Chapter Twenty Eight

Stu walked back to Sarah's house with Sarah, clinging onto him. He had tired all he could to convince her that they weren't a couple but she ignored him completely. At her home, she took him upstairs and left him in her room. She sat down at her vanity set again, priming herself. Stu watched: it wasn't like he had anything else to do. 
She reached over to a toolbox that was on her set. A toolbox? Why in the world did she have a toolbox instead of a makeup kit? She rustled around until she brought out a screwdriver. She placed it to her neck and began to turn it. Did she have a screw loose? Stu perked up a bit. Maybe this was worth watching. She then picked up her head and placed it beside her. She had just removed her head!
“Whats wrong?” She asked, her voice was natural. “You've acted like you've never seen a media robot.”
“I have up until now!” 
He backed up against the wall: this by far had been the creepiest thing he had ever seen!
“Well its quite simple really. Our creator created one clone herself and then the clones just kept multiply. Even though our creator was the original, she was still different so we chased her out of town!”
Those words made him shiver. She was even laughing! Now Stu was really creeped out!
Thankfully, night had fallen and it had come fast. He couldn't stand talking to a head without a body. Although, he did have trouble sleeping because Sarah's head was plugged into the wall. Even though he didn't plan on sleeping anyways, the thought still made his stomach lurched. 
He opened the door slowly yet it still creaked. He looked to the head. It snorted and continued rebooting. He walked down the stairs, out the house and went in search to find May's house.
This place is even scarier at night, he thought to himself. The sky was a hologram. The stars would flicker as well the moon. Even the nightlife animals were robots. This place made him sick.
Then he found May's street. He looked around: where was her house. All he saw was a big tree. An old oak tree to be exact with a rope ladder. Wait, what was the ladder there for? He followed the ladder upwards to see a huge tree house. This was were she lived? He wasn't surprised he was just happy to see some uniqueness. He climbed up the rope ladder and into her tree house haven.
Once up on the porch, he knocked on her door. There much noise from inside before she opened it.
“Good,” She said with relief. “You're here. “Come in.”
Once inside, the smell of hot, steaming tea greeted his nostrils. He sighed. This place had such a homey feel to it. He wouldn't mind living here.
The place was filled to the brim with many objects. She had huge bookcases, caked with millions of books. She a pile of charts on one desk and maps on another. He heard a kettle release steam. What a busy place, he thought.
His eyes then landed on a picture. It was of May and two other people. He guessed it was her parents.
“They're not here,” She said, not taking time away from her work. “My mother was the creator of the clones. They chased her and father out of town.”
“I know.”
“I've been up here ever since, trying to find a way to rid this town of these stupid clones but they're indescribable!”
“Oh, are they?” Stu asked slyly.
“Yes!” She wailed. “I tried reprogramming them, dousing them with water, even short circuiting them! But nothing works.”
“Well there is one thing you haven't tried yet that's bound to work.”
“What?” May dropped out of her chair, crawling towards Stu like a baby. She grabbed his shirt and asked frantically, “What is it?”
“Be yourself.”
There was a pause. May slowly got up from the ground, regaining her composure then asked, “By myself?” Stu nodded. “I-----I don't think I can do that anymore.”
“That'll be the day!” Stu laughed. “No matter who you are you'll always be yourself no matter what happens! You see this house? This is you! You built, you added the thing in here, you made the tea! All of that shows who you are.” 
There was an awkward silence but before anyone one of them could speak, a wooden board on her floor flew upwards. A hand had broke through the flooring. May screamed and began to run down her hallways.
“Individual alert! Individual alert!” They chanted together.
Stu fought to get to the front but I was no use. He was pushed back to the wall, only to watch helplessly as the clones marched after May. He had to help her! But how?
Then it came too him.
“May!” He called. “Stop running! They know you are afraid! Just stand and be yourself!”
A clone grabbed his neck, pinning him to the wall. He gagged: his air was being cut off.
“Hey you!” May's voice came from behind. “Do you like my outfit?”
“Alert, alert!” The clone said. “Uniqueness detected! System shutdown, system shutdown!”
The clone's grip was released, allowing Stu to breathe one more. May ran into him, wringing his neck in a hug.
“Thank you.” She whispered.
Stu placed his hands on her back but soon found she was floating up towards the sky. Her house was gone and they were lost in the dark. She turned into a green mist that floated to Noble who was standing before him. He was in a green jumpsuit with green hair and wings.
“That's it!” Noble said with a smile. “You're done with your tests.”
“But remember us.” Cleo came up behind Noble, placing an arm on him.
“Remember those who taught you a lesson.” Johji entered as well, followed by all of his other students.
“Remember those who tried to stop you from learning.” Yoshiko held Johji's hand.
“Remember those who were blind.” tanner hugged Cleo's waist.
“Remember the ones who need your help.” Stacey Sue added.
“Rember the help you gave.” The twins chimed.
“But most importantly.” Noble said.
“Listen and learn.” All the students said together.
A beam of light ripped through the dark ceiling, shinning on the children. They smiled as they looked up to it. Their bodies soon turned into light as well, forming the mot beautiful rainbow Stu had ever witnessed. It swirled around, then disappeared into a door that Stu had not seen before.

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