“Har har. You ass.” She leaned over to the side and pulled herself up. “You learned that saying from the TV show?”
“Simon says that stuff isn’t educational, but I don’t know. I’ve learned a lot already.”
“You sure have.” Anna reached over to the nightstand. “Check these out. I made crackers this morning with Atlas.”
Nora held out her hand and took one. “Wait. You made? As in you baked? Simon said you were doing a medical thing.”
“Yeah. Sorry, by the time I came back you had gone for breakfast. I decided to take a nap.” She rubbed her eyes. “Good thing too, I finally got a bit of deep sleep.”
“Glad you finally slept. And . . .” Nora’s eyes twinkled. “Atlas, huh? Hmmm, Anna.”
“Don’t you start.” Anna swatted at Nora’s side. “I’m a freaking pregnant tent right now. There’s nothing. He’s just nice.”
“Just nice. Hm. You’re spending an awful lot of time together for that. He is a looker.” Nora frowned. “Stiff though.”
“What did you expect? He’s made of metal.”
“I guess . . .” She stuffed the cracker in her mouth, and her whole body sagged. “Damn. After all that fancy food at dinner and then this morning, this cracker tastes like home, doesn’t it.”
“Right?” Anna took another.
Nora wiped her eyes a second later, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. “See, this is what I was missing.”
“Crackers?”
“No.” Nora picked up another perfect square, breaking it in half. “Something normal. Living. Where was the kitchen? Haven’t seen one yet.”
Anna swallowed. “It is way in the back, past the glass rooms. Atlas said it never really was used.”
“They let you use it though?”
“Yeah.” She rolled on her side, only as far as her belly allowed. “I don’t think they actually want to keep us caged. I think that’s just what the other humans did; they kinda caged themselves. And now they’re confused by us.”
“That’s what I was feeling too.” Nora’s eyes narrowed. “Well, let’s show them who we are then. I already talked with Simon, so let’s go.”
“Go?” Anna stood up from the perfect bed, though the bed was not perfect now that she had slept in it. The blankets were no longer starched and turned down three-quarters of the way, but strewn across the bed haphazardly. “Where do you want to go?”
“Out!” Nora grabbed her hand, pulling her forward. “Simon is taking us out to one of the nature areas. There’s a farming area right past the forest.”
“Oh yes.” Anna stumbled, following, feeling lighter already. “I’m ready.”
“Good.” Nora’s eyes flashed with determination. “Yeah. Simon spent time this morning speaking with the others, and they said we aren’t forced to stay here. So . . .” She shook Anna’s hand. “We need to establish ourselves as different from those other humans right away.”
Now outside the room, Anna closed the door and struggled to keep up with Nora’s faster walk. The common room was empty when they crossed it, the television screens lining the walls were all turned off. “Did you talk with them more? That Pearl and Ria?”
“No.” Nora sighed. “They’re still hiding. Not only are they terrified of us, but they seem . . . dull.”
Anna said in a hushed undertone, “Nora . . . you really are an ass. Calling them that.”
“I’m not trying to be mean.” Nora lowered her voice too. “Something feels off. Lifeless. I know you felt it too. It makes sense that they don’t even cook. I think all they do all day is watch these dumb feeds.” She waved at the screens, moving towards the exit.
“Yeah.” Anna sighed, picking up a hat that Atlas had left behind. “They acted like we were some monsters or something.”
“Well, Simon is already outside with Tilly. We already found the way out. I just came back to get you.”
“Ah, alright. Yes, let’s go.” Anna put the hat on and followed Nora into the corridor, outside the human area’s doors.
A few of Zero’s models were washing the walls right outside the entrance. The androids all knocked on each other’s arms as they noticed them. Same smiles as before.
