, Miss! We should get you some breakfast. The Master said he'd be here in a few hours, so we still have plenty of time," she informed me. Orson had been tailing me since I'd awoken this morning, and he'd waited patiently on the other side of the bathroom door for me to finish. He now pawed at my bare toes, and slightly ticked them. When I'd wiggled them in an attempt to get him to stop, he'd playfully attacked them and tried nibbling them. Shaking my head, I picked him up and held him to my chest, amazed at how big he'd gotten. He was no longer my itty bitty baby Orson. His size was enough to fill my entire arms, and he'd gotten quite heavy.

     "Oh dear, let me take him. We don't want him shedding all over your pretty dress, and we don't need you with a broken back, either," she told me, gently taking Orson from my grasp as if he weighed nothing. At times I imagined what it would be like to be a robot with infinite strength and stamina, but then I'd remember how Corrine was practically the only good robot who didn't use those things to their advantage and I'd brush the thought aside. 

     Without Orson to weigh me down any longer, we slowly made our way to the kitchen. I'd requested for Corrine to dust the place and clean it as best as she could to preoccupy her while I'd read the books about robots, but occasionally I'd came up and helped her as well, and now my plantation was looking rather spotless and shiny. The light brown walls of the hallway had a golden sheen do to the curtains being open to let in some natural light. We'd tried our best to cover up the musty smell, but there was still an undertone of it beneath the smell of dozens of flowers. Vases filled with the flowers that we found around the plantation yard littered the hallways and around every corner. I'd even considered going into the forest behind the plantation to search for flowers that I'd be able to plant in a section of the yard to start a garden.

     Everything was going perfectly, and I was excited to show it all to Dominic when he arrived. Over the course of the week, my extreme feeling of emptiness without him disappeared and I realised I really didn't need him around as much as I thought I did. I would be content with living here with only Orson and Corrine as company, and I was nearly certain I'd figured out what the key was for and how to use it. The only problem I found was figuring out where it needed to be placed, because the whereabouts of the power station that connected all the robots together as one was unknown to me and never once was mentioned in any of the books in the basement. 

     Of course, I hadn't mentioned it to Corrine, and I was fairly certain she knew nothing about the books located in the basement anyways. I didn't know how she'd react. I still couldn't entirely trust her with a secret so large. Over the week, we'd taken an hour out of every day to sit down together and 'chat' about whatever came to our minds. It was sort of a way to bond since we'd be together for such a long time. 

     "I forgot to ask, but does your arm need bandaged again? I think it's been a little while since we last changed the gauze," Corrine said in a motherly tone. Looking down at my bandaged right arm, I decided that changing it would be a good idea. Spending so much time down in the basement reading, I'd discovered that as long as I had that tracker chip beneath my skin, all robots had my location embedded into their minds. I could be found by anything and everything that wanted to find me, and I hadn't liked that thought. So, I'd found my pocket knife, and after tying a strip of cloth around my upper arm to stop some blood flow, I'd located the bump where the chip was and I'd cut into my skin. It hurt like hell at the time, but I'd gotten it out, and Corrine had luckily found me before I'd passed out from blood loss. She'd scolded me the moment I'd come to, but the chip was finally out and I could continue living in somewhat secrecy. Even thinking about what would most likely be a new scar made me cringe at the pain. 

     Once we reached the kitchen, Corrine had me sit on the countertop while she removed cotton and gauze from one of her pockets to apply to my arm. She'd applied an ointment to my arm to lessen the pain, and it had worked like a charm. When she unwrapped it, the red line about two inches long was revealed, and it no longer looked as bad as the previous day, and the day before that. It was slowly getting better, and Corrine hadn't even stitched it. What she used to close it was some from of glue, and it hadn't come unglued yet. After telling me how much it'd improved, and running her cold fingers along it to see if it still hurt to touch, she rewrapped it and threw the old gauze away. Then, she went to the fridge to make some food. 

     After she came back the first day, she'd brought with her a car full of food that we'd put away, and it still seemed like we hadn't even touched the main part of it even after a week. We'd put part of the meat aside for Orson, and then put what we could in the fridge, then the rest in either the chest freezer, or the pantry. What Corrine was making at the moment seemed to be an omelette, so I fished some ham out of the bottom of the fridge for Orson before hoisting myself up on the counter again and sitting on the edge.

     "You do know we have a dining room for a reason, right?" Corrine jokingly asked. I'd taken to sitting on the counters to eat my meals and ignoring the dining room as of late, and Corrine always joked around about it. I just found sitting in the kitchen more comfy than sitting in the large dining room made for more than one person, a robot, and a bear. It felt too empty. 

     "I'm almost done with your breakfast, could you grab a plate?" She asked as I hopped off the edge. Going to the dish cupboard, I grabbed a basic glass plate and handed it to Corrine before proceeding to grab silverware that had already been here when we arrived. The aroma of the omelette was enough to make my mouth water as I patiently waited for Corrine to place the steaming food onto my plate. Sending her a begging look, she glanced at me and laughed before scooping it onto my plate as I sat back on the counter.

     Orson sat by my swinging feet and looked up at me with his head tilted to the side. I noticed that he'd already eaten the chunk of ham I'd given him, and I smiled down at him realising what he wanted. Cutting my omelette in three pieces, I dropped one third down to him and he scarfed it up.

     "Valencia! Haven't I told you not to give him your food?" Corrine gasped, and I responded by cutting a small bit off another third and dropping it down to Orson with an innocent smile.

     "If you're not gonna eat it, then I'll take it back," she threatened. Shaking my head furiously, I leaned away with my plate, quickly placing a piece of omelette in my mouth with a mortified expression. Corrine laughed again at my actions before putting the pan in the sink and beginning to wash it.

     After I finished eating the rest of the omelette, I put my plate into the sink for Corrine to wash before heading to the living room with Orson trotting behind me. The living room walls were a tan color, and the carpeting was a creme with a dark brown couch to the right side. The room was circular with a couple nearly empty bookshelves pressed against one wall. A sliding glass door provided light throughout the room and gave a view of the pond outside my plantation. Flopping down onto the couch, I put my wrist against my forehead and sighed, shutting my eyes and enjoying the quiet. Orson soon joined me and curled up onto my stomach, but he'd grown so much that he nearly fell off. His weight was close to crushing me, but I bore the pain and let him sleep soundly on my stomach, his deeper snores filling the once quiet room.

     About thirty minutes later, Orson got up and jumped onto the floor, awakening me from my small nap. I looked to see where he was going, and decided to follow him when he waddled out of the living room. He didn't end up going too far. He stopped at the front door and sat, watching the door as if someone was about to come barging through at any moment. Giving him a curious look, I bent down to pet him before jumping in surprise as the doorbell rang. Startled, I looked at the door until the doorbell was rang for a second time. Suddenly remembering that Dominic was supposed to arrive at anytime, a smile lit up my face as I reached for the handle.

    I was greatly disappointed when the pale face of Aradella was what greeted me instead. Raising an eyebrow at her, I looked past her head figuring that Dominic arrived with her, only to find nothing but a car similar to my own behind her. Focusing back on her, a small smile stretched across her face, and it seemed a little creepy due to the fact that she hardly ever smiled. A deep growling noise was heard beside me, and I glanced down to find that Orson had planted himself between Aradella and I. Attempting to push him back behind me with my foot, I opened the door wider to invite Aradella inside.

     "You seem a bit disappointed to see me. Were you expecting someone else?" Aradella asked, still with that same creepy smile plastered across her face. Sending a slow nod her way, I continued to give her a suspicious gaze, eyeing her attire. It seemed a bit different compared to her normal dress code, but it managed to bring out her crimson eyes, as well as add to the malicious aura around her. Once she stepped through the threshold, I shut the door quietly behind her. Her hair was put up high on her head in a bun with a strand of braided hair around it to keep it in place. 

     "So, have you been enjoying this little house?" She sweetly questioned, suddenly turning to face me. Sending her a nervous smile, I nodded my head.

     "Well I'm glad you've lived a nice, relaxing week," she told me with a closed eye smile. Her word choice confused me, and goosebumps ran up my neck. Something didn't seem right. 

     "Have you seen Corrine lately?" Aradella inquired with a tilt of her head. Something was screaming at me to run somewhere, but I ignored it and shook my head. Orson was still quietly growling behind me, and as I bent down to pet him, I heard Aradella quietly mutter 'good' under her breath. 

     "Have you been missing Dominic? I know he's sure been missing you," she informed me, and I physically flinched at her words as if she knew I'd been ignoring him. Gulping down spit that had overtaken my mouth, I merely looked at her, neither agreeing to nor denying her question.

     "You know, you've sent him into quite a depressed state," she said, slowly beginning to walk around me, circling me. I stood back up and carefully watched her. Once she stood behind me, she nearly growled out, "I don't quite like what's become of him."

     Narrowing my eyes at her in warning, I clenched a fist, very much prepared for a fight. I was getting dangerous vibes from this situation. 

     "I tried so desperately to get you to leave him alone before he got too attached, but you disobeyed that warning, and now that I've finally gotten you away, it's too late. I should have gotten rid of you in the beginning," she scolded before continuing," But better late than never, I suppose. Dominic's sure to mourn once he discovers his 'little cutie' died at the hands of the robot who was supposed to protect her. All it requires is a tiny false memory in the coding, and the murder will be perfect. Now all that needs to be done is the real death. Don't worry, Valencia, I'll try to make it quick and painless," she assured before lunging at me with a blade she took from within one of the creases in her dress. 

     Luckily, her lunge was rash and only would have hit someone if they hadn't been expecting it. From the moment she made an appearance at my doorstep I had been on edge, so I was prepared. I sidestepped, she lost her footing, and she crashed into the wooden desk behind me with a vase. The vase shattered causing water and lilies to fall to the floor, as well as broken glass. A few shards dug into Aradella's flesh as she growled, turning to face me once more. 

     My feet thudded against the floor as I ran to the kitchen in search of a weapon. I was long gone by the time Aradella had turned back around, and I mentally cursed at myself for not running out the door. But that could have been a terrible idea anyways considering the fact that Aradella could have easily stationed one of her own robots outside, just waiting for anyone to take a single step outside the door. 

     After I'd cut into my arm to remove the tracker, Corrine must have moved all the knives, and I felt myself panicking. Digging through drawer after drawer, all I could find that could be considered a weapon was a heavy rolling pin, and I confidently wielded it as I heard soft footsteps attempting to sneak into the kitchen. Turning quickly on my heel, I faced Aradella who stood with her knife loosely in her hand.

     "Don't make this difficult, I beg of you. Your death has to happen in order for me to gain Dominic's affection. I'm sorry, I truly am, but you've already ruined too much," she said with a sad expression as if she truly was upset that she was trying to kill me. I glared at her before moving to the door that led into the dining room. She saw me attempting to make an escape, and quickly charged at me once more with a snarl. 

     Once she got close enough, I extended my arm and swung the rolling pin like a bat, knocking her head to the side as her entire body changed direction. 

     "s**t! Come back here, you little b***h!" She shrieked at me as I dashed through the door. I wasn't staying any longer in her presence to fuel her anger.

     Rushing to the head of the table, I'd made it just in time before Aradella came through the doorway, eyes ablaze with a bump and bruise already forming on her forehead. Some fly away pieces of her hair hung in front of her face, and she seemed logical enough to not come rushing at me from one side which would give me yet another opportunity to run. Glancing from side to side, she seemed to weigh her options as I weighed mine. We'd come to a standoff. 

     Our stare down hadn't lasted long before she came running up the right side of the table, and I countered by sprinting down the left. I should have known it was a trap beforehand, but right when the thought crossed my mind, it was already too late. Aradella had moved as fast as lightning in sliding across the wooden table onto my side, successfully managing to slice into the gauze on my right forearm. The cut was deep enough to cut the gauze off my arm, as well as leave a tiny cut on my arm before the gauze tumbled to the floor. I wasted no time in quickening my pace as I ran back through the kitchen and into the main entryway.

     I figured my only hope was to make it to my room where my knife and g*n resided, then maybe I'd have a chance. The stairs hadn't been too hard to run up, and the gaining foot falls behind me only egged me on. Taking a sharp right, I continued bolting down the hallway as Aradella yelled behind me. Turning to face her, I quickly aimed before throwing the rolling pin at her stomach like a frisbee. I hadn't seen it hit its mark, but I only assumed it did when I heard a small 'omph' and ragged gasps for air. What I hadn't expected was something thrown at me in return.

     Just as I went to reach for my door knob, a heavy object came in contact with my side and shattered, leaving small glass fragments burrowing through my thin dress and into my soft side. The blow had succeeded in knocking me off balance, and I fell to the carpeted ground. The fall had knocked the breath out of me, and an explosion of white filled my vision as my head slammed into the ground. I struggled to move no matter how much I screamed at myself too get back on my feet.

     Knowing that I wouldn't be getting up anytime soon, I unsheathed the tiny blade from my panther necklace I still hadn't removed. In what seemed like no time at all, Aradella was standing menacingly over my fallen form as I gazed up at her with wide eyes. 

     "You put up a really good fight, I must admit. But in the end, you were no match fo-OUCH!" Aradella screamed at the end, I glanced at her ankle to find Orson with his teeth sinking deeply into the pale skin on her foot. I longed to shoo the animal away, but I wasn't quick enough before Aradella had utilised her other foot to forcefully kick him from her, and as she bent down with the knife rushing down towards his fur covered chest, my world seemed to slow down. I found myself speedily lunging at her wrist with my own miniature blade, and I sank it deeply into her flesh a moment before her knife was plunged into Orson. She screeched and dropped her weapon, glaring at me before kicking my already bloodied side. I felt a scream bubbling up in my chest, and a ripping sensation flooded through my throat. 

     "Now, where the f**k did I leave off? Oh right, ending your miserable existence," she snarled at me before slamming her foot onto my wrist that held my only weapon. Another tearing ripped through my throat as I attempted to scream. My wrist was most likely only sprained, but she hadn't removed her foot yet. Twisting, another shockwave of pain shot up my arm, and I squeezed my eyes shut as tight as I possibly could at the pain. Bending down, her hands wrapped tightly around my throat. I could feel her warm blood run down my neck, staining the beautiful grey dress I'd been wearing for Dominic.

     I'd finally met my end. I saw no possible future where I could survive this. The easiest thing I could do was give up. I had no way to fight back. I was fruitlessly kicking my legs and squirming in attempts to wiggle her off me, and I'd tried prying her hands away from my aching neck, but I just wasn't strong enough for her. Accepting my fate, I moved my unharmed hand down to reach out for Orson who was laying motionless a few feet from my fingertips. A tear slid down my cheek at the thought of his death, but a small hope filled me as I saw his chest shakily rising and falling. 

     'At least he won't die today,' I thought to myself with a smile. Moving my gaze back to Aradella, she was baring her teeth as her grip tightened once more. I was finding it difficult to draw any more air into my lungs, and I could feel my lungs slowly failing me. My body shook a few times with a need for air, and I removed my gaze from Aradella's crimson orbs. Looking to the side, a single blue rose had appeared on the ground beside my head, bathing in the red blood of both Aradella and I. With my last coherent thoughts, I tried piecing together where it came from, only to come up empty with any information. No flowers like that grew around my pond. Looking to my right, I saw my own blood trailing down my arm, signifying that my cut had reopened. Life was gradually leaving my eyes, and I decided to look once more at Aradella through the black dots filling my vision, only to see her dark eyes violently thrown from my view to be replaced with shockingly deep blue ones instead. Scrunching my eyebrows in confusion, I breathlessly spoke out through the agonizing pain in my throat for the first time in eleven years with my last moment of consciousness.

     "Domi...nic?"