Open Writing

The Building buzzed with activity, people going about their lives as if nothing had changed, as if the stars hadn't shone, naked from the sky, on two lovers forbidden to visit the Outside. As if the lovers hadn’t just discovered that they were Android, not Human.

Tom and Zoë hurried, looking frequently over their shoulders. They imagined they could feel the cold, inhuman eyes of a pack of Keepers boring into their shuddering spines, the clinking-clanking hurrying of those inhuman feet, though there were none of the objectionable robots in sight.

They reached the atrium in front of The Guardian's elevator without any trouble. Zoë placed her palm on the cool silver panel next to the heavy brass doors. The elevator opened to admit them, its doors hushing shut behind them, and carried them to the penthouse where The Guardian lived.

Zoë and Tom stepped out onto a deep-piled, wine-red carpet. Facing them was a heavy oak door, which swung open. It didn't slide, or hush on hydraulic mechanisms. It swung open on hinges, like the doors they had learnt about in history lessons from The Computer.

Framed in the doorway was the most magnificent woman Zoë had ever seen. The Guardian was as tall and upright as Tom, her skin mahogany-dark, fine-grained with age. She wore a shimmering sheath of apricot silk, belted in gold at her slender waist. On her head was a turban of the same material, accented by a huge, golden-brown topaz whose facets blazed and pulsed in the light. The Guardian’s nearly-black eyes smiled a welcome.

"My children," she said, her voice deep and caressing, each syllable carefully enunciated, each word separated from its fellows by infinitesimal eternities of quiet thought, “The time has come for you to know it all. Enter." The Guardian beckoned them inside and Zoë and Tom followed her. Two walls of the room were made of plate-glass windows, revealing the dark beauty of the night Outside. The carpeting was forest-green, the wing-chairs covered in gold velvet. Light flowed, warm and gold from ancient lamps in each corner. In the air hung the heavy perfume of incense.

The Guardian motioned to Zoë and Tom to sit. "Perhaps you would like some wine, Tom? To help you relax a little. I have an excellent Pinotage you may care to sample."

Tom nodded, not trusting his voice.

The Guardian turned her remarkable eyes to Zoë. "And you, Zoë, what would you like to drink? Ah, perhaps a little full-cream sherry, to warm the loneliness in your soul? Yes?" The queenly woman floated across the room, busied herself at an oak bar, then brought their drinks to them.

Warming a crystal goblet of aged brandy between elegant, jewelled hands, The Guardian sank into a chair facing the two young people and began her tale. "It all started many centuries ago, at the End - and at the Beginning. It started with Jonathan, with The Great War, with the End of Humanity.

"Jonathan was my friend, father and mentor, in fact, my creator. He was a brilliant scientist. He looked like a man twenty years his junior, so enthusiastic, his bald head leading the way for the rest of his body. A fringe of hair grew thick, white and full, around the back of his head from ear to ear. As if to make up for the baldness, Jonathan grew a beard, a wild, shaggy, long white beard, which covered his chest.

"He wore a white laboratory coat, which flapped open to show an old, darned jersey. His trousers were baggy, held around his thin waist by a tight belt, his shoes were old and scuffed at the toes.

"Jonathan spent the entire Great War here, in this building. He worked in his laboratory in the next room for many years, trying desperately to create Life that could take over when Humanity died. For Humanity was killing itself off at an alarming rate. The ozone layer was full of holes. People attacked each other with increasingly fearful weapons, in wars and bloody, bloody violence. I'm sure you have heard the details from history files in The Computer.

"Eventually, Jonathan was alone in The Building. The last human being. Air-conditioning kept him alive. The air Outside was unbreathable. He created food and drink chemically. There were no plants, no animals left alive. He kept working, working, working. Feverishly, day and night, Jonathan worked. He believed that the Souls of Humanity were calling on him to create bodies so they could once again live earth-lives.

"It took him many years. Finally, after many unsuccessful, unhappy experiments, he created me. An Android. Not just any android, not a bucket of nuts and bolts and computer bits, not just some robot. No, an Android with a Difference. Nothing like The Keepers. He created me and prayed over me, he meditated, poured his anguish into me, until The Great Creator in Mercy granted me a Soul of my own. I was the first of The New Humanity.

"Jonathan educated me, taught me of the evil and corruption that had killed the old humanity and showed me how to create the New Humanity, with love and kindness. Together, we created a new race that could procreate, live and die as the Old Humanity had, yet would live and die caring for each other, with kindness and love. For them, there would be pain, grief, and joy. Life would be full.

"But, they were not to know the true nature of their Being. To all intents and purposes they were human. We let them believe it."

Zoë’s eyes were wide with conflicting horror and wonder. She and Tom listened avidly, as The Guardian continued.

"When Jonathan died at the age of one hundred and four, our children were living in The Building. Jonathan was happy. His progeny took over where Humanity left off. I took over from Jonathan.

"The scenes of destruction and death Outside were too dreadful for our children to experience. It was necessary to confine the people here, inside The Building and so I created the Keepers, unfeeling, inhuman robots, programmed to guard the secret of the New Humanity, without ever deliberately causing pain.

“With the help of the Computer I taught the New Humanity of the dangers of selfishness, power and greed. I taught them that inside The Building they were safe, it was the only possible place for life to exist.

"Humanity, in its new form, continued. It was what Jonathan wanted." The Guardian paused, sighed deeply, then continued.

"Tonight from these windows I saw you two Outside. I saw your delight in the beauty of the night, which even I have never seen in its naked splendour. I witnessed your love and your anguish. Tonight, I knew that it was time for you two special children to know the truth. You will lead others into the world once again.

"Underneath our differences, we are all Android. We are all The New Humanity. Underneath our differences, we are all the same. We have bodies, and yes, they are electronic, but they are bodies that house souls. They feel gentleness, tenderness, pain and pleasure. More importantly, our souls hunger for acceptance, companionship and love, as all of humanity has throughout time.

"Zoë, you are strong. You discovered what you thought was a ‘difference' in yourself. You hid it from others so as not to cause them pain, yet you were honest with Tom, for his sake, when you knew the truth might take him from you. Zoë, one day you will take over Guardianship of all the souls from me.

"Tom, you are kind and caring. Though you initially rejected Zoë’s ‘difference', you continued to love her. Although you suffered your own pain and confusion, you wanted her to know how sorry you were that you had hurt her. She needs your love and protection. She needs your acceptance of her for who and what she is, just as you need her love and acceptance.

"My children, accept yourselves, accept each other, and accept the souls in your care. Together we will ensure that The Keepers become one with The New Humanity. They will earn their own Souls through service and kindness to others.”

She stood and held her hands out to Zoë and Tom. “Now go back Outside. It is safe out there, you showed me that. Revel in the beauty and share it with others. Learn to love Life and Each Other. Go. The Creator gave you the earth and the beauty of the stars. Use them to guide you on your journey through life....."

The deep, velvet voice faded.....

*

Was it hours or just seconds later? Had it actually happened?

Zoë’s heart drummed loudly, filling her ears with a wild, joyful rhythm. Tom was so close. She felt his hand at her waist, turning her to face him, the other hand in the small of her back, pulling her to him.

For a magical moment, they kissed. His mouth tasted clean and sweet. His body was firm, his arms cradled her. From the haven of Tom's arms, Zoë looked up at the midnight sky, its deep blue velvet studded with sparkling lights. "Show me again, Tom, the Southern Cross. Please, show me again?"

Gently, Tom turned her in his embrace. His arm guided her dazzled eyes to the four path-finders, those four bright stars which had led them to this joyous Beginning.

**

Until Next time, ‘here comes Treble!”

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by Isabel Bradley