• Tyler Wood's Journal Entry #17


    tab "So...what? All this time I was talking to you...all the times we fought...Those reactions of yours...were just artificial? Just built into your program?" I looked away from her. The one thing I didn't want to know the answer to...and the reason being was because I thought I already knew it.
    tab "I'd...like to think otherwise," I replied, still staring into the distance. "But I am a..." the words slowly formed, reluctantly as I said it, "robot, so, yes, would be my guess.
    tab "But regardless of whether my wanting to help you is an artificial feeling or not, you need to listen. This affects you...and it may be my fault."
    tab "It's about what you were telling me earlier today, isn't it?" she said mournfully, very much so the opposite of what she said the last time I had this conversation with her.
    tab "Stacy, you have to believe m--" She quickly placed her hand over my mouth, and whispered,
    tab "No, you don't have to say it. I think--after what I saw now--I think I can trust you." I smiled. That was what I wanted her to say.
    tab But the smile quickly vanished, when I began to tell her what would happen to her. Everything I was told by Dr. Doc, I quickly condensed; quickly, because I knew there was a time restraint. But with one omission: I didn't tell her about how Jacob was involved in this. After what he did to her, I just didn't think it would be the right thing to do.
    tab When I was done, Stacy just stared at the ground. The fact that she could die on that day...It was a lot to bear, to say the least. And then, still with out looking up, she said softly,
    tab "What do you want me to do?"
    tab "Come with me, to my house. I can protect you there." I turned around, and began to walk towards my house. Before I got too far, though, Stacy caught up, and asked,
    tab "Tyler...Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" I stopped, and thought about how I'd answer. Why was I being so nice to her? The simple thing to do was to turn around, and tell her, "Because it's the right thing to do." But I knew that wasn't the real reason. I stared into her eyes. Real, genuine eyes. I wondered how different it was to be her, to be real.
    tab Maybe that was why I was being so nice to her. There was just something about human life...So precious, and yet so fragile. The second part, I think I finally understood as I watched as Stacy was shot in the chair. Human life, I thought, was like an expensive flower vase. Beautiful, priceless and yet one drop to the floor could shatter it.
    tab How was it, I wondered, that the most beautiful things in life, are the most breakable?
    tab So I finally answered,
    tab "A human life is a life worth protecting. It doesn't matter what I thought of you before. If I have the ability to save your life, I will do so." She nodded understandingly, seemingly accepting my unhelpful answer.
    tab I stared ahead at the lond sidewalk, and while I was further thinking about Stacy's question, I had no clue what was in store for me.
    tab And, boy, was I surprised when I walked into the house, the lights already on and flashing in my eyes.
    tab "You just make my job so much easier, Tyler." Three people were waiting for me.
    tab The first was Jacob, who seemed to have a mixed expression of pleased and confused.
    tab And the last two...The last two looked identical.
    tab "Dr. Doc..." I gasped. "There's...two Dr. Docs?"

    tab "Tyler, what's he doing here?" Stacy asked sternly, shaken as she pointed to Jacob, completely ignoring the much more pressing matter.
    tab There were...two Dr. Docs?
    tab "You look so surpised, Tyler," the one on the left said calmly.
    tab "Tyler, what's going on?" Stacy pestered, trying to pull answers from me. As if I knew.
    tab "I don't understand..." I whispered. "How is this...possible?"
    tab "Mr. Woods didn't program your deduction skills very well, did he?" I blinked.
    tab "What?" He shook his head, almost as if he was disappointed in me. He probably was, too.
    tab "Point proven."
    tab "Why are you here now? I still have time...I had 24 hours!"
    tab "Did I tell you that?" I nodded.
    tab "Well, I guess I lied."
    tab "Ok, hello? Can anyone here tell me what the hell is going on?" Stacy was getting pretty infuriated now, and it didn't help when the first Dr. Doc walked over to her and held her chin up with his long, skinny fingers, saying,
    tab "So, this is her? Tyler's little luv-duv?"
    tab "Yes," came the other Dr. Doc's reply from behind. The first Dr. Doc smiled, and said, probably sarcastically,
    tab "Cute."
    tab "I am not Tyler's...'luv duv'!" she exclaimed, pulling away from him as fast as she could.
    tab "Oh really?" he replied, scratching his chin in an over the top fashion. "Then I suppose Tyler won't mind if I just...oh, say, shoot you right now." He pulled out a gun from his pocket, and pointed it right at her forehead, as she quivered bervously, unable to successfully lock her legs in place securely. She went completely silent, just staring at me for help.
    tab "Don't!" I shouted, but not just me. Jacob too.
    tab The smile on the first Dr. Doc's face widened, as he said,
    tab "Ah, a love triangle, I see."
    tab "I don't...I don't love her," I replied looking down. "I just want to see her...safe."
    tab "If you want to see her safe," he said, "then you'll do exactly as I tell you."