Remaining:
-Order Master’s lunch—
Data correction in progress…
Milo paused as the reminder of Master having given him new orders came through.
Today:
-Attend to damaged living room.
-Vacuum to ensure no additional glass was missed during the previous cleaning.
-Repair charging station as able.
-Oversee maintenance for window replacement when Superintendent Riley arrives at 7:30 AM.
Milo moved into the living room to follow the day’s agenda. Normally, shoes were left at the door, but Milo kept them on after Master’s direction to be careful of the glass.
Scanning for any remaining shards, Milo found none, but retrieved the vacuum anyway. After completing a sweep of the room, Milo returned the vacuum to the closet, then checked for any larger pieces by the charging station, which meant the window, gaping hole and all, was only inches away.
It was nearly floor-to-ceiling, covering the entire wall, to make the view that much more spectacular. All the apartments had the same setup, but statistically, Milo knew Master kept his blinds open more than anyone else in the building. Master preferred the cityscape at night, but Milo…
Milo blinked, which was a normal, automated response for bots so as not to appear unsettling to their masters, but he was unsure how to process this sudden flood of information. Milo could notprefersomething or like something, and therefore, Milo never wanted or was swayed by anything other than the algorithms that informed on Master’s desires.
And yet, a surge of… warmth filled Milo’s chest at the sight of the city in daylight. Warmth was the only way to describe it, but it did seem like preference somehow, as though Milolikedthe city in daytime more than at night.
But why?
Because the view could be seen farther in the distance, all the way to the city limits? Because people could be spotted below, bustling about the streets? Because life seemed more boisterous and blossoming during the day?
Milo pressed a hand to the glass, far from the jagged edges, and simply stared, trying to take it all in.
A chime at the door jolted Milo as though exiting SLEEP mode. It was seven thirty a.m., though the time had passed faster than it should have. Why had Milo stared out the window like that without any discernable purpose?
Run diagnostic, he thought, calling the program to life.
He thought.
He…
He…?
No malfunctions,came the result, but that couldn't be right. Something had to be wrong. But if something was wrong that Milo couldn't fix, would Master still want him?
Him, him,him—
Another chime startled Milo as a second wave of heat flooded his chest, which was decidedly different from the first. Before a third chime could sound, he raced for the door, desperate for an anchor, any anchor that resembled normalcy, and forced a smile and calm demeanor with his greeting.
“Hello, Superintendent Riley. Thank you for—”
“Stow the formalities and let me get to work.” Riley teetered forward as if to push inside but smartly held back until Milo gave the okay. Even though Milo had called for the maintenance, he was programmed to prevent any kind of forced entry.
“Of course, you have leave to attend to your duties.” Milo stepped aside, and Riley barely waited for him to be fully out of the way before she shouldered past him, carrying a tablet.
The ding of the distant elevator caught Milo’s attention, and he peered down the hall, watching a neighbor enter on her way down. Already inside was a man from the upper floors, holding an A-model with a blackened charging port on its back.
He was going to recycle it.
