Gil heaves out a dry cough. He called me in to assist him with a task but it seems he has already forgotten. He mutters something quick to himself as he finally puts down his screwdriver and turns the metallic head to face him once more. He presses the button at the nape of its neck and–
Nothing. He holds onto the edge of his work table and takes a deep breath. Gil grabs the head, caressing its face, and brushing his fingers through its hair. Holding the head as one would hold a baby, he collapses onto the floor. I stand by the front door awkwardly and am unsure of my purpose at this moment.
I turn my head to look out the circular window behind me and see Jaslene sitting on the land, a few steps away from the door, humming as she holds Mewpiter tightly tucked into her chest. Her head is down low, and her shoulder is slumped. She doesn’t bother to push back her hair away from her face. I barely see her eyes. I walk outside to join her but she doesn’t acknowledge me. She’s staring intensely across space to Princess and Gabriel who have finished work for the day. Both seem concerned. In the back, Gil continues to cough intensely.
“He’s dying.” Her words fly out with such certainty, it is hard not to believe her. My mind begins to spiral. Who would I be if I no longer have someone to assist? If Gil passes, do I pass alongside him?
And as if we had summoned him, his meek voice reaches us on the outside.
“Coop…” I walk back into his room. Now, instead of holding the head, he’s holding a small, tiny flash drive. He gestures for me to sit down on his work bench and I oblige, looking up at him patiently waiting for what he seems nervous to say. From this angle, I see once more the small mole under his chin. Have I ever seen the top of his head?
“I don’t know if it’s a secret, but I hate my life here. I’ve always tried to hide it from Jaslene. She deserves to enjoy her time here. After all, it was my selfish choice to put her here.”
“I doubt she sees it as selfish.”
“Do you really believe that?” He laughs half-heartedly. “She does nothing all day but dream about being on Earth.” I can’t disagree. Even now, I know how much she wishes for Mewpiter to be a live being. How much she wishes for herself to be a live being. And yet something inside of me wants to counter all the points he makes. It’s not as bad as it seems. If that were the case, I would be miserable too. And I’m not.
“Well, her family is here. Earth is nothing but a fantasy world for her.”
“Except that it isn’t. This is the fantasy world.” Gil laughs once more. “I made it all up!” He begins to fling his arms wildly. “I made you up! I made Jaslene up!” He pauses, then turns away to start organizing the various tools at my right side.
“And how about her?” I gesture to the unfinished metal head. The creaks of my knees echo louder in this tiny room than they ever have as I gently swing them back and forth. My words seem to hit a nerve as Gil crouches down; smaller, smaller, and smaller. His head rests on the bench as I begin to hear a soft whimper from below. A rhythmic thud starts beating.
“She’s real. She’s real.” The thuds stop. “She was real.” I jump down off the workbench and take a seat next to Gil on the floor. I reach a hand out to pat his back, but hesitate and drop it back at my side. It scrapes against the white metal of the floor. Suddenly his head jolts up. His head turns to look down at me at his side. Gil’s eyes are wild. Intense. I can’t fathom what is in his brain.
“Nadine needs my help.” He shuffles his body to face me, and grabs my shoulders with such ferocity, I can almost imagine pain. “I need your help.” He sets his legs up to stand up, but not before taking hold of my left hand. Together we stand but I almost lose my balance. The once nicely organized tools are now in disarray as he reaches for the flashdrive he had placed down but a few moments before. In one swift motion he flips a latch in the palm of my hand I did not know was there previously. I jolt back. He reaches for my hand again, but I am too fast.
“What are you doing?”
“My body will fail me. I know that much. But Cooper please!” He falls on his knees and begs, never breaking contact. I hear his throat go dry, and his eyes glaze over. Out the front door window, I see Jaslene look up. Gil takes this moment of distraction to grab my hand once again. This time I’m unable to release from his grip. “I can’t die. Not yet.” He’s frantic and begins muttering sounds I am unable to understand. He fumbles with the drive for a moment but plunges it into my hand. I watch him as he falls back in relief, just as my own body hits the floor.