It’s odd…being what I am. I’m no different then them, in that I have a conscience…and yet I’m the complete opposite…that in fact, I’m not human.

Walking down the street that I’ve walked down for the past decade, people give me these looks. Ones that tells me everything that’s on their minds, everything they’re feeling. Thoughts on all the what ifs and what mights… they’re scared. Worried. I would be too, if I were in their shoes. Finding out such a major secret like mine, after knowing me for ten years.

It came to light yesterday. When one of my neighbours saw me breakdown… saw that my system malfunctioned, and that my eyes went blank. Of course everyone else found out… words spread like wildfire in small rural towns like this one.

Briar wick is in rural northern Ontario, so snow storms and bad weather aren’t that uncommon. I’m usually very careful that moisture and condensation don’t get into my system, but being a decade old and feeling more like I’m one of them… it tends to slip my mind.

‘Max?’ Came a voice from behind that startled me from my thoughts. I stopped. Turned around and there stood the sheriff and the mayor of Briar wick. The sheriff didn’t seem to be too happy. The mayor had a look of sadness, and maybe a bit of…sympathy?

I sighed and walked up to the mayor and shook his hand firmly. ‘Mayor Newman…how may I help you today?’ I responded, with a hint of sheepish optimism, hoping they had something, anything else to talk to me about, something that hasn’t anything to do with my revealed secret. Mayor Newman replied, ‘ we’d like to talk with you…in private, max. Please…follow me to my office…” ugh…from his expression, I knew what this conversation was going to be about.

When we arrived at mayor Newman’s office, he sat me down in the chair sitting opposite him. When he sat down, he folded his hands down, then sighed disappointingly. ‘Max I think we both know why I brought here to talk with you…’ he began. His mouth opened to speak again but then closed it again, not knowing what to say to me. After a moment Newman finally spoke again, ‘The towns folk are…scared, Max. Of you.None of us know what you’re capable of…’ I quietly scoffed, stood up abruptly and walked to the nearest window, looking down at the street of people walking about, on this sunny winter morning.

Finally I spoke, ‘you all have known me for what? Ten years? I’ve never done anything at all to harm anyone in this town, in all that time. But then you find out what I am, and suddenly there’s an issue? Why?’ Mayor Newman sighed. Then said, ‘we’ve never dealt with this kind of thing…with anyone. You…you look human, but you aren’t. It’s…’ ‘uncanny?’ I interrupted. He nods curtly, and with with an uneven breath, rubs his face then his neck and leans back against his chair, shrugging.

‘What exactly are you?’ He asks. momentarily, I’m stunted by his question,but I quickly hid my surprise. ‘I’m a robot. Or an animatronic. However you wanna look at it. The proper term for me, though is that, I’m an A.I. I’m what’s called artificial intelligence,’ I replied. ‘Who exactly created you…why did they create you?’ Sheriff Decker asked. I looked at him curiously. He hadn’t said a single word this whole time, I had forgotten he was here with us. A moment later I responded, ‘I’m not…sure. I just one day, woke up on the borders of this town, with no memory or information on who created me or why I was created, or even how I got here. I was just…here.’ Sheriff Decker looked at me with a look of distain, then shook his head sighing.

Sheriff Decker had more cause then anyone else to not trust me,now more then ever. Artificial intelligence took over most of the major cities in the world. Several of them came here trying to take over the town. That didn’t fly with the locals and the A.I ended up being destroyed by the town. They did try fighting back. They ended up hurting several people. But the only person to of been killed was decker’s child. His five year old who had a fascination with robots.

The A.I had tried taking over the smaller, more rural cities and towns, but given the state most are in, they stopped bothering and just gave up.

There was a sharp knock at the door that interrupted both my thoughts and the conversation the sheriff and mayor were having. I, was watching the mayor’s every move. He stood up from his desk and walked over to the door and opened it, greeting the person at the door quietly. He opened the door to reveal an older man, dressed as a military officer.

The stranger looked at me and greeted me curtly. ‘You must be max, right?’ He asked, with an extended hand. I nodded, shaking it. ‘You must come with me max,’ said the man. My confusion said it all. ‘Your creator is very excited to see you again,’ he answered. ‘Again?’ I questioned quietly. The man then nodded. ‘He’s happy to say that this experiment has been a success.’

Experiment?

Success?

‘Wha…?’ I began, before I was cut off by darkness.

And silence.