12 Hours

" I hate time," I said.

" Who doesn't?" Bryson asked.

" Old people like my grandma. She always talks about how precious time is." I said.

" Well time is precious, you have to spend it wisely," he said.

I sighed and shook my head.

" No, time is the bearer of bad news," I said.

"And how it the bearer of bad news?" he asked.

" It comes up to you and says, sorry but your gonna die someday I don't know when so spend it wisely," I said.

" Dang," he sighed.

" My point exactly," I said.

Bryson looked out at the city and closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

" Well we're not gonna die here, but we do have to use our time wisely," said Bryson.

I looked at Bryson surly.

" That's not true, and we need to go trick that woman instead of talking about time and death," I said

He nodded his head.

" Right, you compliment and I woo," he said.

I gave him a reassuring nod.

" Correct," I said.

Bryson smiles and put his hands together.

" Ok, let's get it!" he said.

I looked at Bryson meditatively.

" Was that really necessary?" I asked.

" Everything is necessary," he said.

The female robot was heading to what looked like a small bakery. It had a sign hanging above the door with some robot language carved into it.

" Is this a bakery?" Bryson asked.

" It looks like one, but it doesn't smell like one," I said.

Their so-called bakery smelled nothing like a bakery. It smelled like a paper mill.

" God, what are they doing in here, burning dead robots?" said Bryson.

" It's a trick," I said.

I narrowed my eyes at the bakery door and shook my head.

" What?"

" Whoever built this bakery intended to trick all the other robots that come in here," I said.

" Why would they want to trick other robots?" he asked.

" That's what I'm trying to figure out," I said.

There was a counter in the back of the bakery where the cash register and a service bell was and next to it was a metal door that looked like it would lead to a storage closet.

" You see that metal door over there?" I said pointing to the back of the bakery.

" Yeah, why?"

" I think that might lead to the smell," I said.

" You think I am gonna go explore something we probably shouldn't explore?" he asked.

" We have to explore to get answers, and those answers should lead to their energy source," I said.

Bryson looked at me and gave me an obstinate look.

" How about you explore it and I stay out here and keep watch," he said.

" What if I get killed in there? How are you gonna find out, because you won't if you're standing out here like a coward." I said.

" Fine....." he sighed.

" This is a no pouting zone," I said as I waved my finger in is face.

I began to go through my bag to pick out a weapon that could help me if I was being shot at by a robot, but then Bryson stopped.

" Are you sure we need weapons?" he asked.

" Yes, I'm sure," I said.

" Are you positive?" he asked.

I looked at him and gave him a straight face.

" Yes, I'm positive," I said.

" Only fools are positive," he said.

" You only asked if I was positive to say that didn't you?" I asked.

" Yeah." he laughed.

I shook my head and sighed.

" But on a serious note, earlier you said the robots would only attack you when you pulled out a weapon," he said.

" Huh, you've got a point," I said.

" But if they start shooting you, then, of course, we gotta light em' up," he said.

Bryson and I decided to only pull out our weapons when needed.

We started to walk over there until the woman robot stopped us.

" Hello," she said.

" Hello," we said in unison.

" What are your names?" she asked.

Bryson and I looked at each other then we looked at her.

" We are Prototypes," said Bryson.

" No, your technology looks advanced. You must be Generations," she said.

" Mm-hm," I nodded.

" Excuse me?" she said.

" What?" Bryson said.

" You spoke a language I don't have in my system," she said.

" Oh well-"

I nudged Bryson in the shoulder then gave him "the look".

" Oh sorry, We actually have to go," I said.

" Where?" she asked.

" Somewhere," said Bryson.

" Where is somewhere?" she asked.

" Over there," Bryson said pointing behind him.

She was actually foolish enough to believe we were going to where Bryson was pointing and looked back. Bryson and I took advantage of that and ran towards the door and before she could notice we left, we were already inside.

" That was a close one," said Bryson.

I looked at him and nodded my head.

" I guess we can't trick her anymore," I said.

" Yeah, you can't trick the same robot twice," he said.

" Is she still out there?" I asked.

" I don't know," he replied.

Bryson looked out the small glass window to see if she was still in the bakery.

" She's actually still looking in the direction where I was pointing," he said.

" Are you kidding me?" I said.

Bryson looked at me and shook his head.

" No, this proves how dumb robots are," he said.

" They should have taught robots common sense instead of how to be superior to others," I said.

" Well if they would have taught them common sense, we wouldn't have made it in here," he said.

After he said that, I began to realize I couldn't tell where we were.

" Speaking of, where are we?" I said while turning around.

I turned my head slowly to see if there were robots in here. There was little light where we were, in fact, there was hardly any light at all. There were a few lights on the ceiling that were on, but they kept flickering on and off constantly.

" Do you see any robots?" Bryson asked.

" Not from where I'm standing," I said.

I slowly walked forward while continuously looking left and right to make sure there were no robots.

" Still no sign of them?" Bryson asked.

" No, I don't think anyone's here," I said

I noticed there were rows of floating metal bars with something hanging on them. There wasn't a lot of light, so it was hard to see. I walked closer to it to see what it was.

" Oh my gosh." I gasped.

" What?" Bryson asked.

There were rows of robots just hanging from the metal bars, they weren't actually attached to them though.

" This is a storage closet, a storage closet for robots," I said.

I looked back and saw Bryson still looking around to make are there weren't any robots.

" Come over here and look at this," I said.

" Look at what?" Bryson asked while walking towards me.

He walked up to me and gave me a puzzled look, then turned in the direction I was looking at.

" Oh," he gasped.

" They just have a bunch of dead robots hanging in here waiting to be used," I said.

" What do you think they use them for?" he asked.

" To replace robots that have been destroyed, and security purposes," I said.

" My question is, how come they don't have any advanced ones premade?" he asked.

" That's a good question," I said.

" Maybe they have them in a different storage unit," he said.

" Or maybe they don't produce extra ones because they wouldn't need extra ones," I said.

" Why wouldn't they need extra for the advanced robots?" he asked.

" Because how would they get destroyed? They don't fight in the city." I said.

" They live regular lives. They are born, they mate, reproduce then die. They programmed them to live just like us." said Bryson.

" So my question is, which robots are they sending over there? The army ones or the human-like ones?" I said.

" They are probably sending both over there, but the human-like ones will stay sheltered somewhere until they kill every last human," he said.

" That must have been what happened here," I said as I looked at the robots.

" But I thought this whole thing started here?" he asked as he looked at me.

" Technically we don't know where this robot community started, we were just sent here by the boss man," I said.

" Well, why don't we just ask him?" Bryson suggested.

" What good would that do us?" I asked.

" Well what if the energy source isn't even in this building?" he said.

I paused for a second to think about what Bryson had just said. What if the energy source isn't here? What if it's in another building? Then I thought about the sign that was in the main lobby said something about fuel.

" The energy source isn't here Bryson," I said.

" How can you be so sure?" he asked.

" Because the sign in the main hallway pointed in a different direction that isn't here," I said.

" Oh yeah, I'm glad you remembered that because I worried myself for a second," he said.

" Gosh, you always worry me," I said.

" We need to get out here," he said.

Bryson and I walked back towards the door we came in, and when we got to the door Bryson began to jiggle the handle but it wouldn't budge.

" We don't have time to waste Bryson, come on," I said.

" It won't move, it's stuck," he said.

" What do you mean it's stuck?" I said.

" The handle is stuck, it won't open," he said.

I groaned and rolled my eyes.

" Move out of the way," I said.

I pushed Bryson out of the way so I could try and open the door. I thought Bryson's lack of strength was the reason the door wouldn't open but when I tried to turn it, it wouldn't open. The handle wouldn't budge.

" See, it's not just me," Bryson said.

I rested my head on the door and squeezed the door handle.

" You've got to be kidding me," I said.

" No, I'm being serious. I mean you just tried opening it yourself and it wouldn't," said Bryson.

" Not you, this whole situation! Were locked in here!" I yelled.

" Well, this is officially a death mission," he said.

" How are we supposed to get out?" I asked.

" I don't know, break the handle," he said.

I lifted my head up and gave him a negative expression.

" That is literally the dumbest thing you've said all day," I said.

"Dumbest, really? I know you're just saying things because you're upset, but that was mean," he said.

" I am saying things because I'm frustrated, but I meant what I just said."

" Well then...." he said.

" I didn't mean it to come out like that, I didn't mean it to sound mean or anything," I said.

" Listen, I'm not going to get all sensitive to you, but you gotta lower your mean level," he said.

I sighed and backed away from the door.

" You're right, I'll lower my so-called mean level," I said.

" We need to put our personal issues aside and figure out how to bust out of this joint," he said.

" Ok, the only way we can get out of here is this door," I said.

" Well, what if there is another door on the other side of this room?" Bryson said.

" You really wanna walk the perimeter of this huge room?" I asked.

" This room isn't that big," said Bryson.

" Ok, go walk down there and tell me how small it is," I said.

" Fine," he said.

Bryson started walking towards the right side of the room.

About five minutes passed and Bryson was still walking.

" Ok, maybe you were right!" Bryson yelled.

" Yeah, I know! I just wanted you to figure it out yourself!"I yelled back.

" Pure evil!" he yelled.

I laughed inside my head. He finally made it back to where I was roughly five minutes later.

" So what did you learn?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes and lightly pushed me.

" Shut up," he said.

" Thanks to you, we just wasted ten minutes," I said.

" Sorry for trying to prove you wrong for once," he said.

" Why? Does it really matter if I'm right or wrong?" I asked.

" Yes because I am always wrong you are always right."

" Incorrect, I have been wrong before, you pointed it out," I said.

" See! There you go again proving someone wrong," he said.

" I was just trying to point out that you're right too," I said.

" Well stop, it's not working," he said.

" Hey, you said you wouldn't go all sensitive on me if I wouldn't be as mean," I said.

" You making the effort to prove me wrong is being mean. So we both didn't uphold our end of the bargain," he said.

I gasped and folded my arms.

" That's unfair, I was only trying to help you and actually I wasn't being mean at all," I said.

" Actually you were, and still are being mean."

I rolled my eyes and began to walk away from Bryson.

" You know what, you can stay in here and pout like the spoiled brat you are while I make the effort to get out of here," I said while continuing to walk away.

" Spoiled brat really?" he said.

" I really try to be nice to you Bryson, I really freaking do but you make it so hard," I said.

" You make it hard to not take things personally when all you do is say hurtful things," he said.

I stopped and spun around.

" I say the truth, and it's not my fault your parents were always sweet and treated you like their little boy!" I yelled.

Bryson angrily took a step towards me.

" Do not bring my parents into this!" he yelled.

" Why? What are you going to do?" I asked.

Bryson stopped for a second then gave me a scary look.

" Kill you," he said.

I stopped and looked at him. He actually said he would kill me if I talked about his parents.

" I didn't think you would stoop so low," I said softly.

He sighed and put his hand on his head.

" I didn't mean it, Alex, I just wanted to say something to shut you up because honestly, you were right," he said.

" So your problem is you hate being wrong," I said.

" No, I just hate being the dumb one in the group," he said.

I looked at Bryson sincerely and walked towards him.

" C'mon Bryson, you're not dumb," I said.

He looked at me then looked down.

" Don't do this Alex," he said.

" Don't do what?" I asked as I looked at him.

" Don't be nice to me. Every time you're nice to me you make me wanna kiss you," he said.

Kiss me? Does he want to kiss me every time I'm nice to him?

" Really?" I said awkwardly.

" Yeah, there is no point in hiding it anymore Alex," he said.

" Yeah, I guess not," I said awkwardly.

" When I tried to kiss you before it wasn't an in the moment kind of thing," he said.

" Then what was it?" I asked.

He looked up at me and stared deep into my eyes.

" We shouldn't get into this Alex," he said.

" No it's fine, I don't mind listening to you," I said.

" We won't see each other for the rest of our lives after this so what's the point in talking about a fantasy," he said.

That was probably the deepest thing Bryson had said all day. He thought of our future as a fantasy, and if you look at it in a positive way it's a good thing. Fantasies can be good and well Bryson and I being together is a-ok fantasy. I've never really thought of us being together, I guess because we have been arguing over pointless stuff.

" Fantasy?" I asked.

" We need to figure out how to get out of here," he said.

I guess he was going to pretend he never said that.

I nodded my head and sighed.

" Right," I said.

" Yeah, I know I'm right," he said.

And the old Bryson is back.

" Well if the only way to get out is this door, we just have to pick the lock," I said.

" It locks on the outside, not the inside," he said.

" I mean we need something hard and thin to fit into the slot where the metal bar goes into to keep the door shut," I said.

" A credit card like object?" he asked.

" Exactly," I said.

Bryson and I started to look around for objects that were thin and hard, but the only things we could find were pieces of scrap metal.

" This place is useless." he wined.

" Don't complain, we just gotta think harder," I said.

" Think hard about what? We are going to die in here," he said.

" Thinking like that we just might," I said.

" We should just accept our fate, and spend our last hours wisely," Bryson said.

I continued to look for anything that could help us while Bryson moped in a corner going on and on about how this is our fate. Unfortunately, I found nothing that could help us.

" You give up yet smart one?" said Bryson.

" We will have to figure out how to get out of here another way," I said.

" There is no other way Alex!" he said.

I turned and looked at Bryson with fury.

" I'm not accepting death Bryson, not yet," I said.

" Fine, but when you do, tell me. We can cry together," he said.

I rolled my eyes and continued to look around and see if anything in this room could help us. I tried not to think negative thoughts, but there was absolutely nothing in here that could help us. Was this it? Is this seriously how I'm going to die? I was only trying to help my poor family, and now I was going to die and they were going to lose the house and everything. I walked over to where Bryson was sitting and sat next to him.

" Welcome to the crying club," said Bryson.

" I don't wanna cry, I just wanna sit here in silence," I said.

I looked at Bryson the sighed. He nodded his head and put his hand on my shoulder.

" Don't worry, I'm not going to try and kiss you," he said.

I chuckled at that comment. That's one good thing about Bryson, he can make the saddest of times a little bit happier.

" I wish I had some beer right about now," said Bryson.

" You drink?" I asked.

" Yeah, I used to sneak some from my pop's mini-fridge all the time," he said.

" My mom used to drink when I was younger, but when she had my sister she decided to stop," I said.

" My dad was kind of like that. My mom cheated on my dad with his brother and my dad found out. I would come home and he'd be knocked out cold on the sofa with ten bottles surrounding him." said Bryson.

" I'm so sorry," I said as I looked at Bryson wearily.

" Who can blame him though? What kind of monster cheats on you with family?" he said.

" Your mom I guess," I said.

Bryson gave me a " seriously?" facial expression.

" Sorry, it just slipped out," I said apologetically.

" Yeah, it slipped out just like how my mom's panties slipped out of her pants," he said.

I accidentally chuckled. Bryson just roasted his own mother.

" Oops, that just slipped out," Bryson said sarcastically.

We both started laughing.

" We can't just sit here and let our lives wither away," I said.

" Why not? We were just laughing," he said.

" We have a family to return to, we have lives to live," I said.

" Ok Brown, I'm in," he said.

I got up off the ground and faced Bryson.

" Nah Nah, Nah Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah." I hummed.

" Are you humming the We're All In This Together song from Highschool Musical?" he asked.

" Maybe," I mumbled.

" Weirdo," Bryson said.

Bryson held his hand out for me to help him up.

" Are you heavy?" I asked.

" I don't know, I'm a guy."

" Ok, we're going to do this crossing our arms, it will make it easier."

" For who?"

" Just give me your right hand," I said.

I grabbed Bryson's right hand with my right hand and his left hand with my left hand and pulled him up off the ground.

" Hmm, that was easy," he said.

I raised my eyebrows and nodded my head.

" See? Told you." I said.

" So, how do you plan on getting out of here?" he asked.

I looked around to see what could I possibly use to get out of here, then it dawned on me. There are tons of dead robots here! I turned and looked at Bryson and grabbed his shoulders.

" We can use the robots!" I said.

" What?"

" The robots, we can use them," I said.

" How?" Bryson asked.

" We can turn them on and get them to shoot at the door," I said.

" How exactly are we supposed to get them to shoot at the door?" he asked.

" Well if they are like the other robots that were following me, we can just pull a weapon out then stand in front of the door and dodge the laser," I said.

" You can do that by yourself," he said.

" C'mon Bryson," I whined.

" Nope, no way," he said.

" Do you want to live?" I asked.

He looked at me and tilted his head.

" I'm still deciding," he said.

" Fine, I'll do this on my own. I'll escape on my own and leave you here to rot." I said.

" Rot?" he said.

" Yes, rot. Your body will decay and turn into maggots." I said.

" That's disgusting, nevermind I've made up my mind. I'll live," he said.

" Thought so," I said.

" So, you know for this to work, we have to actually turn it own," he said.

" Duh, I'm not an idiot," I said.

I looked at the robots carefully to see if they had an on or off switch, then I noticed that the green fluid in the tube on their chest wasn't green, it was brown.

" Bryson, come look at this," I said.

" Look at what?" he asked.

Bryson walked over to where I was standing.

" I don't understand, what am I looking at?" he asked.

" The green fluid, in the tube in their chest isn't green, it's brown," I said.

" Huh, I wonder why," he said sarcastically.

" Maybe it's only green when the robot is alive," I said.

" Well how come when we killed the robots outside their fluid didn't turn brown," he said.

" Because we shot the tube," I said.

" So," he said.

" We damaged their system, we didn't shut it down," I said.

" I still don't get it," he said.

" Well--," I said.

" I didn't say I wanted to understand," he said.

" Whatever, help me get this down," I said.

Bryson picked me up by my waist so I could unhook the robot from the metal bar. When I unhooked it, I forgot that the robots would be heavy. As soon as I picked it up, it fell to the ground.

" Crap," I said looking down at the robot that had just fallen.

Bryson put me down slowly, then looked at the robot that had just fallen.

" I hope it's not broken," he said.

" I mean it did fall a couple of feet from the ground," I said.

" So how do we start it up?" he asked.

" Well if there isn't an on and off switch, we have to do what you do to turn a car on," I said.

" Jumpstart it?" Bryson asked.

" Is that what it's called?" I asked.

" Yeah, that's easy. My pops and I do it all the time," he said.

" Oh my gosh, you can do it, do that thing you said," I said.

" Jumpstart, it's called jumpstarting," he said.

" Listen, I'm not some car genius," I said.

" Neither am I, but everyone knows what it means to jumpstart a car," he said.

" Not everyone, I didn't know about it," I said.

" Yeah because you're you," I said.

" What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

Bryson rolled his eyes and shook his head.

" Nevermind, let's just get started on this," he said.

" Whatever, "I said.

Bryson got down on his knees and searched for the area where you could unscrew a part of the robot to get to its technical system.

" Hey, do you know how much time we have left?" I asked.

Before he could even answer, his watch started beeping. He sighed then looked down at it.

" We have seven hours left," he said.