Editing Amaryllis in the Ice Country:Chapter 10 (section)

===Mind Circuit=Viscaria===

In my blurry vision, <strong>I</strong> sense the end looming.

My lower body’s completely blown off, and my safety cables in my ripped abdomen are giving off sparks. Strangely though, I feel very calm. It’s probably because all my functions are damaged that my Mind Circuit is in a state of false death.

Before I know it, Götz is beside me. His right half is gone, and the remaining left half is completely disfigured.

“Götz…”

I call out for him, with a teeny-weeny voice.

“What…is it, you ask…?”

He responds, but it sounds like a processed, robotic voice,

“You…still alive…?”

It’s a stupid question. But this is the one thing I really want to know.

“Still…alive…am, thy…”

“Oh…then, good…”

We continue to converse without moving. This is the only thing we can do.

“Götz…”

“What…do you ask…?”

“What about, the rest…?”

“Not sure…am I…here…”

“Oh…”

I want to turn my eyes, but my vision’s fixed, and I can’t move. I can’t move my head, and my wireless is damaged.

Thus, I can only continue to converse with Götz.

“Still, alive…?”

“Still, alive…yes…”

I ask again. At this point, I just want to hear his voice.

“Götz…”

“What, do you ask…?”

“Still alive…?”

“Yes…still alive…am I…”

Within the few seconds, I continue to repeat the same question. Without doing so, I have a feeling that I’ll be pulled into the dark abyss of fear. Having lived for more than a hundred years, I finally realize, so robots do fear death.

“Still…alive…?” “Still…alive…am I…” “Still alive…?” “Still alive…am I…” Such a rhetorical conversation continues like a process. Götz’s left hand is hold my right hand, the warmth of his palm so inexplicably adorable, and leaves me elated.

“Götz…”

“…”

There’s no answer.

“Götz…?”

I keep call for his name, and timidly open my eyes. His silver body, stained in black grease, is completely dented as he remains still.

I close my eyes, and with a quivering voice, I finally ask,

“Have you already passed on…?”