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| There was no school at the Academy the following day, but Mrs. Tracer went to her classroom just to get in a few grades before reports were to be sent out. To keep herself company as she worked alone, she switched on the TV. The news popped up and she returned to her work, listening as she went. “And this just in,” the news said, “the ABC’s had been caught last night at the Academy Graduation/Mouse Memorial. Apparently they were about to let leash an almost deadly gas as some sort of prank, but luckily before they were able to Nalia and Robert Matrix, Tanner’s kids, stopped them. The ABC’s have been taken to the Super Computer for their sentencing.” Mrs. Tracer looked up, surprised. On the screen they showed Nalia and Robert walking outside the Academy parking lot, looking bruised, battered, and torn. The ABC’s walked ahead of them, their wrists in cuffs. Ace could be spotted toward the front of the line, but he wasn’t walking, nor in cuffs. He was on a stretcher, strapped down. “Ace Matrix, leader of the ABC’s, had been found on the roof later that night, completely out cold with two tanks at his side. He was alone, and apparently had been exposed to the chemicals with him, which could be the explanation of his condition. He will be doing fine though, and will join the rest of the ABC’s in the Super Computer.” Mrs. Tracer was interrupted from the news by a knock on the door. Frowning, she got up and crossed the room to answer it, turning the TV down as she went. AndrAIa stood at the door, smiling timidly, a packet of papers in her hands. “Ah, Mrs. Intel,” she said, walking back to her desk. The young woman followed. “What brings you here?” “To turn in my report, Mrs. Tracer,” she said, holding out the packet. “I know it’s late and everything, but I thought you should read it nevertheless.” Mrs. Tracer looked up at her, skeptically. “I’m afraid I can’t take that, Hailey, it’s late and I don’t accept late work. In the working net things can’t be taken in late.” “I know that, Mrs. Tracer,” AndrAIa said, “trust me, I do. But I thought you should really read it and see what I have to say.” “Why? Did you find this missing person, by any chance?” “As a matter of fact, I did.” The teacher raised her eyebrows. “Oh really? And how did you come by this?” She looked down at the paper like it was some sort of virus. AndrAIa rolled her eyes and took it back. “Since you obviously won’t read it, let me tell you this. Her name was AndrAIa, and she was a Game Sprite. She had come into the Net by a young boy named Enzo Matrix. No, not the little Enzo who owned the joint down town, but Matrix, the bigger one, when he was younger. She grew up with him, game hopped with him, and helped save Mainframe with him and rest of the citizens. The reason why she wasn’t printed in today’s books was because they’re only in the older historical books and they aren’t in classrooms or the Principal Office. And the reason that’s why was because before she could take place in anything during the history books, she was taken away form Mainframe through a game and couldn’t return. She was lost forever.” Mrs. Tracer didn’t say anything for a long time, just looked at her through her thick glasses. Sighing, she sat back in her chair. “You still haven’t answered my question. How did you come by this information?” AndrAIa shrugged. “Read the paper and you’ll find out. But if you must, I’ll get the resources for you. After you read this, though, you might think otherwise.” She put the paper back on the table. Mrs. Tracer eyed the paper, then sighed again and took it. “Thank you, Miss. Hailey Intel. I’ll look into it and give you a call to tell you what you’ll get. It won’t be an A, that’s for sure.” AndrAIa smiled. “We’ll see about that.” Later that afternoon, AndrAIa stepped out of her apartment to take a walk toward the Mainframe Dump. She didn’t want to wear the Hover Flats to get there, walking was just fine. Halfway there she bumped into Nalia and Robert. The first thing she noticed about them was how different Nalia looked. Her clothes were…well…they covered more, and she wore less dark make-up. Robert was smiling sheepishly as they approached. “Hi,” he said to her. “Hi,” AndrAIa replied. “Look, I’m sorry about everything,” Nalia said, “I really am. I didn’t know what I was doing, and Ace and I used you to get into the Principal Office. I’m sorry.” “No, it’s okay,” AndrAIa said. “I was glad it happened.” Robert looked at her sideways. “Was it?” “I hope so.” She looked past them. She was close to the dump. “And I’m sorry to do this, but I must go. I have someone I must talk to.” The Trailer looked the same way it did when she had left it the night before, but it looked…something was different about it. AndrAIa stood in front of it, not sure whether to go right in or wait outside. Finally she took a deep breath, walked up to the door, and knocked. No one answered. Frowning, she tried again. Still no answer. “Bob?” she called loudly. “Devon? Hello? It’s me, AndrAIa!” Still no answer. She knocked again and tried to the doorhandle. To her surprise the door swung open. She stood in the doorway, looking in to the darkness. “Hello?” She walked forward, reaching for a lightswitch. She didn’t know if there was one before when she had first came, but now she found one. A bulb overhead blinked on, casting a dim light throughout the trailer. She looked around, trying to find any forms of movement. Maybe they were asleep. “Hello? It’s me, AndrAIa, Bob? Devon? Hello?” The trailer was completely empty. The two chairs and the fireplace were still there, but the fire had died down a long time ago. The chairs were empty. Where were they? She was about to turn and leave when she caught a glint of something on the other end of the room. Frowning, she made her way over to it. It was a TV. A dusty, broken TV. Reaching out, she brushed the dust off its top and brought it out of its corner. She could barely recognize the faded yellow tint, the cracked glass in the front. “Mike?” she whispered. The TV didn’t respond. She didn’t hear the irritating voice, the agitating words, the annoying sales pitch. It wasn’t Mike anymore. It was just a broken TV, too old to work anymore. She sniffed and wiped a tear away as she examined him, trying to figure out of there was some sort of switch. She remembered Devon saying something about the TV being annoying. Was this it? “Mike, it’s you, isn’t it?” she said, setting back down in the corner. She couldn’t even see the face that she usually saw behind the glass. She couldn’t believe there was a day she’d miss him. He was really a very nice TV, kept their spirits up. But now he was gone. Getting to her feet, she looked around the room, trying not to cry again. She looked at the TV one last time before leaving the trailer. Devon stood outside, watching her. She looked at him, surprised. “Devon, I-“ “You won’t find Bob in there,” he said forlornly. He looked down at the ground. She just stood there, not sure if she had heard right. “W-why?” “Last night, right after you left, he said something to me. He said that now that he’s seen you again with his very eyes, he could go happy. And just a few hours ago he…” Then it hit her. She stood there, unable to move, unable to respond. Devon sniffled and tried not to cry. “I really liked him too, he took me in, he took care of me. He was the only person who cared.” She looked at him. He was trying not to cry as well, but it wasn’t working. She knew it wouldn’t. Emotions were hard to keep inside. She walked forward and put her hands on his shouders. “I guess we’re both…going to be alone for awhile in this world- but you,” she struggled to keep her voice steady, “you still have a life ahead of you, you got that? Leave the dump, go to school, make some friends. You’re still just a kid, you still have so much ahead of you. Take the chance when you can, okay?” He nodded. “Thanks.” She released him and started to walk away. She had so many things to think about now. She didn’t know where to start. “But you know what?” he called after her. She stopped and turned around. “What?” “You do too.” The back of the Principal Office was dark and musty still when AndrAIa stepped into it. She recognized the library with all the books, the shelves, the dust. She stepped into the old Control room to see Phong there, sipping tea at the main panel, looking forlornly down at the map. He didn’t seem to know she was there. Off in the corner of the room she saw a chalkboard. ‘Hailey’ had been scrawled on it, then crossed out and had the name ‘hAIley’ below it. Then that was crossed out, and the name ‘AndrAIa’ was written at the bottom. She leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. “You knew all along, didn’t you?” she said. Phong looked up, startled to hear her voice, then relaxed when he saw her. Rolling away from the console, he made his way over to her. “How could I not? I’m not that old, am I?” She smiled. “But why didn’t…why didn’t you say anything?” He adjusted his glasses. They were dirty and cracked here and there, but they still worked. “You didn’t seem to want me to know. I knew you had some things to do on your own, so I sent you to see Bob.” She looked at the floor. “He…he deleted earlier this morning. I didn’t even…I couldn’t even say good-bye.” He nodded. “I know my child.” “I’m alone in this world now and I don’t know what to do. There’s a new generation out there. The people I once loved and knew are long gone…it’s scary.” “I know it is. And I’m stuck in the same world with you. But you will get through this. I know what happened to you was a terrible thing but…it’s a shame we can’t go back in time and prevent it.” “I wish we could.” “I wish we could too.” Then he put a hand on her shoulder. “I heard what you did last night, and I’m very proud of you. You saved hundreds of people.” She forced a smile. “Yeah, but I don’t feel any better about it.” “I understand.” She looked down at him and for the first time, saw his own sadness in his eyes. "Phong…don't you ever miss the people you once knew when you were younger?" "All the time." She smiled again and hugged him. "Thank you for all your help Phong. It's going to be hard for me, but I have to go on, and so do you." "Will you be okay with this?" "I don't have any other options, do I? Besides…what else can I do?" "Then you should go out there. Start your life, meet new people. Make friends, go to school." She looked at him, surprised, but he only chuckled. "Get going!" She hugged him again, feeling the tears in her eyes. "I never thought I'd feel this hopeless in my life, but I have no other choice now. At least I'm not still in that game." "Just as long as you're alive." "Yeah. Just as long as we're alive." With that she turned and left the Principal Office, stepping out into the bright light of the day. Standing there in the doorway, she looked over the city, studying it. Then she took a deep breath and stepped into the new world. THE END MY NOTE: Yeah, yeah, okay, I'll admit it. This story had a few twists and mazes in it. And unfortunately, there wasn't much of a happy ending. Sue me! (No, don't, I can't afford being sued!) This is my attempt at something original, and this little…er…um…creation is what I came up with. I wish I could've made it better, but oh well. But don't worry! I have more fic projects coming up! Hehehe… Once again, reviews and thoughts are always welcome! |
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