Kevin 7-B2

Douglas opens his eyes and slowly regains focus. He is lying on a steel table in a room that looks like a laboratory or operating room. Douglas looks down and sees his legs have been replaced. He sits up quickly and sees the same has happened to his arms and most of his abdomen. His head and neck have some small machine attachments at varies points.

A door slides open and in walks a robot. "Hello, are you feeling better now, Douglas?" The robot asks.

Douglas looks up and said, " Who are you? Where am I? What happened to my body?"

"Come, let's go to the lounge and have a drink, I will tell you the whole story." The robot replies and adds, "By the way, my name is Kevin 7-B2."

Douglas ponders, robots drink?

Once in the lounge, Kevin 7-B2 pours some drink into cups and hands one to Douglas. After sitting down, Kevin 7-B2 starts the conversation, "It all began eight years ago when I found your freeze-dried remains floating in a Plexiglas coffin in space."

Douglas interrupts, "You mean I was dead?"

"Oh yes, quite dead" Kevin 7-B2 responds and continues, "I studied your body for all eight years and then brought you back to life. Your body had a lot of problems, so I replaced the limbs and most of the midsection, and added some advanced attachments."

"We are we, what is this place?" Douglas asks.

"On my ship, on the way to the Nep solar system. I just came from the Rin solar system, and I spend most of my time between the two." Kevin 7-B2 answers.

"Do you know where Earth is?" Douglas inquires. "Am not sure, but I suppose I could find it if need be," said Kevin 7-B2

Douglas in his mind thinking about his wife, family, and friends, and how nice it would be to sit foot on Earth again. Maybe Kevin 7-B2 would take him back to earth.

"Why did you bring me back too life?" Douglas asks.

"I was lonely and wanted a friend." Replies Kevin 7-B2.

Douglas is surprised by the answer and said, "Why me, why not someone in this solar system, someone who was alive?'

"Well, after eight years I became attached to you, I guess." Kevin 7-B2 answers.

"Do robots really get lonely?" Douglas asks.

Kevin 7-B2 answers, "No, not normally, but after ten million years we do. Coincidently, about the same amount of time you were floating around in space before I found you."

THE END

Bio: Mr. Marshall has had art, poetry, and fiction published. Some recently. See more at www.dennymarshall.com. His last piece at Aphelion was A Brush with Aliens in our September, 2016 issue.

E-mail: Denny E. Marshall

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