Teaser Tuesday behind the cut!
Even though she hadn't gotten another headache since the first one, Karina was still wary. She was also out of things to do in her own house.
"I want another visit to the outside world," she said a few mornings after the headache fiasco.
Vance glanced up from the newspaper he had in his hands. "Sure."
Karina blinked. That had been far too easy.
"really? Just like that?"
"Just like that. Though I could make it more difficult if you want-"
"No! No, that's fine. Ummm." Why did she have the sneaking suspicion that he was grinning behind his paper?
"So, blondie, where do you want to go?"
This, it turned out, was a very good question. She supposed that she could return the library books, or go grocery shopping, but that was regular, mundane things. She wanted to do something *fun*.
Biding for time, she took a sip of coffee. "I'm not reallly sure, honestly. I just don't want to spend another day in this house."
"You could always make another illegal android."
"Oh, shut up," she said. This was beginning to feel awkward. Where was Kavi? Though she doubted he would make it any better, though she had to admit, he wasn't seeming quite so... robotic lately. She wasn't sure why, if it was because he was inhaling every novel she owned, or because of the file he'd found.
"Blondie?"
"Hmmm?"
"You're staring at me."
Karina blinked. He'd put his paper down and was leaning his head on his fist, an amused expression on his face.
"I was thinking," she said, a blush heating up her face.
"Uh huh."
"I WAS."
"I'm not doubting you."
"Your tone suggested doubt."
Vance jumped. Kavi was once again demonstrating his ability to move like a cat.
"Jesus, Bot Boy. Don't do that."
"I apologize." Was it just her, or did Kavi sound... cheerful? The thought of the android being cheerful at startling Vance made her smile despite herself.
Vance seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he narrowed his eyes.
"Very funny," he said, folding the paper and getting up. "I"m on to you, you know."
"I have no idea what you are referring to."
"So, Blondie," Vance said loudly. "Where did you want to go again?"
"I don't know," She said again. "You choose." Abruptly, she changed her mind. "Actually, you know what? Maybe I don't want to go out today." She drained the rest of her coffee and brought it over to the sink. "Maybe I want to sit in bed and vegetate." She also remembered about the bills that came in the mail the previous day. "Or maybe I want to write checks."
"Well, geeze, Blondie. That's kinda a let down. You got me all excited to go out and now you change your mind?"
Karina braced her hands on each side of the sink and looked out the small window. Why couldn't she make up her mind? A slow, throbbing ache began to form near the base of her skull, and she closed her eyes.
Instantly, it seemed, Kavi was at her side.
"What's wrong?" He asked. He pressed his fingers against the pulse in her throat.
"Nothing," she said, though she continued to keep her eyes closed. Her stomach churned, and she wanted to sit down. Did she feel light headed?
Gently, Kavi took her by the shoulder and led her back to her chair. She slumped down into it and rested her head on the table.
"What's wrong with her?" she heard Vance ask. She was surprised at the edge in his voice. She was also surprised at how far away he sounded. "Blondie, what is it?"
Why did he keep calling her that? she'd already mentioned it once. She wanted to mention it again but her mouth wouldn't move. Her head went from achy and light to feeling like lead. She tried to open her eyes and sit up, but it was like her body refused to function. What was going on?
“Karina,” she hear someone say, but then her mind was filled with a roaring sound, the sound of a million and one voices and memories talking at once.
And then it all went black.
"I want another visit to the outside world," she said a few mornings after the headache fiasco.
Vance glanced up from the newspaper he had in his hands. "Sure."
Karina blinked. That had been far too easy.
"really? Just like that?"
"Just like that. Though I could make it more difficult if you want-"
"No! No, that's fine. Ummm." Why did she have the sneaking suspicion that he was grinning behind his paper?
"So, blondie, where do you want to go?"
This, it turned out, was a very good question. She supposed that she could return the library books, or go grocery shopping, but that was regular, mundane things. She wanted to do something *fun*.
Biding for time, she took a sip of coffee. "I'm not reallly sure, honestly. I just don't want to spend another day in this house."
"You could always make another illegal android."
"Oh, shut up," she said. This was beginning to feel awkward. Where was Kavi? Though she doubted he would make it any better, though she had to admit, he wasn't seeming quite so... robotic lately. She wasn't sure why, if it was because he was inhaling every novel she owned, or because of the file he'd found.
"Blondie?"
"Hmmm?"
"You're staring at me."
Karina blinked. He'd put his paper down and was leaning his head on his fist, an amused expression on his face.
"I was thinking," she said, a blush heating up her face.
"Uh huh."
"I WAS."
"I'm not doubting you."
"Your tone suggested doubt."
Vance jumped. Kavi was once again demonstrating his ability to move like a cat.
"Jesus, Bot Boy. Don't do that."
"I apologize." Was it just her, or did Kavi sound... cheerful? The thought of the android being cheerful at startling Vance made her smile despite herself.
Vance seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he narrowed his eyes.
"Very funny," he said, folding the paper and getting up. "I"m on to you, you know."
"I have no idea what you are referring to."
"So, Blondie," Vance said loudly. "Where did you want to go again?"
"I don't know," She said again. "You choose." Abruptly, she changed her mind. "Actually, you know what? Maybe I don't want to go out today." She drained the rest of her coffee and brought it over to the sink. "Maybe I want to sit in bed and vegetate." She also remembered about the bills that came in the mail the previous day. "Or maybe I want to write checks."
"Well, geeze, Blondie. That's kinda a let down. You got me all excited to go out and now you change your mind?"
Karina braced her hands on each side of the sink and looked out the small window. Why couldn't she make up her mind? A slow, throbbing ache began to form near the base of her skull, and she closed her eyes.
Instantly, it seemed, Kavi was at her side.
"What's wrong?" He asked. He pressed his fingers against the pulse in her throat.
"Nothing," she said, though she continued to keep her eyes closed. Her stomach churned, and she wanted to sit down. Did she feel light headed?
Gently, Kavi took her by the shoulder and led her back to her chair. She slumped down into it and rested her head on the table.
"What's wrong with her?" she heard Vance ask. She was surprised at the edge in his voice. She was also surprised at how far away he sounded. "Blondie, what is it?"
Why did he keep calling her that? she'd already mentioned it once. She wanted to mention it again but her mouth wouldn't move. Her head went from achy and light to feeling like lead. She tried to open her eyes and sit up, but it was like her body refused to function. What was going on?
“Karina,” she hear someone say, but then her mind was filled with a roaring sound, the sound of a million and one voices and memories talking at once.
And then it all went black.