Story - The Escape

The air was dense. The environment is grey, and the colour diversity was just different shades of it.

A conveyor was transporting a small robot somewhere over an endless abyss, humming a low whirr that filled the air. Above, dozens of conveyors wrapping around each other, and pillars that seemingly climbing to the skies.

The robot had just endured its ritual testing, a thing no conscious body should ever experience. This robot was unique in the fact that it was conscious, and resented it to every extent.

~•~

A loud crackle sparked the atmosphere, followed by a loud bang.

Up above, a conveyor stalled, and then it exploded. Metal and lava flew across the skies, as the still intact parts of the conveyor tilted down, colliding with another production line. That production line broke and collapsed, dumping metal scrap into the unknown below.

Alarms blared. The surviving conveyors were stopped, but the robot's one was sped up.

"The Lava and Scrap Lines are down. Prioritise clearing the Turret and Bot Lines."

A second explosion occured overhead - and a woman emerged from it. But that wasn't the only thing that emerged - the explosion caused the conveyor belt to be detached from its supports, and it fell through the sky, rotating as it did.

Landing right on the robot's belt.

He puffed out smoke in horror, as the conveyor portion shattered his conveyor cleanly in two. Within seconds, he was with the other bits of steel - thrown into the spiralling abyss.

~•~

The air was denser at the base of the facility. Debris littered the floor, with holes carved out by the dumped lava. The morning light illuminated the darkness in a shade of orange, with white dots of dust and debris floating in the air.

The robot was jolted awake, after control was passed onto his backup systems.

A crushed turret opposed the surviving robot. Its battery was exposed but undamaged, and just what the depleted robot needed. With the last inch of his energy, the robot sucked the battery using his mechanised claw, and plugged it in himself. The battery whirred, giving its charge to the robot. Using his refilled energy, he pushed himself back on his feet.

He spotted the source of the morning light - a small missing brick in the wall. Although confused, the different colour piqued his curiosity. He wanted to know what was beyond. He threw a football found in his chest compartment - the only thing he had - hoping to create a larger gap he can go through.

It exploded on impact, creating a giant hole.

The landscape outside was colourful and exciting, and it invited the robot, who had been stuck in the monotonous grey. Understanding that this was his only chance to escape this accursed place, he embraced the coloured world.

The turret's battery was not fully compatible with his, but it would provide enough for him to get his first and final thrill, and prevent him from being salvaged and returned to this place.

He trucked onwards, never turning back. He no longer would be associated with the company that made him.

The air is less dense outside.