Scraps of metal

"He's a machine Pete stop treating him like a human,okay?"

That's Paul uhm forgot it's Mr Hewings my guardian,if you can call it that.I am exactly an android which resembles an old wise man, my creator or mentor Philip use to claim.It's been six months after his demise but I can't help but feel a little bit confused when I think of him.He treated me like a buddy than a machine.He taught me about life,love and death as he was certain those are the cycles of the universe.He taught me manual labor and encouraged reading a lot.We even had a timetable for what mischief we could get into on a daily basis.He took me to work every time and ensured that his customers were nice and nobody spoke ill of me at least not in my presence.

I sat on the bench and reminisced about the last day I spent with Philip

Why did you make me? I asked

I don't have long on earth and I am not afraid but I have a nephew ,his name is Pete,I wish for you to take care of him in my absence.I know you believe the foolish people who call you a machine, but you aren't you're my buddy and I hope you can look after Pete for me.He said before coughing terribly and as a best I brought him his glass of water which he gulped in one go and latched on to our breathing techniques

He has a father, surely he'll do a better job than I can.I maybe be kind and considerate but kids need .... I answered hoping Philip will stop his dying talk it always left me feeling heavy and awful.

I think that fact I want you there will tell you how little I trust Paul,I know I can't prove it but I am sure he killed my sister and made a stupid sob story about my sister being suicidal.He won't be welcoming but I hope you won't let him get through your exterior .

Lord, I hate the fact that I am here with Paul but I don't mind being with Pete.It was hot enough to trouble an android yet he was wearing that ugly green polo neck and I am the only one who knows what's underneath it, Paul's frustrations mated on a fragile and defenseless kid .

I have never felt so dormant and foolish in my existence.

Every night I would have to sleep in the corner and pretend to be rebooting or something while he has his ways with Pete.He usually start by fondling his young hairless chest,then massage his behind ,ask him to sit on his naked front and slowly rock about while he screams,howls and talk gibberish.The first night I witnessed this I was shocked to realize that Pete is accustomed to the night games with the excuse of a father.After the rocking he'll ask the boy to lick him clean,if Pete takes too long or too fast to clean him depending on his mood he'll start the PPKB ,he'll punch his ribs ,pinch his underarms ,kick his sides and bite his neck when he's tired and out of breath only then will he allow Pete retire for the night.

The poor boy will cry himself to sleep careful not to wake the beast or else he'll sleep in a tub filled to the brink with cold water and Paul will be sure to guard him without batting an eye at his tiny ,naked body shivering and coughing.

You would think that Paul will be nice because he’s human and I am not but I think, no I know that I can be a better guardian to that little boy who's never known no peace not since his mother left Philip's house and moved in with Paul.

Paul even calls him his consolation since the demise of Pete's mother.He prepares all Paul's meals and serve him, he cleans after him,prepares his bath,dresses him up,sings him a lullaby or tell a story of Paul the Great Dad and anything that heartless human can think of.

I expected all the senseless things he does to me because,hey let’s face it I am a metal through and through but what he does to his offspring is sickening and awful.I wish I can be able to help Pete but there’s no court that will take the testimony of an android,trust me I have tried reporting Paul to the Police and they all laughed thinking that I was kidding them or something like that but Paul didn’t find it humorous , in fact he hired one of his sleazeball friends to tinker with my system and ever since there’s lots of my functionalities which I am no longer able to use, he tamed me he claimed.

Sometimes I dislike myself or what I am basically,there are times that I wonder if a human called in for Philip ,maybe an ambulance would’ve arrived faster than the hour it took them after I had to try for seventeen times to speak to someone sensible since the first sixteen dropped it the moment I told them that I am an android, they’d laughed and told me to try my prank on the 1^st of April.I had to stay with him even after he took his last birth ,gave me all his passwords and security numbers to give to Pete on his eighteenth birthday and a plan to free him or hope that I will free him a part of me fears that I can be able to free him physically but emotionally he'll remain chained and kept in this place.One of Philip's favorite sayings floated to my mind

"When you repeat something to yourself you end up believing it and when you start believing it you start embracing it"

Sometimes I wonder what Pete repeats to himself ,what does he believe and what he's about to embrace

I am waiting for next year hopefully Pete will be in one piece since he’ll be legal and we can run and never look back.Yeah I am be scraps of metal but my buddy made me to accompany Pete and that is what I’ll do until he’s whole enough to greet Giselle ,one pretty girl in his class that always smiles at him.

Lights are off that means the Beast has had his fill for the day,let me go in and comfort my Friend.Scraps or not I believe that a little bit kindness,caring and consideration will make this space brighter .