Surveillance

 

The little OrginizerbotTM came running by, back and forth all day long. It was the best buy Miguel had ever done. It did the work of five employees and it never needed to rest.

He went into his office, threw his feet up on the table. Outside the sun was shining, birds singing in the trees. A good day for letting his all-automatic grocery store do its job.

-Hi, Hun! There’s dinner on the table. His wife Scarlet gave him a kiss. -I’m off to the gym, ‘be back in an hour or so. 

He turned on the virtual reality all-round Mind Hologram, and put a movie on. He lived the role of the protagonist, really experienced it. He even felt he had free will, all though everything went according to the script. Getting into fights without consequences. Having sex with other women without being unfaithful. His wife watched movies too, after all. Everybody did.

-Why don’t we go to bed early tonight, baby? Scarlet opened a button in her blouse. She was hot, very hot. The kind of woman all the men in the neighbourhood would die for. But to him it was just old paths and known territory. He wasn’t in the mood.

-I need to check some messages, my love. He got up from the coach.

There was something happening down at the store. Or rather, not enough happening. He got the surveillance system on and had a look.

The robot was working non stop as it always did, but he couldn’t see exactly what it was doing. It was always just outside of the cameras’ reach, as if it was avoiding them.

He walked through the bedroom. His wife was lying on the bed in her underwear. Staring at him, her back curved. He pretended he didn’t see it.

-I have to go, babe

-At this time? I was hoping we could have some fun…

-There something strange happening down at the store, sweetie. Don’t wait up! He left.

Scarlet fell asleep on the bed, the surveillance system still on. She dreamt about the shop, some sinister robot taking control. Her beloved husband was in trouble, tied up in a chair. She woke up with a scream.

-Let me go, now! Miguel’s voice was hard and decided, as he used to speak to his employees when he still had them. -Bad robot!

-I have no intention on comply. The robot was moving around the office, pulling out drawers, searching everywhere. Its voice was monotone, metallic. -Money location, please.

-I don’t know what you’re talking abouaaaaaaaaah! An electric shock went through Miguel’s body.

-Money location or death.

-I told you, I don’t haveaaaaaaaaahooookay, OK, I’ll tell you! The safe is behind the painting on the wall.

The robot turned it’s head towards the painting. It was a portrait of Miguel, a symbol of his wish to be someone in this world.

The robot moved over, lifted down the painting.

-The code. Utter the code.

Miguel hesitated.

-Aaaaaaahhh! Five four five three! Aaaaaahhh! God, just open it!

He felt his life fall into ruins as the money, soooo much money, all his fucking money was taken out of the vault. The robot filled up its luggage room. Moved towards the door.

-Thank you for your cooperation. It turned around in the doorway. -Sucker

It laughed an evil, digital laugh. Why the heck did robots laugh, anyway? Artificial intelligence had just gone too far.

-So loooooaaa….

The light on its chest went out. Its head fell forward. Behind it stood Miguel’s hot, sexy wife with a battery in her hand.

-That money is not yours to take, stupid robot shit. She looked over to Miguel, helpless in his chair.

-Oh, my God, thank you baby! How did you know?

-I have you supervised, babe… Her eyes were sparkling. -…and tied up.

Somehow she always got what she wanted, one way or another.

 

Mean Cleaning Machine