First time writer here! (Sorry if its not great.) Criticisms are more than welcome.
I'M planning on writing more chapters in the next week.
Enjoy.
"Beads of sweat clung to Gary's forehead as he twisted erratically in his sheets. "No!" Was breathlessly muttered. "Please, NO!"
"Gary?" A calm voice whirled into life.
"Stop." Gary shuddered, fists clenching.
Calmer still HUE summarised "Gary, your having a-"
"DAD!" Gary screeched. Eyes blasting franticly open while he sat up panting.
"-Nightmare." HUE finished.
Gary pulled his knees into his chest and stared forward, lost in the whiteness of the wall. Blinking his eyes into focus as the cookie loving Godspeed leaned his head slowly against the wall.
"Concerned HUE asked, "Gary, are you alright?"
"I'm fine HUE.. Its just a little hot in here, that's all." Gary sighed.
"The room is a optimum temperature of 22 degrees Celsius, as it has been for the last 5 years, Gary." HUE confirmed.
Gary reached to scratch the back of his head, suddenly finding his new robotic arm out of place. "I don't know what to tell you HUE! Its pretty dam hot in this room."
"Are you feeling unwell Gary?"
"No. No I'm not feeling unwell. I think you know that HUE." Gary revealed.
HUE continued, "Your body temperature is elevated, Gary. Perhaps we should take you to the Med-bay"
"I don't need to go to the Med-bay, HUE. I'm just not… Err…. Sleeping… Very well." Gary not exactly lied.
"You had a nightmare Gary."
"A Nightmare? No! Not a nightmare HUE! The captain dos NOT have nightmares." Gary blurted.
"Again, your not the captain, Gary." HUE for over the thousandth time explained.
Ignoring HUE Gary continued, "Nightmares are for children HUE, a grown majestic creature such as myself never has nightmares."
"You were shouting in your sleep Gary."
"That wasn't a nightmare HUE." Gary defiantly lied. "What you witnessed was a Captains ultra awesome cool non nightmare sleep disturbance, you lucky duck.
HUE began. "I'm concerned Gary."
Gary, panicking, went into his typical word diarrhoea mode. "To think most people go there hole lives without seeing such a magnificent natural wonder, but you-"
"It has been some time since you've had a nightmare."
"Sleep disturbance!" Gary exclaimed. Shuffling to his feet to escape the conversation.
"What's brought this on Gary?"
"I don't know what you mean HUE. Nothing's been brought on!" Gary said reaching the door.
"Is it the presence of the new life forms? Avocado and Mooncake?" HUE asked.
Gary froze.
Taking this as confirmation HUE continued. "If there presence is detrimental to your condition they can be removed."
"W-what?" Gary stared stuttering, processing HUEs words. Turning around as if he would be facing the AI. "N-no, No, NO, NO! Are you insane?!"
Slightly taken aback by Gary even louder than usual reaction HUE tried to explain. "Gary, I'm only proposing this for your own good."
"5 years HUE!" Gary wailed.
"5 years Gary?" HUE pressed.
"I've been alone for 5 frickin years, and now… Now you want to take away my only friends? The only people I've talked to in 5 years?" Gary blubbered.
There was a tense stillness and then, "No Gary, I believe on this occasion you are right." The intelligence proclaimed defusing the conversation.
"You wont take them?" Gary questioned, wanting confirmation his friends were staying.
"No Gary."
"Ok then." Gary sighed with relief, letting his tense shoulders drop. He then wiped his damp eyes with the back of his human hand, grabbed and chucked on his soft white robe before turning and abandoning his small room entering the white lit corridor.
The Prisoner smiled at coolness of the metal under his feet. Bringing to his attention to the fact that despite him lying about his 'sleep disturbance' he DID actually feel hot. As he continued to walk Gary pulled his eyebrows together and pinched his face as a response to the unwelcome throbbing blooming behind his eyes.
Noticing this HUE spoke, "Are you alright Gary?"
"I'm great, thank you HUE." Gary replied, sarcasm coating his words as he entered the kitchen unit. Wistfully glancing at the cookies Gary procured some water and slumped at the table.
"We need to talk about your farther Gary."
A startled Gary chocked on his water, eyes seemingly popping out there sockets. "Who- cough –said anything- cough cough –about my farther?"
HUE paused then announced, "You did Gary, during your nightmare."
Gazing into space with dribble running down his chin Gary whispered, "My sleep disturbance?"
"Yes Gary, I think it would be beneficial to your mental state to discuss your nightmare."
Gary closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair trying to remain calm. "I-I'm not sure I want to just now HUE."
The AI remained silent.
Gary peered up to the ceiling and said, "Its not that I don't want to HUE, and I will! It's just that I can't!... Right now."
There was a longer silence as HUE came to his decision.
"Alright Gary, but soon. In the mean time I recommend you get some more sleep." HUE said in a not so recommending tone.
Gary chuckled, "That would be much easier HUE, if you would sedate me."
"Your sedation privileges were taken when you abused them Gary." HUE said seriously.
Well of course. So maybe once he had used the sedatives on a want before need basis. But could you blame him? Was it so much to ask for a break from reality? A reality where his existence was lonely, where he was a prisoner. A reality where his Dad was dead. So what if once or twice he may have had a little bit much, totally by accident! And stopped breathing, for a only a tiny bit.
"Ok point taken. In that case I think I'll just get dressed." Gary proceeded to stand and head back to his room.
As Gary waddled back he couldn't help but think back to the homemade 'Moonobump' that Skivoid had given him earlier in the day. How replenished, refreshed and generally great he'd felt after visiting that awesome drugged up world, man that was awesome. What a high. What an escape.
While Gary thought, the door slid open and he entered his room and picked up clothes. As he did this just in the corner of his eye Gary couldn't help but notice a certain something fall from his pocket.