In the distance I could see the yellow shine of the bus against the early morning sunrise. Shadows of kids swayed back and forth in the windows. My feet crunched on the dew ridden grass as I walked toward the end of our yard. The bus doors quickly swung open, and the silence of morning was broken by the loud laughter of children. My bus driver Mrs. Rees looked at me with a welcoming smile. I had known her since kindergarten, and had earned the right to call her Ree. She was a small lady, but her heart was as big as the bus itself. Mrs. Rees would have done anything to help someone who was in need.

As I walked slowly to the back of the bus where I sat, all the kids blankly stared at me with wide eyes. Many of them thought of me as a nerd, because I was never with the current fads. I just liked being myself. When I sat down the obnoxious laughter began once again. My eyes gazed out the small foggy window as the bus started to move. The buildings began to erode away and the world outside became a mangled blur. While my mind wandered in its own little dream land I felt a slight tap on my shoulder. I quickly turned around only to see my best friend Nathan looking at me with curious eyes.

Nathan: "What's wrong Jase? You didn't say anything to me when you sat down."

Jase: "Sorry, it's just....... Well............. Personal problems".

Nathan: "It's your dad isn't it? What happened?"

His eyes skimmed over me, and a worried expression loomed around his face.

Jase: "You probably didn't hear the news, but riots have been breaking out in front of the Supreme Court. The news caster said that there have been many SWAT casualties."

Nathan: "Aw man, ......I bet your dad is fine. I've known him since I met you in first grade, and he always seemed like a strong hearted man. He wouldn't let anything happen, he has too much to live for"

Jase: "You're probably right Nate. It's just.......... Things are getting bad around the home. My mom has already lost so much hope. She hardly even speaks to me now. Watching TV is the only thing she has done since he left."

Nathan: "I know what you mean Jase. When I was five my dad went into service, and the only thing my mom did was lie in bed after that. I had to take care of myself for two months before my dad returned.

Jase: "Well... At least someone understands. I hope this gets better Nate I really do. Sometimes though I feel bad for the things we do to the robots, and how we treat them unequally. They are just like us, but they can't show it. We keep them bounded by their jobs. When I think like that though I feel as if I am betraying my dad and everything he stands for. He's out there trying to keep peace around the court, but before he left he told me his view on the B166ER case. He said that he felt the robots had no right to be on this earth. He said that they would someday be our downfall if we weren't careful."

Nathan: "I feel the same way you do Jase, but everybody else believes robots should be nothing more than our servants. Were probably the only ones who truly feel bad for what we do to the robots, but hey at least were original hehehehe...."

Jase: "You make everything a joke don't you Nate hehe."

I let out a quick laugh, and my mouth formed a smile for the first time in two days. Nathan looked at me with a satisfied look and snickered, but his attention was quickly drawn away by one of his other friends.

I then laid my head against the soft green plastic vinyl of the bus seat. Memories of my dad began to form as I drifted into a dream land. The once annoying laughter of children became a soft whisper, and the world around me seemed to disappear. My dad's voice echoed through my head, and a vision of him began to form.

Father: "Jase, I want you to be the man of the house while I am away."

Jase: "Dad, don't worry I'll make sure nothing happens while you're gone. You will be back won't you?"

My eyes gazed into his, and tears began to trickle down my pale cheek.

Father: "Yes son, I'll be back. You can absolutely count on that. I could never leave your mom alone."

He let out a weak laugh, and his stern face grew a warm smile. His hand patted my head and he began to walk out the door. Behind me my mom stood washing the tears from her face. My dad slowly turned around and closed the door, but before he did he blew my mother a kiss.

Jase: "Mom..... You know he'll be back. He can't leave us, because he loves us to much."

She bent down and gave me a quick but frail hug. Her body was shaking and she felt like ice.

Mother: "All we can do is pray Jase...... That's all we can do."

My body quivered as a dreamed of the day my dad left, but it was quickly interrupted by loud angry yelling. I quickly opened my eyes, and my nose was filled with the smell of burnt rubber. Outside the windows I could see crowds and crowds of angry construction bots lining the streets. In the far off distance smoke was rising above city scheme. The sky was filled with an overwhelming darkness. I looked around the bus only to see the kids hiding under their seats. Nathan looked at me with a pale expression, and began to speak his voice was shaky.

Nathan: "Jase get down!! Don't let them see you!!"

Jase: "What's going on Nathan how did we get here!?"

Nathan: "They came out of nowhere! That's all I can say. What were you doing?"

Jase: "I fell asleep, sorry........."

Nathan: "Just don't let them see you. We all had to get down. If they see us they might try to get in the bus."

Jase: "What? Why?"

Nathan: "It's a riot stupid!! Against the B166ER trial....... At least I think so, it just has to be. What else could make them get so out of hand! I knew this thing was going to have a bad outcome!"

The sound of sirens and gunshots could be heard outside the thin metal walls. Someone or something was banging on the side of the bus, and it was easy to tell that whoever it was wanted in. The sound of screaming filled my ears, and I could hear crying.

Nathan: "Can you get a view of what's going on out there Jase? I'm too afraid to look."

Jase: "Ok, I'll look just... hold on."

My arms grasped the cold metal rim of the window, and I slowly lifted my head. My eyes skimmed the crowds outside, and I could see SWAT vans lying behind them. In the back of the crowd I could see robots falling to the ground like heavy stones. The robots that were next to us were trying to break open the side of the bus. I looked back to Nathan and shook my head.

In the front aisle way I could see Ree laying down and she was staring at the back emergency exit door. Her eyes frantically looked to and fro, and they finally stopped when she spotted me. She quickly pointed to me and then to the door. I knew what she wanted, but I was too afraid to move my legs. In my head I knew that I had to do it. If I choose not to we could be found by the rioters.

I quickly picked myself up off the ground and rushed to the door. Everything was up to me now. If I didn't open that door we were in complete danger, but I knew that the odds outside would have been the same. So I took my hand and placed it on the soft red leather of the handle. It was up to me now I had to open that door.