S.H.A.Y. (The Almost Series Book 1)

by Christina Leigh Pritchard

  I took slow steps down the hall, passing room 208, 210, and finally standing before 212. I inhaled, tapping on the door. “Amie, it’s Shay. I want to speak to you. Can I please come in?”

  Silence filled my ears.

  “Amie, please, I have two days left and want to see who created me.”

  I leaned my forehead against the Formica wood.

  “Amie,” I said again. “Please respond.”

  Amie did not acknowledge me. I twisted the handle. It was locked and wouldn’t budge. I kicked the door, indenting it.

  “Amie, I need to see you. Do you understand needs? Are you designed with emotions? Do you comprehend anything at all?”

  I released the handle and stopped kicking holes into the door. Instead, I dropped to my knees. “Maybe you’re not able to speak. Maybe you’re just a baby making machine with zero intellect.”

  “Enter, S.H.A.Y. 318.”

  I struggled to stand, hearing locks release, one by one—fourteen locks in total.

  “Enter, S.H.A.Y. 318.”

  This was the moment I’d waited for! Finally, I was going to meet the mother whose womb I grew in, the mother whose bionic intelligence flowed through my human veins transforming me into a new humanoid species still unknown besides at the former Pigeon Key Research Center.

  I was about to meet my artificial mother.

  Most orphans probably wished to meet their biological human parents—how different I was, dying to meet my artificial host.

  “Hello, my Shay,” Amie said.

  The room was dark and I brushed my fingers along the walls, searching for a light switch. “Hello, Amie.” I smiled, allowing my eyes to simply adjust to the darkness. “Why is it so dark in here?”

  Illumination flickered, blinding me. I covered my face with my arm, peeking about. I was surrounded by white walls flooded with translucent sparks of multiple colors. Strobe lights confused my perception and I knelt, facing the floor.

  It was only then that I saw her.

  Electric currents passed me on the largest motherboard I’d ever seen. The currents formed a rectangular smile. “Hello, my Shay.”

  “You’re my A.M.I.E.”

  “Yes, I’m your A.M.I.E. I’m your mother.”

  The strobe and florescent lights faded and I was able to stand and observe my surroundings.

  “I am your mother. I like creating life.” Currents circulated the room and exploded into hearts and square smiles.

  “I’ll die soon.” I whispered the words.

  “What is death?”

  “Death is like termination.”

  Amie’s lights did not flicker.

  “Abortion, miscarriage,” she said.

  “Yes,” I answered.

  “I am glad to see you in adult hominid form.”

  “I’m part you, ya know.” Tears escaped. I was one of the few S.H.A.Y.s to ever get the chance to meet her A.M.I.E.

  “I will not allow your termination.” Amie’s lights flashed. A contraption rose from the ground. Inside, a memory chip sat. “This is every memory recorded and sent to me regarding your life. You must keep it, insert it in your abdomen, and learn from it.”

  “What happens to an A.M.I.E. once their S.H.A.Y. is terminated?”

  Amie’s walls opened. Within the walls, a fully formed fetus grew. She was surrounded by bags of liquid and images flashed about, allowing her to take in sights immediately.

  “I’m going to be replaced in like, nine months?”

  “Six months.”

  “Have you ever seen another of your S.H.A.Y.s?”

  “No.”

  “Thanks for letting me in.”

  “You must learn from this chip so that you will not face termination.”

  I took the chip.

  Red lights flashed and alarms echoed in my ears. “What’s happening, Amie?”

  “Dr. Cole will detain you early.”

  “Did you just trick me?”

  “No,” she said. “I gave you your freedom; escape with your O.H.P. now. You have forty-five seconds.”

  “Goodbye, Amie,” I whispered.

  “Goodbye, my beautiful Shay.”

  I raced down the hall and into the conference room. Darla’s eyes widened. I slammed the door.

  “What have you done?” she gasped. “I’ll never see my child now!”

  “Hush up, Darla.”

  “Darla? You’ve never called me that! Not even in your rebellious phase! What’s going on?” I dropped my knapsack on the table and rummaged through it. “Are you listening to me, child?” She waved her hand in my face. “What’s going on?”

  “You’re never going to see your child.” I frowned, holding my Freeze Portal. “In five days, your contract, which is really your life, shall be terminated. I want to get you out of here so that doesn’t happen to you. Do you trust me?”

  Darla’s knees shook. Her eyes darted towards the door at the sound of many feet, marching towards us. “How long have you known?”

  “For a few months,” I answered. I couldn’t let anyone know I’d been planning her escape. If Dr. Cole had found out, then everything would have been ruined. She’d have intervened immediately.

  Darla slapped me. “You’re an ungrateful brat!”

  Tears poured down her cheeks.

  “Mom.” My lips trembled. “Let me help you.”

  Fists pounded on the door.

  “Open up, right now, S.H.A.Y. 318!” Dr. Cole shouted. “I’ll have to detain you if you persist with this rebellious attitude!”

  I didn’t wait for Darla to agree or disagree. I pressed my Freeze Portal into her arm, sucking her inside, and then shoved her in my pocket. Darla had two days plus an extended five hours with the latest prototype. That was more than enough time to get her over the border to safety.

  I grabbed my latest invention, a portable glider. It looked like an umbrella but when I pressed the release button, it opened wide. It came with a motor that traveled about eighty miles per hour in the right wind conditions. I hadn’t had the opportunity to test its functionality just yet, but I was pretty sure it worked.

  Dr. Cole and several armed men cut into the door. Wood chips flew, landing on the floor. She and her men stood across from me, entering the room, surrounding the table.

  Dr. Cole placed her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at me. She wore a long white trench coat and her hair was tightly wound in a bun. “Shay, darling; come down from that window.”

  I jumped up and balanced on the window’s ledge, my glider on my back like a parachute, ready to be opened, Dr. Cole ready to pounce. “I’m not entering phase two; I refuse.”

  Dr. Cole pointed in my direction. “Detain her, she’s known for her foolish heresies.”

  Several guns pointed in my direction. I dropped, free-falling quickly. The velocity forced me to struggle with the straps. Finally, I pressed the release button and its wings spread across my back. The suddenness jerked me upwards and I gagged.

  The armed men leaned out the window, aiming their dart guns my way. I had to figure out how to fly. I’d designed the thing; it should be simple. I grabbed the sides, leaning to the left. That forced me downwards. I leaned forward—dropping instantly. I leaned back and rose towards the open window, creating better aim for the darts men.

  “What the heck!” I struggled, turning left and right, up and down and finally banging myself against the side of the building. The glider bent downwards, forcing my body to do the same. I ran along the wall away from the men.

  “Why can’t I get this stupid thing to fly?” Darts cut through my glider. I pressed instant repair on the side handle. A gel covered the holes, thickening quickly. I kicked off, soaring forwards towards the now “Lone Keys.”

  “Tranquilize her!”

  “What if she wrecks?” someone argued with Dr. Cole.

  The Lone Keys were my favorites as a young one. I’d play for weeks on end without ever bothering to check in. There was nothing anyone could do
about it. The islands were in dead zones for most satellite devices.

  Last week, I installed an autopilot into my glider—Freddie. He wasn’t completely ready yet. His voice wasn’t working.

  Lights on my handles blinked—mostly red; what the heck?

  “Freddie, do you have my navigational points ready? Can you please start the engines?” He didn’t respond. “I’m a friggin’ target out here! We need to drive, autopilot!” Why did I create a navigation system that responded to voice only? Why didn’t I just put in a simple button option?

  Something stung my leg. My heart pounded. If one of those tranquilizer darts hit me—

  There had to be an antidote in my bag somewhere. Did I forget to pack it? The darts held a tracking serum that I’d invented for Dr. Cole. If I was in any areas with satellite, she’d find me—and Darla.

  “She’s been hit!” someone cheered.

  “Freddie, do you hear me?” I shouted at the autopilot. He still wasn’t working. “I need you to locate one of the smaller islands we mapped out this week that is free of any satellite interference. Do you hear me, Freddie? We’re going into a dead zone. You’ll go offline soon. I need those coordinates.” My eyes blurred and my body grew heavy. “Freddie!”

  I glanced at the water and small bits of land mass spread before me. The water was so clear I could see a manatee with her baby. The sky darkened and thunder rumbled. My heart slowed.

  “No, no, no.” My words slurred and I could hardly hold my eyes open. “Fred—die, au—to—pi—pi—lot.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  LOCATION:

  Unknown Lone Key, Florida Keys

  I couldn’t open my eyes for more than a few seconds at a time. Blurs of color swept across me and sand stuck to my lips. I shivered as water crashed into me. My face pressed against something sharp. I could see my glider flap around me. Where was I?

  My limbs wouldn’t move. They lay at my sides like rocks. I could do nothing but allow the water to crash into me and force my face deeper into the earth.

  I closed my eyes.

  Arms grabbed my wrists, strong fingers pressed into my skin. I tried to speak, to open my eyes. Darkness spread before me. The stranger dragged me through the sand. What was happening? Had Dr. Cole found me?

  Sound faded.

  Hands tugged at my clothing and I felt unusual warmth surround my body. Was I hallucinating? Maybe dreaming, unable to awake from an unwelcome thought; maybe…

  Stupid tranquilizer gun…

  CHAPTER THREE

  LOCATION:

  Unknown Lone Key, Florida Keys

  I woke with a throbbing headache. “Freddie, coordinates, please.” My limbs ached as I struggled to sit up. Mangroves towered above me and there was a faint scent of burning wood in my nostrils. I glanced about me, still unable to focus.

  All night, I dreamt of my time with Pop and Darla. I missed my holographic father more than words could express. Sure, he was a program, but he actually worked—unlike Freddie.

  “Freddie, coordinates.”

  Maybe we were in a dead zone. My autopilot would be offline.

  I rubbed my eyes and stretched.

  A cool breeze blew through the trees and I noticed an exhausted fire next to me.

  Wait.

  How’d I get here? Who lit the fire?

  My heart pounded.

  I glanced down at myself.

  Where were my clothes?

  I sat on top of my glider with nothing covering me! Who would have the audacity?

  I wrapped the glider’s material around my midsection. It ripped, exposing bits of my flesh. I stepped over the exhausted fire and searched the shrubbery for any sign of my clothing. Who took other people’s clothes? What sort of freak found me? How long had I been asleep?

  I gasped.

  Darla!

  She was in my pants pocket! I had to find them. Who could’ve done this? In all my years exploring the Lone Keys, I’d never met another human being. Was I even on one of the Lone Keys?

  I bent over, exposing my backside.

  Someone whistled.

  “Nice!”

  I jerked backward, covering myself as best I could in the flimsy material. “Who are you? What have you done with my clothes?” I searched about me. There wasn’t anyone in sight. “Show yourself!”

  My heart pounded. Leaves crunched, growing louder and louder.

  Crunch, crunch, crunch…

  …snap, crunch, crunch.

  “Who’s there?” I twirled about, glancing up and down and to the sides. Shadows danced with me as bits of my glorified kite tore away. “This isn’t funny.”

  A coconut rolled towards me. It stopped inches from my feet.

  “You could do with some light exercise.” A man’s silhouette stepped from behind a traveler’s palm. He held another coconut in his hands, tossing it back and forth like a football.

  “Excuse me?” I backed away. “Who are you?”

  “It was a bit strenuous dragging your enormous tail to safety.”

  “Where’re my things?” I recoiled, tripping.

  “Careful, cream puff.” A boy about my age stepped into the light. He grabbed my wrist. I jerked away, avoiding his amber eyes. “You’ll fall.”

  “Give me my things,” I commanded. His eyes drifted up and down my body.

  I flinched. “Stop being a creep.”

  He shook his head, messing his brown hair. “That tent isn’t very flattering, especially for someone who enjoys their meals.”

  Was he for real? “What’s your problem? Who are you?”

  The guy smiled, showing white teeth. “I’m your hero. I saved your life.”

  “How long was I asleep? It’s only been a few hours, right?” I nearly dropped my glider, struggling to cover myself.

  He smiled, watching intently. “I’ve seen everything you’ve got already; I don’t know why you’re acting like a silly school girl about it.”

  “You’re not naked.” I narrowed my eyes, hiding behind a mangrove. It didn’t provide much protection. He just leaned over a limb, his face inches from mine.

  “Would you like me to get undressed?”

  I shoved him.

  His laughed, pointing at my exposed areas.

  “This isn’t funny! I want my clothes!”

  He circled around, covering his eyes. “If I hadn’t been camping out, you’d have died last night. I had to take your wet clothes off to keep you from going into shock. I started a fire to warm you. Can’t you thank me?”

  I stared at my feet. They were cut and raw. My life on the research center was easy and my skin soft. A part of me knew he’d performed a necessary kindness.

  “Where are my clothes?”

  He pointed to a queen palm. “Your clothes are hanging on a hook just on the other side. I’ll give you your privacy.” He turned his back to me.

  I ran behind the palm tree and grabbed my clothes, digging in the pockets. I found my chip from Amie and the Freeze Portal which held Darla. I let out a sigh of relief.

  “Are you dressed yet?” He kept his eyes covered and his back turned.

  “Not yet!” I pulled my pants up and my shirt slid down my body. “Give me another minute.”

  I tiptoed towards my knapsack, bending forward slowly, and reaching for its handle. I grabbed it and ran.

  “Hey! Girl! Come back!”

  I ran as fast as my tender feet allowed through the terrain. My heart pounded and I gagged, doubling over.

  “Girl!”

  “How the heck is he still following me?” I let out a groan, sprinting along the shoreline of the heavily wooded island. Trees smacked into my face and swarms of gnats encircled me. This was not how I remember exploring!

  “Girl! Come back!”

  “Go away!” I ran faster, entering the mangroves. I jumped over crabs that hid inside their underground holes. Gumbo-limbos barricaded my access to open beach. I climbed the limbs and jumped into muck. Bees complained above me and I
cringed at what I might find inside the muddied hook roots I sloshed through.

  A massive tree bent forward, shadows dancing upon its limbs. I climbed high, nestling myself in between two branches.

  I watched the weirdo call for me. He didn’t dare follow me through the mucky roots. They resembled arching snakes or sea serpents. I smiled at the thought of one swallowing the boy whole. I laughed, opening my knapsack.

  It was time to take inventory.

  “Darla, check; tranquilizer antidote, check; food packs—twenty-two, check; water purifiers, check; emergency blanket, lighter, GPS, hygiene kits—four, check; extractor…”

  I opened the front tab. “Where’s the extractor?”

  Images flashed before me. I’d fallen from the skies when Freddie lost satellite signal. What if my extractor fell into the ocean? How would I ever get Darla out of my Freeze Portal in time before the radiation killed her?

  Darla couldn’t die.

  My arms trembled.

  When I was a little girl, I’d been afraid of heights. I knew the likelihood of falling to my death. Darla would climb the trees with me. My favorite memory was when the storms caused my living quarters to sway. I had feared the enclosure would burst and the sea would engulf me. She’d hide under the blankets with me and tell stories, sing songs and laugh at Pop’s stupid, very unfunny jokes. It wasn’t the storm but those moments with my mother that made it memorable.

  I had to find that extractor. I grabbed my GPS locator. It could assist me. I’d put in the coordinates of all landing spots for my great escape with Darla. I placed survival gear on several islands and mapped out our escape to Miami. There, Darla could gain freedom from the Island politics.

  I needed satellite to use my GPS. I punched the contraption. “Stupid, stupid rules!” And by rules, I meant Dr. Cole. She forbade any inventions be created onsite that used anything other than satellite technology for tracking. How was I going to save Darla if I couldn’t find the extractor? It was the size of a paperclip and could be anywhere!