A familiar planet-- One in which used to be lush and green. Clear water flowed from rivers-- raging to a calm, pooling lake. Creatures both big and small, wondered this sphere and called it… one simple word. "Home". Though it seemed immeasurably large, it was only a tiny spot compared to the enormous vacuum of space. This abyss was only to be lighted by billions of flaming asteroids in which many would call "Stars". With these stars existed even larger masses of rocks. The one that once had these home-like appearances had changed. Garbage had accumulated abruptly, overtime by fleshy beings called humans. Most of these creatures did not know the meaning of conservation or the reusing of items. They just consumed so much until their was nothing left, but a desert-like terrain. The once lush forests have died and wilted. Nothing held in the soil so sandstorms brewed frequently. The human's only choice was to leave this planet to space. The corporation that constructed the idea was known as Buy N' Large. They created an exceedingly large ship known as the Axiom and many new, metallic beings. The most common word them would be a 'robot'. Each one had been given the assignment of cleaning the filth left by man. They were called 'Wall-E'.
Understanding
It was the year 2105. The head of the corporation known as Buy N' Large agreed to meet with three engineers. The first was a chubby, brown haired man who wore off-alls and a red shirt- Wally. The second was a rather skinny man with black hair, named Moe. The last was a light brown haired woman who wore similar clothing to Moe and Wally. Their ideas of a plan to help the planet proved useful for President Shelby Forthright. The solution to Earth's pollution was to create Waste Allocation Load Lifters- Wall-E for short. They were short, brown colored steal robots made to act as mobile trash compacters. During the time in which the planet would be cleansed the commoner humans would take part on a five-year cruise in space.
With a whoosh, a cloud of brown dust formed as the Wall-E saw off their creators. There was not much that they could understand. All that they knew was how to scoop up trash and compact it. It was all they where programmed to do. Day in and day out, they all stacked cubes of trash into incredibly tall skyscrapers. All but one Wall-E followed this plan without complications. This Wall-E was much different. He would collect items of his choice to keep and not compact. Over the course of five years, he had collected so many that he had to make himself a storage room. Decorating it with every-day nick-knacks, he saw it as a beautiful home. But… It still seemed empty. Something was missing. Something he had longed for the most. This puzzled the tiny creature. He became more aware of his surroundings. Outside, all he could sense was emptiness. It made no sense to him at all. He knew what he was, but had no idea what he had become. A robot cannot feel as a human, can it? Can one such as Wall-E truly be able to think freely? Why was he just thinking of this now? He was not just created. In fact, he could not remember anything that day. Did… every robot feel this way?
Wall-E looked up at the sky only to see puffy, brownish clouds. He then sighed and shook his head. Just forget it. I should not be something so important to you. You must finish you job-- for the human race. Once telling himself that, he went on doing what he was built for by going to a building adorned with the words 'Video Mart'. Wall-E could read exceptionally well, but understanding human words was difficult. Video must mean, 'moving pictures', while 'mart' is 'where humans consume products'. But why would one want to consume a picture? Did it recharge you? He did not understand. If these videos were so great, then why did the humans not take them along their trip?
He scanned the shelves that seemed to be packed with black rectangles with words printed on the middle. None seemed to catch his eye until one just seemed to call out to him. It read the words 'Hello Dolly'. The first word he knew by heart. 'Hello' is a word given off in a friendly manner to greet someone. However, the second-- 'Dolly', was puzzling. He could only think of a similar word 'Doll' in which is 'a young human's form of entertainment.' Wall-E attempted to pick the marvel up to get a closer look. The two words raced through his mind. What if he could say it? Was it possible? Did the humans give him the ability? Would he need to? The robot shook his head. He had thought about the same feelings he had before. There was no need to speak. If he did then the other Wall-E bots may not see him any more. He did not want to feel… What is the word? 'Lonely'? But why would he feel that way? He was not alone. However, this did not change the fact that he did feel lonely. Wall-E could only sigh in disappointment, but took the video back home with him.
Upon arrival, a siren blared to warn all the Wall-E bots to find shelter as a sandstorm approached. Taking a last look out where the raging clouds were gathering, he saw some of his co-workers sitting in the same spot they had been in this morning. They did not even seem to make the slightest effort to move at all. This worried him. 'Worry'? A state of concern for someone? Why? Wall-E shook his head. He was worried because he did not want to be alone. But what could he do? It was too dangerous to go out there. Maybe… talking? Was it even possible that he could hear him? He had to do something. If not, it would be his own fault if they became damaged.
When humans speak, they use special cords in their throat to make vibrations of sounds. It sounded simple, but would it work the same for him? He tried his best to create similar sounds that humans used to make words. However, most of the sounds he made sounded like garbled gibberish.
"Gabuu, gabuu, gabuu…"
He had to try again. "Ooo…W…Wa…" That is it! "WAAALL-EEE!!!"
He did it. He was able to call out to his friend. There was a sense of pride within him, but that soon changed to even more worry as he looked at the other bot. He, still, did not move. The storm was inching closer. What happened? Was he not loud enough?
"WALL-E!!" he cried. "WAALLL-E, rrr….rrru…RRRUUUUN!!"
Nothing… Wall-E did not understand. What was wrong with him? The storm was so close that it was impossible to escape. Maybe… he was… broken? The robot shivered. Was being broken similar to not knowing your surroundings? You could not move. Could not feel. If this happened to a human… they would say that they were… 'dead'. Such a terrible word. He knew that it was about a bad subject, but what it actually meant, he had no idea. It was scary. 'Scary'? A state of fear? If this Wall-E was in fact 'dead'… there was nothing he could do.
The sandstorm was now raging overhead. His sight was so clouded by sand, that he was in temporary blindness. All he could do, was hear the sand whooshing passed him. He had to make his way inside his home in order to protect himself from being buried. The bot grasped a metal control panel, hanging from the ceiling and pushed a certain button to close the door. The last bit of rays of light vanished into darkness. This darkness was nothing new to him. He had many lights that were built in. Using those same controls, he pressed another button in which illuminated the room. Inside were shelves upon shelves of nick-knacks. The tiny creature opened up a compartment where he kept the video. Where should he put it? A video was much different than immovable objects. There was a way to see the pictures inside it move. A certain machine was used specifically to 'play' it.
With so many items found around Earth, he may have already found that machine. Wall-E searched through out the shelves for items that had slots in them in which the tape could fit. He could only find two objects. One being a dented, shiny box that made a 'springing' sound if you touched the black side handles which can be pushed down and pulled up. The other, was a large, grey rectangle with a tiny screen attached. Trying the first was a way to find a place to put it when he did not wish to watch the video. When he finally placed the tape in the machine called a VCR, the tiny screen lit up and played a very happy and energetic song. Along with it, the group of humans on the screen moved in sync with each other as the notes and words played. Such movement would be called 'dancing'. Dancing with music created from a human's vocabulary… it was… magical. There was no other word to call it other than something created with magic. 'Magic' being something extraordinary. Something that is incredibly difficult to explained. But, suppose that not everything could be explained. It is just something that you know. Wall-E felt himself smile shyly. He completely forgot about the outside world as one scene played. A man and a woman were standing in front of one another. Both were singing the words 'it only takes a moment'. Both hands touched as the lonely robot watched. He felt something that was a bit more than a normal 'happy' emotion. Wall-E clasped his hands together and felt a certain warmth emanating from them. He knew now… how to fill the void from before. He knew what he wanted most.