Number 23 held the hand of his creator. 

A woman who had seen much in her life, left her with an uncaring face. Her graying hair matched her cold heart.

 23 looked up at her and smiled. “Mamma, are we going out today?” 

The woman looked down at the imitated child. A smile did not grace her old, flat face. 

“Yes, 23, we are going out today. This will be the last day to do so.” 

23’s hyper-ness peeked in curiosity. “Why is that, Mamma?” 

“Because you’ll be shut down soon.” 23 didn’t understand but he held onto the woman harder. She pulled her hand away. The woman walked away with 23 following close behind. 

“Mamma, can I go see 88 before I go out.” 

The woman turned her head, look at the boy over her shoulder. “Do what you want.” 

23 stopped walking. He looked down at the ground. His eye’s confused. “Do what “I” want.” 23 started to pout. “Mamma, I don’t want to die.” 

The woman turned around in shock, her eyes widened. “What did you say?” Her voice was lost to her, only in a whisper. 

23 looked at her, pleading. 

“I don’t want to die again.”

Error 04

********************************************************************

“I don’t hear you anymore.”

“Do you hear me?”

“Are you ignoring me?”

“Please, I need you.”

“What can I do for you?”

********************************************************************

“David, get down from that tree.” 

A little boy looked down from his perched position in the tree. 

“I’m fine, mamma. I just wanted to put the bird back in his nest.” His mother was visibly upset but a smile graced her lips. “You are so kind David. Now please come down.” Her soft dark brown hair moved gracefully in the wind. The boy agreed willingly. David hit the ground, falling flatly on his but. Tears started to form around his eyes. His mother came up and grabbed his hand, picking the boy up off the ground. “Now, now David. Be a strong boy and don’t cry. Your father will be here soon.”

 David’s tears vanished right away. “Daddy will be here for my birthday?” 

David’s mother softly pulled her son along. The two walked down a path way, looking at the landscaping.

“The cherry tree’s are lovely mamma.” David looked up in awe. “I want cherries to eat.” His mother took her free hand and put it under her chin. “Hum….there aren’t any cherries ready to be eaten yet.” David looked down, his brown hair covering his green eyes. His mother’s voice chimed a little tune. “But we can have Cherry Ice Cream.” David’s eyes widened, a rush of happiness resulted in him swinging his arms back and forth. His mother playfully swung along. “Happy 6th birthday David.”

********************************************************************

A door opened to a hotel room. The woman came walking in with a crying David in her arms. 

“Mamma, why didn’t daddy show up?” Her face was cold, emotionless. 

“Your father is with his other family.” 

“Why isn’t he like my friend’s daddy and live at home?” He was whining, tears rolled down his red cheeked face. He rubbed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling. His mother sat him down on the bed. She played with his hair.

“You have your father’s eyes and hair.” She came over and kissed her son’s cheek. “Why don’t you calm down a bit? Mamma will get you a bath going.” David nodded, as he laid down on the soft bed. His crying had exhausted him, as well as his disappointment. His eyes drifted closed as he heard his mother walking to the bathroom. He heard the water beginning to fill up in the bathtub. After that, David fell asleep.

The woman walked out of the bathroom and looked at her sleeping son. A sad smile was on her face. She walked over to the bed and laid down next to him. “I’m sorry David. If your father had shown up today, your birthday would have been wonderful.”

She held him in her loving embrace. Tears started to roll down her own cheeks. “What a man your father is. Having a family of his own, when he has you.” David’s mother got up with her son in arms. She walked over to the bathroom, tears falling freely. “Don’t worry David, you will still have a nice birthday. So please forgive me, there will always be next year.”

She stopped at the bathtub, looking at its still water. She sat down on the ledge, slowly putting David down in the lukewarm water. David’s eyes fluttered open sleepily. “Mamma?” He looked at his mother with a smile on his face. She looked down at him and broke down in tears.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

She pushed down on David, submerging his whole body in the tub. She started to cry even harder, repeating sorry over and over again. David screamed underwater but only his mother heard his muted voice. He clawed at his mother’s arms, only to feel her hands tighten around his shoulders. He felt the water rush in as he saw his mother’s watery form fade away into the dark. His thrashing slowed to a still, as his hands fell softly into the water. His mother let go, letting his body rest on the white porcelain tub. His eyes still open, gazing at his mother. As if pleading.

“I don’t want to die.”

**********************

23 ran over to 88 and Will, who was fixing a cracked blade. 23 jumped on the counter, kicking his legs back and forth. “So… What happened?” Pointing towards the blade. Will answered, annoyed. 

“His latest target knew how to fight back.” 88’s gray eyes fell upon the boy. 

“My mission was finished but why were you not at the command.” Will narrowed his eyes. He knew that answer. 23’s cheery smile faded. 

“Mamma is going to shut me down again.” Will’s eyes widened. 

“Again?” 23 stopped kicking, he looked as if he was going to cry. Will wanted to reach out and pat his head but he knew better. He went back to work on 88’s arm. 88 raised his free arm and gently patted 23’s head. This action nearly made Will drop his tools in shock. 88 was moving on the reaction of 23, as if they were human. 23 looked over at 88. 

"I don't want to die again." 88's eyes didn't leave the boy before him.

"Will, I think I am concerned." He glanced over at Will, who was in behilderment. The worker sighed as he put his tools down and turned his chair towards 23.

"23, do you recall anything from before you woke up as you are now?" For the first time, Will saw something in those bright green eyes of 23. They looked alive.

"I remember cherry trees with mamma, but it wasn't me..."

Will swallowed hard, knowing he was getting into something he shouldn't. "Do you recall a name?"

23 closed his eyes, as if to recall the long forgotten dream.

“He was called David.” He turned and looked over at Will. “23 is my name now.” Will sighed, as he sat back in his chair. He looked up at the ceiling, sighing heavily. 

“23, your creator had a son named David. But that was over 20 years ago.” Will trailed off in his thoughts and went ashen white. Playing through the history of the company. “Rodale Reese and Andre Puff created Bond Found-Land 30 years ago. Terri Anderson became co-owner of Bond because her son and Rodale’s son were friends. But with Terri’s son’s death, left her on edge with Rod.”

Will crossed his arms and legs. 88 had long since put away his blade and was listening to Will’s story. The name Rodale, Andre and Terri were all familiar to him. 

“Was there ever a man called Dr. Ackell?” 88 side glanced Will. Will’s breath stilled. His eyes widened. The human element of fear was growing within his body. 

“88, 23 listen to me. All your past memories are very deadly to the living. What I am saying now will probably get me killed.” Will looked towards the 6 cameras in the room. His bright mind, absently overlooked them. 88 acknowledged Wills apparent fear and felt like he should calm him somehow.

“ Don’t worry about those, I fed them a loop and the audio has been shut off.” Will, who now relaxed a bit, smiled. 

“Now why did you do that?” 88 walked around the table. 

“I have noticed when you talked to me, you had to be very quiet. Careful to what you say and kept your eyes on things others would just see as common. The cameras and microphones limited your helpful knowledge, so in turn, I limit their knowledge as well.” Will stared in disbelief. He knew 88 could think for itself, but this was something different.

“How long have you been doing that for?” 

88 frowned. “Now stop changing the subject. Who is Dr. Ackell?”

 Will smiled, glad to be free from the electronic recorders and able to have the long awaited conversation with a Model. Be it was 88 to be the one to talk to, made it even more interesting, considering their past connection.

“Dr. Ackell, as rumor has it, is one of the real founders of Bond Found-Land. Next to Rod. Andre Puff is….was just a person picked as a cover for Dr. Ackell, who wanted to stay hidden within the company’s history.” Will was beginning to feel more comfortable, so he rests his arms on his knees. “But sadly, that’s all I know of Dr. Ackell.” Will felt guilty, knowing more than what he could tell. 88 turned away, his gray eyes stirred with emotions.

“How did you know that name 88?” 88 looked down at the ground, doing an action that felt normal to him. Sticking his hands in his pockets, raising his head up to look at the Fluorescent light. “I can’t recall.”

88 let his eyes fall on 23. A ghost of a child he once knew in his previous life, flashed in something he wasn’t supposed to have. Something that wasn’t his but something that he wanted. Those names sounded so familiar. The boy, that he had known since his awakening, was back further in his memories. 88 wanted someone to talk to. Someone other than Will, other than 23. He wanted to talk to the ghost inside him. The ghost in the machine? Or the ghost of the machine? That was a question he wondered if he could get answers for.

********************************************************************

“I don’t hear you anymore.”

“Do you hear me?”

“Are you ignoring me?”

“Please, I need you.”

“What can I do for you?”

********************************************************************

“When I’m already dead.”

********************************************************************