August, 2017
As soon as the bell rang, hallways were filled with teenagers accompanied by the usual chatter and slow-moving traffic to the next class. Somewhere, mixed within the masses was a group known to the campus as the Nordics.
".. And that's how I got out of suspension," Mathias finished with a cocky laugh, throwing an arm around a Norwegian's shoulders. "I'm a criminal mastermind, don't you agree, Lukas?"
The Norwegian rolled his eyes and shoved The Dane's arm off of him. "You're an idiot."
"Au contrare, I'm a genius. Thanks for the compliment though!" Mathias looked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his Swedish friend, Berwald. "Hey, Swede, seen Tino? He should have caught up by now,"
Berwald blinked seemingly coming back to reality. He looked down at Mathias and shrugged. "He said that he might not be able to walk with us to the next class,"
"Why not?"
"Because-"
"Berwaaaaald~" The Swede knew that voice all too well.. Within seconds, a boy had latched himself onto Berwald. He turned around and looked down at the bright, refreshing face of a Finnish boy, Tino.
"I didn't think you'd be able to catch up, kid!" Mathias clapped the Fin's shoulder. "What took ya so long?
Tino looked up at his friends with gleaming violet eyes and his smile grew even wider. "Made the swim team! First cut too!"
"You did?"
"I'm not surprised,"
"Congrats, Vanilla Nomnom!"
Tino chuckled and readjusted his binders, "Thanks, guys! I honestly didn't think I'd make it."
Mathias clucked his tongue, "Stop being so humble already. You were bound to make the team! Next thing you know you'll be swimming relays in the Olympics."
"I dunno Matt... That's a bit much," Tino sucked in air through his teeth.
"But I'm being serious!"
Berwald felt like it was time to add his opinion. He placed his had on the Fin's narrow waist, "For once, I actually agree with the Dane,"
"Really?" Mathias and Lukas gawked in unison.
The Swede nodded, "He's got the skill. I think Tino could if he wanted to,"
Tino giggled and leaned against Berwald, "You guys think about this too much,"
"Because we-"
"You," Lukas plugged in.
"-know that'd you'd kick ass and come back with gold medals in every event!" Mathias beamed.
Tino looked at his friend once again, starting from the Dane to the Norwegian, and finally to the Swede. Lukas seemed to be a bit skeptic, but that was how he always was. Berwald gave him encouraging looks and Mathias was instigating the idea. He burst into laughter before breaking off from the group to go to class. "You're all so silly. I'll think about it!"
"You'd damn well better!"
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February, 2031
Berwald worked away tirelessly. He was almost done: so close to finishing the project he'd spent the last year and a half on.
"Come on," he muttered to himself. "Almost there..." Within a couple of minutes, the back in his leather armchair with a sigh of relief. He'd finally completed writing the system! All that had to be done now was that the scientist had to encode the program to the robot's empty database. Berwald glanced at the lifeless mechanic clone of his beloved.
Listen, Ber, I know that you miss Tino. We all do! But this isn't right. You can't just expect this idea to fly. It's a robot for Christ's sake!
He hooked up all of the necessary tools to upload the program to the machine. Colourful chords attached to a material much like skin decorated the robot that rested in a metal chair. Berwald went through his checklist to ensure that everything was in order before he began. The program was set and ready to go. Joint mechanisms moved properly, the area was clear of all items other than machines and computers, and the program was on standby ready to lock and load.
Berwald, don't just walk away from me! Turn your ass around and come back! Are you really just going to leave us to build a damned machine? You can't just abandon us like this! Berwald!
The Swede remembered Mathias's words so clearly... He almost laughed to himself. He'd show that damned Dane: he'd prove that this was the right choice. Berwald slipped in front of the computer screen again and punched down the enter key. The display greened and an endless stream of binary codes danced across the screen. He stood back, monitoring the process as minutes ticked by.
"A man named Mathias Køhler. I tried to get a message but the line dropped. Wonder how that could have happened," Though the robot definitely couldn't express emotions to the extent that humans could, he was extremely sarcastic and technical when times were appropriate. At least that was one trait that resembled Tino's: the actual Tino.
Berwald had caught himself in a moment of nostalgia. He went so deep into thought he burned his tongue at an attempt to take a sip of coffee. The Swede watched as the machine moved from one place to another, working diligently, sweeping him up in another bout of melancholy. He had such a perfect clone of his once fiancée, yet there was so much missing from this pitiful picture. Reaching a hand over his chest, he felt the steady beating of his heart and whispered, "Ett hjärta..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing," the scientist groaned as he shuffled back to the isolation of his office. "Let me know when you're done with your work and we'll continue with the experiments and see what needs touching up,"
The robot nodded, "Yes, sir,"
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June 2024
Tino was only just counting down the days until the games would begin. He'd put so much effort and sacrificed all of his unhealthy routines so he could one day compete with the head-honchos of the athletic world- It was only a three weeks before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics began. Tino would have been pacing his anxieties around the room if he wasn't so exhausted. The second he walked through the apartment door, he stripped down to his boxers and collapsed onto the mattress.
"Tired," he complained with his face down in the pillows.
Berwald chuckled and gave the Fin a kiss on the forehead, "Think of it this way, you'll be able to get an ice cream cone soon,"
"Good... I need something sweet. There's also this TV show that caught my interest a while back- I'd like to spend a whole day trying to catch up,"
"Home stretch. You can do it,"
Tino groaned and rolled onto his back, holding out his arms to the Swede. "Snuggle me,"
Laughing, Berwald climbed into bed next to him and wrapped his arms around his soon-to-be Olympian. He heard Tino give a sigh of content before his breathing became slow and deep. Tino had already fallen asleep and the Swede could only snicker. He planted a loving kiss on his fiancée's nose, "Sweet dreams,"
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May 2052
The android stood over Berwald's resting body. As usual, he'd fallen asleep with his cheek carefully placed on his keyboard and the computer screen was on stand-by with colourful bubbles bouncing around the display. The scientist had been at it for years, managing the same routine either every night or every other night. The Swede showed his years by the bags under his eyes, graying hair, and loss of his muscular strength. Berwald was no longer a young man- he was on the verge of becoming truly old.
Tino placed a blanket over his professor's shoulders and glanced at the digital clock that projected in the air. 2:47 AM it read. The machine remembered times when Berwald would pull countless all-nighters as if life depended on it. Though, after all these years- since the day of his creation- Tino never truly knew what the scientist was working on. He'd dare to take a peek but he was obedient- as many robots should be. Tino left the room to fiddle in his programming, searching for bugs and areas of improvement in his systems.
When morning came, Berwald called Tino into the computer's room. The machine arrived promptly and took a seat in a cold, metal chair, connecting himself to the computer's software.
"Systems online," he announced, his violet eye emitting a dim glow.
"Anything to report?" Berwald asked, taking his place behind the screen.
"Retina display needs a reboot. Everything else is in good condition,"
The Swede laughed as his fingers swept across keyboard in fluid motions. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "You should know the rules by now, Tino. If nothing's wrong-"
"-there's always room for improvement," finished the android.
"Precisely," Berwald sent in the codes to reboot Tino's retina display and also added a few adjustments that he found to be fitting. Minutes passed before he spoke another word. "Alright, Tino, I'm going to try something new today. Bear with me for a moment; I need to bring it into the system,"
"Aye, aye,"
Berwald spent less than two minutes saving the program's data to the uploading system. He looked up at the android replica of his deceased fiancée, "Ready?"
The machine gave a thumbs up.
...
XX May, 2052
Damn it all! So much time and effort put into this accursed program all so that I can fulfill some selfish desire! I tried to upload the "heart" but the goddamned thing didn't even bother to make a download progression. Why did I ever start this? Why didn't I just listen to my friends and move on? It's too late to be questioning myself now. I am old. If I can get this right I will give my last hurrah. I want to see this program work, even if I am not alive to see its miracles. I will finish and perfect its coding, and I hope to see this Tino feel emotion.
Tacking on the final sentence, the scientist heaved a frustrated groan and reclined in his seat. Berwald tugged at his thinning head of gray hair, closing his eyes. The heart he'd worked so diligently on for decades failed to even make a debut. What had he done wrong? Sure, he admitted to rushing the progress just a tad, but the coding was (seemingly) flawless. A knock on the door gained his attention. Berwald turned to the open door and there stood the robot.
"Dinner's ready. Would you like to eat in your office as usual?"
Berwald shook his head, rising out of his seat. "How about we go eat outside tonight? Down by the creek like we used to? A nice change for the better."
Tino nodded, "I'll get the picnic set up,"
The Swede watched the machine make his way to the kitchen and let out a small sigh. He glanced back at the blank computer screen. Maybe he should take a short break: a couple of days should suffice. A week... Yes, a five day breather is all I need and then I'll do everything I can to make this program become a reality. A miracle.
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Over the years as he aged, Berwald would work on this "heart" and write down all of his progress and feelings in his journals. Even as an old man, he managed to continue his routines. Though he'd slowed down much from when he was in his thirties, his habits remained true.
6 December, 2084
It's been such a long time since I heard Tino's laugh. How long has it been since I started this project? I don't know. I've grown incredibly old: my eyesight is so terrible I might as well be blind. Thick blonde hair is now a thin and wispy white, and arthritis has affected the joints in my fingers, making it impossible to type for hours on end like I used to. My ability to ear is slowly deteriorating along with the energy and strength to move. Perhaps my time is nearing its end- I can feel it. I think I'm ready to go. The "heart" is complete and I doubt that in a dozen centuries it will fail. The program is flawless, but it will be too much for a machine to operate on. Tino will find it nonetheless. He will download it into his system, and he will experience what it means to be human. I should leave him notes- My journal entries, pictures, newspaper columns and things of that nature. He might hate me. I wouldn't blame him if he did.
XX March, 2085
Sickness is the bane on the life of an elder. I am ill and I am dying. I don't want Tino to see my body never wake and I don't want his to see my decomposition. He won't understand death- he's never been exposed to it. Ha... What are you saying Berwald? He's a machine! He'll manage on his own somehow.
XX April, 2085
This last entry... It won't be found. Here I lie, out in the fields leaning against an oak tree for support. Here is where I stay to rot- my own personal burial site. I told Tino that I was just going for a little stroll for some fresh air. I'm sorry. I didn't want to lie to him but I'm sure he'll find out the truth soon. I've left him my story: my intentions for his creation and a gift in the making of over fifty years. I pray that he is able to find it in himself to forgive me for my self-centered wishes.
Berwald had truly shown his age as he folded the sheet of paper and tucked it in his pocket. It was a brisk afternoon and the cool breeze caused the Swede to cough violently. He rested his head on the sturdy bark of the tree and closed his eyes. He was exhausted. His mind wandered off in different scattered branches. Berwald began reminiscing on memories of his past friendships and all the idiotic things they'd do together. He remembered the tea that Tino would make on cold nights or whenever one of them was having an off day. Maybe Tino would fix him a cup... When was the last time he had tea? Coffee? A soda? Berwald laughed at himself. Here he was waiting for Death to take him away and he was thinking about beverages. He gazed up into the sky and heard the distant laughter and singing of drunken companions. A faint smile lifted his wrinkled face as he whispered, "Wait for me my friends..."
Translations:
God morgen=Good morning
Nej, nej det kan ikke være = No, no it can't be
Ett hjärta = A heart
...
Big thanks to my editor xxGeoAngelxx
See you next time...!
