Her Gift

I remember the first time I saw him. He was perfect, thoroughly faultless. Being a robot sure had its perks.

"Girls, will you come down? I've got something to show you." Dad shouted from the living room.

I dropped Penny; my most favorite doll from the dollhouse that happily took up a large corner of my bedroom, and skipped out of the room bumping into my older sister Delilah.

"Watch it squirt." she chastised in good humor, I could tell from the teasing nickname she christened me with not long after I was born.

Delilah was 4 years older than me and now, at 12 years old she was beginning to start her 'rebellious teen antics' or so I'd heard mom and dad say.

I side stepped her and carried on my merry way to find out what dad had to show us. I was a little more than a bit excited; the last thing he wanted to show us was a puppy (from my constant begging) so I could only imagine what he'd been out and bought. What have I been asking for..?

Pushing the living room door open with Delilah on my tail, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at first; the gigantic tv stood proud and sleek on its oakwood stand, the leather L-shaped couch with its perfectly fluffed up pillows wasn't anything different and the big metal box in the middle was there like usu-!

Both mine and D's eyes shot open, eyebrows raised in curious wonder at the random box .

"I know it's not your birthday until next week, and it's really going to be a gift for the whole family... but I wanted you to open it." Dad says looking at me, eyes brightly lit, his excitement was contagious and even Delilah was getting into the spirit as I ran to the box and pulled the latch to open it. What could be in a box this big?

He was sleeping... at least it looked that way, except he was stood with two metal hooks underneath his armpits holding him up straight.

I didn't question why a man was asleep in a box in my house. I was hypnotised by him.

He was gorgeous, I was only 8 years old and I could see that, he looked flawless, even asleep I knew he was going to be perfect.

I may have been too busy looking at him to care he was in a box, but Delilah wasn't so easily distracted.

"What the hell is that?" She exclaimed, moving backwards and away from the godlike man.

"Don't talk like that Delilah-Grace!" Mom scolded coming into the room. She froze upon seeing boxman.

"What the hell is that?!"

"He's our new android, didn't I tell you I was getting us one? Tom next door has one and he's been bragging about it for two months, this ones an upgraded droid, even better than Tom's." Dad looked smug. Mom looked livid.

"You bought that... that thing because Tom has one? And you know very well you didn't tell me because if you had done, I would have point blank refused. What were you thinking? oh wait... you weren't." Mom breathed in slowly and pinched the bridge of her nose.

These were signs that I needed to interfere before she went on one of her rants.

"I like him. When will he wake up? What's his name?"

Questions; the perfect distraction.

'Thankyou sweetie. Besides I got if for Rae's birthday." He looked towards mom as if that would justify his action. "and I'm glad someone's on my side... He's not sleeping though sweetie, he just hasn't been activated and we haven't given him a name yet." Dad explained.

Now I was even more confused. Who doesn't have a name? and activated... What?

My scrunched up face seemed to be enough to indicate I was all kinds of confused.

"He's an android Rae. A robot, like the Johnsons' have next door."

"He looks so real though." I said with my childlike innocence.

He didn't look like next doors, you could see theres was artificial. He looked plastic. My robot looked like his skin was smooth, warm and lifelike. I moved closer, hand reaching out wanting to see if I was right.

My Robot...

As soon as my hand touched his cheek, wide unique blue eyes opened and stared into my equally wide hazel ones.

"Oh." was all I could think to say. I knew not to poke people when they were sleeping.

Dad said he wasn't sleeping though. He needed to be 'activated'

Dad moved forward and gently pulled my hand off his cheek - which was as smooth and human like as I imagined it would be.

"Didn't realise a touch could activate them." he said under his breath.

We all seemed unsure as to what to do next and he had yet to say anything. Eyes still on me.

Then he lifted up and looked at everyone in turn as if memorizing us.

"Thank you for purchasing Droid H series 7.2. Would you like me to list my features and safety regulations sir?" He directed the question at Dad, His voice was velvety smooth, just like his skin and it had a relaxing quality, even mom and Delilah seemed more placated.

"Ummm yes. Sure." Dad nodded to him.

"The Droid H series 7.2 is the most life like android in existence," he stated. His face had turned emotionless and it was like a recording was coming out of him. This was the first time he looked like a robot.

"Features include but are not limited to: housework, gardening, childcare, DIY, sexual needs, mechanical, electrical and constructional needs, for the full list of features please see booklet inside box. Health and Safety features require droid H to be unable to carry out any acts ordered from sirs and misses that will in anyway harm a human being. for the full details see afore mentioned booklet."

Droid H went silent, he had finished his speech.

"Sexual needs?!" Mom hissed.