Page 18

Chapter eighteen

Nora

Atmosphere sweep? Nora wiped her brow, pushing her hair back. She squinted up at Tilly. “Did the radio say what day, Tilly?”

Tilly came out of the house, excited. The sun was already high in the sky, and the dust had calmed down after the sandstorm. The sky did have a darkened tinge to it and a thick haze, but it was clear enough they could be outside a bit. It was the first time they had been able to leave the house for around four days, now that the haze had settled down.

Nora took advantage of the sun coming out and was busy weeding in the garden with Simon, hands full of dirt. More weeds had sprung up from all the rain they had.

“The radio said on Friday. And it’s Sunday now, so that’s in . . .” Tilly lifted up her fingers to tick them off, counting. “Four more days.”

Simon chimed in, “Five, Tilly.” And then he showed her how to count properly on his hand.

Nora looked on, amused. Days of the week are still the same, huh. She sat back, sweaty, and took a drink of water. Back to being hot and hazy as all get-out again now that the dust from the storm has cleared. The reprieve from the rain was long gone.

Nora turned her attention back to the garden and they fell back into a comfortable silence together. Over the last few days, being cooped up together, they found themselves working side by side in silence a lot. It was nice. In a lot of ways Simon reminded her of herself. If something needed to get done, she dropped everything and did it. And Simon joined in with no hesitation.

It also didn’t hurt that she was having fun watching Simon too. Can’t lie about that. Her eyes inevitably always settled on him as he worked. It had now been more than a week since he woke up, and every day working together felt more natural. Even the last couple of days, unable to do much and stuck in close quarters because of the haze, didn’t have the same awkwardness they did when he first woke up.

A routine was beginning to be established and Simon was so kind about helping. With anything, really. Nora had learned so much about writing and math over the last few days that her head spun, and the time they were cooped up indoors went by fast.

But also . . . with that familiarity came increased awareness. She caught her breath when his hands accidentally touched hers while gardening. Getting too comfortable . Her fingers slipped on whatever she was doing when he was near. More than once, Nora had to refocus herself and not keep her eyes on Simon’s frame as he worked. She gave him a lingering look over her gardening patch, her eyes falling to his hands. So strong. Watching pulled on a feeling, deep inside. The strength he had was evident, even in something as mundane as pulling weeds.

Nora looked away to beam up at Tilly while she held out a basket of vegetables they’d pulled. “Thanks for telling us about the sweep, Tilly. Here, bring these inside. Let me know if the radio gives any more updates, okay?”

“Okay.” Tilly took off, carrying the basket carefully in both hands.

There was a frown on Simon’s face as he turned to her and asked, “What is an atmosphere sweep?”

Nora answered as she leaned back over to the garden patch, keeping her gaze on the soil, “Probably happening because of that dust storm. The Mars colonies do them every month or so here. They’re trying to rebalance the atmosphere or something. Sort of how they terraformed Mars. I think it’s working, but it takes a long time. They let us know when the sweeps are happening and we run the air filter and stay inside. Kind of like we just did. Only usually just for the night.” She wiped her brow again as she considered the timing of when it was happening. “Let’s go into town tomorrow and trade in some of the stuff we found in the mall before the sweep gets here. Sometimes it doesn’t go exactly right and it gets really hazy again. Need more supplies.”

“Alright.”

Nora shook herself, feeling how that deep tone affected her. Her throat tightened. She stood and went by the chicken coop before grabbing a fabric sack. “Lemme get all the potatoes and stuff to bring inside.”

After working for another fifteen minutes or so, Nora took a break to drink some water, needing to cool down from the heat. The brief respite the rain had given clearing out the haze and heat was long gone. Let’s get this done and get into the AC. She adjusted her hair, her neck sweaty underneath where the sun had been shining on her hat and hair.

Simon extended his hand for the water bottle. “I could use some more as well.”

Nora handed the canteen over and watched him drink deep, standing a bit closer than she needed to. She watched his muscles flex under his shirt as he lifted his arms. I shouldn’t be looking at him like this. “We can ask about those extra oils for you too. I keep forgetting that you must be stiff still having just woken up. Maybe make a list tonight of what we need to get. Do you need anything else?”

After capping the canteen, Simon returned it. “I’m not so stiff as to be nonfunctional. Everything else is mostly operational. But yes, more silicone-based oils would help. Maybe more rubbing alcohol.” He gestured off into the distance and asked, “You said the town was located to the east?”

Nora pointed in the general direction they would take, the same way they went to the mall. “Yep. That way, up against an old dam they made. I know how to get there by sight but the hover also has a little map we follow.”

“A dam? So there’s water?”

“That’s right.” She leaned over and cinched the first bag she’d collected the vegetables in tight.

Simon didn’t resume weeding. Nora looked up at him and saw he was still gazing out in the distance, toward where she indicated. He pointed again to the horizon. “I would ask if the town was anywhere I knew, but nothing is the same here anymore.”

“Yeah, everything from your time was blown up I think. This one was built not too long ago.”

“If they can make a dam and have power, why did they not resurrect other technology? Like the internet? I can’t sense a connection anywhere.”

Nora caught herself leaning too close to Simon as he talked. She hauled herself back. Huh? In-ter-net? “I’ve never had that, so I don’t know what it is.”

“It’s a connection between people. Electronic, not physical. People talked with each other using it.”

Nora wrinkled her nose. “Like the radio?”

A low chuckle left him. “No. It was . . . interactive.”

Nora’s mind spun, her hands keeping busy collecting vegetables. A lot of the knowledge about old technology was suppressed and lost over the years. “Oh, that makes sense. All the interactive technology was destroyed. The bulletin board in town is the only big thing we got. I don’t think Mars likes us being too connected.”

“Why not?”

Nora shrugged. She didn’t have any answer, let alone a good one. “Dunno. Just always been that way. Maybe they’re afraid of us getting too much technology again like before and having even more damage happen to the Earth. Humanity might not be thriving, but at least it’s surviving, for now.”

Simon settled down next to her to help, adding a few potatoes to her bag. His tone was frustrated. “Mars doesn’t seem like it makes much sense with their rules. The whole thing is not logical.”

Tell me about it. Nora let out a bitter laugh. “That I agree with. I haven’t been able to figure it out my whole life. Maybe you can; you seem to know so much more than me.”

“You shouldn’t sell yourself short, Nora.” His tone was soft and measured, and the words hung in the air.

Her cheeks reddened as she became aware of just how close he stood. Always so damn kind. She stomped her feet and brushed at her knees to remove the dirt before waving her hands at the garden. “I think we got everything we could.”

Nora cinched up the second vegetable bag as well, shaking her limbs to get the stiffness out from sitting. She looked above and extended a finger. “You see that?” In the distance was the drone again, still watching.

The drone soared above. It made her gut swirl with anxiety whenever she noticed it. Always watching us lately. “That thing is confusing too. It’s hovering more. Always overhead, just watching. But anyways, in the same direction as that drone is the town. Just gotta see the town I think, to understand.”

She caught Simon’s frown. “Yes, I noticed. Maybe the drone is around more because of the atmosphere?”

“Maybe.”

With a dirt-covered hand he pointed at it. “I can sense maybe some sort of connection from it, but it’s inaccessible.”

“Oh? That’s interesting. I mean it makes sense, the drone probably being from Mars and all.”

Nora watched Simon work more, never stopping, and felt something more than just the sun and the surveillance from above. An unwelcome flush ran through her as her eyes kept returning to Simon’s strong hands, watching his every movement. I need a second to myself. I’m just . . . She toed the ground next to him, closing her eyes. “I need to cool off for a minute. I’ll go in the garage a bit, gotta check the supplies for tomorrow. I’ll be back in a few.”

“Alright, Nora.” Simon stayed focused on the garden area.

A heat filled her body. Nora averted her gaze again from Simon as she walked away. I know this feeling. How can I be attracted to him? The hell is wrong with me . . . She winced. I don’t like it. She never wanted to have any relations or feelings like that again. Even if Tilly was the result.

Maybe it was just natural to feel this way? After such close proximity and friendship? Maybe I’m not crazy? Simon was always by her side, helping. And her body was starting to feel warm when she was near him, complete with a chorus of fluttering in her stomach.

Ah, damn . . . She quickened her footsteps. Damn, damn.

She had lost the fear of Simon sometime over the last few days, seeing him trying so hard to help her and being so gentle with Tilly in that calm and measured way of his. Him teaching her to read also helped with that. The lessons had continued for Tilly and her both during a good part of the few days they were cooped up.

The whole time, so kind. She shook her head as she walked. And not only kind, but not saying one word of judgment regarding her life and attempts to learn. In fact, he seemed to pick up that she was embarrassed and went out of his way to not say anything. Simon is no longer a stranger. At all. What is he now? To us? To me?

Once Nora was out of his sight, she leaned against the side of the stucco wall outside for a moment, then yanked on her hair in frustration. I’m so foolish. The thought lingered as she pushed off the wall and walked all the way inside the garage, hoping the shade in there would cool her off. Maybe being alone for a second might let those improper thoughts settle, away from the source.

She sank down next to her hover and leaned her head against its metal side. Now, away, she tried to think of something else, but . . . It’s not working. She still felt heated, thinking about Simon. Her body folded in on itself as she thought about his hands that moved with machine precision, and his infinite patience. How he stood with such cool confidence when he walked. And just how gentle he was. At every interaction. A sardonic smile crossed her lips. The first thing that doesn’t treat us like something that came in on the bottom of their shoe, and this is how I act? Nora reached up and pulled on her hair harder.

No, it’s more than that. Her mind unwillingly brought back the time earlier, walking over the rubble at the mall, where she stumbled and Simon grabbed her to stop her fall, his grip so firm. Like it was nothing to brace her until her feet found her footing again. A shiver ran down her spine.

“He is just an android,” Nora repeated to herself, quietly, trying to get a grip on her wayward emotions. But maybe it was because he was an android that she noticed him the way she did. Heaven knows I never felt this way about any of the real human men. Her heart pounded and she stretched out in the garage, disgusted with herself. I don’t want any sort of man anymore. Nora’s eyes closed as she fell into the sensation, feeling a yearning in her gut. But Simon. Does he really fall into that same category? Time slipped away as she got lost in the feelings stirred within her.

And she didn’t see Simon come in until he was right beside her.

“Nora?” he said in that soft way of his, startling her.

Nora stood fast, blood rushing to her head, leg knocking into the hover in her haste. Oh. She caught her breath, reaching for a casual tone. “Yes?”

Simon didn’t press forward but stayed a step back, staring at her intently. “Are you alright? Your cheeks are flushed and my sensors say you are a bit hot. Do you need to go inside to cool down in the air conditioning?”

He can sense that? Shit. Nora stepped away, averting her eyes. Ah, shit. “I’m okay. Just hot in the desert, and from moving things.”

“Have you eaten this morning yet?” he asked, stepping closer. “I made Tilly a few eggs. She likes them scrambled.”

“I’ll go get a bar in a minute.” It took effort, but she met his eyes.

“I can make you some eggs as well.” Simon tilted his head.

Nora’s tongue felt thick in her mouth. “That’s alright.”

Her gaze snagged on his hands resting on the hover, wondering if they would trail just as delicately on her. Stop it, Nora.

Nora cleared her throat and motioned briskly to the smaller, broken hover across the room. “I was also thinking of what we need to fix this. This second hover runs now, but barely. It goes through gas really fast. It’s only good to take if I’m not hauling anything, but I thought it might be good to resell if I can get it running right.”

“What’s wrong with it?” A frown crossed his lips.

“Dunno.” She breathed even easier as he walked away to the smaller vehicle she’d pointed to. Her hands shook as she rubbed the sweaty palms on her pants.

He opened up the hood and stuck his head inside. The wires got pushed to the side as he dug deeper. “It has all the components, the circuitry just needs to be rewired. As for using extra gas . . .”

Nora came up, not too close, to watch his examination. “Yeah. I had to do a lot of rewiring on our current hover. That’s how I knew, for you, how to . . .”

His voice was a bit muffled, coming from under the hood. “At night I will come work on this if that is alright. It will give me something to do while you sleep that will not disturb you.”

Suddenly his hand moved to hers, covering it where it lay on the side of the hover. “Are you sure you are alright, Nora? I still am picking up that you are overheated. Do you have a fever?”

Nora swallowed and moved her hand away, balling it at her side. “I’m okay. It’s just hot in here. I’ll go inside and . . . eat something with Tilly.”

“Alright.”

A few minutes later, Nora finished eating and returned to see Simon still head deep in the hover, wires hanging over the sides.

“Simon?” she asked hesitantly, walking over now with the chalkboard in her hands. “Do you mind showing me some more on what we worked on yesterday? The fractions?”

He put down the box of gears and smiled, ducking his head. “Of course, Nora.”