Dissociate
The cold autumn air pushes against my pale skin as I sit at the way station. My long brunette hair wisps in the wind around me. I silently watch as the people- no, robots hurriedly scurry around the roads to get to where they need to be. I keep having to remind myself that they aren’t humans anymore. Nobody is human anymore, except for me. Why me? Why am I the only one left? That is why I’m trying to get away, far away as possible. My bus slowly comes to a halt. I pick up all of my luggage and waddle towards the open doors. Thanks to my awkward body, my black combat boot gets caught on one of the stairs. I frantically get up and gather my things so no one notices. Robots don’t slip up like this. Trying to act robot perfect is hard for a clumsy, 5’1, fifteen year old. But I have to pull this off, my life depends on it.
Not feeling like company, I plop down into an empty seat in the far back of the train. As I try to relax, my mind can’t help but think about my family. My little brother Jax, my mom, and my dad. Maybe they’ve snapped out of it by now. Somewhere in the back of my mind I know that’s probably not the case. The last time I saw my parents was yesterday morning. I had woken up to find them sitting perfectly still in the living room, staring into nothing. I waited it out thinking perhaps it was just an odd day but at exactly 9:00 a.m. they all got up and left. Me being curious, I followed. I carefully asked my mom what was going on and her previously green, now black eyes immediately darted to me. She told me in a very monotone voice that it was “ time for the new beginning’, whatever that means, and then she was off. That’s when I knew something was wrong and started packing. This was after I begged, cried, and pleaded them to just show some emotion. I received nothing but cold eye glances. I received the same thing from everyone on the streets. Everyone walked stiffly and at the same pace. All of their voices sounded the same and their eyes we're all cold.
My deep thought was interrupted as a stranger sat down into the seat next to me. It was hard trying to control my heavy breaths and pounding heart. Not knowing how to react, I pulled out a book and pretended to be minding my own business.
I glance over to sneak a peek at this peculiar man and find something odd in his hand, a contacts case.
“You don’t have to pretend around me, I know what you are.” the man says in a very hushed tone.
He looks to be about 17, medium length shaggy brown hair and tanned, olive skin. His eyes are a very beautiful hazel color.
“I’m a real human just like you, they haven’t gotten to me yet.”
He nonchalantly slipped me the case of contacts and gave a pair to me and a pair to himself.
“These will help disguise you.”
I carefully slide them into my eyes under the seat so none of the robots will spot me. The contacts irritated my icy blue, now charcoal black eyes. People always told me that I had my dad’s eyes. It came to me that I wasn’t completely sure why I obeyed him, I don’t even know his name but somehow I felt like I could trust him. For all I know, he could be out to get me. All this new information running through my mind has baffled me and I can see in his face that he knows. A thousand questions that I needed answered swirling around my head like a hurricane.
“Who is causing all of this? Why aren’t we robots?” I ask, my mind racing still.
“There are a lot of theories” he begins. “Some people say it’s the government which is very possible, some say aliens. It’s impossible to know for sure.”
I stared in disbelief. “Our government would never do this to us. They care for us. Don’t disgrace our leaders like that.” I protested.
Everyone relied on the government. They chose our names, our jobs, and even our mates. We had to have faith in them. The boy quietly chuckled to himself.
“Hmph. You’ve got some stuff to learn about our perfect government”.
Breaking the uncomfortable silence he says “I’ve realized that I don’t even know your name”.
I freeze. Do I trust him with my real name? He cocks his head as to read the confusion on my face. I give in.
“My name is Kara, what’s yours?” Instantly he tells me his.
I find it odd how much he trusts me. I guess you have no choice when you’re the only two humans left on Earth.