When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the same place. But it was different, the place seemed to be ransacked and abandoned, everything seemed old.
The mirror in front of him was broken. The glass on the window was also broken. The place was dimly lit by the broken window. The other windows in the place seemed to be sealed shut.
Then, crash! Something fell nearby.
He froze. It had to be that robot. Footsteps echoed. Someone or something was coming closer. He picked up a wooden beam lying there, gripping it tightly as a weapon.
The footsteps grew louder. His heart pounded.
He saw a shadow in the dark. This time, he decided to strike first.
He raised the piece of wood above his head, ready to attack.
"Wait! Don't hit me, please!!" the figure shouted.
The lights flickered on. The whole store was suddenly bright, lit by something he didn't understand, but it didn't matter.
Before him stood not a robot, but a boy, a human, about his age, maybe younger. The boy had his arms raised over his head, terrified.
The kid looked no older than twelve, standing before him.
The kid's hair was a wild tangle of black strands, and his face, smudged with dust and grease, was too young to belong in a place like this.
His clothes were patched in too many places to count, a dark green hoodie too big for him, sleeves torn and hanging loose around his hands, and a pair of rugged shorts held up by a rope he'd fashioned into a belt.
His eyes, a striking shade of amber-gold, flashed with both fear and defiance, like an animal cornered yet unbroken.
"Don't hit me! I'm human too! My name is Sameer!" the boy said quickly.
"Wait! you're not a robot?"the boy said
Sameer's breathing steadied. "No, I am not one of them".
There was no distrust in it, only the tone of someone who had learned to read danger faster than most adults ever could.
The boy saw a mix of fear and courage written on the kid's face. Despite the dirt and the hollow look in his eyes, there was a spark there, something alive, untamed, and painfully human.
"I thought one was coming to attack me! That's what happened earlier in this place. I barely survived that encounter. I thought I was going to die. And by the way, my name is…"
He stopped. His face went blank.
"Wait. Why don't I remember my name?"He clutched his head, trying to recall. A flash, fire, metal, a scream, a girl's hand slipping away. But it vanished just as quickly.
"Until you remember," Sameer said with a smile, "can I call you Anna? Like… big brother?"
"Wait! How old are you? You look the same age as me," he asked.
"I'm almost thirteen. Just one more month," Sameer said proudly.
Anna sighed. "Alright. I'm thirteen and a half."
"Do you know anything about where we are? What is this place?" Anna asked.
"No," Sameer said, shaking his head. "I have no clue where we are or how we got here."
Anna and Sameer continued to search the building, hoping to find food, water, or even someone else alive. But the silence around them was haunting.Only the hum of faint machinery echoed through the store halls. The lights flickered above as they moved cautiously, keeping close to the walls.
Then a sharp mechanical sound.
Clang. Clank. Clang.
Sameer froze. "Anna… do you hear that?"
Before Anna could reply, a loud metallic crash came from behind a row of shelves. A robot burst through, its glowing red eyes locking onto them.
"Multiple intruders detected. Commencing elimination protocol." The robot said.
"Run!" shouted Anna.