A/N: For this story I combined different
elements from the Supertoys stories by Brian Aldiss and the movie A.I. and
some of my own stuff. So this doesn't follow the film exactly.
David and Teddy were setting on the floor
of the nursery, watching Saturday morning cartoons, like normal human children.
They were in the midst of watching the latest episode of the X-men series
when it came time for the dreaded commercial break. But this time it was
even worse. A ad for Synthank was shown.
"I hate that stupid factory" Growled
David in a low tone while smashing his finger into the power button on the
TV. He then got up and toddled across the room with Teddy not to far
behind.
He stopped in front of the crib and climbed
up on a small chair. Then peered in between the bars at his 'baby brother'.
The gurgling baby watched him for a few
seconds until he caught sight of Teddy, who was hanging off the side of the
crib, watching the baby as well.
Before David knew it. The baby got hold
of one of Teddy's arms and was trying to pull the bear between the bars.
"No, Martin!" David yelled.
"What now..?" groaned Monica. She layed
in her bed, sprawled out on her stomach. She heard more yells and crying
come form the nursery. She tried to ignore it just as she had constantly
done for several months now. She hid her face under a pillow, hoping it would
drain out the noise so she could get back to sleep. But she knew at some
point she would have to intervene. Realizing this, she wrestled the bed sheets
off of her and slowly slipped out of bed.
She straightened out her shirt, trying to
cover herself up better. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock that
sat on the end table next to her bed, completely surrounded by empty beer
cans and wine bottles. 10:28. That's what the clock said. At least that was
what she thought it said. She had a hard time focusing on the numbers on
the digital readout. She had a serious headache.
She staggered out of the room and down the
hall, towards the nursery.
David and Martin were pulling Teddy back
and forth between the bars of the crib, like if they were playing tug-a-war.
Teddy pleaded for them to stop. " I'll break." He cried. But they wouldn't
stop.
"STOP IT!"
Martin instantly released the bear. The
force caused David to fall back and onto the floor with Teddy. They looked
up and saw Monica in the doorway, holding onto the frame for support.
"Mummy?" whispered David as he started to
get up.
Monica stumbled into the room. "David,
Teddy" She looked down at them in anger as she swung her arm and pointed
at the door. "GET OUT!" David could smell the alcohol with every breath around
her command. Without protest he ran out of the room, dragging Teddy behind
him.
Monica went over to the crib. She looked
down at Martin, who was still crying. She gently lifted him into her arms
and began cradling him so lovingly. She only stopped for a second when she
heard the front door slam shut.
David ran across the lawn. Teddy listened
to David's crying as he got dragged through Mummy's prized flower beds.
David halted in front of the decorative
pond and looked down at his reflection. "Mummy hates me." He instinctively
wiped his arm across his face as if trying to wipe his tears away. But he
had no tears.
"That's silly. She doesn't hate you." Teddy
gripped his stubby appendages round David's legs, trying to comfort the little
mecha child. "Then why does she yell at me and not Martin. And hurt
me." He rubbed his shoulder, remembering just a week earlier Monica got agitated
at him for some reason and grabbed his arm. While grabbing it she twisted
his shoulder apart. The damage was so bad she had to call Henry home from
a meeting to fix him.
Monica was setting at the edge of her bed,
reading. With her eyes still on the book, she reached over and lifted a bottle
of a expensive imported wine off the table next to her. and took a swing
of it. She felt only a few of the golden drops hit her tongue. She looked
up form her book to the empty bottle.
"Out again" She moaned.
She sat the book down on the bed and sat
the bottle back on the table next to the other empty bottles and cans. She
would have to go back downstairs and get some more. She slowly got up and
wobbled to the door. She unlocked it then staggered out the door and down
the hall.
She was about to go down the stairs when
she noticed David was standing at the top of them, looking up at her worriedly.
"Mummy, are you ok?"
" NO!" She breathed heavily and looked as
though she could collapse at any moment. "What are you doing here?! I told
you to not to come up here!" She yelled and shoved him.
"Mummy--- !" He cried out as he twisted
his tiny body, while trying to get hold of the railing. But it was too late.
Monica stood there in shock as he tumbled down the stairs. The sounds of
cracking plastic and what sounded like a toolbox being dropped echoed up
to her.
"David. Oh my.." Monica's body slid down the
side of the railing post as she looked down at David's motionless body at
the foot of the stairs. His terror filled eyes were wide and staring up at
her.
She covered her face with her trembling
hands. "What have I done?"
