Chapter 24 - Conversation
How do I get on his good side… or, at least give him a false sense of security, like he can trust me. I’m no good at this stuff, but people love talking about themselves, right? I’ve never really understood why myself, but I’m sure he’d love ranting about whatever he’s been doing other than rotting for the many years he’s spent here alone. I suppose it’s a good way to gather a bit more intel on him as well, and bide my time as my wound heals and I prepare for what’s to come.
I ponder for a moment, sliding the files I’ve collected under the bed before reluctantly calling his name. “Hey, Ell1-” “Hello! Need something?” I didn’t even get to finish saying his name before he suddenly materialized in front of me, his bright green light shining into my eyes. I stumble a bit before recollecting my thoughts. “Please… stop doing that.” He notices my startled expression and quickly floats back, glitching slightly. “Ah..! Sorry! I guess I just get, er, enthusiastic.. a lot…” He pauses awkwardly for a bit. “So, um, you called me?”
I act like I’m happy to see him and put on a small smile, pretending to be interested. God, I hate doing this. “Oh… yeah. I just finished one of those books I found earlier, and er… I got a little bored. Maybe we could… er, make some conversation? Or talk for a bit? I’ve actually been pretty curious about yo-” “R- Really? About me?” His face lights up at the sound of this. “You think I’m interesting?! Really?” “I mean, sure..? I guess I should probably get to know you more since I’m stuck here with you…”
“Ah, sorry! I’m just so happy about that! I’ve never really gotten to have an actual friendly relationship with a human before!” We are anything but friends, but okay, sure. How does he manage to brush things off so easily? First he locks me in here, slashes a wound through my chest out of desperation, and now he’s fully convinced that I want to be his friend? Ugh... Keep it together, this is just temporary. Just play along.
“So… what was it like? Being alone for so long?” He pauses after I say this, his glasses suddenly becoming opaque and holographic form glitching again. “Well, what would you expect, listening to the same mindnumbing mechanical hum of this place every day, begging to not spend a single minute more of this torture allowing my code to decay and my digital mind to rot? For someone, anyone, anything to save you from the painful isolation you are binded to within this desolate place?”
“I-” “Don’t worry about it! That’s enough about me… What matters is that you’re here now!” He adjusts his glasses, his digital eyes now visible again. “And I’d like to learn a little more about you.” Oh, just great. “What, me?” “Yes you, silly! You’re the first human I’ve ever had a real meaningful conversation with. What goes on in that interesting mind of yours?” He tries to poke my forehead with his finger, and it phases through.
“I don’t really…” “No pressure, of course. I’m not Forcing you to share anything.” He interrupts again. “I just want to find some sort of common ground between you and me. I’m sure we both have our share of traumatic experiences, considering you somehow managed to survive a nuclear war. You’re quite persistent, I’ll give you that.”
“I’d rather not share anything. My past was… Ugh, nevermind.” “Oh, I promise that you don’t need to tell me anything you don’t want. How’d you survive in that radioactive wasteland, anyways? I’d expect your body to be decaying from the radiation poisoning, but you seem…” He looks me up and down, scanning the injuries covering my body, slightly faded now. “...Mostly intact! Although quite weak.”
“...Well, I did manage to find some rations. And some days I starved or ate pieces of rubble. I don’t really know how I managed to keep living…” I sigh and lean back. “Sorry. I don’t enjoy talking about myself very much.” He seems deep in thought as he speaks. “Hmmm. No worries! I just find you fascinating! A real, live human, almost completely intact after such a catastrophic event…” He stares at me for a long, uncomfortable minute, glasses slowly turning opaque again.
“...Um. What are you–”
He quickly moves back, sensing my discomfort. “Ah! Sorry! About that! I get, er, lost in thought sometimes…”
“I’ll take my leave now, haha…”
He quickly and anxiously fades out of the room, glitchy particles remaining in the air and suddenly disappearing.
Okay.