A World Apart (30 page)

The device was about a level with Neville’s knee and bore an intimidating look straight at him. The piece of machinery has wheels emerging from the base and the head looked similar to that of a human structure. Small green eyes pierced out of the head of the machinery that was the purest green Neville has ever seen. The middle of the machinery contained an array of flashing lights and chipboards working away healthily. At first sight Neville was scared as he moved closer to the window, escaping its fearful stare.

“Hi, what is your name?” spoke the mechanical object standing before him in the doorway, its lights increasing as he spoke. Neville remained silent for some time, utterly perplexed that it spoke to him; he thought for a moment that he was losing his mind. The mechanical object’s voice sounded rather croaky as if it hadn’t spoken to anyone for a while.

“Hi, I’m Neville. I’m looking for my parents. I have come from America to find them” chirped Neville, throwing all caution to the wind in desperation.

“Nice to meet you Neville, I’m called surveillance 2615, but you can call me Zoom, my friends call me this” replied Zoom, as Neville cast a questioning look back at him. Zoom started to move forward towards Neville, making a churning noise on the wooden floor, sounding like a drinking slurp heard in the distance. Neville walked backwards, gently bumping into the skirting board with a knock, trying to decide whether it was safe to come into contact with such a device, as Neville had no idea where this device was from or what he was doing here in England.

“I have some news Neville. According to my calculations you are in search of someone to be here in England?” asked Zoom encouragingly.

“Yes-I just told you that” deemed Neville.

“Really? Oh It must be my receivers, I’ve been buried for two weeks under rubble under the stairs and I have only just managed to set myself free. You don’t mind if I clean them do you?” replied Zoom, sounding very daft, Neville smiled over to him sympathetically.

“So…why are you here and why are you the only one I’ve come across on the land?” said Neville, changing the subject intentionally.

“I’m a working surveillance machine that has been built to find civilians, eliminate codes 2, 6, 8, and 14, and to prepare the country for regeneration. Mr Marvel is our creator, building us nine years ago” replied Zoom, sounding as geeky as ever.

“What are those codes all about?” asked Neville gracefully as he tried to assure further details.

“I’m sorry, I am not programmed to give out this information to persons with no authority” said Zoom kindly. Neville frowned annoyingly as he starred back at the machine, desperate to find out what he means, although he cannot.

“The search for human activity so far has been limited, which is due to a programming error the developers did not foresee, resulting in chaos and casualties” interjected Zoom, forming a nice picture for Neville who struggled with every effort to form anything in his mind.

“You mean the war, don’t you?” said Neville, slightly louder than normal.

“There is no need to shout Neville. I will not talk if you shout” replied Zoom angrily.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to sound that way” added Neville.

“Yes, there was a war between Scotland and England…America also added their contribution to the disagreements. America formed an alliance that would regenerate Great Britain and not just England, although they did suffer substantially more damage. America formed ‘The Regeneration Programme’, which was supported by A.I.R and a small upcoming company called ‘Viseye’. The company’s most successful achievement was the ‘Imp’ gadget, incorporating a variety of computer devices, such as watch, alarm, PC, WAP and WCIL (Wireless City Infrastructure Log, or ‘Whistle’ is its street name), where all the features are embedded into the wrist and eye. The companies saw revenues of over sixteen million dollars” said Zoom shakily as Neville listened and maintained constant eye contact. Neville well absorbed in the facts that Zoom was all too good at retrieving.

“Neville, I want you to see these clips I have collated whilst talking to you, as I feel you will be able to uncover what happened yourself. You are from what we call the ‘Missing text’ era” finished Zoom, expecting a laugh that never arrived. Neville yawned as he gazed around the room, watching the light disappear out of the room and back up into the clouds.

“Right, here we go then” added Zoom impatiently, as his head and middle started moving, forming a screen and projector that was covering his face. Images flashed rapidly in the reflection of Neville’s eyes as he starred contently, trying with every ounce of energy to maintain his attention. Neville was still mesmerised that he was talking to a robot that he found his mind wondering from the screen.

“Pay attention, I’m not going to show this again” said Zoom abruptly.

“How do you-” replied Neville quietly.

“Just watch, I can assure you that you will find it most relevant” replied Zoom, rewinding the clip. Neville imagined the reaction on someone’s face if he tried to explain what had happened on the trip, laughing quietly to himself.

The images were a series of sights, news clips, newspaper headlines, thoughts, translations and eye-witness’s reports. Neville tried focussing on the clips but they were gone before he had time to comprehend the content. He did however capture some images of men in overalls similar to that of the patrols on the docks. Crying children and despair mothers filled the screen, shocking Neville, as he took the images seriously. A report popped up that had the headline ‘The story of behind the book’, and then quickly changed to a news reporter alerting the public to stay in their homes and to not attempt to reach loved ones. Herds of civilians swamped the streets of London, Birmingham and Cardiff as the news team reported on the chaos that was unfolding. The screen zoomed in on crowds of people fighting, looting and protesting, as riot police struggled to keep the crowds under control, Neville watched as a man was dragged to the floor and arrested. A feint siren could be heard in the background that sounded similar to a war declaration one used in the first and second world wars. Whispers of helicopters and firing of ammunition filled the night sky, creating an artistic display. The sight of war reminded Neville of his great grandfather, just before he died. Even though he could only remember him at parties, birthdays and when he used to go shopping the odd occasion and slip five pounds into his pocket, which his great grandfather referred to as fifty-pence and winked. The clips were a taster for Neville as to what chaos and war looked like, making Neville sick to the deepest dungeons of his stomach. The clip started to come to an end, as the picture quality faded away and Zoom’s drivers struggled to play it any longer. Zoom realised and ended the clip abruptly.

“Hey…what happened in the end?” said Neville, dejected that Zoom ended the clip when there were images still on the screen.

“Neville…. I am not allowed to show you this again, or even talk about it. Right now I am being tracked and we need to reboot me” said Zoom, sounding authoritative and disturbed.

“This clip is highly confidential. I may have risked your life for this Neville, so I need you to do exactly as I say” added Zoom, looking at Neville who was in no state to quibble. Zoom moved quickly over to the door they had both entered earlier.

“Can’t you tell me more?” asked Neville as he hurried up behind Zoom.

“I’m afraid I cannot Neville. I don’t have the access rights for any other files, or the capability to hack into them” replied Zoom, feeling sorry for Neville as he spoke, something he had never felt before. Neville slumped against the frame of the door, impatiently wanting to find his family and find out what happened here. Zoom carried on down the stairs carefully, planning his next move accurately according to his sensors. Neville thought he had better press on too and not lag behind so he headed for the stairs, realising that he had pressed his shoulder against a collection of cigarette ash on the wall.

“Errr” said Neville as he wiped his sleeve clean.

“I cannot actually believe humans used to eat that” said Zoom, looking back at Neville.

“They…. Oh, never mind” replied Neville quietly.

“WATCH OUT!” shouted Neville, watching Zoom tumble on a worm-ridden stair slat that wobbled as he moved. Zoom crashed to the floor, falling through the floorboards once again.

“You really do have a habit for this, don’t you?” said Neville rhetorically, as Neville bent down and picked Zoom up from the rubble.

“I used to be a human in my past life” replied Zoom, making Neville laugh so much that his grip on Zoom weakened. Zoom started talking again but his words were like a tiny birds voice in a never ending well. Neville managed to lift Zoom from the floorboards and head into the garden, Neville inhaling a gigantic load of air as they headed for the streets. The perfect summer day was now replaced by a moody bunch of clouds, waiting to vent their anger on the land below.

“I can share with you only one thing” said Zoom quietly.

“What is that?” questioned Neville as he stared back in a trance into Zoom’s eyes.

“I can see the locations of humans and robots” replied Zoom quickly.

“REALLY???” squeaked Neville.

“It is possible yes, with your help of course” said Zoom, hoping not to dampen the excitement in Neville’s voice.

“I need you to enter a few codes into my program on the back of me. I will read out the codes, so all you have to do is input them in” said Zoom patronisingly, Neville giving him a glare of dislike instantly. It wasn’t that Zoom didn’t trust Neville, or humans, it is based on the probability of a human achieving an accurate result or the correct procedure three times that hindered his belief in them. Neville just thought Zoom was being unkind and remained silent for a few moments after.

“Right, just a few more moments and I should have downloaded all of the codes necessary for input” beamed Zoom, ecstatic at the news. Neville didn’t flinch at the news, looking purposely at the ground to seek attention.

“Neville…are you ok?” asked Zoom politely.

“I’m sure you can detect the reason why I’m upset Zoom, after all robots are perfect aren’t they!” snapped Neville, his voice getting higher and shakier as his temperature soared.

“I’m detecting that you disliked a comment of mine made around one and thirteen seconds ago” replied Zoom, oblivious to the tone at which Neville had just spoken to him in.

“Correct” said Neville, giving up at letting Zoom guess why he was angry.

“The comment I made about humans Neville is based on the principle programming equation of probability, person type and other various factors. This was not meant to offend anyone. Please Neville I apologise” replied Zoom, deeply understanding and sympathetic. Neville nodded and felt a pinch of guilt hit his rib cage for making Zoom apologise.

The two products made from one mind stood in the darkened pool of greenery as Neville fiddled continuously, adjusting his overhanging jeans and baggy t-shirt, before adjusting various components on Zoom’s screen. The look upon Zoom’s face was a cross between anxious and intrigue at what Neville was entering onto the built-in screen on Zoom’s back.

“Have you done this before?” asked Zoom, trying to refrain from offending Neville again.

“I did do some light programming whilst at university yes, but I always ended up making the software crash for some reason” replied Neville, as if his words were soothing.

“Oh, please be careful” said Zoom, panicking about the condition he will be left in after Neville’s destructive service. Neville ignored the passing remark and carried on altering levers and buttons, whilst typing away on the small keyboard. Zoom began searching for another option internally in his help files, although the files were corrupt.

“Maybe we should leave it” said Neville, enraged that his efforts were useless. Zoom closed the covering case that contained the screen and Neville started walking down the stairs. Zoom was still checking his files as Neville clicked and clacked down the stairs, his heals clipping the empty wood flooring as his made his way back down to the garden. Neville waited patiently for Zoom to appear at the bottom of the stairs before they headed through the broken fence and further into the city’s chaos.

In the distance a disused train station stood lonesome, only the tops of the platforms and carriage heads were visible. Neville remembered the excited feeling of his youth when him and his friends would go to festivals around the country. Neville remembered the stale finish, the unusual smell and the crazy chatter of busy commuters accompanied by their boisterous behaviour, causing other traveller to move seats. Zoom and Neville walked further down the empty streets, gaining on the station that looked a million miles away. A musty coal smell blew over the houses, the smell that Neville used to despise now something he would treasurer forever. Tall wavy weeds have grown between the tracks showing how alone this place has been all this time. Neville remembers one particular train journey as the train turned elegantly and headed off speedily down the awaiting route. Looking out of the window was something Neville used to insist on, turning his head to idolise the scenery outside; new offices, houses, shops and roads and the typical English greenery, along with light drizzle to make it perfection. Neville’s parents Liona and [FILL] used to joke about leaving Neville on the train, for he was so pleasantly contented it was quite pleasing for them. Neville found it hard to leave the memory and return to reality, how so much has changed, Neville only just starting to come to terms with the way things are now.