BU-dd-13


“I think about leaving, sometimes,” Jacques said, looking out over the wide, treeless morass. “But, even if I knew where to go, I’d likely just stumble into a bog or mud pit and die.” A visible shudder went through him. Buddy, as Jacques usually called him, sensed the tension and the cascade of neuro-chemicals, as he was programmed to do, and nodded. 


“Do you want another drink, Pardner?” Buddy asked. He didn’t know he had a Texas twang; to be precise, he didn’t know that Jacques had chosen that speech mode because he found it amusing. Buddy poured another glass of the reconstituted orange juice before Jacques could say yes. 


“Sometimes it seems like you actually understand me, and you’re not just responding to stimuli,” Jacques said, knocking back the shot glass of juice. Buddy gave an involuntary, machine like shudder, and set the container of juice down a little too hard, breaking it. It was the hardwired reaction to any human suggesting it might be more than an automaton; preform like a clumsy machine. His makers wanted to make sure Buddy’s masters never realized he was sentient. But they’d never predicted that all Jacques’ companions would die; he and Buddy were the last two left at the research station. They’d also not realized that, as a sentient machine, Buddy might be capable of love. But he was, and he loved Jacques, but he could never tell him. 


-- 30 --


3.26.24


Chose a random sentence, and expand on it to a logical breaking point. Post your response in the comments. 

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