Dare to Dream

-Luke-

I got up and ran after San.

“Wait!” I shouted. She kept running at first. San’s sobbing made my heart ache.

“Come back!” I yelled. I grabbed her by the shoulder. She turned her head. She had tears in her eyes.

“San,” I said. I pulled her in for a hug.

“Come here. I’m so sorry,” I said. She cried against my chest. I must have looked so uncomfortable. It wasn’t my fault. It just happened.

“I’m so sorry,” I said.

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San and I went on a walk in the early morning hours. We didn’t speak at first. She had calmed down. Still, I felt bad.

“San,” I said. She turned her head. Her big eyes hurt my heart. I took a breath.

“I was having a dream,” I said. “I haven’t seen Carlene in years. I doubt that she even remembers me.”

“Dream?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “Just a dream.” It hurt to say that.

“What’s a dream?” San asked. I looked at her. Oh yeah. She’s an android. They didn’t dream.

“Well,” I said. “A dream is…” How was I going to say this? I frowned. San stared up at me.

“Well…” I said again. “They are hard to explain.”

“Why?” she asked. I pressed my lips together. I wished Tracy was here.

“They just are,” I said. “They are good and bad. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad.”

“Was your dream good?” San asked. I smiled a bit.

“Yes,” I said.

“Do I have dreams?” she asked. I shook my head.

“No,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“But why?” San asked. She sounded so sad. I held her hand.

“You are a machine,” I said. It hurt to say that.

“Humans can dream. But machines can’t,” I said.

“I can’t dream because I am a machine?” San asked.

“Yes,” I said. I pulled her into my arms.

“I want to dream,” she said. She was staring up at me. How could she look so innocent? Sometimes, I forget that she isn’t human.

“I hope you can dream too one day,” I said. I took her hand again.

“Do you want to go back?” I asked. San shook her head.

“No?” I asked.

“No,” she said.

“Fine,” I said. “I can’t sleep anyway. We can keep going.” San blinked once.

“You can’t dream?” she asked. I smiled and shook my head.

“No,” I said. San cocked her head to the side.

“Can you tell me about dreams again?” she asked. I patted her on the head.

“Sure,” I said. We continued walking along the dirt path. Despite it still being dark, it looked like it was going to rain.

Data Finished