The Birthday Present, Part 5
Looking from side to side with each step, Faith cautiously made her way through the dimly lit hallway when entering the ship. She touched the walls and dirt stuck to her fingers. The whole place smelled of rust. Strips of metal rested against the brown walls. Long pieces of wire of different colors were strewn across the path, frayed at its ends.
Quite unlike her home, which the voice had insisted for her to keep pristine, the ship was a mess.
There was a jolt and the ship began to rise. Faith braced herself, grabbing a long piece of metal that stood about her height. It was sturdy enough to keep her balance while making her way up the narrow steps to the next level.
She walked into a large, open room. There were cabinets against the wall and counter tops filled with more pieces of metal and wiring scattered throughout.
“Ding!” Faith turned and saw a green light to her side. Doors slid open. It was an elevator, of course, though Faith didn’t know what to call it. She just watched the dozen metal shapes exit and walk to the pieces of scraps. Immediately, the metal shapes began twisting, turning and connecting parts and disconnecting others. Parts were shared between them and the work continued.
“Are any of you the voice?” she asked, walking past them, peeking at their work. They ignored her completely. She didn’t let that discourage her curiosity.
On the other side of the room were what seemed to be scraps of the metal shapes. Arms and legs were shooting from boxes. They are repairing themselves, she thought.
“Are you a machine?” she said to the voice.
“Go in the elevator,” the voice said, “that the machines came out of and push the button labeled seven.”
Faith walked towards the elevator and looked at the machines continuing their work. Without hesitation, in the elevator she goes, following the instructions of the voice. The voice always took care of her after all.
Faith found herself outside, on top of the ship. A ceiling of clouds seemed to be within reach as a soft breeze blew her hair. It was quiet and beautiful up here. The light blue sky below the cloud lines seemed to go on forever.
After some time, Faith walked to another edge of the ship and looked down at the green hills, lakes and roadways and there it was! Her eyes filled with tears realizing what she was looking at–buildings and homes were scattered across the land! Other people are here!
She quickly turned and anger filled her.
“Why have I been alone?” Faith shouted into the clouds. “There has been a city of people right here all along.” Her anger was now at the voice. “Why have you kept them from me?”
“When we met,” the voice said, “you were the last human. We had to protect you. It is time you came back.”
The city structures grew larger as the ship descended.
The voice said, “Welcome home, Faith.”
–End story (for now)–