Comatose

Constant beeping and distant chatter in the hallways made Yuzuko feel out of place. Every time she turned her face, she saw soldiers in slings and bandages. Many of the faces, Yuzuko had recognised from the party or the boardroom. She had never heard them speak before.

When she walked past them in their beds and chairs, they smiled at her and waved as if she was some kind of hero.

"Konbanwa, Yuzuko-chan!"

"Salaam!"

"Bonsoir!"

"Hello!"

Sia tapped Yuzuko on the shoulder and squeezed her under her bosom. "See that's how loved you are around here!" Her warm tone changed the moment she laid eyes on one of the young doctors dressed in blue. "The priest still in that room?"

"Yes! There have been no changes to his state."

"Has his family been contacted?"

"We've tried, but the UK government has blocked our calls."

Sia shrugged her shoulders. "Nevermind. We'll just tell the world he's missing and presumed dead."

"You can't do that!" Yuzuko gasped, covering her cheeks. She couldn't believe the way they were talking about Bobby as if he was some sort of specimen. "What if he wakes up?"

Sia ignored her question by asking another question. "Are you ready for this?" She approached a door handle. Yuzuko stood in silence as Sia opened the door. "Well, here you go. There's your friend Bobby."

Yuzuko's first instinct was to say that wasn't Bobby. His face red, swollen and disfigured. His chest contained unusual red marks that resembled lightning strikes. The smell was intense. Before Yuzuko got a chance to touch him, Sia scurried Yuzuko away and slammed the door. "They still need to clean him up obviously. But he's comfortable and he's in the right hands."

"How can be comfortable? He must be in agony."

"He's got no idea what's going on, he's asleep. It's a miracle he's still alive, even if he's going to be deaf, blind, mute and disabled for the rest of his life. But that's if he wakes up. Between you and me, it will be a miracle if he's still breathing next week."

"This is all your fault!" Yuzuko snapped.

"You don't understand darling, we hurt people for their own good. It builds character. People don't want to watch people on an island getting alone and living in harmony. No? That would be boring. They want to see action and romance. I'm just giving people what they want."

"People want peace."

"Come Yuzuko, I would die for you, you know?" Sia squeezed Yuzuko tight. "It pains me to see an intelligent lady like you fall for such nonsensical propaganda."

"That's a bold statement for a stranger."

"I'm your grandmother, I'm hardly a stranger."

"You've never been there for me or mother. You're a parasite to me."

Sia rolled her head and rested her head against her palm. "A parasite eh?" Sia shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose it's better than being called a cunt."

"Nothing fazes you does it?"

Sia went quiet, marching towards one of the cupboards. "I got a little gift for you." She got a box wrapped in golden paper and red ribbons. "Open it, I think you'll like it."

Judging how compact the box was with the way it fitted into her hands, Yuzuko guessed what it was. "Is it what I think it is?"

"Open it!"

Yuzuko pulled at the ribbon until it reached the floor. Lifting the lid, Yuzuko gasped then daggered her eyes at Sia. "I knew it."

Sia cuddled Yuzuko, squeezing the box between their chest. "This isn't just any old gun. Look how it sparkles and that rose gold plate and the roses, have a feel. It's so elegant."

Yuzuko got the gun out of the box. Adrenaline pumped through her body just by touching it. Holding the gun in her hand made her feel as if she had a free upgrade. She felt bad for thinking it, but the gun empowered her. She protected. "It feels great," Yuzuko admitted. "But why would you give me a gun?"

"My granddaughter deserves beautiful things." Sia placed a hand on her shoulder. "Plus I want you to unleash the monster within you."

Yuzuko aimed the trigger at Sia, with the gun shaking in her hand. "I'm not a monster."

"And there you are, willing to shoot your own grandma. We've all got demons inside us, Yuzuko...some just hide it better. You see the day I began to embrace the demons and flaws within me was the day I became liberated."

"I feel bad for killing that man." Yuzuko placed the gun in her pocket. As tempted as she was to kill Sia, she didn't want another dead body to be added on the list. " I hope I never have to use it. Thank you for the gift."

"You're welcome!" Sia pecked her cheek. Every time Sia touched Yuzuko, a part of her die inside. When Yuzuko turned around, she saw Daz Muffin marching in. "Here is Daz," Sia said. "He's come to see your way out."

Sia walked away, clicking her heels as if she was on the runway.

Daz didn't speak much, which sounded unusual. Daz always came across as loud and cheerful but could be your best friend if you allowed him too. Yuzuko wondered if it was the real Daz Muffin walking beside her and not a robot.

"Are you okay Daz?" Yuzuko asked. "You seem really upset."

Daz held back the tears as he spoke. "Not gonna be the same without Fanny."

"Were you two close?"

"Yeah, we were. Don't know what I'm going to do without her now. We had our own house, family and everything. I never liked leaving her on her own. I never knew when we were coming back."

"You two were married?" Yuzuko asked.

"Fifteen years," Daz explained. "I don't know how we managed to keep it out of the press but we did. And all Fanny ever wanted was to get the girls back together for one last performance." By the time they reached the exit, Daz had broken into tears and squeezed Yuzuko tight. "Thank you so much for trying to reach out for her. Even though she had made up her mind after Mariangela kicked the bucket...you were the only one to reach out for her and I'm glad you're here."

"You want to stop this show as much as I do," Yuzuko said. "My family and I are gonna put a stop to it."

"That's the spirit!" Daz released Yuzuko as she ran towards the open gates. "Go and spread the word. Defeat the evil robots and show them that there are good robots do exist."

222 robots remaining