Doug was caring an old decaying box with glass jugs of gel, bean cans, and brushes, down the service shaft, humming a tune to his companion cube tightly strapped to his back. The items in the box making little clinks and clanks as he walked down the darkened and quiet shafts.
As he turned a corner he noticed a light flickering weakly at the end of the corridor facing the back wall of the shaft casting strange shadows against the walls.
Something in the back of his mind was telling him to turn around and avoid the area completely, but whatever was down there was already damaged enough and had gone nonfunctional. It could possibly be of use to him even. He set the box of gels cans and brushes down as he cautiously approached the strange object.
As he slowly approached it from behind he could make out its circular shape nuzzled against a panel. There was grime and orange gel smeared all over its hull. Besides its worrying condition, it was attached to a rail overhead. It was shivering. It was a core!
Doug wanted to back away, not having anything to do with the dying core but as he shuffled back he lost his balance slipping back and landing on his companion cube.
"Hello!? Someone there?!" Asked the core hopeful breaking the silence, turning its attention towards Doug lying on his back; rubbing his head.
What Doug saw next was heartbreaking.
Half of the cores optic had gone completely dark, flickering faintly between blue and black. It looked frightened and very scared. Pieces of the broken half had segments of the aperture bending out in awkward angles. Whenever the core blinked a shudder of pain and discomfort went through its circular body.
He sat up on the floor and waved his hand at it in greeting but the core only squinted, narrowing its beam of light.
"I errr, I-I think someones there...is that you? On the floor?" Called out the core meekly.
Doug nodded but quickly replied knowing the core couldn't quite see properly.
"Yes, I-I found you. What happened to you?" Doug said awkwardly gently standing up and slowly approaching the damaged core.
The core backed away slowly pressing himself tightly into the panel behind him.
"I crashed into this bloody wall, broke my optic - I've - I've gone blind! Will you, er uh, help me?" Replied the core nervously.
Doug nodded.
"Here, come here." He motioned for the core to come near but it didn't budge. He would have to entice it out. First off he'd need to calm it down.
"You, you ruined my mural..." He gritted his teeth. 'Yes, Doug go on and accuse him of vandalism, a real good one. That one is going to help while he dies.' He patted his companion cube taking in a deep breath.
Goodness, he was awful at socializing.
"Oh, I - wait your mural? You painted her?" Asked the core curiously.
Doug nodded even though the core hadn't fully seen the gesture.
"You-you know her?" He went on, a small hint of joy slipping into its voice as it held its light shakily on Doug.
"Yes, I painted her but she never met me."
"Oh." The excitement drained from the core's voice entirely.
Doug looked to the smeared portrait then to the injured core, silently recalling the girl.
"I-I think I met her." Added the core awkwardly.
Doug frowned.
"You did?" He took a step forward trying to reach carefully up to its bottom handle.
"Uh, yes, I recall someone like her but I don't completely remember I've lost - my memories." The core's voice was slow going and stuttering.
"That's a shame." Replied Doug reassuringly grasping the core's bottom handle gently.
"She was a very determined young woman. You would have liked her." Doug had said this mostly to himself, assuring himself that he could do the same. Be determined and brave and he would one day reach freedom too!
"I would actually, I really would have liked that." Cheered the core quietly.
Doug smiled gently pulling the core forward on the rail.
"Where we going?" Asked the core looking over Doug best he could as he trailed behind.
"To get you some repairs." Replied Doug nervously. He wasn't sure he really had an idea on how to do that but he'd think of something.
He quietly walked down the corridors leading the core, flinching whenever he felt the core shudder and wince from the pain. Doug stopped walking from time to time to ask the core if he was alright if he needed rest. He of anyone knew how it felt to be injured, what it felt to hurt all over. He wouldn't wish anyone that; hurt and pain.
They journeyed down long corridors and halls until Doug made it to a door. He weakly grasped the knob. He squeezed his eyes.
"I don't, I don't think I can go out there," Doug remarked.
"Why not?" Asked the core softly.
"It's not safe for me, but it should be for you. Just go straight and take a left. There should be help around there."
Doug felt the core twitch, quietly taking in what he'd just said.
"I can't see through. That's the problem now, mate." Replied the core.
Doug nodded.
"Yes, I know but, I can't go with you. She could find me and hurt me, understand? I can't go." Raising his voice a little.
"I don't wanna go by myself." The core answered sounding concerned. "Why would she hurt you? Your talking about the central core right? Well, she told me to tell you that there's a lift for you, real close. She'll allow you to leave and she doesn't want you back. I don't think she'd hurt you if she said that." Explained the core urgently.
Doug let go of the cores handle, clasping his hands together and glaring at the core.
"So, you're just helping her?" He asked sounding hurt. Pointing a bony finger at the core.
"Well, sort of?" Replied the core looking about him trying to make out the unfocused figure of the man in the dim lighting.
Doug laughed.
"So, I'm helping the enemy!? Great." He turned around trotting away.
"No! Wait!" Called out the core trying to move towards him only to strike into a nearby corner. He screamed and shouted as the violent vibration sent new pain coursing through his systems.
Suddenly the core yelped as two warm hands grasped him gently on his sides.
"Don't. Do. That." Snapped Doug.
"O-okay. Yes, err, I won't." Replied the core giving him a faint smile of relief, wincing from the slight movement.
Doug couldn't leave the core, he just couldn't. It'd die on its own and that would make Doug a killer. He'd never incinerated or frizzled a cube in his life because he knew better. Leaving a core was no different. It'd be neglect from inaction in this case and he couldn't do that either.
He sighed.
"I'll take you -"
"Really!? You will?! That's Brill-"
"But if you just lying then I'll personally walk you through an emancipation grill." Snapped Doug to the core. He could feel the core shiver beneath his grasp. Maybe he'd been harsh about this too. Again, not being great at social skills.
"Okay. Okay! I'm certainly not, uh, lying. Just saying, but uh, do take me to repairs because I feel very very ill! I think I might, I might…" His voice trailed off.
"You might what?" Asked Doug starring into the cores broken half-lit optic.
"I think..I might...Die.." Added the core in a whisper.
Doug shrugged.
"You'll be fine." He reassured gently clasping the core's bottom handle again and leading him towards the door.
He grasped the knob tightly this time, gritting his teeth he forced himself to open it.
He and the core walked out into the bright fluorescent hallway.
