Storage for Spare Parts

Karl was sitting on a chair next to a door. Waiting for his friend shelly to be released from her checkup.

His legs dangled back and forth as he waited, too short to fully reach the floor. A look to the left corridor, a look to the right corridor. Both only revealed an endless series of doors indistinguishable from one another.

''Tech Corp: Robots of the future.'' he read the sign opposite him.

''Corp Robots: the tech of the future.'' he twisted the words.

''The corp of the future: Tech Robots.'' he tilted his head to the side as words spun around his mind.

He deflated as he let out a drawn out exhale. All of a sudden he straightened up and smiled. In a second he had his phone in his hands and was dialing 'Dad'.

''Hello dad, are you done with Shelly. I wanna play with her.'' the boy said in a matter of fact way.

There was silence on the line.

''You're waiting in the usual spot, aren't you?'' his father muttered.

''Yup! Are you gonna be done soon? Can't you hurry up?'' the boy feigned innocence when in reality grinning from ear to ear.

''I can't rush my job because of you. Plus you shouldn't be spending your weekends here. Go play outside with your friends Karl.'' his father advised.

''Shelly's my friend.'' was his simple response.

''Friend.'' his father muttered to himself. ''Anyway I'll be done in a few minutes. You haven't been waiting for long, have you?'' his father asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

''Well I wouldn't say I've been waiting for long.'' Karl stretched the last word.

There was a pause again.

''I'll get someone to bring you a sandwich.''

''Thank you dad, bye.'' Karl smiled as he started to hang up.

''Son I really think you shouldn't'' he hung up. Oh well, they'd talk later.

Karl occupied himself with his thoughts for the next while. He thought of Shelly. Simple and open Shelly always willing to play with him in the sandbox, to play card games, kind and forgiving, never shed a tear no matter what. Even if he cried, hurt himself, lashed out, she was calm, hugging him, telling him it was alright.

Very reliable.

Responsible and mature.

His bestest friend.

A group of scientists passed by him. One of them dropped off a sandwich on the chair next to him with with a nod and continued his chat. Karl could barely make out what they were talking about.

''New model, they're still working on her.''

''Heard she was.'' there was some chatter.

''To fool a kid in fourth grade, impressive.''

They were distancing.

''Maybe make her a maid, she can't watch children, maybe the elderly.'' the last in the line of scientists passed. All thoughts left Karl's mind the moment Shelly came into view from behind the scientists. He rushed her and hugged her. She responded in kind.

''Shelly I haven't seen you in a week. I have so much to tell you.'' Karl squealed excitedly.

''I'll listen.'' Shelly responded.

''Come on give me a five.'' Karl extended a hand.

The girl eyed the limp skeptically. She touched his hand gently and wrapped her fingers around it. They were warm and smooth. Karl blushed and looked away.

''You're such a girl Shelly. Come on I thought you were cool.'' he pulled his hand back bashfully, avoiding eye contact.

''When she didn't respond he rolled his eyes and remembered his dad's words - ''Don't make her respond to more than one thing at a time.'' Karl presumed it was why she was getting weekly examinations.

''He motioned for her to walk with him. They headed for the elevator down the hall.

''You're such a girl Shelly.'' he told her.

''I was made a girl.'' Shelly responded.

''I thought you were cool.'' he said.

''I was flattered.'' Shelly responded as they got on the elevator.

Karl blushed and pressed the button without looking.

''I'm super excited we're gonna play at the playground.'' his voice seeped excitement.

''We're not going to the ground level.'' Shelly said. ''Error, action impossible. Cannot, ''Go with Karl to the park and play.''. Error. Shutting down.'' Shelly closed her eyes and her arms went limp.

''Shelly'' Karl exclaimed. He clutched her shoulder. '' Are you okay. Did I do something? I'll take you to dad, okay? You'll be fine.''

Karl was shaking in his shoes. His eyes fell on his hand and as if she was on fire he released his clutch on Shelly's shoulder, as if afraid to break her.

The elevator doors slid open. Karl was petrified at what he saw.

Rows upon rows of limbs, bodies, all obviously mechanical on the inside. He looked to the side and saw a head.

Shelly's head on a table, a screwdriver next to it. One eye was removed, the inside of her head was mechanical.

Karl opened his mouth but no sound came out.

''Hey. You. You're that kid right. Professor Kambert's kid. You're a lot of help around here.'' a man in goggles greeted him. Karl took a step back when he saw the slender arm in his hand. He unconsciously grabbed Shelly's hand.

''Oh, her. She probably shut off because she hasn't been prepared for going anywhere outside where you were supposed to go. You hit the wrong button I presume?'' Karl stared mutely at the unresponsive Shelly. Her form elevated as the man slung her over his shoulder.

''Come now. I'll ring up our dad and she'll be ready in fifteen minutes tops.'' A slender arm entered his field of vision.

''High five.'' the man joked while parading the arm around. Karl stared. ''No? Okay. Wait upstairs and we'll send her.''

Karl's hand trembled as he watched the man go further down the room of body parts, his best friend slung over the man's shoulder like a sac of potatoes.

''Shelly.'' he muttered as the elevator doors slid closed.