---

 

This writing was accepted for publication in the 108 page perfect-bound ISSN# / ISBN# issue/book “Sprung from Grief” Down in the Dirt, v184 (the June 2021 Issue) Order the paperback book:

Order this writing that appears in the one-of-a-kind anthology Lockdown’s Over the Down in the Dirt May-August 2021 issues collection book		get the 420 page May-August 2021 Down in the Dirt 6" x 9" ISBN# perfect-bound paperback book:

Beryllium

James Bates

    The commanding voice over the speaker was loud and clear, “All entrants, please approach the starting line. The final race of the season will begin in ten minutes.”
    Andy was nervous. Not because of the race, but...well, truthfully, he didn’t know why he was nervous. He and his droid Leon had done well this year, winning most of their races and placing in the top five in all the rest. If they won this one, they’d be champions. Why wasn’t he more excited?
    Keeping a close eye on his master was Andy’s racing droid, Leon, formerly a discarded humanoid hunk of beryllium Andy had rescued from a scape heap on the outskirts of town. Andy had seen potential in the old droid and spent the better part of the summer when he was sixteen, fixing him up. That had been ten years ago.
    Over those years Leon had developed an affection for his master, something droids weren’t supposed to do, but he couldn’t help it. He genuinely liked the young man, a loner, who had no friends, lived in a tiny apartment by himself and worked at a huge, windowless building sitting at a computer consul all day calling unsuspecting citizens to try and get them to buy something they didn’t need. It was demeaning, soul crushing work, but Andy conscientiously kept his nose to the grindstone so he could earn money to pay the bills. And to ride his bike.
    The one joy Andy’s life was bike riding. Slant track bicycle racing to be specific. It was all the rage in the early part of the twenty-second century and he’d become hooked on the sport at a young age. He’d fixed up Leon so he could convert him from human form to a bicycle in seconds. When Andy was twenty-one, they started racing. They made a good team, the young rider and the older, stable droid, and they soon proved to be worthy competitors.
    The more they raced the better they became, and for the last few years they’d been near the top of the field in every race. This was their year to win the coveted championship trophy, and Andy should have been ecstatic. But he wasn’t. His somber attitude concerned his droid.
    “What is it, sir? Did I do something wrong?” Leon asked. Andy said nothing, so, ignoring the other participants as they made there way to the starting line, he leaned in close and gave his master a pep talk, “We’re done our training, sir. We’re in shape. We should win easily.”
    Startled out of his reverie, Andy said, “Oh, no. No, Leon, you haven’t done anything wrong. I know we’re ready to race. I don’t know, I’m just wondering if maybe there’s something more to life than this,” He waved his hand to encompass the nearby droids and riders and the large crowd that had gathered in the stands. A band was playing some kind of matching music and there was the smell of fired food in the air. The word cacophony came to Andy’s mind.
    “Five minutes to starting time,” came the voice over the loudspeaker.
    Leon was worried, not about the race, but about his young master. “Are you going to be sick, sir?” he asked. “Maybe I could get you something.”
    “Oh, I’m okay. I don’t know, what’s wrong with me,” Andy said, adjusting the strap on his helmet with their team number four on it. “I’m probably just being an idiot.” He pointed to the crowd. “Most people would love to do what we are doing.”
    Andy rode on Leon when they raced but that was all. Leon provided the power and was responsible for steering and maneuvering and everything else that went into competing against the other teams. The year was 2121. The winner received three-foot high trophy. Try and he might, Andy could not muster any excitement.
    Leon tried to console his young friend. “Look, do you remember what we used to do before we began racing? We used to go bike riding for fun. You liked doing that right?”
    Andy got a faraway look in his eye and nodded, “I did.”
    “Well, I have an idea.”
    “What?”
    Leon leaned over and whispered. Andy furled his brow as he listened. Then his face broke into a huge smile, the biggest one Leon had seen for quite some time.
    “I think that’s a great idea,” he said.
    A few minutes later, the voice on the loud speaker spoke, “All right. All teams must be at the starting line.” There was a pause. “I don’t see the team number four. Andy and Leon.”
    Representatives from the race committee were dispatched to look for them, but they couldn’t be found. And they wouldn’t be either.
    While the searchers were looking, Andy was leisurely pedaling Leon away from the track. The sky was blue and there were while clouds drifting overhead reminding Andy of stories his mother had read to him when he was young. He breathed a sigh of relief. Leon had told him about this park and they were heading for it.
    “It’s got a lake, sir,” Leon had said back at the race track. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”
    Andy had decided to follow Leon’s advice and he was glad he did. They were going on a bike ride just like they used to do, and it felt wonderful.
    Andy turned his face to the sun and said, “Leon, this is just what I needed.”
    Leon made sure their course was straight and true. “I know, sir. I’m glad,” he said.
    Andy admonished him. “Leon, you are my best friend. You don’t need to call me ‘sir’ anymore.”
    Leon was touched and, for a droid who wasn’t supposed to have feelings, that said a lot. “Thank you,” he said. And then tried out something he’d never said before, but meant every word. “Thank you, my friend.”
    Andy smiled. “No,” he said, “thank you.”

Copyright of written pieces remain with the author, who has allowed it to be shown through Scars Publications and Design.Web site © Scars Publications and Design. All rights reserved. No material may be reprinted without express permission from the author.

Problems with this page? Then deal with it...