Moonlight

‘I don’t understand this’ she gestured at her eyes. ‘The wetness comes by itself.’

‘You’re crying,’ said Kim. ‘When I cry, it’s usually because I’m very sad or upset. If something I don’t like has happened or if I’m worried or frightened.’ 

Initially she’d assumed clones didn’t have emotions, but she’d seen Xavier experience enjoyment yesterday, and just now, something resembling determination when he stopped them calling Jean-Claude.

The afternoon sun fell across Emma’s face and Kim saw despair there.

‘I feel- something. I am fearful for what is to come. Even though we were separated, by communicating together with the APRS we have begun to grow and learn naturally. I understand something of human nature now. Xavier says if the designers recover us they will wipe our circuits and reprogram us to be a great deal more aggressive. I don’t want to be used like that.’

Kim stroked her back, trying to comfort her.

‘I felt this way when the people opened the box. Inside the facility it was always warm and the lights were bright. Outside, everything was very different. There was no colour and what light there was gave no heat.’

‘That’s probably because it was moonlight,’ explained Kim. ‘Our world turns in space in such a way that during the day we face the sun, which gives us light and heat, but at night, we see only the moon which reflects a little of the sun’s light, but not its heat.’