All For the Love of You (2021)

The sounds of heels clicking against stone and the faint pattering of water hitting the cold floor was all that I could hear. I could only see darkness and my feet being dragged behind me. The squeaks of my shoes echoed throughout the vast emptiness of the hall as I mustered all the strength I could to try and resist whoever was dragging me across the floor. My efforts were proven useless, my strength dissipating by the second. With my head falling numb, I feel my determination wilt away as I allow myself to get taken away by my captor. I didn’t have the strength to fight anymore.

After all, there was nothing else here for me anymore. Everyone who was down here with me perished. I watched behind rusted bars as they drew their final breaths, eyes forced wide with tears beckoning for a miracle, a saviour. I was supposed to be their saviour. I was supposed to prolong their cruel fate. The screams were forever etched into my mind like scratches on a record. I had failed them.

And to think that the torture would be enough to break someone. Any day, I could take on whatever teeth-pulling, heart-wrenching, blood-curdling trick they pulled on me, but the thought of a life being lost because I couldn’t save them was what did me in. The captors knew that and abused that power when they could. Rendered useless in the plight of the other kids ruined me, and their deaths were carved into me.

This had to be a nightmare. I didn’t even notice that in my absolute paralysis, I was shedding the last few tears my worn down body could muster. I had nothing else to lose. Why was I crying? After this, I was free. Free. Free…

I jolted myself back into reality, breathing heavily from what I could describe as a textbook nightmare. I first peered at the clock and only realized it was only past four pm. Did I take a nap? I could barely remember passing out here. Perhaps the afternoon performances tired me out more than usual. I continued to stare at the ceiling disorientated, still trying to swallow the bile that had formed in my throat.

I got a feel for my surroundings and saw I had passed out on the Employee’s Lounge sofa. Haywire had fallen asleep on me too apparently. I only saw the top of his head, face nuzzling my chest as an arm draped on my waist and falling off the side of the couch. I don’t recall falling asleep with him so he must’ve snuggled himself in while I was knocked out. I try my best not to move, wanting to let him nap peacefully. It didn’t seem to work when Haywire lifted his head and looked at me, a worried frown forming on his face. “Uno? Are you okay? Why is your heart pounding so fast?”

I hadn’t realized that my heartbeat had been so loud that it woke him up. No matter how hard I tried to put my mind at ease, the leftover dread from the nightmare had its grip on me and wasn’t planning to let go. “Nothing. You scared me.”

Haywire sensed the utter bullshit that left my mouth and turned his body around so that he was facing me directly. Even if I still couldn’t see his eyes, I knew he was giving me a concerned look. I still wasn’t feeling good, so I averted my eyes from his, looking down at the floor beside us. “I know when you’re not feeling good. You look like you’re about to cry. You can’t lie to me.”

I sigh, a bit of the stress in my chest releasing itself. God, I still couldn’t get used to Haywire reading my emotions like an open book. Lying wouldn’t do me any good but my mouth still blabbered on, betraying every thought I wanted to say. “I’m just stressed, okay? Performances are getting harder to do.” Haywire’s frown deepened, knowing full well I was lying but didn’t push it. He instead got up and squeezed himself behind me, wrapping an arm around my body. “Well, that’s not good. We still have evening performances after this.”

“It’s whatever. I’ll get over it.” I say, rolling my eyes. Sweat still perspired on my forehead and there was a slight shake in my breathing, something Haywire took note of but continued to keep to himself. As much as I appreciated Haywire’s presence, it didn’t get rid of the pit shoveling in my gut.

“I could always sing you a song.” Haywire suggests. I narrow my eyes in confusion. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him sing before. “I have a few songs downloaded in my database. It’s mainly for entertainment purposes but I have a few soothing songs to help calm you down.”

“So what, are you going to sing Daisybell now?” I murmur.

“I could.” Haywire says, placing his chin on my shoulder and hugging me. “It was the first song that was downloaded into my program for test runs after all.”

“How poetic.” I faintly recall a mutual going on a ramble about how Daisybell was the first song ever sung by a robot. I guess I had to give Haywire’s creator a little credit for the cool little throwback. I was just a little worried if his singing voice would hold up well or if it was going to sound like those butchered vocaloid voices. No matter the outcome, the effort was appreciated. “Go off. I’m curious now.”

Sucking in a breath of air, Haywire’s arms tightened around my waist as he began to sing. “Daisy, Daisy. Give me your answer do~ I’m half crazy, all for the love of you.” I raised my brows in surprise, his voice was as advertised; soothing. Although it didn’t feel like his voice, it was relaxing to where each word that rolled off his tongue was rich like honey. With every line, I was relaxing into his arms, thoughtfully listening to the lyrics of the song.

“It won’t be a stylish marriage. I can’t afford a carriage. But you’d look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two~” I thought of a scenario with Haywire and I sharing a bike together and cycling down a busy road. The mere thought of it made me cringe, but in a good way. It seemed like a faraway reality that was so out of character for the both of us, but it wasn’t a terrible thought. Maybe one day when we get out of this mess of a hotel, we could try something like that. It sounded pleasant enough.

Haywire continued to hum the rest of the song, slowly rocking me in his arms. For a moment, the sultry vibrato was reminiscent of my mother when she would hum songs in the kitchen everytime she was baking. The mere thought made me grin warmly, sinking into Haywire’s body completely as I dwelled on the summery nostalgia. After Haywire finished humming, he looked down at me for a hint of satisfaction. The feeling of dread had fled my body completely. His singing worked.

“Was that good?” Haywire asks.

I nod as I snuggle into his arms. “Yeah.”

Haywire proposed another song if I was interested but I gently declined him, resting my head on his chest as I began to doze off once more. He also followed too, resting his head against mine as he went back to sleep. The melody looped softly in my head and all I could think about was Haywire.